636 for a first bike?

[Emc-Icon]

im thinking of picking up a cheap 636 from a buddy of mine..............

good idea? or not? its a 2003, with 4k miles......

[camneely8]

Have you ever ridden before ? If not, then IMO its an awful idea.

[ptzpntbll]

sounds like a nice bike and has very low miles...it will deffinately last you quite some time, just be careful...600 class now adays is nothing like it used to be, they have no problem keeping up with other riders on liter bikes

[irishcarbomb]

get it, be smart, and gear up...

[cdn.zx.Glen]

Originally Posted by irishcarbomb

get it, be smart, and gear up...

I agree 100%!!!

[JasonFMHS]

You COULD get it...but i think it would be a bad idea...just trying to save ur skin incase soemthing happens to where u need to think fast....doing wheelies accidently into oncomming traffic isnt usually fun.

[ptzpntbll]

a 600 class bike is fine if you are someone who is smart and can control your actions and THINK about things...dont do something and ask questions later, buy ur leathers, good helmet, gloves etc etc, get ur MSF course over with and you should be fine....just dont be stupid about things or you'll pay the consiquences

[JasonFMHS]

Stutz...i read that article.... and i have to tell you...i've told all my buddies teh same thing.... and guess what...oen fell off yesterday.... hes fine...the bike not so much.... but i could only say "I told ya so"

[windrider18]

Even though it may be a good deal, I'd pass on it and take the MSF class first. Then pick up a used Ninja 250 or 500 and ride the tar out of it for a year or two. *Then* pick up that shiny 636 and laugh as you can ride better than your friends

[tandt]

A supersport bike takes more effort to ride, both physically and mentally, and you've gotta be sharp, otherwise you're gonna find you're going too fast all of a sudden and if your cornering and braking isn't as hot as your engine is you're gonna crash. Twisting the throttle is easy but cornering/braking is the hard stuff. You will likely find that trying to wrestle a 636 around as you learn how to ride will be stressful.

You can buy mega power but you cannot buy mega riding skills, and the bike doesn't care if you're not quite up to the task.

Get something a little older, cheaper, and friendlier to ride - something that won't break the bank when you drop it.

[Pistobah]

Originally Posted by cdn.zx.Glen

I agree 100%!!!

I'm with these guys. Go ahead and pick it up man, just take it easy for a while.

[Emc-Icon]

well.. i picked it up..

basically heres what i bought it from told me...

"take it HELLA easy because if you get cocky on this bike it WILL kill you" but an 03 636 for 4k is NOT a bad deal

Anyway.. im off to buy gear, and i spent an hour around my neighborhood starting and stopping LOL.. this thing feels a LOT lighter than my friends 2001 ninja zx6r much more responsive throttle, not as comfortable(duh his is a touring bike)

[eidian]

The temptation to buy your friend's 636 must be really hard to fight. Look at it this way: the bike's rated 111.4 HP @ 13,000 rpm's which would be the equivalent of a race car (there's a reason why it's classified as a "Super Sport"). That's a lot of power! All of the good intentions and discipline in the world isn't gonna do crap without experience. That's not to say that you can't learn on it--just know what you're getting into to.

I got an EX500 because it's a "beginner's" bike and I have no regrets at all. I've been growing with the bike as opposed to trying to grow into it. I feel like when I try a new skill, the bike's learning with me. I don't feel like I'm holding the bike back. I know it sounds weird to give the bike a human characteristics but it's the best way that I can describe it.

A newbie getting a 636 is like giving a little kid a Blackberry. Sure, they might figure out how to call and text but they'll only be using 10% of what it can do--they don't need a calendar or a phone book or the internet or...--the same with a bike. You'll have way more than you need right now and it'll come with some serious consequences if you make a mistake.

With that being said, do you think your buddy will sell it to me?

[Emc-Icon]

hey eidian.. if i end up scaring myself on it.. ill sell it to you.. .. now im off to change the oil/plugs/air filter and lube the chain

[Lomilar]

As someone who learned on a ZX-6RR, the worst part is the first six hours on the bike.

Yes, it is a race bike. It is sensitive, unforgiving, and worried me. That I spent the first couple hours on the bike in the rain with new tires didn't make things any better. At this point, you have to basically fear the bike. Among all of the other riding skills that you have to learn, these ones are added:

*Slow, steady throttle control while the bike is bumping and jerking around (like going over bumps), because the bike can and will hop if you pop the throttle.
*How to forcefully get your wrist to let go of the throttle, because it *has* speed, and it will give you speed, and its hard to let go.
*Dealing with an extremely sensitive steering mechanism. You can drop into a turn in 10 feet, and at times it feels like that's all the bike wants to do (as the steering is pretty loose)
*Limiting yourself by your limits, and not the bike's. I know the bike can pull a 10mph turn at ~30ish. But I can't. This is a hurdle.


But, a couple months later, I am clipping right along, improving my skills, and not worried about having to get a different bike. Do I regret not getting a smaller bike? Nah, but that's cause I survived the entry period. Do I think myself a superior driver? Only my experience can tell me. No wrecks, no tickets, and I am capable of driving for long periods of time while maintaining some semblance of alertness. I am not yet completely confident on my bike, and while I still live, I will seek to improve.

But as people will tell you, constantly wargame situations in your head (but keep paying attention), and you will be able to react to them without thinking. For instance: I practice swerving a lot (hopefully to the amusement of the cars behind me) in attempts to speed up my turning. I want to get it down to, where if I wanted to, I could weave through traffic cones/barrels at freeway speed. This came in useful when I was in a long left turn lane, and some car decided this was her left turn lane. (Possible head on collision). I checked right, and darted around her, because all she could do was sit there, being a big SUV.

Anyway. That's my take.