Yamaha R6. Good for beginner?

I am sure you get asked this a million times, but what is that bottle of green stuff and did you remove stuff from your bike to make light wieght?

 

Looks like an engine coolant overflow container.

 

Take an MSF course! The 250 ninja would be good in the city, but if you plan on any highway I'd go with the 600.

 

LOL, I like your oil filter cover!!

 

WHAT! I told a guy at the Kawasaki dealership that I was new to motor cycles and wanted to know what a good starter bike I also told him that I liked the look of endro bikes he said that the KLR 650 was perfect.
What do you think about the KLX 250s (More dirt bike look) and the KLX 250sf (Moto type styling)

 

You're fine on a KLR. That should probably have read 600cc RACE BIKES, not 600's in general. The KLR is a single cylinder dirt bike basically. That would make an excellent beginner bike.

Race bikes in general are horrible ideas for first bikes because of the throttle control and handling. They are built so the rider becomes an intergral part of the bike and every movement, correct or incorrect, causes the bike to respond. More timid bikes have more play in the suspension and throttle response so they're easier to control and correct if you make a mistake.

 

it depends on what kind of bike you want. I have a drz400s that i never ride, 900 miles since 07, i had a gsxr1000 that was my first bike that i put 6,000 miles on, now i am on a cbr 600 that i love. The klx 250's don't have much power but it depends on your size, my buddy's dad has a klx 300 and a klr 650, he is 5'2 and about 130#. He loves both bikes but each bike has it's purpose. I would not ride a 250 on the street.

 

I hve a DRZ400S, a V-Strom 650 and a VTX 1300. I ride the strom more than the others. It is a lot of fun. It has the same basic engine as the SV 650s'. The DRZ would be a better choice than the KLX in my book just because of the extra power. You can learn on any bike given the fact that you are able to control your right wrist. If you buy used, you usually can sell the bike a year later to move up with little or no loss in value.

 

Thank you both for the quick responses. The KLR is looking like my best bet right now seeing as I just want a bike for commuteing.

 

your best bet is to take the class first. They have bikes there you can ride and see what is comfortable. I picked up a GSXR750 as my first bike after taking that class and felt totally comfortable on it. I quickly moved up to an......R1 i think was my second bike.

 

The quick answer is NO. I get this question a lot after teaching a BRC MSF class. I will ask you this. Did the fighter pilot go from a Piper Cub to an F16? NO! same goes for riding a bike . your best bet is to get a good used standard bike under 500cc, ride it for a year or two and get some experience and don't listen to what your friends say.Then think about what would be a better bike to step up to.

ATGATT

ALL THE GEAR ALL THE TIME will save your ass and maybe some other body parts.

Cheers, Ride safe, ride often

 

I am 18 and i rode dirtbikes and i started out on a gsxr 600. Just dont do anything dumb and respect the bike and everything will be ok. I would go wit the 600.

 

i was 17th when i started out with a 600rr, i say go for it, but dont do stupid shit.

 

you have to respect what the bike is capable of, if you do that you should be fine

 

I have a Ninja 250 great in the city and gets great MPG... does freeway speeds just fine... but is gutless... I ride it everyday to work about 20 miles round trip

however, I'm learning a lot riding it, even though I want more power this 250 is keeping me in check so that I can hone my skills. Its so light which makes it easy to handle... also, the throttle response lags a little since I doesnt make power til 8K so you can't really blip the throttle and dump the bike...

its fun, but I will be upgrading when I get back from Iraq

 

X2

 

with 20 years riding under my belt, I got to say. Its never the bike's fault. A 600cc 100 hp super sport is attractive to people that are looking to kill themselves, not the other way round.
I got stupid on my fz6 so I sold it. It was only fun when it was being pushed and I always pushed it. I couldn't handle it. Too much pent up testosterone and whatnot. And I don't know a SS rider that even tries to ride sensibly.

As for getting a tiny bike for a beginner. Well that's all well and good if it fits. But The ONLY bike I've ever dropped on the road was my wife's buell blast. It was so small, when I came to a stop, I couldn't lift my leg high enough to get it off the peg. My boot stuck on the peg and then the handle bars pinned my knee. It was just too small for me. Unsafe. Goes for all the little bikes. They build em to a smaller scale that you have to be small to ride. Not to mention they come with cheap gear. The new 250 ninja being maybe the one exception.

The dual sports are about the best thing out there. Super-motos probably the best. Dual sports lack good tires for the road. But both of them share super nimble handling, light weight and durability. As well as cheap pricing. Yammy wr250 is more bike than anyone needs. If you can't have fun on a super moto, you're just a bad rider.

 

My first bike was a 2004 Suzuki SV650s..I loved that bike. I knew to respect it and learned a lot of good riding techniques through the MSF and track days. With in a few years I upgraded to a Honda RC51. I didn't outgrow my SV, but couldn't pass up the deal on the RC. A 600 can be a fun bike, but just like some others on here say, RESPECT it. Anybody can go fast in a straight line, it takes skill to be able to handle various turns and road conditions.

 

NO. Get some experience on a non-sportbike first. The idea of a 250 is good. Ride it around for a bit crash it, drop it, and whatever else. Then get yourself a R6 and take it to the track.

 

Being 19 the insurance is going to kill you specially on an R6 being a sport bike. I'd learned on a used 500. And like alot say you will probably drop or dump the bike from learning. I was hit from behind on my first bike. I've had 6 bikes over the last 20 years and I would for sure take the Motorcycle Saftey Class. It helps you out alot and does helps with a slight discount on insurance. Act mature on the bike respect the power and you'll do fine. Just see if you can afford the insurance.