Classic CBR 600 as first bike?
Discussion
So I'm doing my CBT on Sunday and dead keen to do the DAS to commute to work. I did have my heart set on a Ninja 650 as I'm 6-4 and heard they are very accommodating for the taller rider. However, stories of dropping the bike and an insurance quote of over £1200 have put me off.
A friend at work suggested looking at a classic CBR 600 which can be had for about a £1000 and the insurance as its a classic is less than £200. So for obvious reasons, this seems like a no brainer for 12 months or so until I can upgrade to something bigger, maybe give it a couple of years and get a 1000cc of some variety as that's ultimately what I'd like.
So I'm after some advice is a 20 year old CBR a crazy idea and will it be far too much for a new rider? Thanks in advance.
A friend at work suggested looking at a classic CBR 600 which can be had for about a £1000 and the insurance as its a classic is less than £200. So for obvious reasons, this seems like a no brainer for 12 months or so until I can upgrade to something bigger, maybe give it a couple of years and get a 1000cc of some variety as that's ultimately what I'd like.
So I'm after some advice is a 20 year old CBR a crazy idea and will it be far too much for a new rider? Thanks in advance.
Rubin215 said:
For a grand you will easily get something much newer and more commute friendly.
Off the top of my head you should be looking at Bandit 600's, Fazers and early ER6's.
Not looked into any of those but I'll check them out the thing is I did have my heart set on a sports bike. Off the top of my head you should be looking at Bandit 600's, Fazers and early ER6's.
don29 said:
I did exactly that after passing my test at 25 and regretted it.
For a novice biker it was just too powerful.
Even my examiner suggested I rethink my choice and look at a 250 or 400 as a first bike.
I ended up selling the CBR after 12 months having done less than 1200 miles on it.
In hindsight I should have listened to the examiner and bought something smaller to start with.
I"d be interested to know why? When you say too powerful what do you mean what problems did you have with it? For a novice biker it was just too powerful.
Even my examiner suggested I rethink my choice and look at a 250 or 400 as a first bike.
I ended up selling the CBR after 12 months having done less than 1200 miles on it.
In hindsight I should have listened to the examiner and bought something smaller to start with.
Speed addicted said:
I had a Kawasaki GPZ600R as a first bike, still have it 19 years on (with others).
A couple of things to think about, £1000 is about as cheap as working motorbikes generally get.
Are you reasonably competent at mechanical stuff?
If not you’re likely to end up spending quite a bit on it for parts and people to fit them.
The CBR has a great reputation for reliability, this doesn’t mean it won’t be worn out and corroded by the time is 20 years old.
You also often get the joy of annoying electrical problems once bikes get older, water gets in and corroded wires, connectors and everything else.
It’s also comfortable for a sports bike, this doesn’t mean it’s comfortable overall. Something like a Fazer or Hornet is a more natural shape if you’re not used to bikes.
The other thing to consider is just how cheap PCP is on new bikes, you’re looking at a couple of hundred a month. For something that will always start when you want it to.
I am reltivley handy with cars the bike world is new to me but I guess I can pick it up. However the though of tinkering on does put my off and its a good point on the PCP front I can get a Ninja 650 KRT for the following A couple of things to think about, £1000 is about as cheap as working motorbikes generally get.
Are you reasonably competent at mechanical stuff?
If not you’re likely to end up spending quite a bit on it for parts and people to fit them.
The CBR has a great reputation for reliability, this doesn’t mean it won’t be worn out and corroded by the time is 20 years old.
You also often get the joy of annoying electrical problems once bikes get older, water gets in and corroded wires, connectors and everything else.
It’s also comfortable for a sports bike, this doesn’t mean it’s comfortable overall. Something like a Fazer or Hornet is a more natural shape if you’re not used to bikes.
The other thing to consider is just how cheap PCP is on new bikes, you’re looking at a couple of hundred a month. For something that will always start when you want it to.
Cash Price £5,999
Deposit £199
Total Amount of Credit £5,800
Duration of Agreement 36 Months
Monthly Payment £161.11
Total Amount Payable £5,999
Representative APR 0%
Speed addicted said:
I had a Kawasaki GPZ600R as a first bike, still have it 19 years on (with others).
A couple of things to think about, £1000 is about as cheap as working motorbikes generally get.
Are you reasonably competent at mechanical stuff?
If not you’re likely to end up spending quite a bit on it for parts and people to fit them.
The CBR has a great reputation for reliability, this doesn’t mean it won’t be worn out and corroded by the time is 20 years old.
You also often get the joy of annoying electrical problems once bikes get older, water gets in and corroded wires, connectors and everything else.
It’s also comfortable for a sports bike, this doesn’t mean it’s comfortable overall. Something like a Fazer or Hornet is a more natural shape if you’re not used to bikes.
The other thing to consider is just how cheap PCP is on new bikes, you’re looking at a couple of hundred a month. For something that will always start when you want it to.
I am reltivley handy with cars the bike world is new to me but I guess I can pick it up. However the though of tinkering on does put my off and its a good point on the PCP front I can get a Ninja 650 KRT for the following A couple of things to think about, £1000 is about as cheap as working motorbikes generally get.
Are you reasonably competent at mechanical stuff?
If not you’re likely to end up spending quite a bit on it for parts and people to fit them.
The CBR has a great reputation for reliability, this doesn’t mean it won’t be worn out and corroded by the time is 20 years old.
You also often get the joy of annoying electrical problems once bikes get older, water gets in and corroded wires, connectors and everything else.
It’s also comfortable for a sports bike, this doesn’t mean it’s comfortable overall. Something like a Fazer or Hornet is a more natural shape if you’re not used to bikes.
The other thing to consider is just how cheap PCP is on new bikes, you’re looking at a couple of hundred a month. For something that will always start when you want it to.
Cash Price £6,599
Deposit £199
Total Amount of Credit £6,400
Duration of Agreement 36 Months
Monthly Payment £177.77
Total Amount Payable £6,599
Representative APR 0%
Jazoli said:
Bear in mind a Ninja 650 is not really a sports bike as such, more of a sporty road bike, it has a decent riding position and will be dead easy to ride, its more of a warmed over Versys 650 with a fairing, but that's not a bad thing as the Versys is/was a great bike, you can also pcp them for under £100/month with zero deposit if you shop around, one also to consider if you are looking at new ones is the SV650, they are dirt cheap and can be had for around £70 on a PCP which is almost pocket change.
The cheapest i can find on an SV650 is over £100 pcm and the Ninja looks better imo. Like others have advised I need to sit on a few as I'm 6-4 and about 17 stone so a big guy which will have an impact on what I chose. Zakalwe said:
How much commuting do you intend to do on it?
As much as possible I commute by train at the moment 12 miles each way which takes about 70 minutes by the time I walk to both stations. A bike will take me around 20 mins. I'm not sure if I'd use it in the winter months when the weather is bad Zakalwe said:
SV650 is a cracking bike, probably better for a commute than a 20 year old CBR. You don’t want to be worrying about rain in the afternoon on your way home dissolving anything’s important
I'll take a look is it crazy to ride a bike in the winter months when there's ice on the roads etc? Speed addicted said:
Honestly, as someone that's 6'2" and about the same weight, something like an adventure shaped bike may be a better option.
Sportsbikes tend to be pretty small for performance, and you may well find that you spend the entire time thinking about how uncomfortable you are rather than enjoying the ride.
The riding you're intending to do will also be the opposite of fun on a bike that's made to go howling round corners. Having bars the same height as the seat works well in the twisty bits but gets old fast on the motorway or in town. The do have the advantage of being slim for filtering though.
The best thing to do is test ride, but I'd be looking more at things like adventure bikes and other things with flat bars rather than clip-ons.
Can you give me some examples of bikes to look at? Sportsbikes tend to be pretty small for performance, and you may well find that you spend the entire time thinking about how uncomfortable you are rather than enjoying the ride.
The riding you're intending to do will also be the opposite of fun on a bike that's made to go howling round corners. Having bars the same height as the seat works well in the twisty bits but gets old fast on the motorway or in town. The do have the advantage of being slim for filtering though.
The best thing to do is test ride, but I'd be looking more at things like adventure bikes and other things with flat bars rather than clip-ons.
Sa Calobra said:
myvision said:
Hornet
Early VFR800
Fazer 600 or early 1000
Thundercat
Any of those will do you and can be had cheap enough.[/quote
I'm liking this thread as I was bawking at paying 5k+ on pcp for a first bike.
So was I mate check out the insurance on a classic too cheap as chips. I’m still torn £100 a month for a brand new bike really is a bargain Early VFR800
Fazer 600 or early 1000
Thundercat
Any of those will do you and can be had cheap enough.[/quote
I'm liking this thread as I was bawking at paying 5k+ on pcp for a first bike.
Sa Calobra said:
£100 a month isn't a bargain though if you are on PCP and handing back at term. That's £100 a month renting.
I think I’d go down the HP route especially if it’s 0% on something like this Ninja:Cash Price £5,999
Deposit £199
Total Amount of Credit £5,800
Duration of Agreement 36 Months
Monthly Payment £161.11
Total Amount Payable £5,999
Representative APR 0%
Had a wander to M & S Motorcycles in Newcastle on my lunch hour and spoke to a couple of really helpful fellas.
They seemed to echo what I've read on here. They had a 1998 CBR with only 13k on the clock which was immaculate, a new 650 Ninja and a 3-month-old Suzuki SV650.
The SV650 seemed slightly more comfortable but it's hard to tell sitting on the bike for 2 mins. They did say they'll let me drive a few when I've passed my test.
They seemed to echo what I've read on here. They had a 1998 CBR with only 13k on the clock which was immaculate, a new 650 Ninja and a 3-month-old Suzuki SV650.
The SV650 seemed slightly more comfortable but it's hard to tell sitting on the bike for 2 mins. They did say they'll let me drive a few when I've passed my test.
S2r said:
Having ridden a 96 CBR600 for a while in between Ducatis, I'd say that the steel framed ones would be a really good choice as they go well, stop well and corner well without too much drama so you can get some experience on something relatively quick.
I went back to Ducatis because I one I had been looking for came up at the right price and the CBR left me a bit flat as it only went well, stopped well and cornered well...
A £1000 can get you a good one, mine cost £1000 when I bought it, had relatively low miles (less than 20k) I serviced it, put tyres on then eventually sold it for £1000 sometime later.
There are a lot of sheds out there but if you take your time you can find a garage queen - a quick 'ebay' search shows that there are quite a few from £1-2k, buy one, run for 12 months until you find out what you want from a bike, sell it for what you paid and move on up
Good advice I think the challenge is finding a decent one, I know very little about bikes so I'd be leaving myself open to buying a dog. I went back to Ducatis because I one I had been looking for came up at the right price and the CBR left me a bit flat as it only went well, stopped well and cornered well...
A £1000 can get you a good one, mine cost £1000 when I bought it, had relatively low miles (less than 20k) I serviced it, put tyres on then eventually sold it for £1000 sometime later.
There are a lot of sheds out there but if you take your time you can find a garage queen - a quick 'ebay' search shows that there are quite a few from £1-2k, buy one, run for 12 months until you find out what you want from a bike, sell it for what you paid and move on up
CrankyCraig said:
Really? "Agony"?!...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9A6ctjHAxE&pb...
It was comments like this that almost put me off getting an old GSXR.
If, like me, you're in excess of 6'3", you're legs will be a bit more bunched than if you were on a Z750, SV650 or VFR, but after you set off you won't give a fraction of a f
k. Back ache, wrist pain, severe cramp... I've experienced none of these even after several hours on the bike, but if you're a man who has, at any point, practised making a baby, you'll have already endured far, far worse in the pursuit of entertainment than you'll likely experience on a sportsbike, and that's not nearly as exiting nor lasts anything like as long.
Avoid paying more for anything too shiny as a first bike, especially if it's to be used daily - I like and can also recommend all of those bikes above. I tried to convince myself sports tourers and nakeds would suffice, and resisted the lure of a sports bike for a long time. But if it's a sportsbike you want, it's a sportsbike you should get.
Great post Craig thanks for sharing your experience. I think I’ll take a look at the GSXR too if I can find something decent for sub £1500 this is the way I’ll go rather than financing a new bike. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9A6ctjHAxE&pb...
It was comments like this that almost put me off getting an old GSXR.
If, like me, you're in excess of 6'3", you're legs will be a bit more bunched than if you were on a Z750, SV650 or VFR, but after you set off you won't give a fraction of a f
k. Back ache, wrist pain, severe cramp... I've experienced none of these even after several hours on the bike, but if you're a man who has, at any point, practised making a baby, you'll have already endured far, far worse in the pursuit of entertainment than you'll likely experience on a sportsbike, and that's not nearly as exiting nor lasts anything like as long.Avoid paying more for anything too shiny as a first bike, especially if it's to be used daily - I like and can also recommend all of those bikes above. I tried to convince myself sports tourers and nakeds would suffice, and resisted the lure of a sports bike for a long time. But if it's a sportsbike you want, it's a sportsbike you should get.
CrankyCraig said:
I'd still echo the advice of others, that you're probably better off starting out on something that isn't a sports bike for a little while. You'll still have a ton of fun, and you can still opt for something with sporty intentions. Don't feel that you have to ride something entirely devoid of excitement for 10 years before progressing to said sports bike. A few thousand miles would be fine, then you'll be no less fine on just about anything.
I'm a bit proponent of an old cheap bike. Ride it in any conditions, to any place, completely care free, not worrying that it's left exposed to the elements, not concerned whether it will be there when you get back, not being afraid to learn how it's put together, not shedding a single tear when you're looking up he road at it lying on it's side and not loosing a single penny when you sell what's left of it.
I have my CBT tomorrow so I should have a better idea then. I am leaning towards an old CBR or even a naked bike like a Hornet or something in line with the advice of others.I'm a bit proponent of an old cheap bike. Ride it in any conditions, to any place, completely care free, not worrying that it's left exposed to the elements, not concerned whether it will be there when you get back, not being afraid to learn how it's put together, not shedding a single tear when you're looking up he road at it lying on it's side and not loosing a single penny when you sell what's left of it.
What’s about a GSXR 600 will that be suitable like a CBR?
Seen this on Facebook marketplace. (Sorry can’t upload pics on mobile)
I am selling my Suzuki GSXR 600 K1, the bike is immaculate and open to any viewing, it rides fantastic on all roads, it sounds great with race cam on, but I’ve also got the standard exhaust if that’s not for you. It comes with the rear seat, original tool kit, all books and 10 months MOT, recently serviced and detailed. The bikes only got 32,000 miles on the clock and still feels brand new! First to see will buy! The perfect toy for the summer, great for first time riders and experienced riders.
May swap for more of a sit up bike, what have you got? 07393110391 Read Less
Seen this on Facebook marketplace. (Sorry can’t upload pics on mobile)
I am selling my Suzuki GSXR 600 K1, the bike is immaculate and open to any viewing, it rides fantastic on all roads, it sounds great with race cam on, but I’ve also got the standard exhaust if that’s not for you. It comes with the rear seat, original tool kit, all books and 10 months MOT, recently serviced and detailed. The bikes only got 32,000 miles on the clock and still feels brand new! First to see will buy! The perfect toy for the summer, great for first time riders and experienced riders.
May swap for more of a sit up bike, what have you got? 07393110391 Read Less
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