Sport bike comparo

[MachinesWithSouls]

That title is a bit misleading. Let me explain.

I've been thinking of getting my motorcycle license. It's been a rough year for me thus far, and I find myself taking the M3 out a lot on the back roads near my house.

Of course the car continues to amaze, but I find myself in an odd place with it. I don't want to supercharge or tune it; I don't think these cars respond to well and I'd prefer it stock. I do track it, but again, it's sort of heavy to be doing that all the time. It burns through, uhh, everything, very fast.

So perhaps a bike is the way to go. I have zero experience with motorcycles, but would like it to match the rest of my very blue and very BMW garage. Would an F800 be a good starting place? Really, this is a purchase for myself, and I'm wondering if I can commit to another hobby.

It's taken years of owning cars, and in particular my M3, to really get the most out of it. With a bike, it's all new to me, so my vast car knowledge is useless.

Anyone on here ride? If so, what was your first bike? And how do you like the experience compared to your M3?

[1MOREMOD]

I have had several bikes. First one was an r1 but had ridden 2 stroke dirt bikes for some time prior. I enjoyed the bike and also had a big dog ridgeback but never rode that much. I always would think I should ride to work or whatever but only found myself riding as a screw off hobby thing never with any purpose or destination. Because I found tracking my car more fun and didn't ride much I sold them. I have been getting the itch for a bmw 1000rr or new r1 though.

With no bike experience may want to ride something cheap and slow to start and see how you do. No sense in going out as a road pizza right off. I didn't find the r1 all that scary but coming from dirt bikes the hit of a 2 stroke on the pipe would make you wheelie without meaning to which doesn't really happen even with my r1. Be grown up about it and ride sanely and it can be a fun hobby.

[jin]

I have a CBR600RR. I think its sort of similar to the M3 in that its a high revving street legal race bike. It doesnt have a lot of torque compared to liter bikes but no car can match in the take off and once you get to 8000RPMs nothing can catch you short of an F1 supercar. They rev to 15,000RPMs.

I can ride my bike all day long while on the backroads an hour or so in the car is enough before I need to stop and stretch the legs and have a rest. When summer comes along here I will be on the bike mostly rather than my car (whether its the 335 or I get an M3). The MPG on the bike will be fantastic compared to the M3 as well even riding on the boil.

Not sure if a race bike is good as your first bike. I wouldnt recommend getting a liter bike for sure as your likely to kill yourself. I think a high revving 600cc like the CBR600RR is a perfect match for someone who enjoys the S65 experience of winding the engine up and hearing it scream and begging you to give it more and more.

Going 100+ on a bike is a totally different experience than in a car.

[1MOREMOD]

+1 on the 100 mph part. Fun to whack the throttle at normal speed and be up to 130 in no time then sit up slightly and comes quickly back to reality. I found the opposite true, never wanted to be on either bike more than an hour. Not comfortable at all.

[kninjak]

I have been riding bike since I was 16 years back in my country and here since 2007 . I have zx 6rr.let me tell you if u never ever rode a bike before do not start with 600 cc bike .get a used 250cc bike for 2500$ or less ride it for a year or so and see how u feel about it.
For me a bike and car are both different animal ,u will get a chance to correct it mistake in a car but on a bike no chance most of the time.
Take the motor cycle class before u start riding on the street .I love it I am sure u will like it too
Drive safe and ride safe

[Rat3d ///M]

I don't actively ride anymore. I started in 2010 when I felt the sudden urge to get a sportbike, and my wife for some reason encouraged it. 4 years and 3 bikes later, I moved to Germany, selling the bike before I came due to the high insurance costs, dangerous roads, bad winter weather and overall PITA hassle of getting a license and registering a bike here. I haven't ridden since, so I am technically an ex-rider. But my advice should still be valid nontheless:

1. Start out small. Whether you want a cruiser or a sportbike (I was always into sportbikes, never much for cruisers) starting out on a 500cc or less bike is the way to go. Me, personally? I started out on a 2003 GSXR-750. Does that make it smart? No, but I wouldn't listen to the people that gave me the same advice I just gave you. Did I do okay with it? I never went down in my 4 years of riding (though I had a couple close calls) so I did just fine. That's not to say you will have the same luck, and I was lucky. Regardless of whether or not you do "okay" on a sportbike to start with, riding takes confidence and skill, which can only be achieved through practice. Starting out on a crotch rocket isn't going to allow you to gain the proper skill or confidence needed to stay safe on the road. Riding a smaller cc, less powerful bike will.

2. Take the MSF course. Next to buying a helmet, boots, gloves, pants and a jacket, the MSF course was the best money I ever spent related to motorcycles. The general and basic knowledge you will gain could potentially save your life one day, and it is a very useful course. Trust me, it is worth it.

3. Know your limits. These things can kill you in a heart beat. I was always a cautious rider. Did I push my limits from time to time? Yes. Did I speed? Everywhere I went practically (it's hard not to, trust me). Did I top the bike out? A couple times, just to see what it was like (amazing rush). But riding within your, and your bikes limits are part of what will keep you safe.

4. Everyone in a car is out to kill you. Period. If you ride with this mentality, you will have a much higher chance of surviving to ride another day. Don't get complacent. Cagers (as motorcycle riders call them) are idiots. They don't see you, they don't care if you are in their way, they will pull out in front of you like you aren't even there. I had people pulling out in front of me at intersections like I wasnt even there my first time out on my GSXR when I first bought it. Scary ass feeling, let me tell you. You have to ride aggressively, and you have to be on the lookout 360* around you at all times. People look at riders like they are assholes, but you need to be. There is no protection on a bike like there is in a car. If you don't ride aggressively, all it takes is the blink of an eye to become a smear on the road.

That being said, bikes can be a ton of fun. I owned 3 as stated, first was a GSXR 750 (2003), then a GSXR 600 (2004), then another GSXR 750 (2006). Reason for trading so often though, is I got bored after 8-12 months of ownership. They were fun and new at first, but they were just weekend toys, and I found myself using them less and less until I got so bored with them that I felt the money would be better used elsewhere (like another toy). So I sold my first bike after a year. Then waited 6 months, and missed having a bike, so I sold whatever toy I bought with the money, and bought the second bike. Same thing, 9 months later, got bored. 8 months later, was on the third bike. Do I miss it at this point? There are times I would love to hop on a bike and go out on a ride on some nice twisty roads. But I know it would be the same all over again, and I told myself when I sold the third bike I would never buy another one and I will never own one in Germany especially. Maybe in 5 or 6 years when I get back to the US, but for now, I am over it.

Let us know what you get. Driving the ///M is fun, but riding a 400lb 120hp two wheeled rocket is a completely different animal. The acceleration is mind boggling, and the cornering abilities are amazing. Ever build a 250lb frame, throw two wheels on it and strap a high revving engine the size and output of a Honda Civic engine on it? That's what a sportbike is.

Just to say it one last time, because I can't say it enough, take the MSF course, buy (and wear) all the gear. Remember, "ATGATT". All the gear, all the time. It's a saying you will inevitably hear at some point. Wearing proper gear is the difference between having a skin graft after you slide down the highway at 60 mph or having to buy a new jacket and pants. I rode in Arizona in the summer (115*F heat) with a helmet, gloves, jacket, pants and boots, so no matter how hot you think wearing proper gear is, road rash is much hotter, I guarantee it.

That's all from me. Enjoy. Ride safe.

[MachinesWithSouls]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'll continue to mull over a bike, or perhaps an M2 when it comes out and turn that into a dedicated track car. That would be in addition to the M3, never as a replacement

[douglee25]

Originally Posted by ||||||||||

I don't actively ride anymore. I started in 2010 when I felt the sudden urge to get a sportbike, and my wife for some reason encouraged it. 4 years and 3 bikes later, I moved to Germany, selling the bike before I came due to the high insurance costs, dangerous roads, bad winter weather and overall PITA hassle of getting a license and registering a bike here. I haven't ridden since, so I am technically an ex-rider. But my advice should still be valid nontheless:

1. Start out small. Whether you want a cruiser or a sportbike (I was always into sportbikes, never much for cruisers) starting out on a 500cc or less bike is the way to go. Me, personally? I started out on a 2003 GSXR-750. Does that make it smart? No, but I wouldn't listen to the people that gave me the same advice I just gave you. Did I do okay with it? I never went down in my 4 years of riding (though I had a couple close calls) so I did just fine. That's not to say you will have the same luck, and I was lucky. Regardless of whether or not you do "okay" on a sportbike to start with, riding takes confidence and skill, which can only be achieved through practice. Starting out on a crotch rocket isn't going to allow you to gain the proper skill or confidence needed to stay safe on the road. Riding a smaller cc, less powerful bike will.

2. Take the MSF course. Next to buying a helmet, boots, gloves, pants and a jacket, the MSF course was the best money I ever spent related to motorcycles. The general and basic knowledge you will gain could potentially save your life one day, and it is a very useful course. Trust me, it is worth it.

3. Know your limits. These things can kill you in a heart beat. I was always a cautious rider. Did I push my limits from time to time? Yes. Did I speed? Everywhere I went practically (it's hard not to, trust me). Did I top the bike out? A couple times, just to see what it was like (amazing rush). But riding within your, and your bikes limits are part of what will keep you safe.

4. Everyone in a car is out to kill you. Period. If you ride with this mentality, you will have a much higher chance of surviving to ride another day. Don't get complacent. Cagers (as motorcycle riders call them) are idiots. They don't see you, they don't care if you are in their way, they will pull out in front of you like you aren't even there. I had people pulling out in front of me at intersections like I wasnt even there my first time out on my GSXR when I first bought it. Scary ass feeling, let me tell you. You have to ride aggressively, and you have to be on the lookout 360* around you at all times. People look at riders like they are assholes, but you need to be. There is no protection on a bike like there is in a car. If you don't ride aggressively, all it takes is the blink of an eye to become a smear on the road.

That being said, bikes can be a ton of fun. I owned 3 as stated, first was a GSXR 750 (2003), then a GSXR 600 (2004), then another GSXR 750 (2006). Reason for trading so often though, is I got bored after 8-12 months of ownership. They were fun and new at first, but they were just weekend toys, and I found myself using them less and less until I got so bored with them that I felt the money would be better used elsewhere (like another toy). So I sold my first bike after a year. Then waited 6 months, and missed having a bike, so I sold whatever toy I bought with the money, and bought the second bike. Same thing, 9 months later, got bored. 8 months later, was on the third bike. Do I miss it at this point? There are times I would love to hop on a bike and go out on a ride on some nice twisty roads. But I know it would be the same all over again, and I told myself when I sold the third bike I would never buy another one and I will never own one in Germany especially. Maybe in 5 or 6 years when I get back to the US, but for now, I am over it.

Let us know what you get. Driving the ///M is fun, but riding a 400lb 120hp two wheeled rocket is a completely different animal. The acceleration is mind boggling, and the cornering abilities are amazing. Ever build a 250lb frame, throw two wheels on it and strap a high revving engine the size and output of a Honda Civic engine on it? That's what a sportbike is.

Just to say it one last time, because I can't say it enough, take the MSF course, buy (and wear) all the gear. Remember, "ATGATT". All the gear, all the time. It's a saying you will inevitably hear at some point. Wearing proper gear is the difference between having a skin graft after you slide down the highway at 60 mph or having to buy a new jacket and pants. I rode in Arizona in the summer (115*F heat) with a helmet, gloves, jacket, pants and boots, so no matter how hot you think wearing proper gear is, road rash is much hotter, I guarantee it.

That's all from me. Enjoy. Ride safe.

Listen to this guy's post. There's a lot of good information in here.

I started out on a Honda F3 for several years. It was a great bike and was pretty forgiving for a 600cc bike. I moved to an R6 and sold it within a year. I hated the bike. Too cramped for me. I stopped riding and eventually got back into it and bought a Kawasaki z1000. I moved to this bike because it has more of an upright seating position yet can still carve corners when needed. This has been my favorite bike thus far. I kept my Z and purchased a Harley night train (softail) which I also love. I have the best of both worlds now when needed!

[Shazz]

Similar to a car, the only way to get the most out of a bike is on a track and it hurts a lot more when things go hairy. Having no bike experience, I'd suggest taking it easy first and like others say, try something a bit smaller first. Do bike courses and learn technique before trying to go fast. Speed will come naturally.

For me, it's a very different sort of satisfaction as I can have fun in the car without pushing it as hard and it's forgiving. On the bike, it takes a lot more focus and I almost get most of the satisfaction after stopping.

I reckon if you willing to accept the bike will be a learning experience and you enjoy that sort of thing, you will love it. If you expect it to give you immediate gratification, you may be disappointed.

What bike you choose and how much you spend depends on whether you see yourself doing more track or road riding. If you enjoy just cruising and being comfortable (for as long as possible), you may not want to ride a sports bike.

[M3Bimmer77]

OP I'm really confused on all the intro. Can't understand, " it's been a tough year for me so far and have been taking the M3 on the back roads!?!?!?

Anyways I've been into bike since..... A long time ago. My first bike was a Yamaha 25cc when I was 8 yrs old and it all went upstream from there. I'm into Ducatis right now. I love BMW as well. How experienced are you with bicycles? Or any other sports? It helps a lot having bicycle all my life as well. If you are not experienced on motorcycles and on bicycles I would recommend getting a small bike, something like a 400cc. Have it for 6 months and learn how to drive. Off road helps a lot specially doing cross country or trails. Then think about getting something with a bigger engine. If you have some experience jump into an 8xxcc or even bigger. Ducati has an 821cc and there are even 696cc or 796cc. If you are not experience I would start with a cheap Japanesse bike and then when you feel confident get a more expensive one. My 2 cents. Good luck and watch out for crazy Bimmer drivers!!! People say that motorcycle drivers are more aware of danger than non. Who knows? Again good luck and please buy a GOOD helmet, gloves and jacket.

[Beemdog]

I also started riding at age 8, and with a lot of dirt experience, the street wasn't hard to adapt to. That said, I don't ride in cities and populated areas because it is just not that great for me... I point the bike right out of town and get into the twisties and rural roads within a few minutes. Overall, a good sport bike or Supermoto bike is more fun than my cars in most curvy road situations-- but this is purely my opinion. Cost for a state-of-the-art motorcycle is only a fraction of the high-end sports car price, and for track days-- you might burn through 25% of your rear tire (a $150 expense) and 20% of the front... compared to a lot more money spent on tires & maintenance for M3 track days.

Learning riding as an adult on the street is a disadvantage compared to learning in the dirt, but I've seen plenty of guys do it successfully. Riding without crashing involves self-restraint and a strong desire to be a student of the sport-- read, study, take the safe riding intro course and later some track instruction. To me, lighter and nimbler bikes are a lot more fun than heavy cruisers. As a beginner, I would start with something like a Suzuki DRZ400-SM, which is very light and durable if you do drop it, plus it's a ton of fun in the twisties. Another good starter bike is a used SV-650.

Bottom line for me on bikes-- cars are not your friend out there riding... if you have access to uncrowded rural roads to enjoy and explore, a bike is plenty of fun and a really great way to get away from your daily grind and see some country. It is also a better fit as a group experience with other riders than I find group trips in cars to be (again, just my opinion). The shared euphoria that riders have when stopping together at the end of a great road is something I'll never forget.

[///mawana]

Whatever bike you decide upon, always adhere to ATGATT!

[Zarilia]

Love my GSXR 600

Stupid fingers lol

[Rat3d ///M]

Originally Posted by Zarilia

Love my GSXR 700

Suzuki didnt make a GSXR700 (unless it was within the last year or a long time ago and ive just never heard of it)

[Zarilia]

Originally Posted by ||||||||||

Suzuki didnt make a GSXR700 (unless it was within the last year or a long time ago and ive just never heard of it)

Ty didn't realize I hit the wrong number lol

[D_M]

SoManyBlueCars,

Like most of the previous posters have said, take the MSF training course. I don't think you'll be gaining anything except for shear bat out of hell straight line speed. Just like cars , there are different levels of refinement with sport bikes. I currently ride a 08 CBR1000RR. The instant I took the M3 on the back roads, I began to question the need for the CBR. The level of refinement and composure of the M3 was eerily similar to the CBR. Honda arguably makes one of the best all around sport bike packages for street riding.

[1MOREMOD]

Are you wearing a garbage bag with holes in it on your head?

Damn bmw just sent me mailer about bmw 1000rr. 219 a month and 199hp!

[mxa121]

No motorcycle experience? Get a "standard" to start. (like a Yamaha FZ or Honda CB) They are a little less aggressive for a learning rider.
Starting with a superbike is not advisable.

My first bike - Suzuki SV650 - and I came from years of racing motocross bikes. Years later I moved to a GSX-R 750. Then I moved to cars.

I am planning on getting a bike again this fall. I am going for the new Yamaha R1.

[12v_dub]

Originally Posted by SoManyBlueCars

That title is a bit misleading. Let me explain.

I've been thinking of getting my motorcycle license. It's been a rough year for me thus far, and I find myself taking the M3 out a lot on the back roads near my house.

Of course the car continues to amaze, but I find myself in an odd place with it. I don't want to supercharge or tune it; I don't think these cars respond to well and I'd prefer it stock. I do track it, but again, it's sort of heavy to be doing that all the time. It burns through, uhh, everything, very fast.

So perhaps a bike is the way to go. I have zero experience with motorcycles, but would like it to match the rest of my very blue and very BMW garage. Would an F800 be a good starting place? Really, this is a purchase for myself, and I'm wondering if I can commit to another hobby.

It's taken years of owning cars, and in particular my M3, to really get the most out of it. With a bike, it's all new to me, so my vast car knowledge is useless.

Anyone on here ride? If so, what was your first bike? And how do you like the experience compared to your M3?

Bike is nice to have to take out on a weekend. I've been riding since 05'. My first ever street bike was a gixxer 600. I've had sportbikes, cruisers, sport touring and now a super car of motorcycles. 2015 R1 I just don't think you can quite compare driving to riding. Motorcyclists are one big family. It doesn't matter whether you ride a harley or a sportbike. we all wave to each other. You will also get to meet a lot of people. The people I've met during the years of riding motorcycle are now some of my closest friends.

Just remember. there is a saying. 2 types of rides. those who will go down and those that have been down. I can say, I had my fare share of crashes. some my own fault, some others. first crash on the street was a lady pulling out in front of me and casing me to slide into her. When i started track days and later on club racing, I had few low sides and 1 big highside. My highside was over at 120mph and breaking my elbow in 8 pcs. 3 plates and 20 screws later, I'm still riding.

The moral of the crash story, is to make sure you have good medical coverage.

Here my latest weapon of choice sitting in the garage.

[BNBM3]

Sport bike is definitely the way to go if you like the thought of killing yourself. Been there, done that, sold it and while I miss the thrill, I don't regret it for a second. I personally knew too many people getting seriously injured, paralyzed, and even a guy that died. No way.

In my OPINION. If you want the thrill, stick to rocking out a track car and, well, stick to the track.

[///mawana]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Are you wearing a garbage bag with holes in it on your head?

Damn bmw just sent me mailer about bmw 1000rr. 219 a month and 199hp!

Sweet deal, even comes with $1k gear or accessories credit.

[12v_dub]

Originally Posted by BNBM3

Sport bike is definitely the way to go if you like the thought of killing yourself. Been there, done that, sold it and while I miss the thrill, I don't regret it for a second. I personally knew too many people getting seriously injured, paralyzed, and even a guy that died. No way.

In my OPINION. If you want the thrill, stick to rocking out a track car and, well, stick to the track.

you can get killed crossing a busy street tomorrow. Enjoy your life to the fullest