Bonneville America Forums Forums General Motorcycle Forums Other Bikes Beginner Bikes?!? I don't think so.

You've got to be kidding!! I just rean across an article "The Top Five New Motorcycles for Beginning Riders under $20,000".

He is recommending the Kawasaki Storm, Suzuki GSX1250FA, Triumph Daytona 675R, Ducati 848 EVO Base and the Yamaha YZF-R1. Now, I'm no safety nut, and I believe in freedom of choice, this guy is an absolute idiot moron for recommending any these bikes for a beginning rider. With the slight exception for the Kawasaki Storm, which doesn't even exist yet. But it's going to be a trike (if it does ever come out), but I wouldn't ever recommend a trike as a first bike either. They don't ride like two wheel motorcycles at all.

Under $20K? That's a pretty high threshold for a beginning rider to consider. Or maybe I'm just a tightwad?

Nope, you're right.

Looks like that author is typing without a clue. Does he actually ride motorcycles?

The author doesn't have a clue. A couple of track bikes for first riders? Yamaha R-1??? Husband says he's an idiot.

Well, of course. A beginner needs to do 0-60 in 2.7 seconds. Sheesh.

From the Triumph site:

"The best supersports bike in the world? Winner of Supertest's "King of Supersports" four years running.
Designed for the race track, the Daytona 675 is the bike to beat on the road too. It’s the combination of outstanding handling and a storming three-cylinder engine.
With 125PS and more torque than the competition, the Daytona 675 offers a truly exhilarating ride."



Whoe boy... who approved this article?

If the author has any integrity he will withdraw that article. Soren has made a comment on the article page, and so have I. I suspect authors read feedback comments - so hopefully he will take notice.

yep he is a maroon!

Anybody can post anything on the web. The site considers itself " The world's largest source of community-created content.™"

Notice the 'community created content' part. Translation: unedited opinion. Unfortunately, this moron's advice could end up killing someone.

Case in point: http://www.kgw.com/news/neighborhood-new...-117527808.html

I threw in a comment too. I hope they pull the article.

The author is a bleeping college prof.

Well good job he knows how to How to Deal with Conflict, As he has posted. Part 1 and part 2 "How to Deal with Conflict"
Because he has got a big Conflict going on Now.
atb geoff

I bet Randy Hildebrand wasn't born in the back seat of a Greyhound bus
Rolling down highway forty-one

I dunno. A friend, being a non-rider, got the bug. He's an older guy and wanted to ride. Asked if I would help him pick out a bike. Sure I said. I tried to talk him into a used, light, metric for a first timer. Nope, has to be a Hardly. Despite the ragging I gave him, he was set on a HD, so I went with him to the Harley Clothing store and picked out a sporster with middies, used, nice looking (not abused) low miles. Fine, he likes it, but has to come back the next day as it is Sunday and no sales people on duty. I told him he could do that on his own because I'm not much of a money guy. Next day he goes in, they sell him on a Road King. Had it delivered to the house and was scared to death of it. Long story shortened a bit is that he called them back and had it traded "up" for a Tri-Glide. Still hasn't driven that one much. Matter of fact his wife was the first one to take it out because it sat in the garage for the first week.

So-light and powerful, or a 1/2 ton and moveable load for your first bike?

I went from Rebel to Vulcan 500 to scarabeo 200 to Electraglide to scarabeo 500ie to the perfect fit TBA.

True story. I was moving up from my first bike (Suzuki GT 380) to a Suzuki GT 550, which, in 1976, was a mid sized bike. I saw a small type ad in the classified for a number of Japanese bikes, including the 550, at unbelievably low prices in a nearby state. As I could take a GT 550 completely apart and reassemble it, price was my only issue. I called thinking it was a limited number of demos. Nope, we have plenty. Make the trip. Nearly a hundred bikes in a massive barn-like building. I had a check for the purchase but hadn't accounted for the delivery, prep, etc. Don't worry about it. We'll just 'say' you paid them. Oookaaay. Buy the bike. Year and a half later go back and buy a GS 750 for $1400 brand new. The next year the Feds bust them. It was all a money laundering operation (can't remember whose wash they were doing). How I miss them.

How about a bike that if you drop it who cares if it gets damaged? A Thunderbird.

Still have 2 GT380s and a GT750 and I used to have a GT550. All were fun bikes.

I think this guy who wrote the article is nearly retarded. There are alot of great beginners bikes. It depends on how old you are, and how big of a person you are... along with many other factors in deciding the best beginners bike for a person. Too just label a bike a beginners bike with out considering the person who is starting out on it.........well I guess it would be about easy handling, durablility, easy throttle control, and how damaged it will be when dropped.

CLUELESS B*ST*RD

Besides wasting a new rider's money, he's apt to get them hurt or killed, and at a minimum, intimdate them right out of the sport before they ever get started.

This guy is an idiot.

CLUELESS B*ST*RD is right Keith.

In his list of interests, motorcycles aren't there, so he's just an annoying little twonka who thinks just because he could pull a wheelie on a pedal bike he's Gods gift to two wheels

Although I might like him when he's good and dead

Forgot the link
http://contributor.yahoo.com/user/968552/randy_hildebrand.html

I've just noticed, out of the six comments posted (including mine), I recognise six names from here.

Yeah the author is definitely an idiot. I'm not so sure we shouldn't have graduated licensing here in the states, with begginers limited to 500cc's or so or perhaps set a limit on horsepower until the rider gains enough experience to handle it.
I worked at the local honda/yamaha/iron horse dealer doing setup and accessory installs for quite a few years, couldn't tell you how many completely inexperienced riders I've seen hurt, killed or simply turned off to the sport because they bought waaaayyyy to much bike to start with.
I've seen parents buy R1's, CBR 1000's, even an RC 51 repsol edition for 16 year old kids who have never ridden before!!!! Then if you try to explain that it's to much bike they get pissed about it ??? I took the cussing of a lifetime over trying to explain this to the idiots who bought the RC 51, the kid they bought it for was in a high speed crash less than 2 hours after leaving our shop, he's now a quadraplegic 19 year old living in a local nursing home.
Same thing happens with cruisers but to a lesser extent, I've seen 16 year olds leaving on VTX 1800's, Road Stars 1700's and a tenth anniversary Iron Horse, that ones a $46000 motorcycle!!! It lasted the kid 3 days he brought it back the first day complaining of a grinding sound when turning right (the primary cover dragging, lol)and was highly pissed that his shiny new bike was scuffed up. 2 days later he slid it out of the road through the trees and over a 30 foot embankment whike trying to play Nick Hayden through the twisties on a 280 tired chopper.
Even scarier it's not just kids, Saw a guy about 45 buy a Yamaha Royal Star Tour Deluxe, crashed it 40 feet from his starting point, grabbed a handful of throttle and went straight across the street into the ditch. He passed the written test for his permit but had never been on a bike before. Saw another guy in his forties wheelie a used hayabusa into traffic and get broadsided by a bread truck, he felt ready to ride because he rode dirt bikes when he was a teenager. Actually had one guy get on his new 750 ACE put his feet on the pegs at a standstill and fall over, he was actually mad because he thoughtthe bike would hold itself up, LMAO.
Anyway hopefully the idiot that wrote that article won't get anyone killed with his advice!!!

Well, he's got a lot of religious articles in his profile ("how to know God's will", etc...). Maybe he's just trying to help deliver people skyward a little faster...

Actually Lance, you DO realize that the phenomenon we're talkin' about here ALSO works in a Darwinistic manner too, RIGHT?!

"Well, he's got a lot of religious articles in his profile ("how to know God's will", etc...). Maybe he's just trying to help deliver people skyward a little faster... "

That was awesome. Maybe we should put some of these guys up for the Darwin awards!

I threw a comment on the post as well. The arrogance of some college professors never ceases to amaze me and I have a PhD in Geology and work at the University of Toronto!

So, it seems the author has deleted all of our comments. Please feel free (As I have done) to re-post them...

Well, he can't delete them from here. Friggin nazi (just the censorship--jeez I hate having to add disclaimers to everything these days--don't want anyone to get their panties in a bunch).

This doesn't have anything to do with religion. That's inconsequential to his writing skills or lack thereof.

For any newbies out there that may have thought that my comment about a Thunderbird for a learner bike was a good idea, wrong it would be a bad bike to learn on due to its extra power and ricey smell.

Well, all comments have been deleted and any future ones are blocked. Just shows what he feels about democratic discussion

The author has posted this comment though

Quote:

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Before embarking on any new venture, please be sure you receive the proper education and training. Any motorized vehicle can be hazardous if used improperly. The author believes all motorcycle riders, whether experienced or not, should wear a helmet whenever riding, regardless of state or local allowances.

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I might sign up when I have more time, then I will be able to post a comment

Quote:

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Before embarking on any new venture, please be sure you receive the proper education and training. Any motorized vehicle can be hazardous if used improperly. The author believes all motorcycle riders, whether experienced or not, should wear a helmet whenever riding, regardless of state or local allowances.

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Yes... before strapping yourself to the bomb (a la Slim Pickens), make sure you're wearing your helmet...