Any Riders on the board?
i could have sworn i saw that suzuki gsx-r today (wednesday) in San Jose on 7th st not far from hwy 101, i was in my DB Z
Originally Posted by onebadfyvo
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'06 Gixxer 600 over here. Good place to get gear is Cycle Gear. They have them all over the place.
Mine is the one with no emblems or stickers. I take that back, mine is the one with the pig face sticker on the shield.
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'06 Gixxer 600 over here. Good place to get gear is Cycle Gear. They have them all over the place.
Mine is the one with no emblems or stickers. I take that back, mine is the one with the pig face sticker on the shield.
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Discovery Bay, California
I've been riding since '79 (8th grade). Like you, my first bike was an '86 Ninja 600R. After that I bought a '91 Ninja ZX-7. Of course you have to keep upgrading, so I then bought a 2001 Ducati 998 Monoposto.
I have also had a couple dirt bikes (Old School Kawasaki 175KD & Honda CR500R). I had to get some quads too (Polaris Sportsman 500 H.O. and a 90 for the little boys).
I have also had a couple dirt bikes (Old School Kawasaki 175KD & Honda CR500R). I had to get some quads too (Polaris Sportsman 500 H.O. and a 90 for the little boys).
Originally Posted by DB350ZR
...so I then bought a 2001 Ducati 998 Monoposto....
Originally Posted by daveh
My gas saving 'commuter'
What are you getting for gas mileage? I used to get 37mph with mixed city/hwy riding. I think the fuel injected inline 4's did a lot better.
A typo...sorry fellas
i dont ride, id like to get into it someday though...heres a couple from my good friends stable, he used to ride for ducati, they're too sweet not to post. The last one is what he does now(makes insane pitbikes), the one in the picture is a replica of eric bostrom's bike, for eric bostrom.
Last edited by drivenCSZ; May 20, 2006 at 02:37 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Discovery Bay, California
Xero,
You got me rolling over here........chicken strips! I had to call all my old riding buddies on that one.
Back in the day, every Sunday at minimum Highway 9 to Highway 1 to Capitola and hang for awhile, then come back on Highway 17 to Santa Clara / San Jose (that was the short ride).
....chicken strips, I am still rollin gover here!
You got me rolling over here........chicken strips! I had to call all my old riding buddies on that one.
Back in the day, every Sunday at minimum Highway 9 to Highway 1 to Capitola and hang for awhile, then come back on Highway 17 to Santa Clara / San Jose (that was the short ride).
....chicken strips, I am still rollin gover here!
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: California
Congrats on taking the MSF course!
Two Bay Area forums that you may want to check for gear (if you haven't already):
www.bayarearidersforum.com (aka BARF)
www.southbayriders.com (aka SBR)
Be sure that you do not skimp on riding boots. Reason being is that ankles and feet are very difficult to repair when they get mangled. In the unlikely event that you do have an incident you want to be 100% protected, boots especially. Also consider getting a 2-piece suit that zips together at the waist. Alpine Stars has some nice options for reasonable prices. While you should always try to ride in full gear, a 2-piece suit will be more convenient. Sometimes wearing leather pants is just not an option.
As you also mentioned, some people believe that starting on a small bike, such as a Ninja 250, is a wise choice for total beginners. The issue of which is better for learning, big or small, is often heavily debated on motorcycle forums and there never seems to be a final answer. However, one universal truth that seems to go undisputed is that you can wind up injured or dead on a small or large motorcycle. At the end of the day, the single most important factor in safe riding is the rider's tempermemt.
If you have not already considered other bikes that are a little less expensive and slightly less powerful than the Gixx 600, take a look at some of the following:
Twin Class
SV 650
SV 650s
Bandit 600
Ducati Monster 620
Ninja 500
Inline 4 Class
ZZR 600
FZ 600
The twin class bikes offer a very different power delivery than the inline 4 class. Twins have a lot of low end torque and smooth delivery throughout the RPMs. The inline 4s rev much higher than the twins and make their power very high in the RPMs.
You can find used SVs for reasonable prices and they are fairly reliable machines. Ducati Monsters are not too hard to come by in the used market either but do tend to require a bit more maintenance than almost any other bike. In any event...this is not meant to tell you that you should not go with the Gixx 600. Just trying to point out that many other bikes out there are equally as fun, giving you room to grow, but slightly less lethal than a new Gixx 600.
Also something to consider is track riding/education. You may not have any intention of ever becoming a motorcyucle racer, however, going to the track and getting educated on high(er) speed riding will be immensely helpful in your learning how to control a bike. Especially a bike like the Gixx 600, which is very responsive to rider inputs.
Kegwins at The Track ia a track event organizer that offers 2 day novice schools. The schools are very well organized and very safe. If you do end up starting out on a Gixx 600, and you get to the point where you feel confident on public roads, sign up for a novice school and take your bike to the track. You will be instantly humbled. Keith Code also offers a high performance riding school which may be of interest to you. I believe that Keith Code schools provide bikes as well.
Anyway...I know this is way more info/feedback than you asked for. Good luck and take your time learning. Sounds like you are off to a good start with MSF and buying proper gear. If you need someone to help you get started with learning local twisty roads, let me know. I'm not too far from you in San Jose and I'd be happy to show you around or answer any questions.
Two Bay Area forums that you may want to check for gear (if you haven't already):
www.bayarearidersforum.com (aka BARF)
www.southbayriders.com (aka SBR)
Be sure that you do not skimp on riding boots. Reason being is that ankles and feet are very difficult to repair when they get mangled. In the unlikely event that you do have an incident you want to be 100% protected, boots especially. Also consider getting a 2-piece suit that zips together at the waist. Alpine Stars has some nice options for reasonable prices. While you should always try to ride in full gear, a 2-piece suit will be more convenient. Sometimes wearing leather pants is just not an option.
As you also mentioned, some people believe that starting on a small bike, such as a Ninja 250, is a wise choice for total beginners. The issue of which is better for learning, big or small, is often heavily debated on motorcycle forums and there never seems to be a final answer. However, one universal truth that seems to go undisputed is that you can wind up injured or dead on a small or large motorcycle. At the end of the day, the single most important factor in safe riding is the rider's tempermemt.
If you have not already considered other bikes that are a little less expensive and slightly less powerful than the Gixx 600, take a look at some of the following:
Twin Class
SV 650
SV 650s
Bandit 600
Ducati Monster 620
Ninja 500
Inline 4 Class
ZZR 600
FZ 600
The twin class bikes offer a very different power delivery than the inline 4 class. Twins have a lot of low end torque and smooth delivery throughout the RPMs. The inline 4s rev much higher than the twins and make their power very high in the RPMs.
You can find used SVs for reasonable prices and they are fairly reliable machines. Ducati Monsters are not too hard to come by in the used market either but do tend to require a bit more maintenance than almost any other bike. In any event...this is not meant to tell you that you should not go with the Gixx 600. Just trying to point out that many other bikes out there are equally as fun, giving you room to grow, but slightly less lethal than a new Gixx 600.
Also something to consider is track riding/education. You may not have any intention of ever becoming a motorcyucle racer, however, going to the track and getting educated on high(er) speed riding will be immensely helpful in your learning how to control a bike. Especially a bike like the Gixx 600, which is very responsive to rider inputs.
Kegwins at The Track ia a track event organizer that offers 2 day novice schools. The schools are very well organized and very safe. If you do end up starting out on a Gixx 600, and you get to the point where you feel confident on public roads, sign up for a novice school and take your bike to the track. You will be instantly humbled. Keith Code also offers a high performance riding school which may be of interest to you. I believe that Keith Code schools provide bikes as well.
Anyway...I know this is way more info/feedback than you asked for. Good luck and take your time learning. Sounds like you are off to a good start with MSF and buying proper gear. If you need someone to help you get started with learning local twisty roads, let me know. I'm not too far from you in San Jose and I'd be happy to show you around or answer any questions.
Last edited by averagelunatic; May 23, 2006 at 02:29 PM.
