is a 1200 sport bike to much for a newbie?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Yamaha FJ1200

800px-FJ1200_kalina.jpg


125...130 hp, 590 lbs (wet), top speed 149 mph, 1/4 mile 10,9 seconds

The FJ1200 is a wonderful sport tourer and fairly simple technically. It is not very big physically but do not underestimate it or it will bite your [censored] off. In it's time FJ1100/FJ1200 was among the fastest bikes available.

I would personally recommend smaller bike for starters - I started with 1985 GSX750EF - but many do start with big bikes.
 
A couple of things to consider...
...If you grab too much throttle, you'll crash. Even a little too much throttle.
...That bike is relatively tall and heavy compared to the others you've been on. Get a bit off balance and you'll crash.
...How well do you fit that bike? Will it be comfortable for you in the stop & go traffic?

When others say get a smaller bike, yes, one with less power and lighter weight. But get a bike that fits you. If you're 6'5", don't even consider a 250. If you're 5'6", forget the FJ.

The MSF basic riding course is great for what it covers. It covers a lot, but much less than there is to know for street & highway riding. Take the MSF basic course, get a reasonable bike, and get some miles ridden in minimally threatening conditions. Then take an advanced course, and probably not the MSF experienced rider course...they cover about the same stuff as the basic course but in one day on your bike. Look for a course in advance street riding or anything that is not pure race training.

And read. Get David L. Hough's More Proficient Motorcycling: Mastering the Ride. Buy it, read it, re-read it, and practice his techniques. Borrow Keith Code's Twist of the Wrist - II from your local library, maybe via an interlibrary loan. His "Survival Reactions" are the best listing of normal, automatic wrong moves to make.
 
Engine displacement is NOT the main issue for a new rider.

Your level of maturity, common sense, and traffic awareness are the main issues.

I have seen several guys and one gal, nearly kill themselves on 250cc to 400cc bikes. We had one local idiot severely hurt himself trying to "get airborne" on a 250 at a local RR crossing. Conversely, I know several new riders with perfect safety records who started on big bikes. Their key was riding conservatively and using caution and common sense as their skills developed. My son's girl friend, after mastering basic bike operation on a Honda 150 dirt bike, essentially learned to ride on a 955cc Triumph sport bike. What she had going for her was a LACK of desire to be the local speed queen and good hand/eye coordination. She took it easy and rode within her skill limits. The only "mistakes" I ever saw her make as a new rider were mental mistakes related to maneuvering in traffic....again, not a bike displacement problem.

There is no way one can over emphasize the importance of a good MSF course AND riding with SENSIBLE, mature riders and ASK them to point out hazards and situations that merit caution. LISTEN to their "war stories". The post that recommended David Hough's book was spot on: EXCELLENT book.
Spending several hours reading that book is a heck of lot better than spending a couple of hours in the ER !
There is no point in learning the hard way!...take advantage of the knowledge that is out there for you.

Just remember that 75% of all motorcycle accidents take place at INTERSECTIONS.... any and ALL kinds of "intersections".
Also remember that 75% of all bike accidents are caused by CAR drivers !!!

I like to tell people that riding a motorcycle in traffic is the closest thing they will ever do to flying an airplane in combat. In both situations, there ARE people out there who WILL kill you if given the chance !!

Wear BRIGHT colors. Black looks cool, but many studies have repeatedly shown bright colors DO improve your chances of being seen by a car. Black is the WORST color to wear....fades
into the background and/or doesn't "resonate" with the car driver. A great deal of the Risk on a bike is due to bad choices by the rider!! i.e. No helmet, hard to see clothing, excessive speed, tail gating, etc. To wit: you can make choices and decisions about how to drive your car that make it an EXTREMELY dangerous situation.....but you don't.....

The bike really doesn't have much to do with "safety" !! The ONLY real safety device on a bike is the rider's brain !
 
It has very little to do with your physical ability...when it come to sport bikes it is your mental state that can kill you. Be safe...
 
No problem I say! My first bike was a Kawasaki ZRX 1200 and im talking first bike being I had no idea how to shift or do anything other then what way to sit on that thing! I had a friend drive it to a big open parking lot and rode it for 22 miles in the lot learning how to shft, brake, and turn. Then I took safe rider class and learned a great deal. I put 15,000 miles on that bike in two years without a hitch before I sold it.

I had no regrets on starting with the big bore bike and would do it again in a second..... It's all in how safe you ride
 
I'll reiterate my point - you cannot go wrong starting on a small bike. A Ninja 250, GS500, Shadow 600, V-Star 650, etc will be a manageable bike that will enable you to learn to ride.

You may be able to handle a heavier, more powerful bike. You may not. No way to know ahead of time. Therefore, considering how dangerous motorcycling can be, it seems to me to be a no-brainer to start small. Remove that area of risk/uncertainty from the process. When or if you're ready the big bikes will still be there.

jeff
 
Originally Posted By: greenjp
I'll reiterate my point - you cannot go wrong starting on a small bike. A Ninja 250, GS500, Shadow 600, V-Star 650, etc will be a manageable bike that will enable you to learn to ride.

You may be able to handle a heavier, more powerful bike. You may not. No way to know ahead of time. Therefore, considering how dangerous motorcycling can be, it seems to me to be a no-brainer to start small. Remove that area of risk/uncertainty from the process. When or if you're ready the big bikes will still be there.


This is good advice. I started riding on a step-through Honda 90, then went to a Suzuki 185 and ended up with a Yamaha 650. I don't think I would've wanted to start on the Yamaha.

OT- In the pic of the rotund fellow on the scooter, are there really three cars coming towards the camera that only have one headlight? Or is that an illusion?
 
Originally Posted By: hate2work
greenjp said:
OT- In the pic of the rotund fellow on the scooter, are there really three cars coming towards the camera that only have one headlight? Or is that an illusion?


That's pretty common. If the turnsignal is on, the DRL usually goes off on that side so the flashing lamp is more noticable.
Click to expand...
 
The punk in the hot rod Hemi 'Cuda pumping his throttle menacingly, leered at Gomer taunting him.

Gomer, un-phased by the punk's threatening behaviour, peered steely eyed at the changing lights waiting for the green. He ran the rpms up on his Quasi-Moto 90 to a constant 5000 and prepared to dump the clutch in what was to be a classic dust off......


Originally Posted By: kasedian
BigGuyLittleBike.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: Maximus1966
Looks like you might be exceeding the weight capacity of your scooter there borat.


Naw..... it gots the heavy duty suspinshin....
 
Originally Posted By: boraticus
Don't know what it is about the rush of power that that put a grin on my face but it still does it today.


This is exactly why I still have to have a big, powerful bike. There's nothing like the rush I get from a bike that accelerates like a banshee. Though I'm older now and spend most of my time just leisurely cruising around, every once in a while I get a hair up my butt and get the need to feel the rush. This is also why I could never bring myself to buying some big, lumbering bagger with a 0-60 time that could be measured with a calendar...
 
I live in a fairly rural area with a few farms here and there. There's a lot of excellent secondary highways that run past the farms. Many have two to three mile straight stretches with wide open fields on either side. Visibility is excellent. There's one smooth, flat stretch about two miles long that sees very little traffic. When on either one of the little RDs or the big Valkyrie, every once in a while, I'm tempted to run the bike WOT through the gears until I hit 100 mph or so then back off. It's a wild 15 second rush!!
 
Originally Posted By: boraticus
I live in a fairly rural area with a few farms here and there. There's a lot of excellent secondary highways that run past the farms. Many have two to three mile straight stretches with wide open fields on either side. Visibility is excellent. There's one smooth, flat stretch about two miles long that sees very little traffic. When on either one of the little RDs or the big Valkyrie, every once in a while, I'm tempted to run the bike WOT through the gears until I hit 100 mph or so then back off. It's a wild 15 second rush!!


same sensation, different venue.. anything over 100mph with a knee puck gently scuffing the road is a real hoot.. I know its not for everybody, but exploiting a motorcycles true potential is just good fun.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Try almost 200MPH for as long as you want all legal for fun.




i can only imagine, 180mph is my top speed, anything over 150 is getting spooky...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

BigJohn
Story of buying a used bike....
2
Replies
24
Views
725
97prizm
slo town
Almost quit cycling, but I'm back on the saddle again
2 3
Replies
41
Views
622
853okg
M
Help me choose a racing oil
2
Replies
27
Views
3K
TobyU
donnyj08
Put Deposit down on a New Bike today
2
Replies
34
Views
2K
RevRider
B
Brief data comparison, JASO MA vs MB vs unrated in UOA
Replies
3
Views
1K
bulwnkl
Back
Top Bottom