Really? GL1000 was hardly on the drawing board in the 70's. I had one, My first bike was a Gold Wing GL1000 with a Vetter fairing,
I have known quite a few guys who started on 1000's and none have had a get off. My son's first bike was an FJR1300. He has had it for going on three years now without a mishap. He has become an excellent rider Put him on a 600 he can out ride most in the twisties.


If someone has the confidence, wants and can afford a 1000CC bike he should get one. Learn on it and enjoy it. It won't feel like a 1000cc bike for long. Where the bike will shine is on the freeway with the additional weight.

People get off your high horses. I mean really does ANYONE with a 600 or 750 SPORT bike NEED all that power either? Those bikes are JUST AS powerful. You can pull the wheels on a 600 as well. The only difference is they are lighter, You learn to handle a big bike and the rest is cake. An idiot will crash on a 600 just as a 1000, Its not the bike, Its the rider.

MOST riders have never crashed and will never crash. The few who did of course don't believe that fact. It's the rider far more then 50% of the time
The squid who crashed a GXR1000 aas a first bike would have crashed a 600.

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2003 Shadow 1100

FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, JUST DON'T TAKE YOUR LITTLE KIDS ON THEM. YOU SHOULD MAKE YOUR KIDS HATE RIDING, SCARE THE "poo poo" OUT OF THEM SO THEY DON'T LIKE IT.

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Of course I'm generalizing from a single example here, but everyone does that. At least I do.

First and foremost, take the MSF class. After that, make an assessment on getting a 1000cc "crotch rocket". Balance, coordination, good motorcycle sense come with experience, and practice. My first bike was a fully decked Honda CB750. It weighed a ton, would fall over if you looked at it wrong, and on the first dayI could not do a U turn on a 4 lane road without hitting the curb. Sounds pathetic doesnt it. After three months of driving I thought I was invincible, I was also 21. Shortly thereafter I learned firsthand what a "Highside" was, and a lowside, about road snakes, sand surfing, land slides, and an apreciation about gravity and physics. Oh Yeah, I also carried a tube of JB Weld for those instant repairs when the bike would unexplainably lay down and take a nap.
I am older (50) now, and have no need to impress the girls with a body cast. IF money and health insurance aren't a factor - go for it.
Otherwise, buy a Suzuki SV650 $6,000 OTD, and practice, practice, practice. Yeah, I like the 1000, but it only takes 1 mistake, and it happens fast - very fast.

i think you are crazy not trying to be mean but lots of practice is needed to be able to ride one of those even if you are safe that bike is meant to go fast and it will

wow that pretty much sums up what every has been trying to say for 6 pages of posts, and you nailed it in once sentence

That, or someone who is looking to commit suicide in a spectacular and messy fashion........as for out-growing a 750, King must be nuts....my 750 has all the omph I could want, hell I had a KZ550 years ago and that was one fast and nimble ride, loved that bike (hated its electronics tho)......not up to sport bike category, but close.

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Always ask why.

I have been riding all my life and the biggest bike I have owned is my gs 650L.A 24 year old bike that will cruise at 70 to 80 all day and take an 883 off the line and blow it away! I know cause I have done it.You do not need a bike that big.Start small and learn from something that get's better gas mileage.You said you wanted to save gas.My 650 get's 58 mpg and the liter bikes barely get 38 tops! if even that.Around town it will be heavy for you and chance are you will dump it and possible do some damage to yourself.Get something you can "yank" around, 650 or under.An older bike would be better in case something happens you wont feel so bad or be shelling out big bucks to fix it.It would also be good to learn how to work on them.I take my 650 every where. Get an all around bike and you wont regret it.

My wife and I got our licenses last fall, we bought a ninja 250. I can tell you from 1st hand experience that it was the right decision. The stupid technique mistakes i made the 1st couple of times out were scary enough on a heavier, 4x more powerful bike.

Its way more streetable than most people realize, i think mostly becuase people think of the Virago or CB250 (CB250 was the bike I had for MSF), which are geared a bit low and not real high rev'ers. All I heard from local people was OMG don't go on the highway you be kiiiilllled. The bike cruises fine at 65-75 mph (10k rpm) and is right around its peak hp at that point, and tops out around 105 i believe, haven't tried. As a matter of fact ninja250.org is loaded with people, even americans, that are die hard ninja 250 riders and commuters.

The bike is a little light for dealing with the wind, but IMHO if you can learn to handle traffic and wind on a light low powered machine you learn how to ride safer and better and won't be one of those "You need to have 100hp to be safe so you can get out of the way..." people. If you are riding safely and correctly you should be in very many positions that require you to accelerate out of the way.

I just picked up a 95 Yamaha XJ600s yesterday so we can ride together. I'm 6'3" so the ninja is a little short and compact for me and i got the yamaha cheap. I'm just surprised that we got it onto and off of my truck without dropping it.

I ride a 1992 750 Nighthawk......average 53 mpg, insurance is $80.00 per year for FULL coverage.......

My brother rides 2005 V-Star 650, average gas mileage is 57+ mpg,, his insurance is cheap too.....of course he's 55 and I'm 52....Both bikes have more than enough power to get up and go, even riding two up!!!!

dan

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2008 Suzuki C50T

Can I have the bike when you're dead?

In all seriousness I've heard of people starting on 600s (which I still think is a bit crazy) but a 1000cc? I highly doubt you'll survive.

Please get a 250cc bike to start out with and sell it to someone, or a higher cc non Race Replica (RR) bike.

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Ducati Monster 1100 (Vrooom!!)
Aprilia Shiver 750 (sold)
2007 Kawasaki Ninja 250cc (sold)