Question for motorcycle (sportbike) people

[CobraJohn01]

With the crazy cost of gas we must contend with and the desire I've always had to get a bike, I'm thinking of getting one in the spring. I would be a first time sportbike rider. My only similar experience riding has been on smaller sized dirt bikes and a 50cc scooter my girlfriend and I used to ride around town and stuff. So bascially I have no usefull experience for a real motorcycle. I know you shouldn't start off really big, and I know all about taking safety courses and stuff. I know you can ride as cautiously as possible and still get screwed by some schmuck who can't drive. My questions are pretty simple and basic and was hoping someone could help me find out some info. I'm looking at spending no more than $4000 on a bike and I'm looking for something in the range of late-90's to early-2000's.

First off, what I'm wondering is in order from best to not as good, for a begginer bike, how would you rate these. I think I know how you all would rate them but I'm asking just in case. Here's the 4 bikes I'm the most interested in after doing some looking online on traderonline for pricing and the style that I like. Again, the range I'm looking at is later '90s to early '00s

Suzuki GS500E
Honda CBR600
Suzuki SV650
Suzuki Katana 600

My second question is, doesn anyone know what kind of MPG these bike might get me. I would be doing mostly city riding with some highway riding mixed in here and there. I wouldn't be a speedster and I'm not interested in racing or anything like that. Just transportation to get from A to B that will use less gas and maybe be more fun.

Any help anyone can give would be greatly appreciated. I've only got a few posts but I've been a reader of these forums since 2001 when I got my Cobra (which I have since had to get rid of. ) and I know there are some people who know what they're talking about. :beer:

 

[TriPodRacing]

The CBR and the GS500 are both good bikes.The Katana will be hard to sell.

MPG can vary depending how you ride and how much you like to rev the engine while sitting at a light.

I would say any where from 30 to 40 MPG.

When I take it easy and just commute back and forth from work (40 miles each way).I can get 41 to 42 MPG on my 05 CBR1000RR.

And I double check everytime I do the math cause I can't beleive it myself.


Anyway good luck on your bike quest and take the MSF course its worth it.

http://www.msf-usa.org/

 

[CobraJohn01]

Thanks for that info. That's what I was hoping to hear on both counts. The CBR is my favorite bike, and the GS500 is pretty cheap from what I found online. And that's good to hear about the gas mileage. One question though: What did you mean that the Katana will be hard to sell? Are they not a good bike? Do people for some reason not like them? I'm not worried about having to resell the bike for a long time if/when I get one. I won't need/want anything bigger than a 600 and I don't want to spend a lot of money on a brand new one down the road unless there's a really good reason.

And I will most certainly take that MSF course if I get a bike!

 

[4dstang]

Don't buy a bullit bike. More kids die riding a bullit bike for their first. I am 34 and just got my first sport bike. I started off riding $800 dollar bikes fifteen years ago and have had many different types of bikes. I have also taken the first MSF riders course and last year took the experienced rider course. I learned alot I did not know after fifteen years of riding.

#1 rule, wear a helmet even if the law says you don't have to. You have two arms, two leggs and ONE noggen. Heck ride with a tanktop and shorts, but WEAR a HELMET. I have been down once and the helmet saved my face from years of reconstruction.

A guy I work withs daughter killed a local retired small town firechief because he was not wearing a helmet. She was sixteen and never saw him. She was charged only because the widdow pushed. If he had warn a helmet he would still be alive. Good luck, be extremly careful and watch EVERY car and person. Keep your eye ahead for obsticals and practice in parking lots your emergency braking and obsticle avoidance. That's what I did and have not one scratch or scar. I have even gotten out of tickets for wearing all my safety gear.

Chris

 

[CobraJohn01]

I certainly will always wear a helmet. No doubt about it. Sorry to hear about your co-worker's daughter. I'm sure it's not easy for her to have that on her consience.

 

[FredK'03Cobra]

Another to add to your list: The Suzuki SV650. It is a good sporty V-twin. As a V, it has good torque for its small size and you won't 'outgrow' it anytime soon. With a good rider it will show its taillights to 600s that are supposedly faster. The V will be much more forgiving coming out of corners. Also, as a twin, it will be cheaper to maintain. Also, without the bodywork, it should be cheaper to insure.

 

[CobraJohn01]

Good call on that one Fredk. Stupid motorcycle newbie question: What's the difference between a V-twin and a "regular" 600cc engine? I'm still very new to this stuff. Also, what you said about the body fairings, the less a bike has of them the cheaper to insure? I know it makes sense when you think about it but I just didn't realize it worked that way.

 

[hydroshutter]

I'd go with the CBR... Hondas will run forever

I have a 1981 Honda Passport that I learned to ride on and it still runs like it just came off the showroom floor. Of course, it doesn't look like it

 

[CobraJohn01]

Another question I just thought of is regarding mileage. What point on a motorcycle do you say "that's too many miles"? Like, I know with cars, the magic number is usually 100k. What would be the motorcycle equivalent to that magic number where you think "Ok, I could take a chance on this but the motor will probably only go XXXX miles more."? I know it depends on how hard the miles were ridden, but aside from that...

 

[CobraJohn01]

Bump... anyone else have some info to share? I need all I can get.

 

[merfsiu]

A CBR 600 is a little too much for a 1st bike imho. Go with something that you can drop/beat and not care about. My 1st bike was a 79 yamaha special 750 i got for 800 bucks. I beat the hell out of that bike and learned alot because it was heavy and handled like a pig. I had to work to ride it hard and when i moved up to a real sportbike, i was a better rider because of it. Every newbee makes the same mistakes and you can choose to make them on a beater or a bike with expensive plastic.

My advice, dont spend over $1000 and get on old honda cb or something similar for a 1st bike.

 

[CobraJohn01]

I'm finding some '98-'01 Suzuki GS500E's on traderonline for around $1500-$2000. Do you all think that would be a good compromise between a beater bike and a more powerfull and expensive to damage bike? If so, I'd imagine 500cc is enough for me for what I'll need it for and couldn't imagine needing to upgrade anytime soon if at all. I'm not looking to race or impress people once again so I won't be upgrading to a 900 or 1000+cc bike just to look cool.