Buell = Garbage

Suzuki = Awesome

If you like sans fairing bikes, check out the SV650 too.

 

hahahah and that's what we call a squid. Have fun.

 

ahahahahhahahah oh yeah?....... your head is a redneck


neener neener

 

By your argument, a GSX-R 1000 would be even better! More powerful brakes, same weight, better handling and much more power to weight.


The SV is better because the sitting position is easier, the handling is less snappy, the engine makes a modest amount of power across the whole rev range rather than nothing from 0-12,000 and then 120hp from 12,000-14,000. The SV is only 6lbs heavier than the GSX-R - they are both very light.

I personally agree with you about the appearance, but a naked SV650 with frame sliders is much more likely to survive the beginners' parking lot drops without expensive plastic fairings to break. You may never have dropped your bike, but many beginners do just from stalling, fumbling whatever.

With many companies, the SV will be cheaper to insure, and for a given year, the SV will be cheaper to purchase.

 

The bike shouldn't be the deciding factor on who's a squid. A squid will be a squid on any bike......they just tend to lean towards liter bikes =p

 

True. But you can be a squid that doesn't even ride by recommending people start on a GSXr600 as there first bike. There must be a lot of people that say this, and end up being wrong as insurance for a GSXR is more then it is for a 600rr, r6 and such...

 

Everyone's going to tell you something different, so here's my take: buy your first bike cheap. One that is almost disposable. A bike that you can drop, kick, push, etc and you won't give a ****. The reason is that everyone has to go through the learning period where they become acquainted with the dynamics of a bike and sometimes it can get overwhelming.
If you get something cheap, you can ride it for 6-12 months and then flip it for about what you paid for it, and purchase a better bike than you would have bought if you had just jumped to a mid-entry level bike. What I'm saying is: don't buy a nice entry level bike. The hit you take on the decrease in value if you buy it new (not to mention the eleventy billion accessories that you will inevitably purchase like frame sliders, tank protector, chain lube, etc) coupled with the elevated level of risk a newer rider presents makes it a losing proposition and I have seen plenty of guys do exactly this: Purchase a brand new SV650, drop it once or twice, ride it for 8 months and realize they want something better so they go out and purchase a GSX-R 750. It's a worthwhile jump no doubt but they would have been in a much better position had they just purchased a ****ty used disposable bike first time around and then just jumped to the GSX-R 750 because they took the hit on the damage to the bike, the depreciation AND the depreciation on the new 750.

That point aside, when my friend in college started riding, he bought a brand new Buell Blast and I had a 94 GS-500E at the time. Although I had been riding longer, he was unable to keep up because the GS500 was simply easier to ride than his Buell. I think they've come a long quite a way in the past couple years but it's still hard to compete with Suzuki's long track record.

I ride a GSXR-600 right now and have had a GS-500E (1994), a superhawk and a Honda V30 Magna (1983 POS). The v30 Magna was a 500 cc cruiser I purchased for $850 in 1999. I'd make the same recommendation to anyone looking to pick up riding.

In your case, I'd say pick up a cheap bike for at most $1,500. Ride it until your ready for your Ducati and then sell it to the next guy looking to learn to ride.

All in all, however, the GS 500 is really fun bike and some solid bang for the buck. check out : http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/mcy/356395536.html

 

^^^ya i think i am gonna go with the gs500 because i could have some fun on that for at least a year..

but i do plan on getting a ducati monster eventually..that is my all time favorite bike

thanks for the logical post musashi

 

np... above all, try to go with used if its your first bike.

I only purchased my current bike because my friend laid it down and wanted to get rid of it for cheap. A little bit of body damage can be ignored to save a few grand, imo.

 

i will never buy a new car/bike ever again.. well maybe a bike.. but not a car.

but for the first few years i will only ride used.

 

Musashi has got it dead right. I've got a '94 GS500E have had it for about a year. Can sell it for what I bought it for. But don't know if I want to. I'm about to get a S2R or the new 695. Do you really want to leave your "baby" bike in the rain when you ride it to work? And the style that you like is called Naked. Best of luck with your decision. One thing that I didn't see anyone talk about here is the gear. Wear it! All of it!

oh yea....and keep the rubber side down.

 

I agree with Musashi and jeffildy. I started riding on a Suzuki Bandit 600. This bike was very forgiving and very disposable, haha. No fairings, easy to maintain, and super comfortable. I was a actually looking for a GS500 but was unable to find a good one and went with the Bandit instead. I was a total noob when I first started on this bike. I dropped it in the garage and even low-sided while riding it. Both times I was able to bike up the bike, dust it off, and ride away. I rode it for three years and am now riding a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R (kawis rule by the way ).

Also, always wear gear. I don't mean to sound preachy, but gear can make the differance in an accident. I am currently recovering from a bad moto accident. Long story short, I went down on the freeway at low speed thanks to an unsafe lane change made by another driver. I broke my left arm, but had no cuts or scrapes thanks to my gear. I feel my injuries would have been much worse without it.

Ride safe out there everyone. And maybe we can get a I-Club ride together.