900cc motorbike?

Question

Hi folks, I have just recently passed my direct access motorbike course. I have always been a fan of cars so this is something totally new for me. I now have my eyes set on a Honda 900cc fireblade. Its the only bike i have really wanted but everyone around me is saying i should start of with a smaller engined bike and work my way up. I dont really fancy doing this as i said i have decided the bike i want. I just want to check with some more experienced riders out there. Will i be ok being a novice and getting this as my 1st bike. Surely its like a car and only dangerous when driven stupidly. Is a 900cc alot harder to ride than a 600cc?

Answer 1

You can quite easily get into trouble on a bike like a fireblade. Give the bike its head, and you'll be doing 150km in second gear; and then what?  The acceleration on a large motorbike is phenonemal, and a bike like a fireblade will drag off just about anything on four wheels.  They are built to go fast.

It's OK in a straight line; but where you could come to grief very quckly is in a corner.  About 60% of fatal motorcycle accidents are single vehicle on a bend. THAT'S what you need to worry about, and why a bike like a fireblade may not be suitable.  Most accidents I've seen with less experienced riders are caused by target fixation (a panic reaction, resulting in the bike going exactly where the rider is looking - at that tree or fence), or by grabbing the front brake.

When I started after learning, I moved up from a 250 to a 600 Yamaha, and there were enough exciting moments on that bike, before I got a 1000 V-twin.  

All that being said, you will find that you learn fairly rapidly, and if you start on a lesser bike (you can  always sell it later for not much less than you paid for it, provided you look after it), it will not be long before you are ready to move up to that bike you always wanted, and be confident in riding it.  MUCH better than stacking it (besides personal risk, bikes are surprisingly expensive to fix, and even the most minor accident can cause a lot of damage).

Answer 2

little more power. not really.

Answer 3

No, you're right it's not harder just more power available. Ride with care until you are ready to let it lose then go for it!

Answer 4

w/e

Answer 5

It will only go as quick as your right wrist will allow to, but to answer your question, Yes I think it is too much for a first bike.

This bike [ can ] be an animal in the wrong hands ( read first timer ). It can out run almost every machine out there in a point to point race.

If you do go for blade, be very carefull.

Answer 6

I recently purchased my first bike, a 900 cc kawasaki, i spent all my learning time on a 750.

There is a noticable power difference but nothing hard to handle.

It really depends on your comfort level, If you are comfortable with the power range on the 600, going up to a 900 will not be a drastic change.

If you had learned on a 250cc or something small like that, leaping up to a 900 will be a drastic change in both power and weight.

Generally speaking it seems it much harder to get used to the weight differences in a bike than the power difference.

In the end just take what you learned and put it into practice, get familiar with your new bike so that the weight, power or any other differences melt away.

Safe riding!