Originally Posted by
Tarzanman
No offense, but I would rather you dislike me (as many on this board do) and take my advice rather than like me and jump to a 600 bike.
Nothing personal... I would just rather you increase your odds of staying healthy, and learning faster....and you WILL learn faster on a bike like a GS500. Guaranteed.
There is nothing wrong with the looks of any of the bikes I listed in my post. Their aesthetic is as new, or newer than the 00-04 GSXRs that you say you are considering.
As for mileage....it won't matter. If you are like most sport bike owners you will have a new bike within 1-2 years anyway.
Expert riders ride 600s because 600's are the sweet spot between power and performance. They can be rung out at high RPMs to generate torque but are lighter and quicker to flick around than their 1000cc cousins.
Nobody I ride with ever judges anyone for what they are riding. They judge people for HOW they ride it. It doesn't matter what you buy... there is ALWAYS someone with more bling, more torque, more whatever on their bike. Don't be a sheep, trying to impress your friends so that you can fit in. More than a couple of riders have met their end doing sh*t that was way beyond their capabilities because of the group they were trying to fit in with.
...and don't think that it can't happen to you, or that you're different. Sorry, you're not. There are dozens of posts exactly like yours that pop up every season. I can think of at least one young new rider who used to be on this board that is no longer with us.
I've given you more than enough advice for you to have a safe start. Even though I knew I was wasting my breath I still feel obligated to put good information into the hands of a new rider (even the idiots that ignore it). What happens from here on will be the result of the choices you make. I wash my hands of it.
Good Luck.
