Not to beat a dead horse, but: Head vs Heart?

[ducman491]

I would wager to say the people who are telling you that the Duc is too much bike or too expensive to crash has never owned, ridden or crashed one. Anything with plastics is expensive to tip over. You have a better chance of minimizing damage with a naked bike like the Monster. Having wrecked a 900 SS\SP and a 748 I can tell you, yes they are expensive to crash at speed. The Duc has 10 hp more but it also has MUCH better brakes and suspension. The Kaw 500 has the same forks and brakes it had 15 years ago. Get the Duc be repectful of it and ride your own pace.

[TonyDiv]

How many Moto GP riders started out in that class? How many Formula 1 drivers never raced before? How many commercial jet pilots never flew anything smaller?

Answer: NONE Everything we learn or achieve is based on the principle of 'building up'.
It's the reason that high school physics isn't taught in the first grade.


All of these people learned on less powerfull, easier to control machines. They got to a point where their skill level was higher than the machine could deliver, and then they moved up. There's a reason that the 1100 Monster's advertising materials don't include the phrase 'entry level'. If big bikes are so great to learn on, why don't the MSF classes use GSXR1000's as the training bikes?


Yes, you can probably get on just about any bike ever made for your first time and probably be able to 'ride' it, hell, you may even get pretty good, but I garantee you that you'll be a better rider if you start out small and work your way up. You won't have to worry about excessive power lifting the front wheel, you can just concentrate on learning to ride. As your skills grow then the bike can follow.


Motorcycling is the only thing in life that I can think of where people with little or no experience feel that they can enter at the top of the curve. Sometimes you just need to put the ego away.

[ducman491]

Originally Posted by TonyDiv

How many Moto GP riders started out in that class? How many Formula 1 drivers never raced before? How many commercial jet pilots never flew anything smaller?

Answer: NONE Everything we learn or achieve is based on the principle of 'building up'.
It's the reason that high school physics isn't taught in the first grade.


All of these people learned on less powerfull, easier to control machines. They got to a point where their skill level was higher than the machine could deliver, and then they moved up. There's a reason that the 1100 Monster's advertising materials don't include the phrase 'entry level'. If big bikes are so great to learn on, why don't the MSF classes use GSXR1000's as the training bikes?


Yes, you can probably get on just about any bike ever made for your first time and probably be able to 'ride' it, hell, you may even get pretty good, but I garantee you that you'll be a better rider if you start out small and work your way up. You won't have to worry about excessive power lifting the front wheel, you can just concentrate on learning to ride. As your skills grow then the bike can follow.


Motorcycling is the only thing in life that I can think of where people with little or no experience feel that they can enter at the top of the curve. Sometimes you just need to put the ego away.

I agree with everything you have said above. The only exception is no one is talking about starting on a GSXR 1000 or a Monster 1100. The Monster 620 is a beginner bike. Very comparable to the SV 650. Which is arguably the best beginner bike ever. I think it even makes a few HP more than the Duc. The only reason to buy the Ninja 500 over the Duc is money. You can pic up a Kaw on craigslist for $1500.

[Zed]

Ok I got one last suggestion after reading your last post. Buy a inexpensive Ninja, then save save save and ride ride ride that little Ninja. Figure out what it has you like and what it does you dont like and go from there. So then your 2nd bike that you saved for after buying the cheaper Ninja is what you want for sure. Also you got some time under your belt and you got a good bike to learn on. Along with a good idea of what you should buy when your ready to spend some money on a bigger bike.

[g33x0r]

Originally Posted by Zed

Ok I got one last suggestion after reading your last post. Buy a inexpensive Ninja, then save save save and ride ride ride that little Ninja. Figure out what it has you like and what it does you dont like and go from there. So then your 2nd bike that you saved for after buying the cheaper Ninja is what you want for sure. Also you got some time under your belt and you got a good bike to learn on. Along with a good idea of what you should buy when your ready to spend some money on a bigger bike.

Agreed, my first bike was a cruiser and I thought that was the kind of bike that I wanted. After putting a couple thousand miles on it I realized that I wanted something a little sportier to handle better in the turns, maybe a less laid back riding position, and something a little quicker/faster too.

[enzo32ferrari]

i had the same exact thought process as the OP. but then it hit me: if they say you're bound to crash/fall/drop your first Ducati/motorcycle and you're taking their opinion seriously, YOU'RE THINKING NEGATIVELY!!!!!!!!!!!

no one said it was a requirement to drop your first bike; it's just a trend that i'd prefer me or you shouldn't follow and even though you have a Ducati, you DONT have to race, you DONT have to be going 90+mph. hell, rev it up at a stoplight to impress the girl in the car next to you if you want, but you don't have to drag race it; i'm sure ppl will call you a wimp etc. for not racing, but i'd prefer being called a wimp than having to replace my Duc/pay medical fees; and at the end of the day, you still have a Ducati to ride.

now, it is still possible to go down, and there are third party accessories you can buy (and should seriosuly consider doing so) to minimalize damage to your Duc if in the case you do go down: i.e. frame sliders, front and rear axle sliders. they might be a bit pricey but they're a lot less expensive than buying a new Ducati.

hoped that helped yo.

[nolimit510]

I started out with a 250, sold it after 4 months, but I do NOT regret it one second. There were 3 instances where if I had a more powerful something really really bad could have happened to me. There is a chance that nothing will happen to you on a 600 cc bike, but its lower than on a 250. Whats the harm in buying a used small bike and selling it when you get bored? You will probably get a couple hundred less or break even.

A bicycle is nothing like a motorcycle. How many scooter accidents are there, in NYC every chinese restaurant has a scooter delivery guy, I've never seen an accident with one of those, but I've seen 4 nasty motorcycle accidents. I started riding when I was 28, I thought I was mature back then but now at 32 I realize I am way more mature and cautious now.
I got into my first accident this year when a lady clipped my rear wheel and I went sliding 50 feet, and I was lucky. If i was going a split second faster she would have t-bone me and I would be 6 feet under most likely. My advice be practical think with your brain and not your smaller head. Buying a duc is not your heart, its your inner child talking.

[Nubeaddict]

I started on 600 that weaker than the 620. Wish I started in 250 as i have after a yr and heaps of km figured out I would of learnt much quicker on smaller. I do love my bike though and bought it for mainly same reasons you are thinking about the 620.
P.s. Good luck with racing. I'd love to do that 1 day too but it's alot harder, scarier than a car. I found out n takes alot longer to drive well unlike a car Which from day 1 driving when 18 would be happy to race. Also wish I was younger than 28 when started