Planning on Buying a Suzuki 600 gsxr 97-00

[Imperial I]

Planning on Buying a Suzuki 600 gsxr 97-00, this will be the first bike that I have owned. I am going to do some of the training the (CBT) compulsory basic training b4 I buy the bike then practice on it then take the test. Do you think this is a good idea.

Is a 600 to fast.

I fear nothing but God in all honesty so I have no fear but let me here some honest outside opinion.
bless

[leemajaz]

Originally Posted by Imperial I

Planning on Buying a Suzuki 600 gsxr 97-00, this will be the first bike that I have owned. I am going to do some of the training the (CBT) compulsory basic training b4 I buy the bike then practice on it then take the test. Do you think this is a good idea.

Is a 600 to fast.

I fear nothing but God in all honesty so I have no fear but let me here some honest outside opinion.
bless

1. i commend you on your decision to take a training course
2. i'd suggest you start out smaller seeing as though this is your first bike and not your last.
3. check out the new riders forum stickies.
4. it's not a good idea to mount a 600ss with no formal exp.
some people are the exception to the rule but, that's why
there is a rule.
5.whoever does not have a healthy fear of a bike need not get one "thal shall not tempt the lord thy god."
6. crawl before you walk. no real rider is gonna laugh at you because you decided to start small and gave yourself time to grow as a rider instead of grabbing the 1st. thing smokin'. hell, i love seeing 2fiddy's and 500's riding around. because it tells me that some people actually care about jumping in
with two feet and finding out that the water was'nt as friendly as they thought.

[S3aturnR]

i "started" (after a 15 year hiatus) on a 900. still struggling with it. lots of smaller bikes are much faster because of their rider.

take it from someone who DID start big. don't do it. if i had it to do over again, i would've read this forum first and bought a 250 or 500 ninja. i would be learning WAY faster than i have been. i would be ready to move up in a couple more years and be a much more skilled rider.

i'm learning slow. it's all my fault, too. as difficult as it is to tell yourself to start small, it's even MORE difficult to do after you went and bought big.

good luck...


s3aturnr

[slimjim]

If you fear nothing but God be ready to see him a few times if you get that bike.

Start smaller and at the very least not on a SS.

[MAD_CAT]

no..even older SS are bad for beginners.

[ChrisP]

They may be down on power compared to the latest SS's, but they are wayyyyy heavier. Not good for learning on. But its still a 600, and can bite you in the ass.

[LittleRedRider]

I took the MSF course before buying a bike and I highly recommend doing so before buying a bike/practicing on your own. The course taught many basic (slow, parking lot) manuevers and how to handle the bike when faced with sudden incidents that you wouldn't really think about. If you take the course first, then you wouldn't have to "unlearn/relearn" the techniques/habits that you familiarized yourself with before the course. It was great to see guys in my class who have ridden many years, come out humbled about what a small bike could teach them. Do lots of researching and sitting on bikes before you buy. Many (new) biker friends of mine and sportbike forums have highly recommended the Ninja 250. I purchased one after trying to learn on a Buell Blast for a few months, after taking/passing the MSF course. I've had the bike about two months now and am now beginning to see what the "little" sportbike can do. You'd be amazed!

[phail]

Originally Posted by ChrisP

They may be down on power compared to the latest SS's, but they are wayyyyy heavier. Not good for learning on. But its still a 600, and can bite you in the ass.

Just because its older and slightly less powerful doesnt mean it cant be pushed faster than another rider on an 07 600. I run away from people on brand new 600s and 750s on group rides after like 5 turns.

Just the same as an experienced track rider on an older/heavier/less powerful bike than mine would do to me.

[Joe H]

A new 600SS is good for 150-160 mph top end depending on the model .

[spicy]

i also started on an old, fat, heavy beast ('93 750 katana). thing weighed 461lbs wet!

my girlfriend recently started riding and just purchased a used '97 ninja 250 for a measly $1000 with 5k mi on it in good shape except for cosmetics (which aren't even that bad, and it's for beginning and DROPPING, so who cares?)...

trust me, if i could do it again, i would've gotten a ninja 250 if i could find one in good shape in a heartbeat... they are not slow, especially when you're a brand new rider and have that "holy shit i'm in hyperspace" feeling until you look down at the speedo and realize you're going a blistering 23mph...

they're a ball in the corners, and are great commuters (and why not get a bike you can ride for whatever purpose you want?), get good gas mileage (55-65mpg), and have almost 100% resale value.

[GoIllini]

Originally Posted by Imperial I

Planning on Buying a Suzuki 600 gsxr 97-00, this will be the first bike that I have owned. I am going to do some of the training the (CBT) compulsory basic training b4 I buy the bike then practice on it then take the test. Do you think this is a good idea.

Is a 600 to fast.

I fear nothing but God in all honesty so I have no fear but let me here some honest outside opinion.
bless

You see, I feel sorta the same way, but I feel like God has a plan for me, and I don't think his plan involves me dying prematurely because I released the clutch on a GSXR too fast. I'm not going to get religious, but if you follow the Bible, I'll be happy to discuss various verses via PM.

I might not be able to convince you to go for a Ninja 250 for two years, but I think I can convince you to at least go for a Ninja 250 or 500 for at least the first several miles if I can tell you that it'll save you several hundred dollars and a lot of tears. Beginners drop bikes. I made it through the MSF course without dropping a bike, but I dropped my Ninja 250 on my first day on it. On my third day on the bike, I dropped it again. This happened in my first 200 miles.

Dropping a bike stinks, because you have to pick it up. A GSXR with 4 gallons of gas in it is going to weigh close to 400 lbs; the Ninja's about 60 lbs lighter. Most bikers can lift a Ninja with a fair amount of effort, but that extra 60 lbs is really going to do you in. It's really humiliating to sit there by the side of the road with a bike on its side. If you're lucky, soccer moms will stop and ask if you need a ride. If you're unlucky, high school kids will drive by and laugh at you. With a lighter bike, this whole matter can be behind you in a matter of about 30 seconds; with a heavier bike, you may have to call up your friends for help.

Finally, a Ninja 250 can go from 0-60 in about 5.7 seconds. This is enough to leave my Mustang in the dust.

[Freshgrease]

Be sure to NOT tell your instructor at MSF that you plan on getting a GXR 600 for your first bike. They will laugh at you and ask you to leave (I saw it happen myself)