I am a TOTAL newcomer to the world of high performance motorbikes. I am a GREAT fan of the Hayabusa and I have the deepest respect for people who own and ride them as they are meant to be ridden.

OK, now on the the real questions. I have never ridden a motorbike before. I am however enthralled by them. Although I absolutely love the performance of my car, I know that a top of the line sportbike would give me 100x the adrenaline rush.

What I want to ask, is how much experience would I need to be able to ride a Hayabusa 1300 with safety. I will be taking a beginners motorbike course next week. It inolves 10 hours of bike time and 6 hours of class time. After that I can get my bike license and go purchase a motorbike.

I understand that I will have to drive the bike VERY carefully until I am completely sure that I can handle it. How long will this process take. 6 months, 1 year???

I respect the fact that these bikes need total concentration to ride. As much fun as they give you, they could kill you in an instant.

Could someone please tell me if it is feasible for me to just take a rider course and then go buy a super bike like the Hayabusa?? I would drive it EXTREMELY carefully until I got the hang of it. Is this a reasonable proposition or am I just fooling myself and I should buy a 125cc dinky bike and ride that for 5 years before even touching a 'busa?

Thanks for your input

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Moneeb
[B]I am a TOTAL newcomer to the world of high performance motorbikes. I am a GREAT fan of the Hayabusa and I have the deepest respect for people who own and ride them as they are meant to be ridden.

OK, now on the the real questions. I have never ridden a motorbike before. I am however enthralled by them.

 

I taught motorcycle riding for the Canada Safety Council (equivalent to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation in US) for 11 years. If a student came to me and asked what you just asked, my reply would be something like this. "You're just learning how to ride a M/C properly for the first time. There are so many things you need to teach your mind and body to do without a second thought especially when riding in an urban environment. A 'Busa' is possibly the "King Kong" of all store bought bikes. Even though you may be extremely careful and mature (and I don't if you are) you cannot fathom what this bike can do. If you find yourself one day just wondering what it would be like to crank the throttle wide open only in 1st gear and only to redline just this once to see, it may be the last thing you do on the face of this earth. The average human being has no idea what it's like to go to 60 mph in less than 3 sec. This first time, noone can be ready. Your arms try to pull themselves out of their sockets. The landscape around you go by so fast that you see nothing because you are not used to the g's your eyeballs and grey matter is subjected to. Incidently, I'm not sure what the top speed in 1st gear of a Busa is (maybe an owner can pipe in) but I would guess it's between 80-90 mph). If you are truly a 1st time biker, buy a smaller, less hyper machine and get experienced with the dynamics of a two wheeled vehicle. It IS different (it's NOT just a bicycle with an engine). Go thru at least one season after you take the level 1 course. Maybe at the end of the 1st season, you'll feel comfortable enough to take the advanced level course (I designed and taught these, too). If you don't have a bad incident after this course (and people do) then you may consider something like a 'Busa'. You don't have to go out and buy a brand new 'smaller' bike, either. A good used one like what Jeff said would be a good start. Even a 600cc crotch rocket has the performance to do some serious damage. My experience has seen "kids" hurt themselves mostly on these 600cc bikes. The actual riding of a M/C is not that difficult to learn and master. The hard part is riding one well enough to ride it in the motoring environment. You don't necessarily have to make a mistake for it to kill you. There are enough others out there who will try to do this for you. It's how you can instantly and instinctive react to these situations that will help you avoid and to help you get out of them safely. Ultimately, it's your health, your money. But it IS everybodies health car system.

 

Moneeb

I've riden bikes for 30+ years, most of it without incident. My last two bikes have been sportbikes. A Honda 600F2 that I roadraced and my present bike, a Honda VFR800 (with that sweet V-4 engine sound!) What make a motorcycle dangerous is not the rider, it's the environment. The road condition (wet, dry, dusty, gravel, patched, etc.), the time of day (morning/evening sun in an oncoming drivers eyes means they just lost site of you), the amount of traffic (urban/rural) and how comfortable you feel on the bike right now. The first three you learn to deal with by education, the fourth one you gain by seat time.

Another item to think about is crash damage. A harsh term, but it you let a sport bike fall over in your driveway, you're going to inflict some damage in the plastic panels. They are big time expensive. Yes, insurance may pay for it, but do you want to start making claims before you even hit (bad pun intended) the streets? All motorcycles require some time to become familiar with them. Each one is different, just like a S2K is way different from a Miata. If a buddy offers you his bike for a ride, politly decline saying you don't want to take responsibility if something happens.

MSF teaches you the basics and is a good introduction. You are however going to need to learn to apply these techinques by yourself on your own bike. Do you really want to muscle a high horsepower sportbike around during this time? Ask most experienced riders and they will say no, it's better to learn on a middleweight displacement bike like an EX500 Kawasaki or a SV650 Suzuki. Better yet, buy an old 'beater' bike and learn to ride AND wrench on it. That will prepare you for future breakdowns. (Yes, sportbikes get flat tires, blow fuses, etc). After you become an accomplished newbie, you can look into buying your dream sportbike and sell the beater to another new rider. Motorcycling is addictive and when people know you ride, they will beat a path to your door for input and guidence, just like you are asking of the board.

Buy a bike. Learn how to ride a bike. Buy the best gear you can afford (Helmet, Leathers, Boots and Gloves) and wear them even if the temperature says otherwise. Good luck!

 

You will find no better advice than what's presented here. This is the voice of experience talking in this thread. I've only a measly 10years under my belt and I'm still learning new things.

Take the MSF, CLASS, CA Superbike, etc... wear proper clothing, buy a 650cc or less bike and have fun. I wouldn't even go the extremes of a new 600, any are VERY FAST. If you're looking new, try a SV650, or if used, a Hawk, GB500, GS500, Seca II, CB-1 are all good beginner bikes. Learn to ride properly and don't try doing Las Vegas Extreme type riding... fun to look at but very squidly. Oh, should mention a DP dirt bike makes an awesome first bike and practically bullet-proof if you drop it (which you will).

Keep the rubber down!
-loki
'00 RC-51

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Moneeb
[B]Could someone please tell me if it is feasible for me to just take a rider course and then go buy a super bike like the Hayabusa??

 

There is very little that I can add that hasn't been written in the previous threads, so I'll try to be brief. . . In short, look at the 600s and possibly the Suzuki 750 GSX-R (which has superbike performance but 600-sized weight and handling characteristics). . . For most weekend riders, 600-750cc's is more than enough. . .

The long version:

Most importantly, take a motorcycle safety course. . . By the time the course is done YOU WILL have a much better understanding of what size bike you'll actually be able to handle. . .

That being said, I think it would be foolish for a complete novice to purchase a large displacement (1000cc - 1300cc+) Superbike. . . A Middle weight (600-750cc) would be much more practical and SAFE. . .

Reality: 0-60/ quarter-mile speeds of a 600cc and a 1000cc bike are similar. . . The big difference is at the top end (i.e., 160 mph versus 180+). Which, as a beginner should not even be a consideration. . .

Remember, the power & weight of larger bikes ARE factors that can't be ignored, especially for a novice. . . Though a Honda 600 (F4i) and 929RR (929cc) have similar perofrmance numbers, the difference is the way the power is delivered. The smaller engines require much more throttle to extract the hp & torque, while the larger bikes need less throttle to get the power. The problem: a beginner WILL have a much greater chance of grabbing TOO MUCH throttle when accelerating (bigger bike = greater chance to lose control).

To illusrate this point, when I took the MSF beginners course two years ago, I saw a guy (230lbs) grab too much throttle/released the clutch to quickly on a 125cc. He did a monster wheelie and was thrown from the bike!!! He wasn't hurt, but imagine if the bike was a 1300cc. . .

The other major factor is WEIGHT. An average 600cc bike (with fuel & fluids) weighs 425-430lbs. . . An average 1000cc bike is well over 500lbs, and the Hayabusa is probably closer to 600lbs. . . Big Difference!

Most motorcycle accidents occur when a rider "goes wide" in a turn either because of too much speed or because they didn't lean the bike enough. The heavier the bike, the less comfort/confidence a beginner will have while attempting to lean the bike through a turn (thus greater chance of going wide = accident).


Bottomline, the key to riding a motorcycle is SAFETY. This means being comfortable/confident with your skills & your equipment. Though, you might think its "Cool" to ride a Hayabusa, it a lot "cooler" to be in control. The only people that "make fun" of someone riding a 600 are people that don't ride (Kenny Roberts rides a 600). . .

While I understand the desire to want a bigger bike, keep in mind that the power, weight, and insurance are bigger factors when you go above 750cc. . . For most weekend riders, 600-750cc's is more than enough. . . Personally, I think the 750 is a very good compromise, and you probably won't have the desire to upgrade to a bigger bike within a year or two. . .

 

A word of caution though...Please drive safely!!!

My roommate just bought a Yamaha FZ1 and WRECKED it! Brand spanking new, $9000 crotch rocket...Now, I've known him to be conservative about driving on the road, and he said that he would just drive it carefully...Well, as luck would have it...He wrecked one day while riding with his brother and a couple of friends from work... Since he had only 2 weeks of riding experience, he took a corner a little too fast, and there was sand on the outside of the corner...he slid to the outside of the corner, caught the soft shoulder and laid it over. The harm done to him was relatively minor, considering he could have REALLY hurt himself...He was wearing jeans, helmet and sneaker-type shoes.... He skinned his lower leg pretty bad, and REALLY skinned his ankle on the outside of his leg.

He also had a windbreaker type coat that was ruined from the accident, as he only scratched up his arm slightly... YES he was wearing a helmet...

So the things to do....DEFINATELY (even if it's 120 degrees outside) wear protective gear....Please don't go around like 80% of the yahoo's around this state (no helmet laws) without a helmet or any kind of protective gear.....

a Line of protective gear that a friend of mine recommends is Joe Rocket.

This same friend of mine has been riding since he was 12, and last year, he had his first accident...He was wearing full leathers and a helmet...and it all saved his life.... He was going around a corner on a new bike. He rode over a rock while leaning and lost it. He slid to the outside of the corner and if there hadn't been a guard rail there, he would have gone over a 100 foot cliff and killed himself...but he hit the guard rail, and only broke his arm...he had to go through a few surgery sessions, but he has his life, arm, and is back to riding again...

Don't let the fear of accidents keep you from riding, but WEAR PROTECTIVE GEAR!!!! I'm not asking you, I'm telling you!

The best thing you can do is to go to that motorcycle training class! I've heard nothing but positive results from it...

Good luck in your purchase! and remember to wear protective gear!

 

All I can say is - Thank you.

Thanks for all the wonderful and in depth responses. I am grateful for all the advice I have received from people with SO much riding experience. I think this goes to prove that this forum is one of the best resources for people like me.

I will heed your advice. I am looking into getting a used GS500 as a starter. I understand the part about wearing the full protective gear and will make sure I do just that. I will also be taking my first course next week.

Thank you once again for all your help and advice.

 

Moneeb-

I used to ride motorcycles and loved it. I say used to because I decided to sell my bike, helmet and leathers when I asked my then girlfriend to marry me.

Don't read anything into that. Motorcycling is great fun and should be experienced. I don't think that anyone will argue with me when I say that is inherintly more dangerous than being in a car. I just made the decision to give up the thrill for a slightly greater safety margin.

Now.. to your question. I think you have received some very good advice here.

Take the MSF course. I did and I think anyone who skips this step and just jumps on a bike is a fool.

I learned on a three year old Kawasaki Ninja 500R (essentailly the same bike as an EX500). As long as you are not a really big guy, I would recommend you doing the same. The reasons:
1) It is relatively light weight. This is a major factor when you are learning to ride.
2) The seat height is also very low. Again very important when learning.
3) It is a "tweener" in that it is nearly as comfortable as a standard but offers some introduction into riding a sport bike.
4) the power. It has enough power that even experienced rider will have fun but not so much as be un-handleable by novices.
5) parts. there are a ton of parts available for it.
6) you can upgrade the bike easily with cheap parts. there are plenty of wheels, tires, jet kit, and exhaust options that are available for the bike.
7) it's cheap. i bought my bike for a few grand. i sold it for a bigger bike about a year later for $100 less than i bought it for. in other words, it doesn't depreciate like a bigger bike.
8) the plastics, etc. are affordable. i was lucky and never dropped the bike. most people aren't so fortunate. if you buy a bike like a cbr600f3 (a great bike, by the way) you will find that the plastics are far more expensive to replace when you drop the bike.

I think you are in the right direction.

Take the training and take your time. Riding is like nothing else in the world, and in my opinion, it makes you a much better driver too. You learn to pay more attention to the road and the people sharing the road with you.

good luck.