Feel of a New SportsBike (for a new biker)

speedlimit · 10-17-2004, 04:33 AM

Some people have told me "Brad, this is your first bike, so you need to ride a few first and see what is most comfortable." I challenge this wisdom without having much experience on motorbikes. It seems to me, like with any car or motorbike, that you have to buy it based on performance, looks, budget, and simply grow to love your bike's limits and strengths. I've ridden in cars I initially disliked but over time I learned to like.

So what's the real wisdom to be learned? a) ride a few bikes and anticipate the comfort level & performance limits before you buy or b) find the bike you want, buy it, and grow to love (or hate) it?

According to posts on this site and elsewhere, this Yamaha YZF600R is the most comfortable 600cc sportsbike on the market.

Which gear gives the most HP output. Said differently, which gear has the most "get-up-and-go" ?

Brad
Knoxville, TN

Rascus · 10-17-2004, 04:58 AM

I'd say go with option A

If you plan to do long rides on it then you want to make sure the bike is comfortable for you. Not only in the seat area but in the egro's. You may or may not like the way you sit on the bike after about an hour of riding.

So definitly just don't "buy" a bike to get one and get used to it. Sit on all the bikes you are looking at. Put your feet on the pegs and see how it feels to you. Do you feel real leaned over? Are your legs to far back? etc, etc,

MZ6ZoomZoom · 10-17-2004, 03:18 PM

Yeah a Bike is a lot different than a car. "Learning to love it" is a lot more dangerous than being uncomfortable in a car.

So yeah, I'd go with option A.

And yes, the YZF-600R probably is (certainly in my experience) the most comfortable 600cc sport bike. But that doesn't mean it's right for everyone.

speedlimit · 10-17-2004, 03:55 PM

I know the yzf600r has a large seat for comfort, but i'd like to know some very basics about how my legs would feel on a cruiser versus a sportsbike say, after a 2 hour ride with no stops.

Does it hurt your wrists to ride a sportsbike?...like carpal tunnel hurting? are all sportbikes meant to be laid down on like you want a big slurp out of the gas tank?

Winter is approaching and I will be riding in it if i get this new bike by Xmas. I have a Cirus helmet. The rest of the EQ i must buy.

I get the feeling sportsbikes are all about show and hurt badly in comparisont o a long ride on a cruiser. My main riding on it will be done on streets with some short interstate hops lasting no longer than 20 miles. Besides, this will be my first bike and it was suggested that 600 cc is too much for me to handle, a 500cc would be better. When I rode a yamaha virago 250cc it sputtered along but it was a peashooter. So I think more than twice that power would be needed. I want a bike I can ride, but i can also grow with. That's why I didn't opt for a 1000cc bike. It's way out of my league.

B

MZ6ZoomZoom · 10-17-2004, 05:40 PM

Well, I have pretty bad wrists and hands (I'm in therapy and such for htem) and that doesn't bother me on the yzf-600r (and sportbikes in general) except maybe when handling the clutch a lot for long periods of time, which isn't especially normal, and has nothing to do with being a sport bike.

There's no question cruisers and touring bikes are going to be more comfortable than a sport bike - especially for your back. That's the big difference (your back). On the other hand, the sport bike will perform better (and look better ;) ). The YZF-600R does have a lot less of a crouched position than most sport bikes, so your back will not bother you as much as with, say, and R6 or R1.

I moved from Nighthawks to the YZF-600R and I must say I still haven't gotten used to the sportbike... I still have a hard time in tighter turns. But that's not a comfort issue, that's just a learning how to use a new type of bike issue.

As for hte 500cc vs 600cc issue, I don't think there's a huge dif there. There's not a whole ton of sportbikes out there that are 500cc (there's a Ninja, I dunno what else but Yamaha does not make one) so I don't see 500cc as a very viable option... but neither do I see a very big difference between the two. In general I think the 500-600cc range is a good range for a first sport bike.

And yes, 1000cc bikes are out of most peoples leagues without a lot of experience ;)

dennisred69 · 10-17-2004, 06:13 PM

I have an older Yzf 600R and it is not as comfy as the new ones. I have learned that all sport bikes will hurt your wrist after a long period of time. Your legs will get cramped after a while. And your back will bother you. But the good news you do tend to get used to it. I will have to say my choice is the Yzf600R for comfort though atleast the new ones. If you need more power you can always change the sprocket size for next to nothing. If you want to go long distances all the time then you want to look at cruzers.