I’m not sure how you can tell that somebody is on a bike too powerful for them just by looking??
You can make a educated guess, but it’s hard to tell for a fact. I try not to judge too much.
Anyway, sometimes a buddy will try to sell you on a new bike they’ve just bought…because they’re still trying to convince themselves that they’ve just bought the right bike. Lol.
Buyers remorse is a beeotch!
Ask yourself these questions?
Your’ 6’0″ 185 Lbs. Your’ not a little guy.
What do you want to do with the bike?
You want to cruise, tour or go the enthusiast-sport route?
Maybe all of those??
If your’ like the average motorcyclist that I know, you just want to get a bike that you won’t soon outgrow and will be able to do a little of all of those at a fair price.
How’s your’ health?
How’s your’ confidence?
How well do you handle other machinery?
Are you a good driver?
Do you “choke” under pressure.
Truthfully answer these questions to yourself and then start researching bikes to accomodate your’ answers.
Don’t let me or anybody else tell you what to buy.
You may be very capable of handling a larger bike as your’ first bike.
But your’ looking for a few opinions. here’s mine.
Middle weight cruisers are good to start with. Normally mild power delivery but can tour and cruise just fine.
Same for the SV650’s and it’s standard competition, they’ll tour. Very capable, but a little hotter to handle than a 805cc cruiser.
(News flash for you SV owners that haven’t ridden a cruiser, your’ bike is faster and has more of a “face-plant city” feel to it.
So I’m amused when a SV-650 owner claims a 660 lb middle weight cruise is too much bike LOL.)
Bikes like those I mentioned above, are great to learn on, but totally highway capable.
You’ll have people suggest 250cc’s and 500cc’s. Thats fine, some great bikes are in that class and they are a lot of fun too, but remember, these are small bikes in 2008.
It’s not that they won’t go 80 mph, it’s just that a larger bike will do it better and more comfortably.
a easy ride will do more for your’ enthusiasm than a dissappointing ride.
(No offense guys, but saying that 250cc’s were big back in the 60’s and 70’s is totally irrelevant in the real world today)
My opinion and from my experience. When friend’s encourage a friend to get a larger bike, it’s not always childish peer pressure.It could simply be so you have a bike that will keep pace with them, so you all can ride the same kind of ride for the same kind of distance and make it more enjoyable.
Before the Japanese made cruisers, Harley guys rode with Harley guys and riders with Superhawks and other fast bikes rode with each other. Sure it became a contest between the two factions, but the core reason is that bikes of a like and kind, pace better together, they ride better together.
Your’ buddy is probably suggesting the R1 because he wants you to be able to ride with him. It’s a compliment.
No one bike will ever have it all, but you can find one bike that will come closer for you than the others if you do some research.
Good luck!