Well I bought a CBR 900 RR today. Im happy as a pig n' shit
These things are so damn dangerous it should be a requirement that all young stupid people like me own one. I have always been into Mazda's but they aren't shit compared to a crotch rocket. I have had allot of time riding dirt bikes and about an hour on a CBR 600 a year ago, so I may very well get dead sometime in the near future. I plan on taking it easy though. Actually I still have to get my full motor cycle endorsement. Oh did I mention I just got my license back too 5 days ago.

Music is great but,

I feel the need, the need for speed. :yippy:

Just be safe.

Thats a scary fast bike. A friend of mine in california had one.

...
These things are so damn dangerous it should be a requirement that all young stupid people like me own one... Actually I still have to get my full motor cycle endorsement. Oh did I mention I just got my license back too 5 days ago.

... :yippy:

I've owned seven bikes over the years, including some pretty fast ones, and this is the scariest fucking post I have ever read.

It's agains the law to sell a car to someone without a valid driver's license, but apparently it's ok to sell a motorcycle to someone without a valid motorcycle license, at least in your state.

Good luck, bro, it's been nice knowing ya, and try not to kill any innocent bystanders when you take yourself out.

Put me in your will for the T-85. Nice ride. Did you get the later one with the 17" front wheel. Much better handling than the 16" model. As you say, amazingly fast. Good luck.

Best way in the world to get the hide taken off most of your body, is ride before they have had the time to clean the streets from all the winter sand!

Be careful or your need for speed could turn out to be a need for a skin graph or worse!

I'm with Clay on this.

I've put prolly over 100,000 miles on bike in my life, but haven't riden for at least 5 years. My 1982 Suzuki GS1100GKZ was quicker out of the hole than 99% of the cars out there and that bike was 20 years old and a sport tourer. The 600cc crotch rockets would blow it away.

Bikes are a ton of fun, but when I see someone flying down the road at 85 mph plus or pulling a block long wheelie with sandals, shorts and shades on, I just wonder when they'll be a bloodstain on the pavement?

Have fun, but be very careful. The other guys AREN'T looking for you.

Nice bike congrats on the purchase. I've been riding sportbikes for about 12 years now and love it. I've had a cbr600 for the last ten, an rz500 before that. Once you get some time under your belt you should defintely think of doing a track day. The last couple of years i've gone to grattan for track days and its incredible. Teaches you alot, let's you get your adrenaline kick and it's much safer ( i know 130+mph on a bike safety is debatable) but most importantly showed me how silly it is to overdrive on the streets. I've defintely slowed done my driving on the road cuz it just doesn't compare to a race track. I've never been one to stunt as no good can come out of that. So enjoy and play it safe. :thmbsp:

drive safe to be not in the broken bones club were i am :sigh:

Now you know why they call them "doaner-cycles"...but seriously folks,I just upgraded in bike size,from a 1200cc to 1800cc,there's a "hole" lot of respect you have to pay to the word "speed",unless you like the feel of cold hard stainless steel against your back!! :no: Rob

I've owned seven bikes over the years, including some pretty fast ones, and this is the scariest ... post I have ever read.I agree. I've been riding and racing since I was 7 years old, and I find it extremely uncomfortable.

IMHO:

1) Sign up for a MSF (http://nm.msf-usa.org/msf/ridercourses.aspx?state=OH) class TODAY, and try not to ride around too much until you complete the course and get your license.

2) Get yourself enrolled in the Mid Ohio Racing School (http://67.96.161.30/school/) at Mid Ohio Raceway near Mansfield. Riding a motorcycle takes a lot of skill that can be learned by teaching, or learned by doing. The problem with the learn by doing approach is that it usually involves a lot of crashing.

I'm completely serious. The question is not if you're going down, but when. Try to maximize your chances.

Yikes. Street pizza in 3...2...1...

WoW Great responses, you guys sound like my dad. Im going to try and stay alive, I do know that you can do everything right and still die. "Street Pizza" LOL. That's a good one, I'll have to use that one. I just love going fast, now I don't have to go any faster than my RX-7 could, but you have such a feeling of freedom on these things. And the sound of the engine just makes me smile. Vroom Vroom. I love high RMP engines, It took a bit of self convincing to go with the 900 cc over the 600 which i have ridden before but I just figured I would get used to the 600 too fast and then wish I bought the 900. I drove it home yesterday and never even got out of 3rd gear.

Yeee Haaa :banana:

The biggest problem I really foresee is that Im pretty young. We know it all, and we know how to get dead too. :scratch2:

The problem is that you feel strong and imortal when riding a bike
been last year in daytona at bikeweek everybody rides without helmet (me too) what a feeling!
recently sold my bike after one accident (not my fault) now i got more iron than bone in the leg but still i was lucky not to loose one leg
take care use training

Enjoy the ride! :thmbsp:

Be careful and DO wear a helmut! :yes:

Russ

and behold the magic law of bike riding "never drink and drive"and wear the dome of safety for your head is just like a ripe melon

Oh I look sexy in a helmet. :banana: So says the girl friend. :D

EW rides a CBR600F2, I believe it is. My guess is that he always wears his helmet (English spelling). I know I do. Don't want to be caught dead without one. :D

This is the ICON I bought.

Please obey the speed limits in traffic! Ride with a helmet (don't to end up like Gary Busey...sp?) :nono:

Oh, and watch out for that "Green Monsta" MINI Cooper in your rear view mirror! :banana:

Oh I look sexy in a helmet. :banana: So says the girl friend. :D

Oooooooooohhhhh..............not a good sign.........................means she's puttin' somebody else's face on your body. She doesn't call out somerbody else's name at a real "awkward" time, does she.........................? :scratch2:

I rode a 84 700 Shadow to work for about two years,and still remeber picking the bugs out of my teeth like it was yesterday,but those darn black beetles between the eyes will make you stop and walk around a spell !! :D

Oooooooooohhhhh..............not a good sign.........................means she's puttin' somebody else's face on your body. She doesn't call out somerbody else's name at a real "awkward" time, does she.........................? :scratch2:

Not yet.

Although I've never seen one this bad, I have seen cluster of nimblenuts slamming into each other one lane over because someone lost it on a stoppie. Drive safe.

http://www.zx-12r.org/Motorcycle_info/Motorcycle%20pictures/DeathStoppie.jpg

THAT is one scary picture! I hope the poor dude lived.

Russ

All that plastic is REALLY expensive. My friend dropped his Yamaha 600 and ground off about $800 worth of plastic at under 35 mph. Careful is the word with that stuff.

Well it was dry enough for me to go out for a little cruise this evening.
This machine is spectacular! The best way to describe this things acceleration is, shoot a rubber band off of your finger. Im not into the stoppie type of stunts, but I am a fan of wheelies. Out of all the times I crashed on my dirt bike, half the time it was because of wheelies. I always fell over backwards. I have not tried one yet on the 900.

New plastic costs the same whether you tip over forward, backward or sideways. :D

I've been in the hospital twice due to no fault of my own, and I currently have a chunk of stainless and a handful of screws holding my left shoulder together from some 16yr-old just learning to drive. My 600CBR has been totaled twice, and twice rebuilt by me from the ground up. Bike parts are amazingly expensive, but human body parts are irreplaceable.

1. Cover your ass, and ride like every car on the road is out to kill you.
2. Check tire pressure every time you get on the bike. No shit. The tires will last longer, and you'll catch leaks early.
3. Don't ride until the damn tires are bald! No only do you have no tread to grip the road, but by the time the tires are well-worn they've lost a great deal of their adhesion.
4. Maintain that chain! Keep tension properly adjusted, and lube it twice as often as the book says (I clean the chain with a rag wetted with WD-40, dry with another rag, and use a good spray lubricant).
5. If you don't know what counter-steering is, you're riding the wrong bike (which would be pretty much any bike).
6. The front brake does all the work. The back brake does not.
7. This is an advanced point, but I'll say it anyway. If you're a typical nOOb, sometime soon you'll find yourself heading into a corner going a hellova lot faster than you want to. Standing on the brakes in a panic stop will force the bike vertical, and you'll have NO chance to make the corner unless you can get slowed. Know that the bike is a lot better at corners than you can guess, and if your tires are in good shape you can lean that thing over till you are tearing your shoes off on the pavement. Learn to 'trail' the brakes, which will still try to stand the bike up, but you can overcome it. Ease off the brakes as you start into the corner, and LEAN THAT BASTARD OVER!! I've seen sooo many rookies crash because they figured that there was NO WAY they were going to make that corner.
8. Counter-steering. Again.
9. There is NO SUCH THING as 'laying it down' for collision avoidance. It's called a crash, and it's always bad, and there's nearly always a way to avoid it if you are obeying traffic laws (i.e., not riding like a squid) and paying attention. That goes for the two times I got crunched also.
10. Helmets = good. Buy an expensive one.

Learn to ride. Take a class. Stay alive. It's no damn joke out there.

Outstanding advice from EchoWars. Since you're buying a helmet, at least that means you have a chance, so I'll toss in a few more thoughts.

When the streets are wet and a car loses traction, it skids. When the streets are wet and a motorcycle loses traction, you crash. Never push it when the streets are wet. Not even a little bit. See the above about tires. This also applies to oily spots at traffic lights where all the cars sit, and to sandy spots on roads.

I'm guessing you won't be the least suprised to hear that those of us who used to ride a lot have, on occaison, uuummmmmmm..., ridden somewhat above the posted speed limit. I'm not going to tell you not to do that. You won't listen, and besides, that's one of the reasons bikes are so much fun. You just need to understand that the reason we're still alive is because we (usually) picked the time and the place very carefully. I've seen 80 over the limit in my Jag within the last year, but it was on a deserted, straight-as-a-laser rural road, without another vehicle in sight as far as I could see in both directions.

If you slalom through traffic at speed you'll pay for your stupidity. Be careful, and always, always think about what you're doing.

Out of all the times I crashed on my dirt bike, half the time it was because of wheelies. I always fell over backwards.

Like this? (http://www.joshellison.com/vids/motorcycleFacial.wmv)

Horsepower / Testosterone = Physics is a Bitch

I have had allot of time riding dirt bikes and about an hour on a CBR 600 a year ago, so I may very well get dead sometime in the near future. I plan on taking it easy though. Actually I still have to get my full motor cycle endorsement. Oh did I mention I just got my license back too 5 days ago.

Yep, you're a prime candidate for getting yourself dead. Take some advice from an old codger who has put more than 300,000 miles on street bikes, spent some time on race tracks getting instruction from several national champion road racers, and been around literally thousands of riders of all abilities: Sell the 900RR. Go buy yourself a beginner bike such as a Suzuki GS500 and learn to ride. Sign up for some riding schools. Then, in a few years, when you have the riding skills and your attitude has matured you might be ready for a 900RR.

Dirt bike experience is good, but the 900RR is a full-fledged race bike with lights. One hour on a 600RR does not prepare you for handling the power of the 900RR. Sell it while you're still alive.

On edit: Until your technique is as good as the rider in the attached photo you have no business on a 600cc sport bike, much less a 900cc sport bike.

Some excellent advice on this thread. good to hear u have a helmet but dont stop there, if you crash its narural to put hands down first so invest in some good strong biking gloves, get a strong biking jacket and get a set off decent boots. ankles are very vunrable. watch out for manhole coveres and white lines in the rain, and yeah mabey consider selling it and getting something less powerfull{ Kawasaki ER-5, GS500, CB500} then after some experiance mabey upgrade to something like a yammaha fazer 600 and then think about 900cc sports bikes.

I learnt my lesson when i was 17 {5 years back} at the time i had never had a bad crash just low speed spils on my moped. my mate had just upgraded his Kawazaki ZZR250cc sports tourer to a honda VFR400cc poket rocket. now i buged and buged this guy to let me have his ZZR250 on loan paying off at 50 pounds a week , after some time he agreed. we went tearing all around the countryside and had a great time.

After 2 weeks off owning the bike i was starting to think i was a good rider, and at so young i was very nieve we were both doing about 50 mph down a 30mph limit zone in the rain i was behind my mate and he was fastly approching a van. I decided to overtake them both. just after i had passed the van and pulled in front off him, a car pulled out off a junction in front forcing me to slam the brakes as hard as i could, in a way its kinda off lucky it was wet because the hard braking caused my front wheel to go from underneath me and i crashed into the kurb at an angle , if it was a dry day i probably would not have lost the front end and gone strait into the side off the car.

I probably fell of at 65 mph, i had a helmet and gloves on but i was just in sports trousers and a jumper.It is very lucky that the sports trousers i was wearing were the type with metel buttons up the sides, many off these were ground down to nothing. i broke my ankle and many layers off skin was lost on my arms , legs and ass! when i went to hospital they said i was soooo close to needing a skin graph. and when i told them the speed i came off at they said its a miricle that i didnt. what makes this even worse is i had no licence, and was not insured so i could not get an abulance because they have to tell the police.

this crash slowed me down for a while but what it taught me the most is to respect speed more than anything, even the 125 sports bikes are easly capable off killing yourself on. and NEVER ride without full protective clothing. had i have had biking boots & jacket and a set off strong jeans on i would have come away from it alot better off.Know when its safe to ride fast round corners, never in the wet and if u do go out for a blast make sure you are well aware off the road you are riding, never ever try to ride fast on unfamiliyer roads.

PS. the bike was a complete write off. that i carred on paying for months

I've been riding for over forty years and about the only things I can add to this thread is that while in traffic always watch the front wheels of the cars around you, they will "telegraph" the drivers intentions a lot of times before you actually see the car move...

That and I read somewhere around 25 years ago that most motorcycle accidents happen within the first 30 days of getting a new scooter.....

And another thing....what ever happened to all the small "Universal Japanese Motorcycles"? I mean, I went from a Honda Sport 50, to a Kawasaki G3TR, to a Suzuki 150 tourer, to an Suzuki X-6, each one a step up in size, weight, and power, before getting on stuff like the 1966 Triumph Daytona and then the 1969 Triumph Bonneville...I miss cool looking things like the Bridgestone 350's, the Kawasaki Avenger, the Honda 305 Scrambler with Snuff-r-Nots...I was in a bike shop a while back with a buddy that has one of those big Suzuki V-twin sport bikes (Heck, he's 56, he ought to know better!) and nowhere on the showroom floor could I see any kind of incremental positioning of motorcycles....that really kind of sucks...no really good way to get new riders to gradually build their skills and confidence before unleashing them on a monster...ahh well....I still have my 1982 Yamaha Turbo Seca out in the garage waiting on its second restoration.....got most of the parts, too...just waiting on the get up and go to get up and run!

And yes, I used to be a 365 day a year rider, which is easier down here in South Texas I admit, but did ride through snow and 14 deg F weather....heck, I had to, my KZ-900 was my main transportation besides the TR-4 that I hadn't quite finished restoring at that time....

I bought my new 1985 750 Katana and learned to ride it in the parking lot of the shop I bought it at. I rode it for 5 years with no incidents. ( I respected what could happen in even a minor crash ) I sold it to a kid who showed up without enough money. I let him take the bike but withheld the extras untill the next week. On his way to deliver the money and pickup the tank bag and saddle bags. He lost control on the exit from the 400 Hwy. to King township road. ( Billfort and Bolly both know this area well ) He wasn't killed but was messed up pretty bad. The bike was toast. I got my money.

Some people gotta learn the hard way. And sometimes its too late.

Yeah I love motorcycles but they scare the bejesus out of me, even big hog harleys. That's why I got a little two seat convertible, kinda the same fun but a lot more forgiveness of any stupid shit I may pull ;) Also some metal between me and the pavement ;) I have the same issue with guns, I think they are cool and I like to touch them but they scare the shit outta me so I collect knives ;)

When I graduated high school in 88' and thru the early 90's "cafe bikes" sport bikes were all the rage with the early 20 sumthings in my area. I had several firends who owned these bikes and every one of them eventually crashed them really badly. Never got killed but hurt themselves badly and totalled the bikes. A couple even got new bikes and did it again. I can't remember one guy who I hung out with in those years who never crashed and who still rides bikes and I am talking like 10 different guys.

In every case it was because THEY did some stupid shit. 1/2 the time it was drinking and driving.

I remember one night a friend on a hot summers night while drinking hit some gravel and laid his bike down right on mainstreet. He was wearing a tank top, shorts, flip flops, luckily he had a helmet. Since he and my friends who were with him were all over the legal limit they got him on the bike and rode back to the party. The didn't go to the hospital for fear of getting OUI's so they threw him in the shower, dumped jack daniels on all the road rash, and there was a lot of it. And took turns using tweezers to pick out the rocks and gravel from his skin while he howled. I'll never forget it.

Also as someone who drives a small sports car and constantly has assholes not see him and cut him off and pull out in front of him like everyone has said you may think you're visible but you are not. Watch out for everyone else.

One other very important thing I just thought of, based on the "no insurance" comment from MaDhAtTeR. I need to qualify it by saying I'm no insurance expert, but I'm guessing that if you get in an accident without a valid motorcycle driver's license, there's a chance your insurance company will refuse to pay the claim.

And, by the way, any motorcycle dealer that would sell a bike like that to someone without significant riding experience, much less without a valid license, belongs in prison. It's the same as selling alcohol to a minor.

Wow, nice bike.

DO: -Get all the protective gear you can - high quality armored jacket & pants (leather or textile isn't that important these days) or Aerostich 1 piece suit. Stuff that has CE rated armor is generally pretty good.
-Ride like you are invisible or there's a target on your back.
-Take the MSF course - even though it has allegedly been dumbed down lately - it still should have something worthwhile for street riding.
-Take a good advanced riding class - like Keith Code's or Pridmore's - it'll be worth every penny.
-Buy Keith Code's Twist of the Wrist pts 1 & 2 - it will give you an idea of what his class is like.

DON'T: -Get upset when some moron cuts you off in his Hummer - remember you were invisible. It's a pointless waste of time to make him realize that he nearly killed you and if you honk past him on your rear wheel - in the general public's view you are the dangerous hooligan.
-Tailgate or let yourself get boxed in - at merges for instance - always, always, always keep looking around for a safe place to go.


Oh yeah, have fun - that IS why you bought that bike , right?

Tom

One addition to Tom's post: Never, ever, get between a cager and an exit ramp.

I've taken Code's school and Pridmore's school. I quit going to Code's school after Level 2 and kept attending Reg's school. The man is an excellent teacher and knows of what he speaks. ClassRides.com (http://www.classrides.com)

One other very important thing I just thought of, based on the "no insurance" comment from MaDhAtTeR. I need to qualify it by saying I'm no insurance expert, but I'm guessing that if you get in an accident without a valid motorcycle driver's license, there's a chance your insurance company will refuse to pay the claim.

And, by the way, any motorcycle dealer that would sell a bike like that to someone without significant riding experience, much less without a valid license, belongs in prison. It's the same as selling alcohol to a minor.
How true. When my son was 7 years old we went to buy a 4 wheeler for him,and they said he must be at least 12 and a little 90 was would be the biggest one even at age 12. He already had a little Honda 50 dirt bike and they said they would sell us a CR-80,or even a CR-125 for him,and there was no age limit to dirt bikes,just ATV's. I had a CR-80,and a RM-125,and said they were stupid to offer that for my son. Those things are way to much for a 7 year old. I waited untill he turned 9 and gave him my old Suzuki 250 4 wheeler. Two years ago when he was 10 we found a hardly ridden 4X4 250 Timberwolf for just 500 and let him have it.I gave the old 250 to my 10 year old daughter. I have a Suzuki 400 2WDX4WD for myself and I do let him ride it from time to time as long as I'm riding one in front so he can only go so fast,and in the hills where we live I will make him ride his own as mine would get him in trouble if he was to over power it going up the steeper hills,even though he's good. I do let our kids jump the hay rolls when they ride the horses though, they are like me as they grew up on horseback :D

Well it's the end of day 3 and Im A O K. Im not a fool, but that doesn't secure anything. I have allot of experience racing fast cars and dirt bikes, now I know these are not the same thing as a full fledged street bike, but I tell you what. Everybody has been telling me to sell this bike and buy something smaller. 900 is to big they say. Oh well, I own the bastard now and Im going to learn to ride it like I stole it if it's the last thing i do. haha get it. Cars suck, they ride your ass and that's not cool. My middle finger is sore. This bike is a monster though, it has a shit load of torque, I have been starting out in 2nd because I almost went over in 1st. And damn when I came back down I had to stab n' steer or I was gonna loose it.

So I have insurance and I take my test for the motorcycle endorsement in 9 days and until then Im just breaking it in. I don't think it's too much to handle you just can't be stupid.

btw, that video up there^ looks like it hurt. I always wiped out on my CR250 riding on one wheel in 3rd, the power band was always a little tricky there.

This thing is stupid fast for a 23 year old. :banana:

Counter steer?

That would be where I turn the front wheel a little bit the opposite direction of the actual turn but lean like a mamma jamma the direction I want to go.

???

EchoWars and others have given you some great advice. Respect and heed it. If you have any minute confusion about what countersteer is, and are not adept at it, you do not belong on any street bike, let alone this beast.

Yeah, I sound like your dad because I am one and because I rode street bikes back when the Honda 750 was brand new, and the Kawasaki 750 Triple was the equivalent in concept, but nowhere near the incredible materials or engineering, of what you have now.

It is only a matter of time before you are hurt or killed on a street bike -- cars or the ground always win. You have to take all measures all the time to lengthen that time. At least you are wearing a helmet. If you have a head worth a nickel, buy a nickel helmet, is how I think the saying goes. You must have full protective gear when riding. In your case, the odds are that it is going to be a short time before you are hurt. I don't say this out of malice, but out of some awareness of bikes and street riding and care for someone who is not on the downside of youth -- like many of the geezers (I'm one) on AK. Your previous posts are very worrisome; they may not be the whole story of you, but don't give me confidence in your survivability.

I know the thrill of riding a bike way beyond my capabilities, having pushed a friend's original Honda 750 Interceptor when they first came out. You are a baby with an Uzi and the Safety is off. I hope you survive and don't hurt anyone else.

If you have to have this experience and have any hope of living through it, at least re-read the above posts, follow them, and try to even the odds a little.

Well I just confirmed my answer to counter steering. I was right. I always just called it driving. But if you don't hear from me every few days at least, I probably became street pizza. Also, if I worry about killing my self as much as everyone is telling me to, then I probably will die. I had to get to know my 450HP mazda so I know I'll have to get to know this.

But not to throw hubris into the mix, but I don't buy all that crap about starting out on a 150 then a 250 then a 500, 600 and so on. That is a waist of money. Anytime you have a major power house anything you have to be cautious but you have to be boss too.

I live for power to weight ratios like the 900.

Counter steer?

That would be where I turn the front wheel a little bit the opposite direction of the actual turn but lean like a mamma jamma the direction I want to go.

???YOU leaning has nothing to do where the bike goes. The bike leans...you sit. :)

YOU leaning has nothing to do where the bike goes. The bike leans...you sit. :)
That is, at best, ill-informed. One of the reasons I quit going to Keith Code's school was his insistence that body steering is bogus and counter steering is the only way to turn a motorcycle. Reg and Jason Pridmore, Doug Chandler, Tom Montano, Chuck Sorensen and a few other accomplished riders taught me how to use my body weight to steer a motorcycle. These guys have each won more national or world championships than races Code won in his career. There is probably a good reason Code never gets on the track during his schools.

See the photo I attached above. That is a classic example of body steering. Counter steering is how you initiate a turn. After that you'd better be doing a hell of a lot more than just sitting on the motorcycle.

Cars suck, they ride your ass and that's not cool. My middle finger is sore. This bike is a monster though, it has a shit load of torque, I have been starting out in 2nd because I almost went over in 1st. And damn when I came back down I had to stab n' steer or I was gonna loose it.
You are an idiot, and you give motorcyclists a bad name. If you want to go fast take it to the track. If you want to die keep doing what you're doing.

You are an idiot, and you give motorcyclists a bad name. If you want to go fast take it to the track. If you want to die keep doing what you're doing. :yes:

I've driven or ridden about anything that's legally operable on public roads. Though I'm 99% relegated to my car as of late, it's given me accute awareness of motorcycles, bicycles etc. that are around me and what they are doing. I definately pay more respect while behind the wheel to the two-wheelers out there than the vast majority of folks on the road.

Which, I believe, is why it irks me so when I'm driving merrily along, leaving the kid on the sport bike in the next lane an out, and he has to dodge around unskillfully right in front of my car to make an accross-three-lanes, wobbly, illegal turn at high speed.

Well you're welcome sir! Kudo's for boosting the image of cyclists in such a positive manner! And you're very welcome for my cautious driving, as I apparently care more for your skull than you do. And thank you as well for posting about your sweet rocket on AK! (I guess that's what you were in such a godawful hurry to get home and do during rush hour) I'll see you later tonight when you do your 50 mph Iron Cross past my house on the sandy pavement. <<< (creative license)

Sorry 'bout that. This thread just keeps frustrating and scaring the everyluvin' crap outta me... :smoke:

I've owned seven bikes over the years, including some pretty fast ones, and this is the scariest fucking post I have ever read.Yep. I've owned many street and dirt bikes but I gave up the street a long time ago. Too easy to go way tooooo fast. But you'll have to learn that like the rest of us. Hopefully you survive.

KC, just curious, does you dad ride with you on either the street or dirt?

In kc8mob's defense, I should add he is no more of an idiot than I was at 23. My first street bike was a Kawasaki KZ900. Pure blind luck kept me from killing myself on that bike. Someone stole it six weeks after I bought it. I then went out and got myself a Honda CB400F and learned how to ride. And yes, I had a lot of dirt bike experience before getting the KZ900, but that experience did not prepare me for the power of the 900.

The people who survive riding motorcycles are those who are honest with themselves and recognize their limits.

Here's a question for you kc8mob, and if you cannot answer it you need to get professional instruction right now.

You get into a corner hotter than you intended, and your front end starts pushing when you lean into the corner. You realize you're going to run wide and off into the gravel on the side of the road. You have 1/2-second to make the right decision and stay on the road through the corner. What do you do?

No my pops is adamantly against me owning this bike. He doesn't like it one bit. He never liked it when I would ride dirt bikes and atv's either.
The thing is I don't pretend to be an expert on the 900. I just cruise around in my sub division. I drove about 5 miles in traffic the other day and it made me nervous as hell. I just want to develop my ability and the only way to do that is ride it. Also out of the 3 hours I have on it, 2 of them are in a big ass parking lot at the High school near my house. When it's empty.
I've driven fast cars, boats, dirt bikes, hell I have even flown planes before, with a real pilot of course and I do it with as much candor as possible.

I don't want to ruin my bike for anything so Im not being to eager at all.
But I did almost cartwheel it once though. So 2nd gear has been good for me for now. This bastard has allot of power, almost too much for a beginner.

I wonder where I can get some wheelie bars. :banana:

Hmm, let' see...

By the time I was KC8MOB's age I had over nine years of street riding experience, everything from the aforementioned Honda Sport 50 to one of the fastest bikes around at that time the Kawasaki Mach III, lots of Bonnevilles, Royal Enfield Interceptors, Norton Commandos.....and no street get-offs....

Hell, my Seca Turbo was made the year he was born....I had to sell my big-block hot-rod autocross setup 67 Mustang fastback nine years before he was born as gas went from thirty cents a gallon to a buck....and I guess racing a Shelby GT-350 with an XKE down Riverside Drive in Austin 32 years ago (where our speeds went over 125 the last time I looked) is pretty comparable to what he's doing...but I started with a Triumph Spitfire, went to the Mustang, and the Jag was one I was working on for a guy....but I drove it a helluva lot more than he did.....oh yeah, I got a speeding ticket in a 308GTB back in '82....I did have to give up slalom waterskiing back in the late 70's due to it giving me a hernia and after the resulting operation my abdomen never felt right when I would get on a ski....my parent were both private pilots and I got to fly in a lot of small planes back in the late '50's and early '60's when they were actively flying...Navions, Pipers, Cessnas, Bellancas, Beechcraft, Mooneys, even a Ryan PT-22....my folks were good friends with a fellow who was a flight instructor at Stinson Field and I'd get a chance to ride with him a lot of the times when he would do check flights....he liked to fly anything but straight and level!

So, I've been a speed and thrill junkie for most all of my 53 years on this mortal plane....

I guess with only my tiny bit of experience trumps your vast amount of knowledge when you say:
"But not to throw hubris into the mix, but I don't buy all that crap about starting out on a 150 then a 250 then a 500, 600 and so on. That is a waist of money. Anytime you have a major power house anything you have to be cautious but you have to be boss too."

Well, it may be a waist of money, but's it's no waste of money if you get a chance to really develop the survival skills you need for street riding.....anyone can go fast on a big bike, but not everyone should....it's about living and enjoying life, not about who has the biggest balls....or spends more time in traction....or who's the biggest f-ing showoff...and yes, I have had one fairly bad injury on a bike....

It was a couple of weeks after getting my 1976 KZ-900 and I was riding on some curvy roads up around Canyon Lake when a 4WD, 4-door, Ford pickup with a Boston Whaler towed behind it came around a blind bend...he used up all the road...there was no where to go but off the pavement.....unfortunately off the pavement was nothing but big chunks of Edwards Limestone...my right hand stopped a pile of this at about 20 mph and pretty much ripped off my little finger....but the folks with the Ford rushed me to the hospital in New Braunfels where it took a bunch of surgery and some pins to put it back together and the orthopedic surgeon said I'd never be able to use it again...hell, he wanted to amputate it...but it healed fine, just a bit shorter than it used to be....so after ten years of street riding I finally had a get off....

I thank God that I was wearing a Bell Star helmet as it saved my face from being erased by the limestone chunks....I kept the helmet as a reminder....and 30 years later I still remember.


I had one other get-off a couple of years after that turning into a Sonic on the KZ and hitting a wet, greasy spot...man, 2MPH! No damage to me and only some scratched up clutch and brake levers, but embarassin' as 'ell!

But I learned that even going slow you can get boned......

_.. . _._ .. ..... ... ._..

.

No my pops is adamantly against me owning this bike. He doesn't like it one bit. He never liked it when I would ride dirt bikes and atv's either. I didn't think so and that's too bad. You would have more respect for his words of caution if he did. But be safe, have fun, and keep the bike upright. :yes:

But not to throw hubris into the mix, but I don't buy all that crap about starting out on a 150 then a 250 then a 500, 600 and so on. That is a waist of money.

That depends on what your goal is. If your goal is to impress people with the nice hardware you bought, then you could be right. If your goal is to be fast, it's probably misguided.

All my experience is on four wheels. I was involved in a program for several years that teaches high-performance driving. I can tell you that you will learn more in a slow car than a fast one. I have not yet met a really good driver who started out in something that was stupid fast.

Juan Manuel Fangio, the greatest F1/gran-prix driver ever (IMHO) started out in a six cylinder Chevrolet. Michael Schumaker started out on go carts.


Anytime you have a major power house anything you have to be cautious but you have to be boss too.

I live for power to weight ratios like the 900.

So you like it? I wont rag on you. Keep it, but consider buying a beater to take to the track. When you're driving something fast, there is pressure to be fast. The skill to be fast comes rather slowly. It is kind of embarrasing to be driving one of the faster models of Ferrari, BMW, Corvette, etc and have your track timed bettered by some doddering old man in a stock-looking Honda Accord or something. It happens all the time. People think "I must be going really slow, I'll just push it a little harder".

Most of the really bad wrecks I have seen in driving schools were inexperienced people in really fast hardware. These were in cars with proper safety equipment, so nothing hurt except someones pride and wallet. Motorcycles are not so forgiving.

Learning on something slower takes the pressure off. It also requires you to learn to properly apply every last bit of resources at your disposal.

I would be shocked if any of this is different on two wheels.

Don't take my word for it though, go to the track and talk to the instructors. See what they are riding. Ask what they started out on and what they would reccommend. I'll bet the answers will surprise you.

All the best,

John

Learning on something slower takes the pressure off. It also requires you to learn to properly apply every last bit of resources at your disposal.

I would be shocked if any of this is different on two wheels.
Bingo! When I lived in California I took at least two dozen track schools from Code, the Pridmores, and Dennis Pegelow's DP Safety School. I also spent four years as a motorsports photographer taking photos of riding school and track day participants, and got out on the track at open track days several dozen times. In addition, I took photos at the Northern California Miata Club events.

This experience is what makes me so concerned about kc8mob. I've seen that attitude, and the people who think they have the skills to handle anything are the ones who get in over their heads and get hurt. Doesn't matter if you're on a bike or in a car, lack of skills and overconfidence are a lethal combination. I've seen instructors in Miatas outrun students in Ferraris, and instructors on Kawasaki EX500s outrun students on Suzuki GSXR 1000s. I've spanked guys on Yamaha R1s on my Honda CBR600F3, and been passed by guys on much slower bikes, sometimes on the same lap.

I doubt it will sink in, but I will repeat this. Kc8mob, you are a prime candidate to get seriously hurt or killed on that Honda 900. You can't even launch it in first gear, which shows an utter lack of throttle control. Get yourself to Pridmore's school and learn how to ride properly. And get rid of that race bike before you kill yourself. As Reg Pridmore used to tell us, "If you want to learn to go fast you have to go slow." You have to learn proper technique before going fast. Modern motorcycles do not suffer fools gladly.

You get into a corner hotter than you intended, and your front end starts pushing when you lean into the corner. You realize you're going to run wide and off into the gravel on the side of the road. You have 1/2-second to make the right decision and stay on the road through the corner. What do you do?

Stab n' Steer baby. I would lean farther and hit it. But Im not trying to race at the time being.

I do have one question. Is it possible to survive a front end blow out?

If by "stab-n-steer" you mean roll on the throttle and spin the back tire to bring the back of the bike around you have answered correctly. The tricky part is not getting on the gas too hard, and you have an admitted problem with that.

It is possible to survive a front tire blow out, but in more than 300,000 miles of riding I've never let my tires get that bad. If you mean a front end slide, yes it is eminently possible. I've done it myself. First time was out of necessity. Rounding Turn 2 at Laguna Seca on my Triumph Sprint RS the front end was pushing bad and I was heading for the gravel trap. I spun up the back tire and slid to the edge of the track pointed directly at the entrance of Turn 3. Had so much fun I did it the next three laps, then decided that was enough fun and entered Turn 2 a bit slower the rest of the day.

The key is being smooth and under control which you are not if you can't launch the bike in first gear without doing a wheelie.

Once more, with feeling: Get to the track and get some professional help. :twak:

Well I wouldn't say I have a problem with getin on it too much, that happened once and you have to figure out what's ok and what isn't. It's a new animal. I know how to drive my 250 to it's maximum limit but I am just figuring out the clutch and throttle on the RR. Really I was being an idiot I admit it, I was feathering the clutch rolling along at 5mph and just nailed it and sure enough up came the bike. But I immediately pulled my self up on the tank and slowly let it down until my front end grabbed the ground, then I gave it gas or I would have lost it do to a whobley.

Ba, Ba , Ba, Another one bites the dust.....!?! Lights out....

Where's that squid smiley?

[QUOTE=Duffinator]Yep. I've owned many street and dirt bikes but I gave up the street a long time ago. Too easy to go way tooooo fast. But you'll have to learn that like the rest of us. Hopefully you survive.

One of the main reasons I sold my bike was that when I was riding it, I was fine. When I wasn't, I was starting to have daydreams about all the things that could go wrong on the bike. I was starting a family and felt that it was time to take that risk factor out of the equation

We had our first spring day today, it got up to 78. That's good for Cincinnati this time of year. I went out to the recoding school (REC) in Chillicothe Ohio today to visit a friend and boy it was great ride.

:thmbsp:

http://www.sonic.net/bbdon/free/sqdsml.gif

Okeedokeee....

Somebody here said I'd be dead in two weeks. Well I can still wiggle my toes.

The purchase of this bike was one of the best decisions I have made all year. LOL.

no news from you are you still a ok?

I'm not a biker, so I can't offer any specific advice on how to ride. As a reporter who's sat through more than one vehicular manslaughter trial, what I can offer is this:

The defense argument offered by the driver of the car is always the same. "I just didn't see the bike, your honor."

Watch out for them, because they surely won't watch out for you.

Rick

no news from you are you still a ok?

Yeah Im good. I haven't been ridding really that much besides practice in my neighborhood and at the Sycamore High schools parking lot. Im a Weeeee bit intimidated by this bike, it's really big and has a whole bunch of "Go." My dad has set us up for a classes after he realized I wasn't riding it much and figured why. I went for a ride out out to Chillicothe a while ago and during that trip, I realized just how not ready I am for something of this size. It really is nothing like all of the dirt bikes I have. So basically I just don't want to die, and I need some professional help to get me on the road safely, I also don't want to hurt the bike. So I have been getting a ride to work from my parents.


Young, dumb and full of ..... doesn't go too well with a 900RR. :no:


Can anybody tell I scared the liven shit out of my self. :yes:

Man, I am glad to hear you have decided to go get trained on how to ride one of those beasts. I got my CBR600F2 as a salvage. Totally destroyed because the idiot kid before me flipped it in a parking lot. I spent some cash putting it back together and started riding.

Luckily enough I lived in a very rural area. Basically there was nobody around. This gave me opportunties to get the feel for the bike. Took a couple weeks for me to get rid of the clammy palms when riding.

Never ride without a helmet.

Do not go ride with your buddies who are more experienced. Trust me. Half of them are freaking crazy, the other half are 10x the rider that you are. I learned how to ride with guys like this. They were cool though, and kept it down for my sake. The other times I saw them riding they were freaking insane, there is no way I would have been comfortable with them on the street otherwise.

I now live in a heavily populated area (suburbs of chicago) and there is no way in hell I would ride here. People cannot drive, and I cannot relax one bit behind handlebars. I get off stiff from being tense about others.

I sold my bike.

This really is Darwinism at its finest. Will Adam's will to survive outclass his will to look cool and impress the girls? Stay tuned for updates.

Good Luck and I really pray you get the finest training possible.

Mike

Great too see you have come too your scences , after your training you can think about if this bike is still to much or not. i still think selling it and geting somthing less powerfull would be a good idea. after all you will want something to upgrade too in a year or two. a CBR900 is gona be hard to upgrade.why not try a 400cc sports bike like a VFR 400 trust me there not by anymeans slow. ah well at least theres the hayabusa when you do want an upgrade :D

Oh lord, don't bring up the 'Busa... :eek:

The problem is that you feel strong and imortal when riding a bike
been last year in daytona at bikeweek everybody rides without helmet (me too) what a feeling!
recently sold my bike after one accident (not my fault) now i got more iron than bone in the leg but still i was lucky not to loose one leg
take care use training


I had a the same thing happen to me on a friday morning on my way to work.lady pulled out in front of me and i slamed her passenger fender and flew over her car and landed on my hip! I was lucky as i was not wearing a helmet. i tore open my left leg like a saw had been droped on it looked like hamburger! but after a few weeks of pain in my knee it was discovered that i had tore my acr beyond repair and my mcl and or pcl was tore of the bone all together! needless to say i was off work for 9 monthes! that knee surgery is a nasty thing to go thru. i would love to have another bike but that accident is allways in the back of my head.

john

i don´t mind driving fast but crashing sucks
this is the price some have to pay but spring is coming must resist
i have to go to the hospital again this year to remove the iron in the leg
i used my timeout for 12 months to improve my audio system

Yeah Im good. I haven't been ridding really that much besides practice in my neighborhood and at the Sycamore High schools parking lot. Im a Weeeee bit intimidated by this bike, it's really big and has a whole bunch of "Go." My dad has set us up for a classes after he realized I wasn't riding it much and figured why. I went for a ride out out to Chillicothe a while ago and during that trip, I realized just how not ready I am for something of this size. It really is nothing like all of the dirt bikes I have. So basically I just don't want to die, and I need some professional help to get me on the road safely, I also don't want to hurt the bike. So I have been getting a ride to work from my parents.


Young, dumb and full of ..... doesn't go too well with a 900RR. :no:


Can anybody tell I scared the liven shit out of my self. :yes:

Um, isn't this what we told you a few weeks ago? Maybe you're not as dumb as we feared. The MSF course is a good place to start, and will teach you everything you need to know bout riding safely in parking lots.

Go to Reg Pridmore's (http://www.classrides.com) web site and sign up for a two-day class now. You'll not only have a ton of fun, you'll learn more than you thought possible. Be aware, track riding is addictive.

This really is Darwinism at its finest. Will Adam's will to survive outclass his will to look cool and impress the girls?

Mike

LOL. :D

This is so true. I unlike most young people my age will admit that this is definitely a factor in decisions made. I used to drive a retired police interceptor back when I was a kid, 17 or so. When I basically got dumped by my girlfriend, I went out and bought a Mazda race car. It worked, 2 days after it was home I landed my self the finest looking chick god could give a man. She was Indian, from India that is.... Ohhh yeah.
Anyways that went south a long time ago,(3 months :tears:, haha get it ), so I did it again. I bought a 900RR. Now I have a new one, but she is too afraid to ride on bikes, but that's OK, cause I wouldn't put her on the back and kill her too.

Sometimes it just aint long enough so what can a guy do. :para:


Buy a Crotch Rocket. :banana:

Adam

Well Im getting good enough to start tearin' it up. Had me a hellacious race today. Damn it was retarded! I went so damn fast, I mean really fast.

I know Im not supposed to drive a big bike like this, blaa, blaa, blaa :smoke:

But Im a quick learner and it's been a few months now. First gear still likes to stand me up like a 3 handed salute, but I figure as I destroy my clutch it will get better.

Im going to get some pics of this bitch with me driving the hell out of it and post 'em here for you guys. I'll have to figure out the camera part, 'cause there is no way in hell Im going to photograph myself on I-71 going 120 mph, that would just be dumb. Pretty sure my parents won't drive that fast next to me in their car. :scratch2:

So, I'll figure something out, normally do.

Any how, I raced my ass off today and I really thought I was going to die, I wanted to win and I did. And for you neah sayers out there, I was racing a guy on a GSXR, don't know how big, but god damn it that fucker could shit n' get like me so it had to be pretty big.

I really think race car experience does help. :thmbsp:

Im so pumped writing this if it wasn't dark right now I would go find another fool to race with. :nutz:

Your a nut! I was trying to think of a good "old guy to young guy" repremand, but I can't be that much of a hypocrit. Wasn't too awful long ago that I got rid of my Grand National (which I street raced all the time). Ahhh, so many Mustangs, so little time. So, I won't tell you not to do something I know your gonna do, but please, please, please, be careful and NEVER EVER NEVER drink and drive! Bikes allways scared me because you never know about the road surface. A little sand or spilled diesel, etc. and you could be the road rash king, or worse. Ok lecture's over, just be careful. I like having you around, you remind me of my mispent youth. :thmbsp: Jay

if I remember right I have a video from the show top speed about the ariel atom 2(discovery channel)

the guy kinda recomended that the car would be better for a baby boomer having a middle age crisis than a big sport bike because you most certainly will crash and some one you do not like will end up with your eyes.

well if this happens to you can my 89 year old granddad have your eyes - he has macular degeneration - very nice guy - you would like him..

the 600 double r has something like 136 horsepower what does the 900 put to its crankshaft ?

you could maim/kill some one besides your self.

Your a nut!

. :yes:

I like having you around, you remind me of my mispent youth. :thmbsp: Jay

. :music:

the 600 double r has something like 136 horsepower what does the 900 put to its crankshaft ?



I don't know about the crankshaft, but with the intake and exhaust system it delivers 158 horsepower to the rear wheel. Not bad for a 400 pound bike. Other then those two things, it's stock. Also, a guy I know who has a CBR 600 had his tested at 102 hp on the rear wheel, but it's not an RR, so....

there are bold riders, there are old riders but alas there are no bold old riders out there

So what are you sayin' man, as you get older you get smarter. :smoke:

if you don't kill your self first LOL

So what are you sayin' man, as you get older you get smarter. :smoke:

I think you do to a certain point, but then it starts goin back the other way. I think what the hammer was sayin is big balls can get you in trouble :D I try real hard not to forget what being young and bullet proof was like, but I sure wonder how I made it through some of the crazy stuff. It's scarier now thinking about it, than it was doing it. Just be careful of the adreniline man, we're all flesh and bone, and bones break. You've got a lot of livin left to do :thmbsp: Jay

I know I know. But you think driving a fast car is awesome, shit!

what you need is a faster bike

this one is a lot faster

jay leno says it is like the hand of god is pushing you

http://www.marineturbine.com/press/miami/06062002.pdf

I saw a TV show about his toys once, and they showed him firing that thing up and riding it. He did not however, grip it and rip it. :scratch2:

The jet bike. :banana:

You've lasted longer than I thought you would.

Well I aint no bitch, bitches.... :D

Im going to get some pics of this bitch with me driving the hell out of it and post 'em here for you guys. I'll have to figure out the camera part, 'cause there is no way in hell Im going to photograph myself on I-71 going 120 mph, that would just be dumb.

No offense intended, but if you're running 120 on I-71, you're a moron. And you're endangering people other than yourself. If you want to go that fast, get on a track, man. Don't take chances with innocent lives on public roads.

As for your own life, I believe that God protects fools and drunks, so I'll say a prayer for you. But I do hope you've signed an organ donor card.

Rick

I signed up to donate my guts when I took my motorcycle permit test. I just cruise under 50 MPH on lazy roads on my bike, I'd rather just enjoy it for relaxation.

Yamahammer's right about the old bold riders.......

I miss riding my cycles. But I can't do anything about it. Not a thing.

I crashed the first day I got on a moped, at age 16. After that first day, I never crashed again. I think one can get his/her thrills and remain relatively smart and safe about it- I had a blast and never had a bike down in 18 years of riding.

Only one minor fender bender ever in a car, too, If I recall correctly. It was in a 5-car pileup after a new driver stopped dead in the middle of the street, over a hill, on a main route, because she passed the driveway she wanted. She was ready to put it in reverse. Geez.

Rode all kinds of fast bikes, and had many musclecars too.

Every year I got a little more careful- on the bike, I went from open face helmet to full face, from t-shirt to jacket, from sneakers to boots, from jeans to Cortech padded riding pants.

Often rode year-round, even in the New England weather. Of course, the street bike was parked when it snowed heavy and the diminutive 1974 Honda CL125 single street scrambler, with DOT knobbies and a wet weight of under 218 lbs, came out to play.

Never wore headphones while riding, and always watched out for the many folks driving while reading newspapers, drinking coffee, driving reclessly and speeding, and later, on the onset of cellphones and car video, chatting on the cell phones, text-messaging while driving and watching videos and playing Playstation on their car monitors.

I kept myself upright, injury free and ultimately alive for those 18 years by using caution, common sense, learning from my experiences and staying aware.

Why don't I ride anymore?

Because of someone else being a careless moronic daredevil on the road.

I was going fishing with my father, I was driving a pickup. We were going 20 mph. A speeding, reckless driver hit us at over 85 mph (some estimates 115). Rear-ended us.

This paralyzed me. I hate saying this, but truth is, I'm now a parapalegic. I can't walk. Or stand. Or ride.

And my father lost his hearing, lost his leg above the knee, los use of his kidneys, his use of lower intestines, and he suffers with numerous other ailments. He's wheelchair-bound now too.

This because of a driver who was moving recklessly through traffic, speeding, and has never been held accountable for his actions.

The driver walked away with no injuries.

He was fined $250 in court fees only, with the charges and citations being dropped, as my father and I lay in comas in the hospital.

And he has a record a mile long.

The fella, although well-off, has nothing in his name in regards to property or ownership- the car he was driving was even in his mother's name, despite him being a mid-30s adult. So a personal injury lawsuit will not help me, and I'll now need to deal with lost wages, bills, and the like due to someone else's actions.

Oh, and I met him and his new fiance. She had a giant diamond on her finger and they were driving a very nice car, most likely in her name. Our vehicle, only 9 months old or so was wrecked, and the money went to help pay bills relating to our injuries. And I am no longer with my significant other because the injuries were too much of a stress on the relationship.

So much for the system being even close to fair, or working to protect the innocent.

I hope you don't put others in danger out there by driving recklessly in traffic or in cities. The thrill of speeding on a bike isn't worth endangering others.

And for yourself, keep an eye out for careless folk who could injure you. Way too many folk on cell phones, driving drunk, speeding, that may or may not be held accountable for their actions if they permanently injure you or kill you, or a loved one.

I rode for 18 years and every year got better and better. You can ride smart, safe and still get thrills, and keep yourself alive for years and years of fun living, with a bit of luck and mercy.

Well there is a time to go fast, and a time to go even faster. :D

But, most of all there is a time and a place.