R1 as a first bike? : Yamaha R1 Forum

champions #640 · 11-08-2003, 12:27 PM

Just curious to know the number of people who started their riding career on an R1 and have not passed on by now. I'm not talking about those people who just bought their R1 last month, but those who have purchased it new over a year ago.
I bet that only about 1 in 10 have lived past a year on an R1.

This is by no means a flaming statement, just curious to know the statistics of new riders starting out on an R1.

UnToldFoX · 11-08-2003, 01:12 PM

when i first found out about the r1 i wanted one. being 16 i had no funds, and after reading many threads on here, i learned about bikes more and more.
without you guys i wouldnt know shit about bikes. I came on here because of the looks, and the good time everyone was having, so i figured, why not sign up. glad i did.
-no r1 yet,

VinR1 · 11-08-2003, 01:54 PM

nah, didnt hop on the R1 til several years of riding went by.

sold my red/black 1 year to the day after buying it

Ronin R1 · 11-08-2003, 02:10 PM

I don't think you will get many replies to this question.

How about, Any one work for an insurance company and can get the stats on rider injuries/fatalities within their first year riding if the bike ridden was a sportbike over 600cc?

bryantw · 11-08-2003, 02:10 PM

Man why i gotta be a statistic. I guess i am that one in 10.(Thank God)..That some fugged up snit to say. I started on a 02 R1(Bought on november). The bike is sick....way too much bike for a beginner. It was my first bike but not my only bike available to ride. FuG what they said...it's all about the learning curve and the head of the person who rides it. No I am not lane spliting and pulling wheelies on the freeway with the front tire touching the 84 honda civic in front of me. And no i don't ride it like ya grandma......catch ya on the track!

hkwong34 · 11-08-2003, 02:10 PM

If someone passed on while riding the R1, I don't think they would be posting now,would they? Hmmmmm? I'm just joking with you...

I'm 24 and I started with a 99 GSXR 600. I rode that for about 3 years and put about 11k miles on it. It was such a big beastly heavy oversized bike, that when I got the R1, I was able to ride it so much better.

I highly suggest you start with a smaller bike. Something cheap and resellable. An old CBR600 would be great... Pick one up for about $2-3k, ride it for 1 season, then sell it for about the same you bought it for and then move to either an R6 or an R1. It will make you appreciate the bike more.

The way I look at it... The R1 looks better for guys since they know the difference from the R6, but a bike is a bike to chicks.

***Skeeter*** · 11-08-2003, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ronin R1
I don't think you will get many replies to this question.

Not many people will admit up to it if they have been
on the forum for a while. Nothing wrong with it. Just depends on
the age and how much common sense the rider has.

Tuan · 11-08-2003, 02:35 PM

My first streetbike ever was a 1995 CBR900RR. I was 22 at that time, and I know that the 1995 CBR900RR is of no comparison to an R1, but it is still damn fast doing a quarter mile in the low to mid 10's. I'm still standing and do not have crippling injuries if you want to know.

Maybe it was of the 5 years of dirt tracking experience when I was 8 years old. I stopped riding motorcycles altogether around the age of 13; after a 9 year hiatus ,at the age of 22, I just went and bought a brand new CBR900RR in 1995. Great bike, but the front 16inch rims left something to be desired. So, in 2001 I bought the infamous R1 brand new and saw an amazing difference between the two. The R1 is extremely stable around fast corners whereas the 900RR was always fighting you around a corner and actually was a little hard to turn the faster you go around a corner.
Torque-wise the powers of both bikes felt the same, but on paper of course the R1 has better numbers; however, I didn't feel much difference between the two bikes.....I guess because the 900RR had a full race system on it and the R1 stayed stock. Definitely the R1 will beat the 900RR when it comes to straight top end power and of course handling!!

Guess I am a handful of the lucky ones!

dis-da-1 · 11-08-2003, 02:42 PM

I'm a first timer on the R1. I bought my bike in April 02 and still have it. Only accident I had was hitting a deer at 90 mph in May of 02. Since no problems except cagers. I wouldn't say I'm the best rider, or I could keep up with a lot of others who have more experience but I don't have chicken strips! And I don't do wheelies! I've seen a few people go down doing that.
Anyways...I hope I help out your statistics!

dis-da-1 · 11-08-2003, 02:48 PM

just wanted to add I was 22 when I got it!

dis-da-1 · 11-08-2003, 02:52 PM

add i wanted to add that i didn't go down when i hit the deer. It was more like hitting a big azz bumb. I was amazed! Just luck or that little angel that sits on my shoulder!

boxing21 · 11-08-2003, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dis-da-1
add i wanted to add that i didn't go down when i hit the deer. It was more like hitting a big azz bumb. I was amazed! Just luck or that little angel that sits on my shoulder!

Man you got lucky bro!!! I hit a deer at the begining of this season going 50-60mph and it was hitting a brick wall, threw me over the bars!! Couldn't imagin hittin one at 90, glad you walked away from that one.

SandmanR1 · 11-08-2003, 05:04 PM

The first bike I owned was a 2001 R1. I had ridden before, summers on dirt and enduros, rode a couple sportbikes, F2, Katana 750, CBR 900 and am now on my second R1. I have over 30000 miles logged so far on my R1s and I havent crashed yet, not even dropped it even though my friend did the first day i got it.

But ya im a surviver!!!

SandmanR1 · 11-08-2003, 06:16 PM

btw. im 29 and if I had the bike 10 years ago, like I wanted, I probably wouldnt be here.

champions #640 · 11-08-2003, 07:22 PM

Alright, let me restate the question at hand: how many of you know a person who has died on an R1 that was their 1st bike. I hear enough about these first-timers who want an R1 soooo bad that they get one, then the unthinkable happens. Just want to know an approximate statistic of how many people are still with us who got an R1 as their FIRST bike.

Fzrider · 11-08-2003, 08:43 PM

I started out on the dirt. Rode my fathers 650 v-star for a while and then rode his 1100 v-star for a while. Then after that I bought my fist streetbike, which was the FZ1. It is a liter bike, but yet more tame than an R1. I had that for 1 year and now I have my R1. The liter bikes are powerful, but I have handled myself well and I am not crazy.

chapin29 · 11-09-2003, 05:36 PM

i purchased my first r1 feb this year and im still lovin every minute of it. havent yet reached my full potential but im slowly on my way. rode and raced a yz 250 for 6 years and raced downhill mountain bike for 4 and grew up on bikes and anything with a motor. havent yet dropped it but i did blow a rear at 267 kph man was that a show and if i hadnt had the experience at riding before and new what to do i probably wouldnt be writing this right now. with a bike like this i find its better to take your time and learn your limits and slowy and gradually increase them. thats my take

younggunR1 · 11-09-2003, 05:56 PM

I got my R1(first bike) almost 2 1/2 years ago. Put over 20,000 miles on it and im still ok. not saying it is a wise choice to get an R1 for your first bike, speaking from experience of course. but I love it. I took it to a track day at willow springs about 2 months ago and had a blast.

mach5er · 11-09-2003, 06:18 PM

A "poll" would have been a nice addition to your thread....

suaveboyz · 11-14-2003, 07:51 AM

I am 22 years old and I just now decided to start riding. I just bought a 2002 R1 and it was great. All you have to do is use common sense when riding it and don't bring the rpm up too high then you should be ok. Just go slow when you hit the curve and everything is fine and dandy. If you know a good way to ride an R1 then please feel free to express. I would love to learn more.