yes this is a serious question

[Phoenix_Rising]

I know I haven't been around lately because I've been really busy with work plus finances prevented me from getting a bike so I didn't really have any interest in bikes anymore. Well my dad told me that since my grandma got some money to renovate the house well she wound up getting more than enough to fix the house so instead of letting the extra money go to waste they bought a few things (loaded 05 Yukon Denali, new digital camera etc.) My dad told me that my grandma would be willing to outright buy me a bike that I would have to may payments back on if I promised to go back to school (Academy of Art in SF)

I had originally planned to get a 750 Kat because I'm somewhat of a big guy 6' 5" 220 225lbs and don't think the 600 in my opinion would last long.

My dad has about 19 years of liscensed experience and about 38 in total (hasn't had a reason to renew since he parked his bike shortly after I was born) He and I were at a local dealership a few months ago I was drooling over the 750 Gixxers they had there and he seems to think that I'd be responsible enough to handle one while I'm not so convinced.

I made the comment to him recently while we were driving together recently that I honestly think that the 750 Gixxer would be a bit too much of a bike for me but he said he thinks I could handle one because I'm not a squid and I know what it means to respect a bike like that or any kind of sport bike.

A few weeks later I told him how much 750 Gixxers were putting out horsepower wise and he still thinks that I'd be able to handle one, I'm just looking for the opinion of other experienced riders.

[tzortn]

You are obviously concerned about being able to handle a GSXR so why get one? You need to do what is good for you. I know that a lot of people say that you control what happens to the bike with your right hand. My issue is that with that kind of power it does not take much throttle to get into trouble. Smooth throttle control comes with practice. The Kat is a lot more forgiving. It will also force you to be a smoother rider instead of just relying on hp alone.

[midqetsex]

If you're not confident in your abilities and yourself, a GSXR750 probably isn't the best choice. Although, I do know people who have started on literbikes a few years ago and still never gone down.

GSXRs are awesome bikes. I'd love to have one. But when are you going to use all that power in the real world? A Kat750 accelerates very fast and has a high top speed. Sure, it's not as fast as the GSXR750, but do you think you're going to go over 140mph and need hard acceleration above 100?

Which bike do you like better more? How much risk are you willing to assume? Call and get insurance quotes for both and see if you'd even be able to realistically own the GSXR.

[stevnmd]

Depends on the type of riding you do...

If you just commute and cruise, why in the world would you even want a Gixxer? IMHO, buying a bike based purely on looks is stupid...

If you want what a lot of people to consider the ultimate track day bike, get the Gixxer. If you are a competent and responsible rider, it'll only put down as much power as your right wrist tells it to.

If you want a bike that will be as comfortable as the Katana (really, more comfortable) then look at something else like an FZ1 or the likes.

[trinc]

a friend has a gix750 - he loves it - but states his two previous bikes 600rr & 1000 repsol were easier to ride. there are a lot of great bikes out there - but i'd have a bunch of miles under my belt before riding a gixxer.

tim

[Phoenix_Rising]

the bike would be purely for pleasure, I already have a daily driver although I could reasonably ride the bike to work every day (I live a block from work) I live in the San Francisco Bay Area so there are a lot of fun twisty roads here that after I got comfortable on the bike and felt my skills were good enough I'd love to rail.

I'm not all about straight line while fun and I may ocasionally do it I enjoy turning just as much if not more. I would honestly also like to ocasionally do a track day type thing if there are any somewhat close in my area. I'm not really looking for long cruise comfort although I may buy a bike at a later time to do that. I'm pretty much looking for a bike thats as fun to ride in a straight line as it is around a turn.

[Black_peter]

Dude!!!
I thought all the youth these days were irresponsible..
WOW..

That having been said:
Do you think a GSXR would be comforatble for you?
Will it fit all most of the riding you will do?
Then by all means get it..
If you think you want to ease into it?
Get a more expensive but easyer going bike..
Then trade it later for a used hyperbike..

I mean like
Buy a new Katana..
Then next year trade it for a used R6!!

[Phoenix_Rising]

thanks for the compliment Black_peter, I'm not incredibly young like you make me seem. I just turned 24 on September 30th, but I have a feeling my dad sees maturity in me that I don't see in myself and that might be why he feels I'd be able to handle a gixxer. I trust his judgement being that he's ridden for so long while he may not have the experience of the supersport bikes of today he's seen and ridden his fair share of "scary" bikes in his time.

Also I'm pretty much a Suzuki guy I don't care for any of the other brands personally because Suzuki is really the only one to offer an "intermediate" bike between a 600 and a liter bike. None of the other japanese companies really offer anything between the two it's either a 600cc or a 1000cc thats why I like Suzuki because they offer the 750.

I've sat on Gixxers before and yes they are very comfortable to me for what they are, I feel that it would be a good bike to fit my needs because like I said earlier I don't plan on doing much commuting with it nor is it a daily means of transportation. It would purely be for pleasure and being the area I live in there are plenty of twisty roads to have fun on when I feel confident enough in my skills to try them.

I don't have the mentalty that I'm going to hop on any bike let alone a Gixxer and transform into Valentino Rossi, I don't plan to do any stunting or anything of that nature I hope to within my best efforts keep both wheels on the ground. I know how to respect the throttle and know my limits. I guess my question would be is a Gixxer so much of a bike that I need to fear it as a first timer or am I reading too much into the hype of it?

I know any bike can be a handful ridden improperly, but (and I know this is comparing apples to oranges) is a 750 Gixxer really that much more of a bike compared to a 750 Katana

[Black Kat]

just get whatever you like the most..........since putting the money toward your education I guess isn't an option......and since money just lying around is "going to waste" if you dont.....



if you live in SF...just get a scooter and put the rest of the money toward your education and getting a good job...then when you have plenty of money from your job buy a busa.

[stevnmd]

Wait, you don't ride a Kat now? Do you ride at all now?

[Range]

what Steve is saying...DO NOT GET A 750GSXR for a first bike....for ANY reason.

The Kat would be my choice....the difference between the two are like day and night....I have over three years experience...LOTS of miles...and truth be told...I am not ready for my 600 SS bike

[tzortn]

what Steve is saying...DO NOT GET A 750GSXR for a first bike....for ANY reason.

I do not know if that is what Steve is saying, but this is exactly what I was saying. You can get yourself into a lot of trouble with a GSXR even if you are not trying to be the street version of Rossi. There is a lot of power there that can easily get away from you.

[Phoenix_Rising]

just get whatever you like the most..........since putting the money toward your education I guess isn't an option......and since money just lying around is "going to waste" if you dont.....



if you live in SF...just get a scooter and put the rest of the money toward your education and getting a good job...then when you have plenty of money from your job buy a busa.

I don't live in SF I live in the bay area I actually live in San Leandro, and I would be applying for a Studen Loan for College no matter if my grandmother bought me the bike or not. It was pretty much going to be an incentive type thing, along the lines of go back to college and you get this.

Also Steve no I don't ride (yet) I'm just wondering even with what I've told my dad is that he might be misinformed and I should go with a Katana and not listen to what I feel is an experienced rider.

[Range]

Also Steve no I don't ride (yet) I'm just wondering even with what I've told my dad is that he might be misinformed and I should go with a Katana and not listen to what I feel is an experienced rider.

Your father has not ridden in a LONG time...he has NO CLUE of what the new GSX-R's can do.

Essentially...the Katana would be equivillent to the GSX-R's performance WHEN HE LAST RODE.

Something tells me that he is living vicariously through you.

This whole scenario does not sit well with me....am I the only one who has a bad feeling about this? I am not your father, but I, and almost every other member on here have seen first hand what too much bike can do to a newbie because they were informed by others that they could handle a GSX-R right out of the gate.

[BraadaJim]

Phoenix I think Range has some great points in the post above and you also see the truth of the matter by your last post. Your Dad has been out of riding for a long time so he may be experienced in that he could still jump on any bike and take off down the road but he really has no concept of how far bikes have come in the last 20 or so years. When he last rode a GSXR would have been the equivelant of strapping a rocket to your azz.

From all of the posts I have seen from you I think your Dad knows you pretty well and you do seem quite mature for your age. Just by not instantly jumping for the Gix after being told to go for it shows that.

You haven't ridden before so mature or not you just don't have the physical experience to handle something that strong, quick and light. It's not the fact that you know better than to smack it open, it's that you don't have the time under your belt to not make a simple mistake that could land you dead or worse, and yes there are fates worse than death. My suggestion to you is to take the cash and buy a Kat or similar "mid-sport" bike that is used and maybe a year or two old. Used Kats hold there value well, are very forgiving of newbie mistakes and they are obviously my favorite so naturally that is what I would suggest but that will be up to you. Anyway, buy a bike that holds it's resale and then spend LOTS of money on a good helmet, lots of leather, boots and an MSF course and bank the balance to earn interest. Ride it for a year to get some experience and then sell it off and move up to something else if you feel your ready for it.

Bottom line though is that you need to get into riding before you can make an informed decision as to what is really the right bike for you. Don't look at buying a bike to keep forever, look to buy a bike that will get you rolling. A Ninja 250 or a 'Busa will both put an ear to ear grin on your face but only one of them will get you killed if you happen to sneeze and blip the throttle wide open half way through a curve.... understand?