Wow, damn this is old. I was just cruising through the motorcycle section and I noticed that I had posted here a long time ago, and got jumped-on by the opinion police. So, I have to respond. Probably no one is reading haha, but it makes me feel better.
Quote Originally Posted by Tarzanman
No offense... but if you wasted thousands dollars trading around, then you have a lot more money than you do brains.
This is a BS statement, if you knew the conditions. First of all, the bike I wanted, the 600f4, had just come out in the specific color that I fell in love with. There really werent any used ones at the time.
Secondly, the bike I traded that one on was a completely redesigned model for that year, and there also were no used ones. I got one of the first ones to hit the the dealerships.
The next bike was used, and I didnt loose much on it, if any.
The Busa was new, but I actually ended-up selling it to a friend of mine for what I paid for it, so I lost nothing.
I used to trade bikes annually, and yes, I tend to buy new ones. Yes, I am impulsive and I buy what I want, when I want it. I also like to know that Im the person to break it in right, and I like knowing how its treated since day one. If this means I might loose some money on it when I trade it, so be it. Its worth the peace of mind to me.
Quote Originally Posted by Tarzanman
Following your reasoning, all bikes below 600cc are basically useless as street bikes. Most every other country in the world disagrees with you, which is why pretty much every country except the US has
tiered licensing (meaning you have to start out with a restricted license and ride a smaller bike for a year or two before you are allowed to ride a 600cc bike).
:jerkit:
There are a lot of silly, "keep you safe" laws all over the world. Just because its a law in some European countries doesnt make it right.
Quote Originally Posted by Tarzanman
People who give the advice you give aren't quite honest. Instead of saying "This advice isn't the safest route, but I ...", they *instead* say "Just ride it as cautiously as you want". I don't fault you for having your opinion.... but you should make it clear to the person the good and the bad of the course you are reccomending.
This is an ignorant statement. Im being 100% honest. Opinions and recommendations stem from personal experience and personal preference. I am not his mommy, and its not my job to make sure he makes the "safest" choice in motorcycles. Youre talking about something that is inherently dangerous anyway.
I gave my opinion, but its up to him to make a choice on what he buys.

Anyway, I would LOVE for someone to give me one intelligent reason why a, lets say, a Ninja 250, is any "safer" than a cbr600f4.
Can the 250 avoid an accident better? answer:NO. As a matter of fact, I can argue its more dangerous because the f4 has better brakes, handling, and acceleration ot be able to avoid an accident to start with.
Does a 250 provide any additional protection in case of an accident? answer:NO
If you fall-off of a 250, does it hurt you less? answer:NO
The 600 is a little harder to learn to ride due to the shorter clipons and more powerful brakes, but that is easily learned with a modicum of effort. All of the controls are in the same general location.
I admit that the 600 can also get you in trouble more if you cant control it. This is the only place where someone can make any sane argument, and to them, I reiterate....its totally up to the rider. The bike only goes as fast as you turn the throttle, and it only stops as fast as you make it. If you have the self-control to take it easy for a while, I see no problem in starting with a 600.
I used to ride MX a lot, but I had never owned, or hardly ridden for that matter, a street bike. My first bike was a 600, a fast one at that, and I had no issues and no accidents.

BTW, this is probably a moot point by now, since I hope you bought something. What did buy, if anything?