[Lurch9]

Hey all i am 6’6 and i wiegh about 280 what would be the best beginner bike for me? alot of what i read online says start with 250 but im a big guy and don’t wanna start on something that can’t handle me or i can’t fit on. what do you guys suggest? i want something to learn on and enjoy

[WeaponZero]

kawasaki KLR650.

[Lurch9]

I been looking how’s the Kawasaki ninja 650r or homda cbr600rr compare
Just not a fan of the klr styling

[TrialsRider]

Would this be the first bike you ever rode. At around 430 lbs. these are both really big bikes, even for a guy twice my size! Great brakes, you can even get ABS on the Honda in some parts. They’re not quite the crotch rocket racers that the inline 4’s are. If you’ve never rode anything else, most would urge you to consider the 500cc variants as being the largest possible bike to learn on.
Or put it this way; if you got on the back of either of these bikes with me driving, I think I could scare the crap out of you with their power.

[Lurch9]

I love the ninja’s style what about a ninja 500r? This would Be the first bike I’ve owned rode my buddies couple times but still am very much learning, was originaly looking at ninja 250r but I’ve read that if your over 6’3 or over 220lbs go bigger so how bout ninja 500r

[eternal05]

500ccs will haul ass with just about any rider on it. Your comfort as a tall guy will be the main issue. The 500R is pretty darn beginner-friendly, with relatively light weight and a reasonable throttle. As always, start with care and go one step at a time, but yes, the 500R will do you just fine.

[Lurch9]

Not to be an idiot but difference between 500r 600r that makes 500 more suited for beginner? And comfort as a tall guy you mean?

[WeaponZero]

Important facts:

1. Any bike, even a 250, will haul 300+ lbs without it significantly engine performance. The issue with smaller bikes and heavier people is in the suspension, not the engine. “Beginner” bikes typically come with non-adjustable suspension thats undersprung for us heavier folk. You don’t start seeing fully adjustable suspension until you start getting into bikes that no beginner has any business being on, unfortunately. An upgraded aftermarket rear shock will fix that, though.

2. The Ninja 500R has been discontinued. The 650R is its replacement. Kawasaki actually ceased production of the 500R in 2008 and all “new” models you see are actually left over from the last production run. 650Rs are respectable beginner bikes.

3. DO NOT start out on a 4 cylinder bike such as the CBR600RR or Ninja ZX-6R you mentioned above. You will make the learning process even more difficult for you. Stick with twin and single cylinder bikes due to their more manageable power delivery.

4. Since you’re dead set on sportbikes, here is a small list of beginner-friendly sportbikes out there. Note that most of these aren’t ACTUALLY sportbikes, but rather standards that are wearing sportbike bodywork.

Hyosung/UM – GT250R, GT650R
Kawasaki – Ninja 650R, Ninja 500R, Ninja 250R
Suzuki – GS500F, SV650S/SV650SF
Yamaha – FZ6R

These are the only current production model motorcycles you should be looking at as they are the only beginner-friendly bikes currently out there on the new market that a beginner has any business on. Aside from the SV650S/SV650SF, which is in every sense a “true” sportbike, all of the bikes on this list are actually standards that are simply styled like sportbikes. Honda unfortunately does not make any bikes that meet your requirements.

5. Your height may be an issue on sportbikes as their seating position forces you into a tuck which taller riders like yourself with naturally find VERY cramped.

Now, some things you should know IMO. I have been riding for two years and I still own my first bike, which is a 2000 Suzuki SV650 naked that is completely stock aside from an upgraded rear shock. When I first bought it, I weighed 335 lbs and my weight was somewhat of an issue on that bike. Even after having ridden for a year I was still struggling with many basic MSF techniques. It wasn’t until after I lost some weight and dropped down to about 275 that I was able to do things such as the box. Sportbikes simply aren’t built for big guys like us. Not smaller ones anyway. I’m going to give you a piece of advice someone once gave me as a big guy that I wish i had followed. Regardless of what type of bike you want, learn on a dual sport or supermotard-style bike. A Suzuki DR-Z400SM WILL do the job, and very well. If, after a year or so you are still dead set on a sportbike, trade in your dual sport or motard on a proper sportbike. This will allow you to bypass the beginner bikes and move into the bigger sportbikes that are more ergonomically friendly to us big guys.

[Lurch9]

thanks for all the advice!! I was looking around online and noticed the 500r was discontinued. And as far as being set on a sport bike im not 100% set on it, at the end of the day i like the styling of the ninja series, and i also like the styling of other bikes but they are out of my price range. My uncle has a 06 harley sportster i think not sure but i love his bike but i know there is no way im going to afford that soon and i really wouldnt want that as my first bike. with the sportbikes the prices are usually under 5k and i been seeing tons of clean good cond. used ones for way under 5k so if i dump it or something its not a 10k+ bike. i never went into this thinking a bike would be as comfy as my f150 i know that there will be sacrifices especially being a big dude. i am just hoping to find a balance between beginner bike, styling, price, max comfort for my size!

[JackTrade]

The difference between 500 and 600 ccs in terms of suitability for novices is all about engine architecture.

500cc bikes are twin cylinder (or in my case, single) engines…power delivery is linear, and the torque is spread more or less evenly throughout the powerband. Jump on the throttle by accident, and it’s fairly manageable.

600cc bikes are 4 cylinder engines…they rev very high, and the power is sorta peaky (they’re designed for racing, where the bike is mostly operating at sustained high RPMs). Think a turbo-charged 4cyl in a car, and you get the idea. They tend to be less forgiving on the throttle than a 500….you jump on it (say you hit a pothole) and for a beginner, things can get out of hand very quickly.

[CBBaron]

Two big difference between the 500r and bikes like the CBR600RR, the CBR has a much more aggressive riding position with low handlebars and higher and more rearward foot pegs. The position is likely to feel pretty cramped for a large rider and will make it difficult to handle as a beginner. They are really designed for riding very fast. The second big difference is much higher horsepower with a peaker, higher reving engine. Not that even a 500 doesn’t have a ton of power but the 600s have power to weight ratios comparable to supercars.

A Ninja 250r will fit you and be capable of 80+mph with good acceleration. I find the pre-08 models a little more comfortable but either is likely to work best with a suspension upgrade for your size. GS500s seemed to fit better than the Ninja 500 when I tried them out. Also the twin cylinder 650cc bikes like the SV650 or Ninja650r are reasonable starter bikes. Though even these are very fast and powerful which means the learning curve will be steeper.

Craig

[Lurch9]

thanks guys! I guess next step is to goto the dealer and sit on the 250/650 and see which is more comfortable and go from there.

[eternal05]

If you’re tall enough, the 250R won’t be comfortable when you sit on it. Don’t worry though; I’m 6’4″ and I made it work anyway. Whether or not you want to is up to you, but you can buy adjustable footpegs which allow you to lower the pegs just enough to create room for your legs. Again, it all depends on what you want to do, but it worked out just fine. Let me know if you choose to go that route and I can give you more info.

[Lurch9]

So what all did you do to make it work? And how is the ride/preformance of the 250 with you on it? I’ve seen tons of videos but there all small guys talking about the 250. I wouldn’t mind getting a 250 just wanna get a bike that once I learn to ride well I’m Not gunna want new one immediately I want it to last me a while before I crave an upgrade.

[eternal05]

Like I said, buying $130 adjustable footpegs allowed me to lower the pegs enough that my knees fit under the grooves in the tank. However, at 6’6″, you may have more trouble than I did. The real question is this: what’s your inseam?

As far as wanting a new bike, that all depends on how speed-thirsty you are. If you’re patient, and willing to learn all the lessons the Ninja 250R has to teach you, you can ride it happily for a long, long time. The truth of it is, however, that most of us (myself included) are ALWAYS lusting after an “upgrade.” I’ve been riding for three years and I have three motorcycles, and I STILL drool at the ones I don’t have. It’s a disease. It will infect you. Really the question is, do YOU have the RESTRAINT to hold your horses on an upgrade if you know that you still have a lot to learn?

[Author]

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