[Nero]

Learning on a Kat is a great thing. Then you'll realize how much more smoothly most newer bikes shift (and how much less comfortable most sporties are)...

[Doppleganger3814]

I know some will frown by me saying this, but its my opinion. I'm glad I got my K6 Kat 600 for my first bike. I took the MSF course, got my endorsement, and a week later bought my first bike. I drove around in the storage garage parking lot for 3 weeks before I took it out on the road to get familiar with it, and haven't looked back. It's been a great first bike that I've been able to continue learning on and still have fun on. I know that this bike is capable of being rode better than what I'm doing now, but I hope to continue to ascend with my riding skills and technique. I'm keeping this bike regardless if I plan on getting another bike because I've gotten so comfortable with it. This site was very helpful in me making the choice of getting my Kat as my first bike and again I'm glad I did.

[Sky]

my first bike was a Kat 750 rode it for 1 year before getting bored with shifting got myself a liter bike !!! and now 7 years later .... I got myself a naked bike ... less power then the gixer so I need to shift but now I actually think it's damn fun !!! I ride the bike .. the bike doesn't ride me

[dano68]

I'm not so sure many would frown at you for saying that.
I rode dirt bikes till I was 24-25 then marriage and kids took priority.

I am now about to turn 45 and divorced. Figured it was about time to fill my dream of riding street. Last July, bought a bike 2002 750 Kat, went and wrote my test and passed and also signed up for the MSF course. Now this is where some may frown at me LOL, not knowing the bike and not being familiar with street riding I hit the road right away, I know dirt and street are different riding styles but it was like I was never off a bike.

Gear up ride safe

[XRaye]

Wow this is definitely a good argument and good information to know. My Katana 600 is my first bike, but so far only in parking lots. I just finished (and passed) the MSF course, the drills they go through are simple but critical, recommend for sure.

[TripleKing]

Definitions of fast these days crack me up. My 75 GT380 can haul my 245 lbs ass upt to 100 MPH. My 79 CB400 Hawk will out accelerate the GT. My Kat will blow both of them away. Which is my favorite casual rider? The Hawk. It is not faster than the Kat (not even close) and it makes 43 horsepower, but it fulfills its mission and can be leaned into turns enough to have fun. I use my Kat for commuting. It will run 0-60 in under 5 seconds. Why would I need a bike which accelerates more quickly. Oh by the way, full coverage for that Kat is $150 per years with a $500 deductible and 300/100 liability coverage. Why do I need a new 150hp+sport bike?

[bigfoot93]

My first bike was an 86 Honda cm450e and I'm glad it was cuz the first few rides i was as nervous as a whore in confession. After riding that for a year i bought my 750 shadow and rode that for months before i even thought of getting on my parents Goldwing. And honestly never thought I'd ride a sport bike, then i rode my buddies tl1000s and realized they're not as uncomfortable as they look. Granted I've ridden large heavy bikes with decent power i didn't want a big motor sport bike for my first sport bike because i was aware of the power band difference. And i found my 600 Kat for $700 and that was a deal since i had the cash and am mechanically inclined, but didn't have $3000 cash for a nice fancy sport bike.

[johnxked]

My first post on this board. Your article "So you wanna get a sport bike" is dead on. I was a newbie when I purchased a 750f Honda in 1979 it was my first bike. I wrecked it a few times than totaled it in a year 1981. My next bike was a 1983 Suzuki GS1100 wich I totaled a year later. I was young an did not have much experiance and could of been hurt or killed. I wish I had the above advice In my younger years. I wiah I had those bikes.

[Jar3d200]

I rode up on a ninja 250 today he had custom exhaust I cpuldnt even hear my vance and hines over his and he was polly twice my size following me fine on some curves I moved up from my 250 bc it was to small for me and my gf any advice I give a 250 rider is get a katana next enough lower to blow ur 250 out of the water but comfortable and nice ride not sporty enough to tuen the streets into the track

[Black_N-Gold_003]

Great read and sound advise...!!!

[Epix86]

I agree my first bike was a Ninja 250, Moved on to a zx6 now on a zx7R and hell I drive it about like the others the powers nice and all but not needed I drive daily to get to work. I would recommend starting on a smaller bike as a good man once told me "Bikes do not tolerate stupid"

[wired]

Great read!

My point is: The only two wheeled motor driven machine that is guaranteed to not hurt you doesn't exist. Unless you count a bicycle...and ask yourself how many times you got hurt on one as a kid

I wrecked my huffy more times than I can count. I would build something to make it more fun, and always turned into something bad. I learned at a young age that doing stupid things got me or my bike hurt. So I quit, which resulted in no more crashes.
My first motorcycle was a Yamaha XV 500, not fast at all, but faster than my huffy. I did one stupid thing on it and laid it down, neither I or it was hurt, but it reminded me that stupid things end with bad results.
Sold that bike, 15 years later I got the bike I always wanted, a katana.it has more power than anything previously, and more than I need. I respect it and ride smart.
I am glad that I started with the bike I did, I learned a lot, and gained much needed experience.

[buffalobill]

The Kwak EX500 was my learner bike. Cool sport bike, and that made it hard to pass the license test. It did not want to go smoothly around in 1st gear, with a guy holding a clipboard watching me. Took 6 weeks and a 2nd try to pass the test
Next year I got an 82 GS1100G, closely related to the old 1100 Katana. That engine is very smooth and torquey. I drove it back to the license course out of curiosity, and it was a piece of cake with that bikes smooth low speed torque.
I still got the GS1100G, because I've never found another bike I liked more.
I did a track day with it, but it ain't a real sport bike.
So that's why I got a GSX750F. The 1st one I did a tiny booboo, the rear tire slipped on a slick road seam and smashed my clavicle. Sold it to pay some of the medical bills.
I bought another, and that one I'm tweaking into a track day bike.

[casanovagdp]

I grew up from age 5 to 20 with a dirt bike. At 20 I bought my first street bike. A 2005 r1. I had a lot of respect and self control. I realized very quickly that I didnt need that much power. A lady hit me 6 months later and totalled the bike. Fast forward to 8 years later. I had a choice between the kat i bought or a bandit 1200. Same years a mileage with a 300 buck price difference. I picked the kat. Its getting me familiar with riding again. I honestly dont think I made the right choice. Why do you need a liter bike? To show your buddies how big your balls are? True friends dont care. To do wheelies or stoppies? My big bitch of a katana can do those and it takes a little more skill to do so. I mostly ride in packs of friends and its more fun being nose to tail than to be the lone wolf out front

[Prymaldark]

I was lucky enough to have a dirtbike as a kid. My dad gave me a 1972 Suzuki TC125 Prospector, and I rode it all through Middle and High School. Granted, a couple friends had much more flashy, powerful, and lightweight bikes from the 90s, but my Suzuki was still so much fun. I was also lucky enough to have an abandoned christmas tree farm to practice in for my first couple years; followed by plenty of country roads with minimal traffic.

Playing in the trees, I crashed more times than I can recall. I learned a lot about how to handle the bike, including how to go with the flow in a wreck. I also learned a lot when I took this little bike to the country roads. I put it down a few more times, though much less violently than most of my woodland crashes. I have also crashed a bicycle at about 35 mph, wearing basically just a basketball uniform. This experience helped to reinforce the memory that the asphalt is much less forgiving than the forest floor was.

Since getting rid of that first bike, I have ridden a variety of machines.
-1972 Kawasaki KZ1100 -- a couple thousand miles -- My first I4 bike.
-1998 Harley XL1200C -- a few thousand miles -- My Dad's bike.
-2012 Off-brand 50cc moped -- 3K miles -- This was a fun ride, even if slow.
-1997 Suzuki GSX750F -- recently surpassed 4K miles -- My kat, and current bike.
-I have also put less than a thousand miles on numerous bikes, including a Yamaha Virago from the 80s, a big 400cc Honda dirt bike, and a 125cc Kawasaki dirt bike.

I definitely recommend that anyone who can, start on a dirt bike, and ride in a dirt environment, rather than pavement. I have not had a chance to ride the 250 Ninja, but think it sounds like it could be a good bike for street beginners.

I really enjoy my Kat, but would hesitate to recommend it to an absolute beginner motorcyclist.