Sport Bikes... who has one?

[Pogo]

So I've been in the market for a sport bike. I'm taking the MSF course soon and just looking around at deals in the area, trying to see what kind of price ranges I can expect and whatnot.

My first inclination was to get a newer Ninja 250R, but I'm getting a lot of flak from people I know saying that I'll get bored of its lack of power within months of riding it. I wanted it as a light, nimble starter bike, but I think I'm realizing that those people may be right.

So I've expanded my search to include the Honda CBR600RR, the CBR600F4i, the Yamaha YZF-R6, or the Suzuki SV650S.

Does anyone here have any experience on the middleweight sport bikes, or motorcycling in general, that they would like to share?

[Houngan]

Most folks recommend a 600 or bigger, simply because less bike will get pushed around by wind on interstates.

H.

[JPR]

I've got a 2000 SV650 (the naked version), and I enjoy it a lot. Honestly, my experience with other bikes is pretty limited. I rode a ~92 YZF that belonged to a friend for a while. I learned on a 500cc Interceptor (84, I believe) that I had for a year or so.

I don't have any significant experience riding any of the other specific bikes you mention, so I'll just leave it at this: I think the Suzuki is a good choice for a beginning rider -- unless you are really serious and really aggressive, you'll be happy with it indefinitely.

[Pogo]

Yeah I've had a couple recommendations for the SV650. It's definitely a contender.

Houngan, a side effect of a 250R is that it's so light and not powerful, you really don't want to be on the highway much, if at all. A 500cc and 600cc isn't much of a difference in terms of weight.

[ElGuapo]

You're gonna kill yerself!

[Houngan]

Yeah I've had a couple recommendations for the SV650. It's definitely a contender.

Houngan, a side effect of a 250R is that it's so light and not powerful, you really don't want to be on the highway much, if at all. A 500cc and 600cc isn't much of a difference in terms of weight.

I'm just sayin'. I had the same question, and I also never plan to get on an interstate with a bike, so I'll probably wind up with something similar. Bur that's the answer I received from a number of folks re: size.

H.

[Dravalen]

Gear, gear, gear! Get your gear sorted out before you even consider bikes. ATGATT(All the gear all the time). A good jacket, pants, gloves, boots and helmet will go a long way in saving your ass if anything happens.

With that said I would stay way from the inline 4s for a first bike(600RR, R6, etc) they are really peaky and easy to get out of hand very quickly. I would suggest buying used, the chances of you dropping the bike within the first few months is really high. The resale value of ninja 250s don't really fluctuate very much and you should be able to sell it for close to what your paid for if you find you want to upgrade to something bigger.

[Matthew Gallant]

In 2006, motorcycle riders accounted for 11% of all traffic fatalities, which made for a rate of 5.5x that of auto riders.

Also, in any crash, you are 35 times more likely to die if you're on a motorcycle than if you're in a car.

[JPR]

We should probably take it as a given that he's aware of the risks of riding a motorcycle.

[MikeJ]

My mom has a Ninja 650R. That's a very fun-to-ride bike, easy to control, good acceleration. I haven't driven it on multi-lane highways, however. Heavy traffic is not my idea of fun. I haven't driven any others in that displacement range recently, so I can't compare, but 600-650cc feels really easy to throw around and feels quite powerful.

[tiohn]

If you want to do it right:

http://www.imz-ural.com/tourist/pics/Tourist_Red_RightView2_520.jpg

[Mean Dr. Lily]

Hey, neat -- a topic I can actually contribute to!

First: Gear. Go to NewEnough.com and get a full-faced helmet, armored jacket, armored gloves and boots. I wear armored pants, too, but lots of folks prefer jeans and I can understand that.

Second: First bike? Stay aware from anything with "R" or "RR" in the name. A CBR66RR is NOT a beginner's bike. It's a track bike with headlights. On the street, you won't ever use 50% of the capabilities of that machine. And it makes casual rides much more uncomfortable than they need to be.

Then again, 14k RPM is pretty fun :)

Third: Buy used. Many entry-level bikes haven't changed much in years and used values are very low. Are you a big guy? That will change what bikes I suggest.

Typical suggestions:

Ninja 250 (the pre '08 styles). Not great for the highway for long commutes.
Ninja 500. Better all-arounder. More power, but very manageable.
Ninja 650. Getting even bigger here, but still manageable.
Suzuki SV650. Great value. Good choice. Naked version has less plastic to break.
Suzuki GSF-500/650. Not a bad choice, but lots of breakable plastic.

If you aren't dead-set on a sport bike, I'd recommend a dual sport for a first bike, too. Lower power, easy to ride. Check out the KLR650, DR650, or DRZ400.

They get overlooked a lot, but I love Buells. The XB9S, XB9SX or even a XB9R would be a suitable beginner's bike. Lots of torque and a lot more fun in day-to-day driving situations than an inline-4 600cc bike (which requires felony speeds before the fun starts really happening). Almost zero maintenance, minimal plastic to break and get great gas mileage.

I also think that so-called "Standards" are too often overlooked for a first bike. H-D Sportster 883, Honda Nighthawk, Triumph Bonneville, etc are all great bikes that will be much more sporty than 99% of the cars on the road.

Whatever you get, buy it used. Go into it knowing that you're going to ride it for 12 months and then get whatever it is that you REALLY want.

[Matthew Gallant]

We should probably take it as a given that he's aware of the risks of riding a motorcycle.
Then why does he want to buy one?

[tiohn]

In 2006, motorcycle riders accounted for 11% of all traffic fatalities, which made for a rate of 5.5x that of auto riders.

Also, in any crash, you are 35 times more likely to die if you're on a motorcycle than if you're in a car.

Can we buy Dirt a motorcycle?

[JPR]

Then why does he want to buy one?

For the same reasons that people do other things that are dangerous -- they have decided that the expected result is sufficiently pleasurable to outweigh the risks involved. Granted, if he were involved in an accident and had the skin sheared off 40% of his body and broke his back, he might re-evaluate. But, you know, people who like to rock climb might change their minds if they fell too, I guess.

[Pogo]

Hey, neat -- a topic I can actually contribute to!

First: Gear. Go to NewEnough.com and get a full-faced helmet, armored jacket, armored gloves and boots. I wear armored pants, too, but lots of folks prefer jeans and I can understand that.

Second: First bike? Stay aware from anything with "R" or "RR" in the name. A CBR66RR is NOT a beginner's bike. It's a track bike with headlights. On the street, you won't ever use 50% of the capabilities of that machine. And it makes casual rides much more uncomfortable than they need to be.

Then again, 14k RPM is pretty fun :)

Third: Buy used. Many entry-level bikes haven't changed much in years and used values are very low. Are you a big guy? That will change what bikes I suggest.

Typical suggestions:

Ninja 250 (the pre '08 styles). Not great for the highway for long commutes.
Ninja 500. Better all-arounder. More power, but very manageable.
Ninja 650. Getting even bigger here, but still manageable.
Suzuki SV650. Great value. Good choice. Naked version has less plastic to break.
Suzuki GSF-500/650. Not a bad choice, but lots of breakable plastic.

If you aren't dead-set on a sport bike, I'd recommend a dual sport for a first bike, too. Lower power, easy to ride. Check out the KLR650, DR650, or DRZ400.

They get overlooked a lot, but I love Buells. The XB9S, XB9SX or even a XB9R would be a suitable beginner's bike. Lots of torque and a lot more fun in day-to-day driving situations than an inline-4 600cc bike (which requires felony speeds before the fun starts really happening). Almost zero maintenance, minimal plastic to break and get great gas mileage.

I also think that so-called "Standards" are too often overlooked for a first bike. H-D Sportster 883, Honda Nighthawk, Triumph Bonneville, etc are all great bikes that will be much more sporty than 99% of the cars on the road.

Whatever you get, buy it used. Go into it knowing that you're going to ride it for 12 months and then get whatever it is that you REALLY want.

Good suggestions. I've decided on sport bike because that's the posture I enjoyed the most when sitting on dozens of bikes at the dealer, and seems to really put your experience into the road ahead.

I'm a light guy, 140lb and 5'6". This definitely factored into my first decision to go with a Ninja 250R, which has a more upright posture than the middleweights and is almost too light.

Then why does he want to buy one?

What the hell? Really?

You can break your neck going skiing or snowboarding. A 3 foot fall onto your skull is enough to kill you, which makes walking downstairs a hazardous activity!

31% of all motorcycle fatalities occur with the operator being intoxicated. Did you know that?

Or how about I stop shoveling a bunch of facts as they are all irrelevant due to a concept you may not be aware of, called fun. We can add convenient and efficient onto there too if you like.

[Matthew Gallant]

Sorry, I just see enough bad drivers on the road on my daily commute that I never want to have only a helmet and leather for protection. There's risk and reward in everything, but it's way out of balance when it comes to riding a motorcycle. Get a dirt bike and take it somewhere on a truck.

[Lunch of Kong]

My friend got an Aprilia Tuono-R Factory with a 1060cc kit for track days. If that's the kind of thing you're into, check it out.

http://dgycom.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/2008-aprilia-tuono-1000-r-factory/

[Glenn]

My friend got an Aprilia Tuono-R Factory with a 1060cc kit for track days. If that's the kind of thing you're into, check it out.

http://dgycom.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/2008-aprilia-tuono-1000-r-factory/A top-tier "Factory" bike should really have traction control. Or maybe they put it on the bike but lie about it, to better simulate an AMA racing bike?

[jpinard]

Get a flag so motorists can see you:

http://www.gettysburgflag.com/images/BikeFlagChild.jpg

[Pogo]

My friend got an Aprilia Tuono-R Factory with a 1060cc kit for track days. If that's the kind of thing you're into, check it out.

http://dgycom.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/2008-aprilia-tuono-1000-r-factory/

That's kind of ridiculous to start out on.

[Don Quixote]

Here's another vote for the Suzuki SV650- I've got a 2004 naked that I ride year round in Seattle (well, not when it's snowing, obviously). It's been a great bike for the four years I've had it- not too big, not too small, plenty of power when you need it. Now that I'm making more money, though, those Ducati Sport Classics and Moto Guzzis are calling my name.... but I'll probably just buy a car first. :\

[Trey]

Hey, neat -- a topic I can actually contribute to!

First: Gear. Go to NewEnough.com and get a full-faced helmet, armored jacket, armored gloves and boots. I wear armored pants, too, but lots of folks prefer jeans and I can understand that.

Second: First bike? Stay aware from anything with "R" or "RR" in the name. A CBR66RR is NOT a beginner's bike. It's a track bike with headlights. On the street, you won't ever use 50% of the capabilities of that machine. And it makes casual rides much more uncomfortable than they need to be.

Then again, 14k RPM is pretty fun :)

Third: Buy used. Many entry-level bikes haven't changed much in years and used values are very low. Are you a big guy? That will change what bikes I suggest.

Typical suggestions:

Ninja 250 (the pre '08 styles). Not great for the highway for long commutes.
Ninja 500. Better all-arounder. More power, but very manageable.
Ninja 650. Getting even bigger here, but still manageable.
Suzuki SV650. Great value. Good choice. Naked version has less plastic to break.
Suzuki GSF-500/650. Not a bad choice, but lots of breakable plastic.

I agree with all of this (including the part about staying away from 600cc sportbikes as a beginner bike).

A little more detail about the Ninja 250: gets ridiculously good mileage (like, 60+), but you will get bored of the power output pretty quickly, I bet.

Another model to look at is the smaller BMWs, the F650 in particular is a good choice. They don't come cheap though.

Yamaha makes a model called the YZF-600 which is not the typical 600cc inline-4 track bike with lights, it's actually a proper street bike that has sport bike styling. They also make the FZ6 which would be a good choice.

The SV650 is really kind of the best bang for your buck though, you might never outgrow the engine, and there are plentiful mods for the exhaust and suspension for if you want to make it sportier.

If you aren't dead-set on a sport bike, I'd recommend a dual sport for a first bike, too. Lower power, easy to ride. Check out the KLR650, DR650, or DRZ400.

Yes, but dual sports often have ridiculously high seats. I'd never fit on any of those bikes. However, there are many really small entry-level dual-sports that are just being introduced, like the ?kawasaki? WR250 and Honda CRF230L.

They get overlooked a lot, but I love Buells. The XB9S, XB9SX or even a XB9R would be a suitable beginner's bike. Lots of torque and a lot more fun in day-to-day driving situations than an inline-4 600cc bike (which requires felony speeds before the fun starts really happening). Almost zero maintenance, minimal plastic to break and get great gas mileage.

I'm very "meh" on Buells. The Blast would probably be a great starter but the rest of the lineup does nothing for me. Harley engines, feh.

I also think that so-called "Standards" are too often overlooked for a first bike. H-D Sportster 883, Honda Nighthawk, Triumph Bonneville, etc are all great bikes that will be much more sporty than 99% of the cars on the road.

They don't make a lot of standards anymore, unfortunately. I have a Nighthawk 750 which seems like the last one. Most other naked bikes are streetfighter-style 'sportbike without plastic'. I guess there's the Monster too. Not exactly cheap though.

Whatever you get, buy it used. Go into it knowing that you're going to ride it for 12 months and then get whatever it is that you REALLY want.
I had my Nighthawk 750 less than a year and bought a VFR800. That lasted me ten years and now I have a Ducati 1098. I still have all 3 of them though.

[Juan Rayo]

Not sportbykes I guess but a Honda Rebel 250 is a good first byke, and from there you can move on to a Shadow or anything else bigger you might want.

[Pogo]

Thanks a lot for many of the suggestions. I did forget to mention my price cap of about $5,000. I couldn't live with myself for possibly dropping a $8k+ bike, especially a brand new one.

I definitely added the SV650 on my "sit on it for a comfort test" next time I make the rounds at the dealerships (I live in bumblefuck WNC, so Atlanta is where I have to go).

I'll certainly take the suggestion not to get a superbike as a beginner's bike, but I can't promise anything! The YouTubes seem to have a lot of video evidence of beginner idiots getting on these bikes and wrecking almost immediately. I'm the type of person not to do that, as I have a lot of respect for the powerful bikes. My first ever ride on a motorcycle was a Yamaha R1. I dropped the fucking thing attempting a low speed turn, but managing the throttle and gears came quickly. Of course, that bike was a bit more powerful than anything I want.

[JPR]

You should set your cap lower than that. Cap the bike around 3k, allocate 1k for gear, and save the other thousand. You can get a perfectly serviceable starter bike on the used market for around 3k, especially if you're buying around now and not waiting until it warms up.

Get something ugly and beat up for a couple of thousand dollars with the intention of upgrading in a year, if all goes well.

[Nengjanggo]

I think the OP is listing some decent starting bikes (I heard from a guy at a race track who was driving a Ducati (or maybe an R1, I can't remember) that he also rode a 250 and loved it). If I was looking at Yamahas, I'd look at the R6S, though, not the R6. The R6S is basically an R6 from a few years ago, so it's a great, fast bike, but not as totally balls out as the new ones (you'll never notice the difference until you become an amazing rider) and it's a bit cheaper. I personally think the R6S is better looking, too, but that may just be me.

All this is just my opinion, but I thought I'd offer it as a contrast to some of the other opinions being expressed, which seem to be kind of anti-sport bike. My experience riding motorcyles is that I wanted to ride sports bikes, not cruisers or standards or dual sports, etc. If that's what you want, I don't think any other bike will satisfy you. Part of it is looks -- sportsbikes are beautiful in a way that other bikes are not. Part of it is the feel or riding them. Yes, they may be peaky or whatever (although you've got tons of power all the time, really) but that's part of what makes them exciting. I think buying a really beat up bike for way less money is not necessarily a good idea because having a bike that looks good really makes the process of ownership so much better. Every time I looked at my bikes I felt excited and happy, and I think that is worth a lot of money. Of course, I did buy bikes with minor scratches (that definitely saves money) but they were not very noticeable. Buying a bike should not be a totally rational choice; you should go with what excites you.

I used to ride an R6 and I loved it. I also rode a CBR, but that was an F3 so not as crazy as the RR is supposed to be. I think getting an underpowered bike for your first bike is not necessarily a good idea; it depends on your will to control yourself. If you are going to use all your power all the time, then sure, get a slower bike until you learn, but if you have some degree of self-control/common sense, getting a 600 sports bike is great.

Getting a good helmet is essential, partly because once you have a good helmet you'll ride faster (and have more fun). There's something about feeling a bit safer that makes you unconsciously speed up a bit (I noticed it the two times I upgraded my helmets). Plus good helmets smell very nice.

Someone mentioned the Buell Blast... they are complete garbage. I test drove one (a friend was considering one) and hit the rev limiter in every single gear just driving conservatively on surface streets. They have so little power you find yourself trying to milk every rpm just to drive at reasonable speeds (and they don't really have a lot of rpm to spare).

[Damien Neil]

I started on a Ninja 250.

They're great starter bikes, and they tend to hold their value--if you can find a used one at a decent price, you can resell it without much loss when you want to upgrade. I can pretty much guarantee that you will want to upgrade, though.

Oh, and they work just fine on the highway--I commuted on mine. Admittedly, you need to run at full throttle most of the time, but that just adds to the fun. :>

Other people have given good advice on larger bikes, so I won't repeat that. Whatever you choose, however, buy used. The odds are very, very good that you'll drop your bike at some point, at which point your new and shiny machine will be a rashed up used one. Better to start with something cheaper and less shiny! (I didn't. I was foolish.)

Also, I want to plug the Aerostich Roadcrafter (http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/Roadcrafter-p-1-c-249.html). Pricy, but amazingly convenient full-body protection that goes on over your street clothes and can be put on or taken off in 20 seconds. I love mine.

[krise madsen]

(Heard this on Top Gear to take it with whatever grain of salt you deem appropriate).

- The popularity of the blocky sport bike fuel tanks has led to a considerable increase in the number of motorcyclists suffering testicle trauma (including having them ripped off) in accidents.

Respectfully

krise madsen

[Incendiary Lemon]

Absolutely All The Gear All The Time and have it the first day you start riding.

One of my continuing concerns with gear is quality. There is no testing in the US apart from helmets and so how do you know your jacket will actually protect you in a fall? You have to rely on the subjective experiences of people you know or, horror, internet opinion. That said if its sold in Europe as well it should have an EN rating. Pay attention to the details you may see a piece marketed as EN-1, the first level of protection, when it only refers to a protective insert and not for example the abrasion resistence of the jacket itself.

The best protection on the market would be the Halvarssons Safety Suit (http://www.jofama.se/motorcycle_wear/products.php?lang=2&cid=5). Leather would be the next best for abrasion and anything less is of marginal protection. Denim for example lasts about 3/10ths of a second. I don't remember leather but the Halvarsson can survive at least 12 seconds of sliding across the pavement.

[Nengjanggo]

I agree with "all the gear all the time" as long as that isn't supposed to mean "always wear full body armor" (or armored pants). Having to get fully armored up means riding becomes a total pain in the ass. You can't really ride to any public place because you look like a total moron when you get there. You can't ride to work. You can't just get up and go someplace. It's way hot. Etc etc etc.

I think it's a cost/benefit thing. The costs of full suits or armored pants are very high, and I don't think the benefits are worth it. I've been in a number of accidents and almost none of them in full leathers. While my pants generally got ruined, I've never had significant leg injuries -- nothing beyond minor road rash -- and it was all relatively easy to live with. Road rash on your hands or arms is way worse, which is why I would say always wear a jacket and gloves (although I don't think armor in a jacket is necessary most of the time). And of course a great helmet (you are pretty likely to hit your head in almost any accident, and head injury of course is terrible).

Of course, I Am Not an Actuary, so this is purely based on my experience and the experience of the people I have known and met.

[Don Quixote]

I'll echo that sentiment. If I had to get kitted up in full body armor every time I went riding, I'd never go. Not to mention those people that wear bright orange reflective vests. Seriously, you might be talking yourself into a bike because of a number of different reasons- mileage, easy parking, etc. The real reason you're doing it is because you think it's cool. It's OK to admit it. Now why would you go and ruin that by looking like a damn idiot every time you got on the bike?

I've got a heavy leather jacket and gloves, and most of the year I wear a full helmet (during the summer I switch to a 3/4 helmet and goggles), and most of the time I wear boots, but that's more for fashion's sake. That's been good enough for something like 13 years of riding. Yeah, I've torn up a pair of pants or two, but that's about it- not even any road rash. The fact is that even though motorcycles *are* less safe than cars, that's not saying that they're deathtraps on two wheels. Ride safely, pay attention to your surroundings, and learn to take pro-active measures to protect yourself, and you'll be fine.

[Lunch of Kong]

I just want to say, avoid having to stop to make a left turn if you're not in a dedicated turning lane. I lost a friend to something like that when a driver approaching from behind him did not recognize that a motorcycle was stopped in the lane.

[Trey]

I used to commute on the DC Beltway about 25 to 30 miles a day in helmet/jacket/gloves/jeans/boots and while I never had an incident, I eventually decided that the risk/reward of wearing jeans was just not worth it. I have a one piece Aerostich Roadcrafter now, and a two piece Tourmaster mesh suit for summer. Denim jeans are like paper and it's just not worth the risk, IMO. Scorpion Helmet $300, Aerostich Roadcrafter $1000, Tourmaster mesh suit ~$250, BMG Summer gloves $80, BMG Winter gloves $80, Vendramini Boots $300. I'm not just ATGATT, I try to get the best, most versatile gear I can.

Considering now your anecdote about experience on the R1, I'd say add the SV650S to your considerations. The S model is half-faired and has clip-ons instead of a handlebar and is thus sportier than the non-S. Same great engine though. A '90s CBR600F2 or F3 would be a good cheap 600cc inline-4 sportbike. I have come to have a great appreciation for torque nowadays (when you twist the throttle and get rocketed ahead from any RPM, that's because of great torque), and v-twins tend to be torque-ier than inline 4s, so that's another point in the SV650(S)'s favor.

I mentioned my Honda VFR800 which is an incredible sport-touring bike that can pretty much fill any role. During the 90's the VFR line won many of Cycle World's "Best Streetbike" awards which was awarded to the best sportbike-style bike that was intended for real-world use, as opposed to track-oriented sportbikes like the CBRs and R6/R1s. You can't go wrong with a VFR, and the mid-90s 750 version would likely not be too expensive. The V4 engine makes good power all over the rpm range.

On a final note, stay away (http://upload3.postimage.org/257484_2c791b54e35fbe75b333c8fd459ca9c8/IMG_4214.jpg) from (http://upload3.postimage.org/257512_2c791b54e35fbe75b333c8fd459ca9c8/IMG_4216.jpg) Priuses (http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b214/tmorita/xray2.jpg) in the oncoming lane.

[Pogo]

Anyone have any suggestions on helmets?

I'm looking at this AFX FX-90 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Parts-Accessories_Apparel-Gear-Merchandise__AFX-FX-90-FULL-FACE-HELMET-FLAT-BLACK-SOLID-M-MEDIUM_W0QQitemZ230322162760QQddnZPartsQ20Q26Q20Ac cessoriesQQadiZ7659QQddiZ2811QQadnZApparelQ2cQ20Ge arQ20Q26Q20MerchandiseQQcmdZViewItemQQptZApparel_M erchandise?hash=item230322162760&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A543|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318) and seems like a decent deal.

[Coca Cola Zero]

Sorry, I just see enough bad drivers on the road on my daily commute that I never want to have only a helmet and leather for protection. There's risk and reward in everything, but it's way out of balance when it comes to riding a motorcycle. Get a dirt bike and take it somewhere on a truck.

I agree with this post 100%. I don't ride motorcycles at all, but I do ride mountain bikes. I frequently ride on trails at places like Noble Canyon and Mammoth Mountain that are rated double-black-diamond and I have no problems taking them at high rates of speed. I have occassionally had very bad falls on my bike, gotten back up, and kept riding for the day (so long as nothing is broken). None of that scares me in the least. What does scare me is riding that same bike with the same helmet in the well-marked and wide bike lanes on the sides of the road that are prevalent here in San Diego, because the people driving cars a couple of feet away from me are RETARDED MONKEYS who are probably also texting and watching a DVD while they are driving. They sure as shit aren't watching out for me, nor will they be watching out for you on your motorcycle.

The real danger for motorcycle riders on the road is completely out of their control even if they're the safest person in the world... it is the other drivers that are going to run into you that'll do you in. They'll run into you eventually in a car too, but it is much less likely to kill you or turn you into a quad than it is when they do the same to your motorcycle.


But, you know... have fun with it!

[Nengjanggo]

Anyone have any suggestions on helmets?

I'm looking at this AFX FX-90 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Parts-Accessories_Apparel-Gear-Merchandise__AFX-FX-90-FULL-FACE-HELMET-FLAT-BLACK-SOLID-M-MEDIUM_W0QQitemZ230322162760QQddnZPartsQ20Q26Q20Ac cessoriesQQadiZ7659QQddiZ2811QQadnZApparelQ2cQ20Ge arQ20Q26Q20MerchandiseQQcmdZViewItemQQptZApparel_M erchandise?hash=item230322162760&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A543%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318 ) and seems like a decent deal.

As far as cheap helmets go, I've worn HJCs in the past and they were fine.

However, I definitely recommend a more expensive helmet. I'm not as concerned with safety as some people posting in this thread, but I think helmet quality makes a big difference to how one feels riding, and when I switched from cheap helmets to good stuff my riding got better, I had more fun, and I felt much safer. Plus most crashes I've had have involved some head impact, so money on helmets seems well spent to me.

In conclusion, I recommend Arai helmets.

[Pogo]

Well, after a couple months of closely watching eBay and Craigslist postings in the Western NC and Atlanta areas, I spotted a 2005 Ninja 500R in eBay from a dealer 11 miles away and fell in love.
http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2744/44/80/75900833/n75900833_30866878_7174597.jpg

Got it for $2700 used with 4.3k miles. It was salvage title, but the fairings only have a few scratches. The bike was definitely dropped at speed, but the damage was only to one side. I did a full checkup on it before buying it, considered it to be a good enough deal, and dropped the cash.

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2744/44/80/75900833/n75900833_30866876_775786.jpg

I'm loving this thing so far and, of course, I already dropped it while leaning too far and going too slowly in a u-turn maneuver. This is to be expected. MSF course is scheduled for beginning of May so I'll definitely be taking that, but for now I've been practicing circles in my driveway, and haven't gone faster than 35 mph... but man what a rush! I'm so glad I didn't get a 250, this bike is only 50 lb heavier (380lb dry), with a lot more power, but it's not tweaky at all. It doesn't jump from 2k RPM to 6k RPM with a little twist of the throttle, unlike the Yamaha R1 I rode last summer.

And my friend sold me his Scorpion ex-400 helmet so I'm set there. Still have to pick up a good jacket though, and been considering getting a Fieldsheer Aviator.

[Mean Dr. Lily]

On a final note, stay away (http://upload3.postimage.org/257484_2c791b54e35fbe75b333c8fd459ca9c8/IMG_4214.jpg) from (http://upload3.postimage.org/257512_2c791b54e35fbe75b333c8fd459ca9c8/IMG_4216.jpg) Priuses (http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b214/tmorita/xray2.jpg) in the oncoming lane.

Fucking OW.


Good choice on the Ninja 500! The EXO is a good helmet. It fits correctly, right? If you wiggle your head back and forth, does the helmet stay put?

[Pogo]

Fucking OW.


Good choice on the Ninja 500! The EXO is a good helmet. It fits correctly, right? If you wiggle your head back and forth, does the helmet stay put?

Yeah, I had tried it on last summer as he did wear it, but then gave it to his girlfriend, whom it did not fit very well (was too tight), so he threw it to me for $75. Very snug, but not uncomfortable, and doesn't move more than a couple millimeters if I shake my head around.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/ProductImages/300/2009_Scorpion_EXO-400_Solid_Helmet.jpg

[Trey]

Scorpions are a good choice. As are Ninja 500s. Hope you have fun and stay safe.