Newbie anxiety

This is my first forum post ever so ya'll be patient . . I spent most of the evening here at home tonight reading through the latest issue of SR and decided to go online and check out the site awhile . . I was taken back when I saw the headline about Trevitt and want to offer my prayers and well wishes to him and his family and the SR staff as well, this brings to the forefront a resounding issue among my friends about me wanting to get a Bike, you've all heard it before from your friends, "man you're gonna kill yourself" and other similar comments, aside from the delimma of which bike to get, I've gone from the Gixxer 750 to the Ninja 650R and reluctantly have started seriously considering the Ninja 250, I'm 50 yrs old and in good health, although not a big guy kinda skinny ya know and I'm struggling on what bike to get, the news about Andy's spill really kinda freaks me out, I have'nt ridden in twenty some odd years but c'mon ma don't make me get a little wheezer I want a real bike, I can walk into the showroom and just get a rush lookin' at all the RiceRockets lined up and baby they look coool and I'll be cool too when I get one ( I'm gonna catch so much flak from this I can see it comin') but honestly some of 'em just plain look fast, the VMax (no I'm not that stupid) just looks like a badass bike and I'm afraid to go within 10 feet of it, the 'Busa is ugly and beautiful at the same time but I've seen the after effects from a previous owners experince with hyper speed introduced to asphalt, it ain't the speed that scares me (necessarily) it's the sudden stop. I realize all this sounds kinda wimpy but every new or potential rider is thinkin the same things or they're lying, the thing is can a guy get a sport bike and after taking the recommended Riders courses, get on a bike and ride with confidence without having to get an ultra low cc powered engine, I was really set on the Kawa 650 beleiving it would be good for a keeper rather than upscaling every two years to grow with the level of riding experience?  

You should be fine with the Ninja 650R. Only your ego will need something more after two years. You won't.

Please read the newbie stickies at the top of this forum.

Life itself is a risk.  

Look hard at the KAW Ninja 650R, because of the riding position (more upright).  The wrist, back and shoulder get really sore in a hurry on a pure sportbike.  The 650R allows you the best of both worlds, as you can adjust your bars for a sporty riding position or more upright for touring.  Clip on bars at best can be raise an inch or so with risers, but still very low.  

Historian:
Look hard at the KAW Ninja 650R, because of the riding position (more upright).  The wrist, back and shoulder get really sore in a hurry on a pure sportbike.  The 650R allows you the best of both worlds, as you can adjust your bars for a sporty riding position or more upright for touring.  Clip on bars at best can be raise an inch or so with risers, but still very low.

. . . yeah this is one of the features that initially had me looking at the Suzi650 but the Kaw weighs less (almost a 100lbs.!) which was another consideration since I don't want to wrestle the bike to manuever it when backing or parking, that brings up another question though, what is the emphasis about a center stand, is it primarily for easier maintenance or some other reason?
Thanks for your input ..  

A centerstand is primarily meant to allow you to park the bike on a more stable platform than a sidestand. It does allow easier maintenance as a side benefit, however.  

Well my friend, I am 50 also and I hadn't rode a bike in years, I started off the beginning of this year with a Kawasaki Z1000 as to get the feel again. Last week I went out and got a brand new ZX10r and I like it a lot. I think it really comes down to what you feel like you can handle.  

I think it really comes down to what you feel like you can handle.  

The problem there is that too many novice riders let their ego do the decision-making for them, and all that does is put them on a bike that they truly cannot "handle."

Case in point, from the OP's first post in this thread: "I haven't ridden in twenty some odd years but c'mon ma don't make me get a little wheezer I want a real bike, I can walk into the showroom and just get a rush lookin' at all the RiceRockets lined up and baby they look coool and I'll be cool too when I get one..."  

Now we're getting down to the meat of the matter, I knew I was exposing myself to some degree of disdain by my comment "... and I'll be cool too.." but the reality is anybody, when choosing a bike or car or anything, is drawn to that one that further defines them. Ego and selfimage do influence our selections and I'm awed by anyone with the nuggets to sadle up a mega cc bike to "learn how to ride". A liter bike?, no I'm not ready for that but I also recognize within myself a hesitation to try something I'm not familiar or practiced with, "Even life has risks." was what I needed to encourage me to continue getting involved in this sport, and let me clarify here that I'm not even a newbie at this point I'm still just a 'wannabe' but I've got the fever and I'm trying to approach it with the deserved respect of the risks inherent to two wheelers.  Ultimately I support the theory of building up to your level of experience but I also have to consider the financial investments involved with buy/sell buy/sell, I don't presume to be an instant success on a bike but I'm banking on my maturity and good judgment to keep it off the pavement, I accept I'm gonna lay it down eventually but I can avoid it longer if I just keep my wits about me. Research has been the foundation of whatever endeavor I pursue and this forum and the Bike rags have given me a lot of insight to the sport and the machines, as I've been able to discern from these sources, 80mph is 80mph, it's how quickly you get there, how well you can control it and how fast you can slow it down that distinguishes one class from another. I'm not suggesting either that I've convinced myself I can 'read' my way to a skill level that will be beyond my practical experience, however it gives me something to build from. And then there's what appeals to the shopper, I just don't see myself on a naked or dual sport, dirt bikes are most enjoyed on open fields and mountain trails (neither are that accesible to the average Joe), cruisers don't really do it for me which leaves me with Sportbikes. I'm not a poser, I don't have a need to be seen, I'm not trying to pick up babes but I'm old enough (and perhaps vain enough) that I would rather start out on a bike that is larger than a 250, the industry provides entry level bikes and I trust the designed intentions of these bikes, it is a matter of what you beleive you can handle if you have the level headednes to handle what you have. I feel like I have the intellect and the agility to coerce the Ninja 650 enough to survive my abilities but there is always the unknown. I rely on ya'll to offer your advice and opinions and beleive me I genuinely appreciate your comments and objective responses so keep it flyin' and happy trails guys!  

"...but the reality is anybody, when choosing a bike or car or anything, is drawn to that one that further defines them. Ego and selfimage do influence our selections..."

"I'm not a poser, I don't have a need to be seen..."

"...and baby they look coool and I'll be cool too when I get one..."

Thank you for reinforcing my point.

"...it is a matter of what you beleive you can handle if you have the level headednes to handle what you have."

There's a big difference between what novice riders "believe" they can handle and what they actually CAN handle. They cannot possibly know about the capabilities of themselves or the bike until they have the bike, because they have no experience to draw on to make that assessment. Being able to "handle" a motorcycle-- especially a high-performance sportbike-- is a lot more than knowing how to brake, turn, and accelerate.

Sorry for singling you out on your statements, but I'm only using them to illustrate a point. Congratulations on understanding that attempting to learn the basics of bike control (and I'm not talking about stopping and turning in a parking lot) on a 160-hp literbike isn't the smartest judgment in what could be a critical decision for the future. No need for long-winded defensiveness.  

No harm no foul brother, it's part of the process for me to put things in perspective... I've put myself in the crosshairs for a reason.  

No worries. If more novice riders thought reasonably like you, we'd have a lot fewer crashes and lower insurance rates.  

For a mature responsible guy like yourself, I recommend a 120hp 600cc.  R6, CBR600RR, GSXR600, Kawasaki ZX6R.  All around or under 400lbs.  Easy to handle, fast when you want them to be, and you don't have to wind them up just to keep up pace with the traffic around you.  I bought my r6 on 1/4/09, first time ever riding, and I ride it every day to work, and around town when weather permits, and its an all around great bike.  Yes it is very fast if you want it to be, which is why I didn't want my little brother who might not respect it to get one, so I bought him a Suzuki GS500F to learn on.  I bought him this when I was living in Florida, where I purchased my r6.  When I got back to New Orleans, and I took it for a spin, I was laughing the whole time.  The bike is a joke.  A Suzuki GS500F is a scooter that looks like a motorcycle.  Soooo slooooowwww it is ridiculous.  Its almost dangerous to take on the interstate.  The passing power of 250s and 500s is so weak, and they are so light, the windblast from other vehicles is crazy!  I would recommend them only for city driving when you don't need to go over 50, because manuvering is easy, or for backroads to just cruise on a nice day.  Hell if this sounds like what you want, I'll sell you my suzuki GS500F, its an 06' with 3200 miles.  Good looking bike, and longer and taller than my r6.  $2,750.  The only thing I recommend it for is a girls first bike, or a teenagers first bike.  If you are a responsible adult who understands a little about gyroscopic inertia, countersteering, not breaking through turns, etc. and you still want an adrenaline rush once and a while, get one of the bikes listed at the top of this post.  You will be fine.  

Response to your ?, but also to some of the responses as well follows, small bikes teach you more faster.

Look at a gs650f the new one, it is not a slug by any means.  I would give top thumbs to a standard sv-650 as well.  To the remark about power to pass or the lack of it on the gs 500, get real and learn to shift!
The 600 fours are gutless wonders, yea 110 horse but no grunt in the lower revs, and you really need a some low rpm grunt in the real world to enjoy the ride.  Learning to ride is a long process and a bike like the sv-650, will teach you a lot more, better and faster than the 600 fours.  later if you stick with it, it is the perfect intro track bike.  A lot of folks use power to compensate for poor skills and even poorer roadcraft, they just don't last long doing it, there is a reason the avg 600 sportbike has a expected lifespan of only 2,700mi (ins. industry stats. 10-13% do not make 400mi. ).  The last thing a newb needs is "power" to pass or a peaky high strung bike, He needs to learn the game, intuition, observation, and develop the seeing the way ahead and the ability to plan and reformulate the plan fast based on changing conditions for every move he makes. Lower performance bikes force you to learn roadcraft, and to develop skills as opposed to the one plan of "just gas it" and the Just gas it plan is wrong 90% of the time.  

woose:
Response to your ?, but also to some of the responses as well follows, small bikes teach you more faster.

Look at a gs650f the new one, it is not a slug by any means.  I would give top thumbs to a standard sv-650 as well.  To the remark about power to pass or the lack of it on the gs 500, get real and learn to shift!
The 600 fours are gutless wonders, yea 110 horse but no grunt in the lower revs, and you really need a some low rpm grunt in the real world to enjoy the ride.  Learning to ride is a long process and a bike like the sv-650, will teach you a lot more, better and faster than the 600 fours.  later if you stick with it, it is the perfect intro track bike.  A lot of folks use power to compensate for poor skills and even poorer roadcraft, they just don't last long doing it, there is a reason the avg 600 sportbike has a expected lifespan of only 2,700mi (ins. industry stats. 10-13% do not make 400mi. ).  The last thing a newb needs is "power" to pass or a peaky high strung bike, He needs to learn the game, intuition, observation, and develop the seeing the way ahead and the ability to plan and reformulate the plan fast based on changing conditions for every move he makes. Lower performance bikes force you to learn roadcraft, and to develop skills as opposed to the one plan of "just gas it" and the Just gas it plan is wrong 90% of the time.

Very well said, woose...I couldn't agree with you more...  

woose:
Response to your ?, but also to some of the responses as well follows, small bikes teach you more faster.

Look at a gs650f the new one, it is not a slug by any means.  I would give top thumbs to a standard sv-650 as well.  To the remark about power to pass or the lack of it on the gs 500, get real and learn to shift!
The 600 fours are gutless wonders, yea 110 horse but no grunt in the lower revs, and you really need a some low rpm grunt in the real world to enjoy the ride.  Learning to ride is a long process and a bike like the sv-650, will teach you a lot more, better and faster than the 600 fours.  later if you stick with it, it is the perfect intro track bike.  A lot of folks use power to compensate for poor skills and even poorer roadcraft, they just don't last long doing it, there is a reason the avg 600 sportbike has a expected lifespan of only 2,700mi (ins. industry stats. 10-13% do not make 400mi. ).  The last thing a newb needs is "power" to pass or a peaky high strung bike, He needs to learn the game, intuition, observation, and develop the seeing the way ahead and the ability to plan and reformulate the plan fast based on changing conditions for every move he makes. Lower performance bikes force you to learn roadcraft, and to develop skills as opposed to the one plan of "just gas it" and the Just gas it plan is wrong 90% of the time.

ilikebikes:
Very well said, woose...I couldn't agree with you more...

Wow, such strong opinions about such garbage nonsense.  Small bikes teach you more faster huh.  In my garage 20 feet from me, I have an 02' R6, and an 06' GS500F.  I have been riding daily for 6 weeks, and put down close to 1,000 miles.  After riding my R6 for a month, there is nothing, and I mean nothing that I can learn from the GS500F.  I still ride it to cruise around town, because of the way the seat and handlebars are positioned, it is definitely more comfortable than my r6 when you want to sit up and ride, but I don't understand how you can be so confident in the garbage you typed and even more how somebody can agree with you.  "He needs to learn the game, intuition, observation, and develop the seeing the way ahead and the ability to plan and reformulate the plan fast based on changing conditions for every move he makes"  Thats a MINDFRAME; a state of mind, and I had it the first time I set out on the road.  It took no learning.  NONE.  "Lower bikes force you to learn roadcraft, and to develop skills as opposed to the one plan of 'just gas it' and the just gas it plan is wrong 90% of the time".  WHAT?  You will learn roadcraft on any bike, and who the hell said that the one plan is just gas it?  I ride smooth all of the time, and sometimes fast, but in your opinion, I "just gas it" and 90% of the time I am wrong.  I love your stats.  They are mind boggling.  "A lot of folks use power to compensate for poor skills and even poorer roadcraft, they just don't last long doing it, there is a reason the avg 600 sportbike has a expected lifespan of only 2,700mi (ins. industry stats."  I AM AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER!!!  Not only do I have friends in automotive that total and adjust bikes, but they laughed at those stats!  Please, post the stats, and how they were arrived at.  What, ADHD 16 year olds buying 600cc's for first bikes?  With 10 test subjects?  Is that how they have an AVERAGE lifespan of 2,700 miles?  Mine has 22,687 miles on it right now.  I guess that just makes it a phenomenon!!!  Oh my favorite, "The 600 fours are gutless wonders, yea 110 horse but no grunt in the lower revs, and you really need a some low rpm grunt in the real world to enjoy the ride."  What do you call the lower revs?  After 7,000 rpms the front wheel will try to lift off of the ground on my r6, and it takes roughly 1 second to get there from a dead stop.  Shift out of 1st gear at 50mph, go into second already at 8k, and shift out of second at 90mph.  All of this in about 7 seconds.  The RPMS are never below 6k when the bike is moving, unless I am cruising in 6th gear.  Only in first gear are they ever in the lower revs, and they have more grunt in the lower revs than some of the bikes you are talking about have at the redline.  Its pretty obvious that everybody out there is self opinionated ONLY by what they have read in forums for God knows how long.  But people like the people I quoted are even worse than newbies.  Do you two even have bikes?  I am sitting here talking about 2 bikes from REAL LIFE, not what I read in a forum!  Would you like me to go take a picture of the 2 bikes together?  How about video of them running with sound, and riding around the streets.  I know first hand from REAL LIFE, not in forums that everything you said above is absolutely retarded, and I could call you out on even more of it, but this got long enough already.  Stop making up statistics, and stating opinions which are backed by nothing, and trying to pass them off as facts.  Somebody might come into the forum one day and read that garbage and not know any better and think of it as the truth.  Don't worry moderator, this is my last post and visit to this forum (Really? You promise? Praise the Lord! -- Moderator). Yall keep on making bogus claims, and trying to pass off your opinions as facts, and telling people that 250s, and 500s are anything other than scooters, or mopeds shaped like motorcycles (jokes).  PS, my 06' GS500F with 3,250 miles, and in near mint condition really is for sale ...  Hell I'll sell it for 3,200 shipped to your door.