This is my first bike ever...97 VFR 750f. Good idea ?

Hello All,

So i made up my mind and just bought a 97 VFR 750 to be my first motorcycle ever. I have always wanted to learn and ride but i was always talked out of it by family members. So this opportunity to buy this bike came up last week and i didnt want to let it pass me by. So i got the bike for $1200 and looking for cycle school's now to learn how to ride. Was that a mistake ?? Im a big dude 5'10 250lbs...Is this bike too much for a beginner ? Any and all feed back will be appreciated guys.

Thanks
Mize

 

Welcome to VFRWorld! I think you made an excellent choice. I started the traditional way with small displacements and took a few years. A 750 is not ideal, but nothing in life is. It sounds like you got a decent deal and you could have picked many worse cycles. The 4th gen VFR is no roaring terror. The race roots of the engine and chassis were a decade before your model. And todays modern 600/1000's are a lot more to handle. If you tip over, or have a low speed get off- you shouldn't be too upset on a 1200 dollar cycle. Get the MSF course in, pronto. Ride within your limits for a year or two. And then see if there is another cycle out there that you are interested in. I also wouldn't worry about your weight. You are no Dani Pedrosa, but the cycle has plenty of power to do everything you should be doing. Displacement is way overrated.

 

Dude, that all depends. I knew this guy that his first bike ever was a Hayabusa. He was very careful and took all the appropriate courses. He purchased all the gear and rode like a normal person. That was about 8 years ago and he is still riding with no issues. He was about 5'6" and weighed about 175lbs. So you tell me. My first bike was a Kawasaki 440 LTD when I was 21. I'm 5'3" and weigh 160 and I ride a 93 750 now. Take it easy, take it slow. Take all the courses, BRC, ERC, and get the right gear. You should be fine. If you don't have gear, newenough.com is a good place to start. Others on the site will tell you some other places that are good. There are plenty out there. GET GEAR. Also, can't stress it enough, take it slow, and take the MSF courses.

 

You guy's rock ! Thanks for the knowledge and insight RedMenace & Afpierce. I plan on taking few riding courses before hit the streets. I went to the shop today and was looking for a very good helmet. Any recommendations in that dept. ? I plan on taking it very slow and easy, No tricks and burn outs for me guys. Just wanna enjoy the freedom and fun of riding.

 

Good decision. My first bike was a 4th gen also. Almost 3 years later and 26,000 miles, it is still an extremely dependable and fun bike to ride and I would never think of getting rid of it. As with any new bike, or new rider you will have a few close calls in your first years of riding. I think everybody has those moments where they were like "That could have been bad". Its only 5 or 10mph that makes the difference whether its a coming in too hot to a corner, or not leaving enough room from the car in front. Just take it easy, and ride at your own pace. You get to do it for the rest of your life...so make it last.

 

I learned on my bike but took the riders course first. The gear seems like alot of money at first but money well spent.
Try on different helmets i now have 2 a Nolan and a Soumy I love the Soumy very comfortable. Just dont ride over your ability that is when bad things happen.

 

Helmet wise, I went from Shoei 350 dollar (wife made me get it), to sunglasses (she became ex-wife), to early modular KBC (loved it, and it saved my ass), to full-face Bell (clearance special), and a 3/4 custom AGV (pretty penny) for sunny days.... You need to try a couple. Many people think if you drop 600 on a helmet, it is for life. It is a disposable, one-use item. You should be shopping for a new one after every 2 riding seasons I'm 43, now, and ride with the full-face 90% of the time, the AGV 8%, and sunglasses 2% of the time. Once you get to the full-face, everything else just feels unsafe. IMHO having two is good research. What brand and what features is very personal. I've read about 20 articles on helmets and learned a little from each. Cycling is a hobby that will engage your mind and give you something to do with your time and your money, esp. regarding gear and mods. This article on helmets is famously controversial: Motorcycle Helmet Design, Helmet Standards and Head Protection - Gear Box - Motorcyclist Online
I had to read it 2x to understand exactly what it is saying, but it changed my thinking on helmets altogether This is the Snell response: Snell/DOT Comparison
You need to decide what is best for you and your family, and what level of risk you are comfortable with.
Pierce-Dog in Hizzy! What?! What?!

 

You don't need a lot of money to buy a good full-face helmet. You can get a good one for $100. Don't buy used - that's my advice anyway. And make sure it fits properly. Fit is hard for a new rider to judge. Take a knowledgable friend or go to a shop where riders hang out and get fitted by someone who knows.

When I started riding, it would have been insane to learn on a VFR. Too powerful, too heavy, too expensive. We all learned on dirtbikes or Honda 90s. Of course, we learned by trial and error - lots of error! Now times have changed. Take a MSF course - or take two in a row. I would use the bike that the MSF supplies, because (a) it is light and easy to learn how to maneuver at low speed, and (b) it isn't yours, so you aren't out a ton of money on plastic body parts if you drop it.

Welcome to motorcycling. I don't know how old you are, but it is a lifetime sport. My brother is 67 and he is - still! - a better rider than I am.

 

I'll also add one more thing that has dawned on me in the last 3 years of riding. Although you want to socialize, avoid group rides. The bigger the group, the more risk. My only serious accident occurred on a ride with only 2 others. Mis-communication and wildly differing speeds. I check out "moto accidents" on YouTube- most of the ones I see are on group-rides. Here's what I observe: I can predict and manage car traffic. SUV's, four-bangers, Porsches,.... left lane, turn lanes, traffic controls, intersections,..... but cycle riders are more unpredictable. They can accelerate and brake with astonishing quickness. Also, if there are many of them, you run out of the finite amount of attention you can split on each vehicle. Also, commuting traffic is more predictable than wild-ass weekend traffic. Nowadays, I will ride with one other cycle, and only if I know the dude. There are other reasons I don't like it, but you get the picture. Ride within your abilities and be in control for at least a couple of years until you decide to kill yourself. Hardy-Har-Har!

 

For a helmet, here's what I did. I went to a local shop and tried on several different brands (they all fit a little differently), Shoei, HJC, Bell, Scorpion, etc.... I found which brand fit me and which size. After that, I went online and bought one that was within my price range at the time. You can find alot of deals online for leftovers. There was a post here several weeks ago and someone said "I always said a $5 helmet for a $5 head". Well, you can do some shopping out there. $300 leftovers are going for 1/2 or more off just to get them off the shelves. There are several websites out there for gear. Newenough.com, motorcyclesuperstore.com to name a couple. Like Alaskan said - don't buy used. Never, ever. You have no idea what that helmet has been through. Also, someone once told me to get a new helmet at least every 5 years. The environment (wear and tear) and new technologies almost make it essential. Anyway, happy riding.

 

Thanks again guys for your input. Just trying to get all the knowledge i can soak up. I just turned 30 so i know i will be allot more careful on the road compared to my mind-state when i was 22 and wanting a bike. I'll never know if i love riding until i try it so here goes nothing. I plan on going back to the bike shop this weekend with a buddy of mine to try on a few more helmets and jackets. I have found a few classes around the L.A. area, It's just a matter of picking the right one. Once again, Thanks for the reply's guys. Safety first is stuck in my mind.

BEST,
Mize2

 

wise choice... after your get your sea legs, take California Superbike School Motorcycle Riding School - California Superbike School best training ever

 

IMO the VFR is a great bike but not a great first bike. It's a bike you should graduate to from something smaller.

Being a big guy should help, but instead of having to account for and manage the weight and bulk of any VFR, IMO, you'd progress better by riding a smaller, lighter bike and learn to ride there b4 stepping up to the VFR........

Try not to find out how much that plastic costs to replace or repair.

 

Try to attend an MSF course. They have different levels as you progress.

California Motorcyclist Safety Program

Good luck and Welcome aboard!

 

+1 for that! Just make sure you get the exact model # as well.

 

Same story here, I'm 38 and this was my first bike. Being a bit older I think helps as this bike can get you in trouble real fast if you don't know what you are doing. That said, yes it is a great first bike...just respect the power and get yourself some experience first. I bought my '96 last November, took the MSF class before jumping on her, and I'm glad I did...both. If you are a careful rider and a fast learner, you'll do fine. The best advice that I got at the class was to ride within your limitis and tool around your neighborhood before riding on the open road. Get used to how it handles first. It also helped to sit and find the bike's friction zone -- to get used to how the power engages. I did this for 30- to 45-mins in my garage for a few days until I could get the bike into first without stalling.

Yeah, the 250's were fun to learn on and even more fun to throw around the parking lot, but I'm glad I followed the advice of the riders in my family who suggested I go for something bigger. I'm just under 6' and weigh around 190, and this bike more than moves me...respect and appreciate this and you'll be happy with her. One thing I found hard to believe was that once the bike is moving it literally feels like it shrinks...amazing. Goes from feeling like a hefty beast in the garage to a bicycle on the road, a screaming angry bicycle that'll launch you to 60 in a blink mind you. Oh yeah, loving every ride...plus you just can't beat the sound of that V4 at all rpms. Great bike.

 

If you respect it you are in for the time of your life. Please be careful and enjoy yourself, we have.