What would you do

[kennym4]

Hey what's up guys ?

Here's the deal, I have a baby brother who is getting ready to turn 18 next week. He's wanting to get a motorcycle,a 750 (Gixxer) He's been riding dirt bikes since he was 8 years old, his last one, a worked 125 Honda. Well he's the baby of the family, I was the baby until he was born when I was 16. He pretty much gets anything he wants, but my mother is scared to death !! My father had Harleys when I was young, so he's all for it. However my mother is looking to me for my opinion, and with all these posts lately of people getting taken out, I have to admit, I'm kind of scared also !!!! Now I already said I don't think a 750 is a good idea. I don't want to be a hipocrit, but at the same time I'm affraid my mom would never forgive me, or worse, herself. I really respect what you guy's (boys & girls) think about this, so please let me know what you think !!

THANKS AGAIN

 

[06BUSA]

Old 750 OK. Newer, you know.
Talk him into a 600. They are still to much bike for new riders. But they gotta start somewhere.

 

[BusaBret]

If he really wants a bike he will find a way to have one. You and your father have the chance to bring him into riding the right way or let him go at it himself and learn all the wrong ways to ride. Talk him into an older bike to learn on and then take the MSF course with him. Mentor him into the riding community the right way. It will be a great for you and him to share time together and enjoy our most beloved sport! JMHO! Good luck!

 

[Professor]

A SV 650 or Honda Interceptor would be a much better choice for a first bike than a 600 or 750. They can still get you hurt but they both are a little more forgiving to throttle input.

Insist on 2 MSF classes. A Basic Rider course BEFORE he ever rides and an experienced rider course after he gets used to his bike. Gear is another way to survival. Training and gear are just part of the total cost.

His attitude will have more of an influence in his ability to survive on the street than the bike. If he is a “risk takerâ€￾ in the things he does now, likely he’ll be taking excessive risks on a street bike.

 

[DaCol.]

A Mom is a Mom  

. She might NEVER agree with him riding (remember he IS the baby) , but she might eventually accept it.  

 

[Nekosohana]

(Professor @ Jul. 31 2007,04:43) A SV 650 or Honda Interceptor would be a much better choice for a first bike than a 600 or 750. They can still get you hurt but they both are a little more forgiving to throttle input.

Insist on 2 MSF classes. A Basic Rider course BEFORE he ever rides and an experienced rider course after he gets used to his bike. Gear is another way to survival. Training and gear are just part of the total cost.  

His attitude will have more of an influence in his ability to survive on the street than the bike. If he is a “risk takerâ€￾ in the things he does now, likely he’ll be taking excessive risks on a street bike.

+1 to everything said here.

Stupid simply can't be controlled, so if he is a clear headed person, then he will most likely be the same on a bike. If he his not, then no matter what it is, he will find a way to crash it.

My only thought is find out why he picked the 750. Have a conversation with him and see what appeals to him about that specific bike, and go from there.

 

[Don Hardcastle]

Another option is the new GSX650F. It is a toned down version of the gixxer but still has the sport bike look. +1000 on the MSF courses.

don

 

[race24x]

I see these posts all the time and I cant help but think how crazy it all is. A 600 has more power than my 89 750 ever had and my 750 still did well up into 145 MPH 7.1 seconds in the 1/8th mile at almost 100MPH from a standing stop my busa stock trim 7.3 at 104 (couldnt get a good launch with that clutch). A 600 750 1000 or even the mighty Busa will kill you just as quick as any other bike. In fact I find my Busa wont wheelie as easily as any (even the 600) of the smaller bikes. The only recommendation I have for friends is that if you want to learn to ride (never ridden before at all) get something scratched up or without fairings to learn on thats a good deal. Once you learn to ride any damage was already there you didnt pay alot so you can sell it and get most of your money back when you are ready to buy something nice for yourself. Throttle is controlled with your right hand and if you cant respect any bikes power you shouldnt ride.

 

[BoiseBusa]

The sv650s was my first bike. Absolutely loved it. An excellent bike, easy on beginners.

-Nick

 

[Revolution]

you sound like a "mom"

j/k ken juuuust kidding.

seriously though, he's been riding for a bit. when i bought my first bike [with no riding experience] it was a 1350 harley davidson, i did take the MSF course first though. i know sport bikes are different...wayyyyy quicker throttle response. i can se your concern for your lil bro.

if it was me, i'd SERIOUSLY EDUCATE him on good riding habits. we all know the possible consiquences of riding, let him know the percentages of what could happen when being WRECKLESS on public roads.

peer pressure... mannnnnn there's a big one...i'd tell him not to try and look "KOOL" in front of his friends or a chick and speed excessivly.


later,
dave

 

[Moparict]

(DaCol. @ Jul. 31 2007,05:55) A Mom is a Mom  

. She might NEVER agree with him riding (remember he IS the baby) , but she might eventually accept it.  

I'm 35 years old and still have to call my mom when I get home from visiting them!! A bike will only go as fast as the throttle is twisted. It really comes down to rider responsibility. Have him pick a bike that is comfortable to him regardless of what size it is. I never felt comfortable on a bike till I bought a Busa.

 

[GMbusa]

He sounds like your typical young guy/potential rider. He wants a bike, but he wants to be alittle above everyone else. Everyone else has a 600, so he wants a 750. This is something we all wanted or did in our younger years. Nobody wants to be one of the masses, we all want to stand out somehow, someway.

Let him ride a 600. He might come back with a whole different view on bikes. One thing i noticed when i transitioned from dirtbikes to streetbikes was that while the offroad bikes haul ass and can be quick, streetbikes have a much higher speed. You average speed is much greater on the road than the trail, so my view of streetbikes was alot different before and after i rode one.

 

[BayBusa]

Get him what he wants, but keep the keys under lock, for a while. Make him do the MSF training course (on their bikes) and take him riding every single time until you feel comfortable that he respects the bike, and speed - of any bike. Make sure that he understands what riding within his abilities means; that he anticipates traffic patterns; and that he refrains from blasting into blind corners. Only then give him the keys.

On our street, we just had four people killed (car accident - not bike related) due to excessive speed - driver was 18 years, inexperienced.

Speed kills - refraining from speeding is the hardest lesson, especially at a young age. Smaller displacement engines take only about a second longer to get into crazy speeds. Maybe enough to save the day on the twisties, but not enough to be safe.

I had my first accident when I was 17, and there was nothing I could have done about it - a car lurged out of a blind driveway on the right side (county road) and hadn't seen me. Bike was totaled. I am still here because I was going the speed limit. Any faster would have been it.

 

[1 BAD 2K]

(BusaBret @ Jul. 31 2007,07:00) If he really wants a bike he will find a way to have one. You and your father have the chance to bring him into riding the right way or let him go at it himself and learn all the wrong ways to ride. Talk him into an older bike to learn on and then take the MSF course with him. Mentor him into the riding community the right way. It will be a great for you and him to share time together and enjoy our most beloved sport! JMHO!  Good luck!

A SV 650 or Honda Interceptor would be a much better choice for a first bike than a 600 or 750. They can still get you hurt but they both are a little more forgiving to throttle input.

Insist on 2 MSF classes. A Basic Rider course BEFORE he ever rides and an experienced rider course after he gets used to his bike. Gear is another way to survival. Training and gear are just part of the total cost.

His attitude will have more of an influence in his ability to survive on the street than the bike. If he is a “risk takerâ€￾ in the things he does now, likely he’ll be taking excessive risks on a street bike.

+1 The key is TRAINING!! You and you dad need to properly Train him. MSF course is the way to go. I have 18 + years riding time and I've been down 3 times all for cagers not looking for bikes. What I learned last year at the Advance MSF has save me more times then I can count on both hands. TRAIN THE WAY TO RIDE, RIDE THE WAY YOU WERE TRAINED!!

 

[Investor]

I'd also try to convince him to start with something a little smaller, insist that he take the MSF course, and probably most important, since you are his big brother - and that usually carriers plenty of respect from the junior siblings - mentor him

 

[Nekosohana]

+1 My brother's head is still intact because my girlfriend and I constantly gave him crap about not wearing a helmet. About 3 months after he agreed (while complaining) to do it, he flipped over and landed square on the top of his head.

 

[JuiceSC]

The size of the bike doesn't matter as much as him. You know your brother (I hope). Is he a cool headed individual with common sense? If yes, then support him. If no, then stand with mom. A cage will flatten you the same on a scooter or a busa.

Some people DO NOT belong on motorcycles, PERIOD. (Chances are they don't belong behind the wheel of a car either)

 

[P-Willy]

(race24x @ Jul. 31 2007,09:50) I see these posts all the time and I cant help but think how crazy it all is. A 600 has more power than my 89 750 ever had and my 750 still did well up into 145 MPH 7.1 seconds in the 1/8th mile at almost 100MPH from a standing stop my busa stock trim 7.3 at 104 (couldnt get a good launch with that clutch). A 600 750 1000 or even the mighty Busa will kill you just as quick as any other bike. In fact I find my Busa wont wheelie as easily as any (even the 600) of the smaller bikes. The only recommendation I have for friends is that if you want to learn to ride (never ridden before at all) get something scratched up or without fairings to learn on thats a good deal. Once you learn to ride any damage was already there you didnt pay alot so you can sell it and get most of your money back when you are ready to buy something nice for yourself. Throttle is controlled with your right hand and if you cant respect any bikes power you shouldnt ride.

I agree. I've only been riding for a year and my first bike was a '95 Kawi EX500 (which i still have and need to post for sale). Your brother has far more experience on two wheels than me even though dirt and asphault are very different. So IF he's level headed (for an 18 yr old that is) I say he may be ok on a 750 but I recommend the 500 to anyone for a first street bike. I rode it for 10 months and thought it was lightning until I rode a friends brand new gsxr750 then I didn't even want to look at the 5 after that.

Only paid $1700 for it. Being able to learn to ride without fear of scratching up a $9000+ beaut=priceless.

Bottom line is anything can happen, as long as you teach him what you know and stay in his a** about the fact that it's all about control, you've done your duty.

 

[craigntx]

my 1st was a cb750k
it dosen't have the low end torque that'd get a newbie killed, yet has enough top end to get outta folks way that ride up on his a$$
also straight up seating position for comfort, easy to wk on

 

[stlbusarider]

(P-Willy @ Jul. 31 2007,13:10) [I agree.  I've only been riding for a year and my first bike was a '95 Kawi EX500 (which i still have and need to post for sale).  Your brother has far more experience on two wheels than me even though dirt and asphault are very different.  So IF he's level headed (for an 18 yr old that is) I say he may be ok on a 750 but I recommend the 500 to anyone for a first street bike.  I rode it for 10 months and thought it was lightning until I rode a friends brand new gsxr750 then I didn't even want to look at the 5 after that.  

Only paid $1700 for it.  Being able to learn to ride without fear of scratching up a $9000+ beaut=priceless.

Bottom line is anything can happen, as long as you teach him what you know and stay in his a** about the fact that it's all about control, you've done your duty.

My first was a 90 EX500. I downed that thing at least 6 times. I was 20 at the time. Great bike to start on, and they also make a 250.