saw a sad sight the otherday

[gunslingerjr]

was down at the zuki shop monday putting my downpayment on my bike when in walks this kid with his mom looking to buy a bike.kid couldnt have been 15 and looked to be about as big as a toothpick.the mom asked the owner what kind of bike should he he have and he asks the kid how much has he rode.ive rode a dirt bike a couple times he says so the owner suggests the sv or a katana.first im thinkin i hate spoiled brats that get whatever they ask for because thats the imppression im getting from these two and next im thinkin theres no way that kid needs a 600 cause i just kept having the feeling hes not able to handle something like that.i started to jump in and say he needs a 250 cause i can just tell hed be winding that 600 out and be dead in a month but i keep my mouth shut and go on.should i have said something?the owner did suggest a rider safety course but i still dont think a couple times on a dirtbike makes him ready for a 600 streetbike.what do you guys think?

 

[shenoyp]

The kid wants a 600, when all the riding experience he has is riding a dirt bike a couple of times...

I call that a squid in the making....

Well ... it would have been good if you had told the kids parent about all the potential risk of riding a big motorcycle, without having sufficient experience!

Dumb kids... dumber parents!!

 

[si-lo]

Did you ever stop to think that maybe he's not spoiled? Maybe mom has a good life insurance policy on him and she doesn't like him much.

 

[race24x]

LOL remember when a 600 was a beginners bike?

? My first was a yamaha FZ600 back in the day it was not super fast but it was reliable.

 

[pure_ego]

more than likely you'd have just pissed them off..

thats why the salesman didn't say the same things you were thinkin..

can't sell things to mad customers..


besides.. if the parents had half a brain they woulda figured this out on their own.

 

[GSXRFANN]

I like the EX500. Do they still make that one?? That or a GS500 would be a good starter bike. Kinda sporty too!!

 

[Scribbler]

I learned on a Katana 600 as my first bike, and my riding experience was just toolin on friends bikes so nothin really serious. It doesn't have as much power as a gixxer with the same size motor, 'course it does put out about 90hp.

I personally thought it was a decent bike to learn on for an adult. As far as a young kid, even if he was responsible enough to respect the throttle, it is a bit heavy though.

 

[him]

i dont know man other than its weight the katana 600 is a good starter bike. But if this guy is as small as you say that may be too heavy for him shid it was damn near to heavy for me

 

[Charlesbusa]

There are worse things parents do, like letting their children sleep with michael jackson...

I wasn't there, but as long as it wasn't an r6, gsxr6, ninja6, or cbr6. That should be a good starting bike, but hey to each his own.

 

[superbusaman]

15, or 16 i think is too young for a street bike

 

[FL Knifemaker]

15, or 16 i think is too young for a street bike

I agree. I don't have to worry about my wife taking my kids street bike shopping at 15 or 16 !!! She wouldn't even do it as a college graduation preset!!!!

 

[bajabug]

Not to bash the argument, but i started on a 6oo when i was 16. saved up and bought it kinda on impulse. now im up to the busa racing on the weekends, so i guess my point is its all in the rider. i think i would have the same thoughts if i saw the kid and mom askin the dealer for advice...

 

[HillsRider]

I started riding on the street when I was 14. You can get a restricted permit in South Dakota at 14. Good thing is I lived in a town of 2000 people & rode a Kawi KZ440. Couldn't get into much trouble on that bike!!

 

[bdorf94]

I started out on a cruiser, a '98 Honda Magna (V-4 750cc). I bought it when I was 20. I had my eye on it for quite awhile, found it for a great price and took the cash to get it. I rode it for awhile, sold it and bought an '04 Yamaha FZ6, brand new. I realized I didn't really like it as much as I thought I would, so I sold it and bought my Busa last September. I paid cash for all the bikes and have always paid for the insurance. I'm 22 now, and I finally have the bike that I was looking for. I never would have dreamed I'd have a Hayabusa, especially being lucky enough to have the money for all of this while in College, but I work a lot in the summer to pay for school expenses and to have $ for my toys.

Buying all of these bikes and taking care of them has taught me a lot of responsibility...hopefully that kid learns the same thing. 15 or 16 is a bit young, but maybe he is mature enough to handle the responsibility. If not, then I'm sure we'll read about him in the newspaper or see him on the 6 o'clock news sometime in the near future.

 

[MET]

Just shacking my head side to side.....

 

[fstbusa]

well I had only ridden a harley a couple times and a kaw 550 once before I got my busa.

but I had been riding dirt bikes for 15+ yrs.

 

[Glyn]

Salesman should have steered him over to a GSXR750

Tell him he can trade up to a 1k or Busa next year

Nobody listens anyway.

 

[ozz]

My first streetbike was a 78 RD400 and that was plenty of bike for my young ars at the time. I don't know.....the 600's are quite alot of bike these days comparativly speaking but I think the real issue is his age.....is he a mature young man or a soon to be squid. Traffic is a killer and I think he would be better served learning the in's and out's of survival on the street with a car license first and then, when he has a better understanding of traffic, maybe go with an SV or something a bit more forgiving. Your right not to step in though, seems nowadays folks are somewhat defensive when your only trying to help.

 

[onerabidshark]

I'm teaching my 17yo nephew to ride on my Busa but he is a level headed kid and he admits he doesn't know how to ride so I trust him, its the kid that thinks he knows everything that will get in trouble

 

[IL_BusaBoy]

My first bike was an 02 Gixxer 600. I had never ridden a bike before that, dirt or road. I learned on it the right way, at least I thought so, and progressed to my Busa after that. Some people may learn on a 600, like I did, but I'm sure that there are a lot of others that a 600 is way too much for.