Dilemma from options to buying.

Hi,
I have come to the point now, that i must express my dilemma to the world before i start banging my head against something.

I have taken the MSF course, and would REALLY like to get a used bike. ofcourse i was thinking a ducati 996, but after reading the two sticky posts by rivette, i have changed my mind completely. now i'd like to have a sports bike which is not an expensive suicide but one i could ride to school and back and one that will not overcome me.
I am Thinking: CBR 600, R6, CBR 600 F4i or GSX R. but, i am completely lost. i JUST finished reading a couple of posts about an F4i, and i think that seems more like it, but i am wondering whether i will be thinking the same about an r6 for example if i go read some posts about that.

that's not where the problem ends.. if i knew half as much about bikes as i do about cars, then i would be much more confident to actually go to people selling bikes and talk to them and 'deal' with them, but i don't have that knowledge, so lacking the confidence to.. regarding buying bikes, aside from which to go for, how do i know what is a good deal and what is not? when i go to check a bike what do i look for (after knowing what BIKE to look for)?

I have been on the net and looked at various hardcopy classifieds over the past 2 months, last night i even dreamed of riding a bike..
i just really want this headache to be resolved and have a bike before the season is over.

i hope some of the above made sense.
if any of it did, please help

Best Regards,
   -Sadeed.  

well, as in Trivette's post, he mentions the book 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to Motorcycles' which I have been reading lately myself. So far it's taught me a whole lot more about motorcycles and this is only the first time reading through it, so I imagine I'll pick up more of the details the 2nd and possible 3rd time through. I would suggest you do the same it seems that the book gives the exact knowledge you're seeking. You should also note that every experienced rider on this forum would tell you not to go with those modern 600CC bikes but instead start smaller... Those same people would probably suggest a Kawasaki Ninja 500R or maybe a Suzuki GS500F, they won't break the bank and are quite plentiful in the used market. A good place to look online would be <a href="cycletrader.com" target="_blank">Cycle Trader</a>

Hope that helped

Edit: I'm slamming my head on the desk about this very same problem, btw  

Sadeed. the best way to know which bike is best for you is to go to the dealer and sit on one. If you don't have a lot of experience riding stick with a small bike like the 600. As for which model, go for what their strengths are. Look up Sport Rider's comparisons and figure out which one caters to how you picturte yourself riding. Is comfort the most important thing? Take off speed? Top speed? Ability to lean into a corner? Gas mileage? Ability to take a passenger?

Once you have a better idea of what these things are, then you need to go look at a bike. Sit on it, lean back and forth to get a feel for the balance of the bike, they all have low centers of gravity, but they also all have different suspensions. Think about sitting on that bike for 3 hours straight and the strain it'll put on your wrists, ankles and back. Ergonomics are the most important part in my opinion. I went with the F4i because I'n a strong believer is Honda's quality, but I've also owned a Yahama and they know what they're doing.

Bottom line: sit on it, ask if they'll let you fire one up in the showroom. Get a feel for the throttle response and see if one feels better then the other. I hate to say it, but color is a big deal too. You're going to want a bike that looks good to you and says something about you.

I rambled for a bit there, but I feel your pain. It took me a couple months to settle on my F4i and I'm glad I shopped around. Most guys are die-hard for a brand, so I imagine you'll hear a lot of differing opinions on which bike is better.  

Thanks for all the input. i am still struggling between a 500cc and a 600cc, i did my MST on a 250cc..
i have sat on a VTR, 778 and R6, but from just reading, i have begun to like F4i, because i think it has show off status, but also comfort. and i'd like a good looking sport bike without bad comfort status.
i am very new to kawasakis (Ninjas) because when i was introduced to bikes, i was told kawasakis are not the best of the bunch.
ofcourse i wouldn't go for a "donor bike" (1000cc).

i think i should read that book, "Dummies guide to..." because i am wondering how to deal money, i have a good idea of what a bike is supposed to be bought at, but still, dealing cars is very differnt from dealing bikes.