Questions for 250cc, 300cc, and 600c sport bike riders

I gave up on cars, and now want a motorcycle. It would be a fraction of the cost of a new car. And repairs would also cost less.

Every motorcycle rider former and current is telling me to get a 600cc, and forget about a 250cc [basically a scooter to them] or a 300cc.
And most moto vloggers mention how a 250 and 300 "get old quick". You won't be able to keep up with your buddies. They will have to slow down for you.

I'd be riding Han Solo, so no worries about those last parts. There are moto vloggers who started on 600s, and state you can, but they don't recommend it.
https://www.600rr.net/vb/15-general-discussion/273108-so-you-want-supersport-your-1st-bike.html

They say bikes hold their value well, and can be resold for pretty much the same as the purchase price. And they strongly advocate Craigslist for buying them.

I don't want to have to pay a few grand for a 250-300, and then have to reinvest the money plus extra for a 600 once I have the riding experience.
I also have issues with buying a used bike, not knowing if I am taking on someone else's nightmare.
If I take the bike to a dealer, the dealer may lie, and tell me it needs a laundry list of work when it actually doesn't. I have no trusted bike mechanic buddies.

Did anyone on here start with a 600, and get it down pat?
Did anyone on here get a used 600, and had no really costly trouble from it?

Any regrets for buying and starting with a 250-300?
Any regrets for buying and starting with a 600?

I know I would be a responsible rider, but with my Charlie Brown luck, I have a feeling I would either do the bike in or myself.

Do you have a make and model that you are looking at?

Fuck, I'm going to sound old, but when I was younger and dating this dude he had a Kawasaki Ninja in the 400-450 area as a starter bike.

I rode bitch on it enough to tell you that it was enough speed and ass to move.

When I was younger it seems most everyone I knew that had a bike was always working on it or having someone work on it. Not being mechanically inclined I decided a car was a better investment. If you’re buying a used bike and you’re going to be paying someone to work on it that fraction of the cost of a new car could turn into an on going and increasing sized fraction. New bikes will be more reliable but you start getting close to the cost of a car (at least the small and lowest price cars). It still seems like bikes require more maintenance than cars and that adds up if you’re paying someone.
If your desired for the bike is about the joy of riding it I can’t argue against that. But it sounds like you’re looking for a bike for the cost compared to a car and if that’s the only reason you might want to re-think it. I don’t know too many people that have a bike only and not a car also.

@Jorschach

Suzuki GSX-R600 aka a Gixxer because it has three power levels: A (full), B (mid), C (low). Or a Yamaha R6 or Kawasaki Ninja 600.
I may as well be happy with it because I am not going to be bike flipping. It's my turn to sound old. That would be like buying a Chevy Chevette to get used to driving before I buy a Chevy Camaro V8.

@oldgeezer

I'd be that one who just had a bike only. Many bike owners are into mods, mods, mods, which can seem as though they are "working" on their bikes. I priced things, such as bike transmissions, motors, and tires, and they don't compare to the car versions. Honestly and seriously, I just cannot mentally handle another money pit car.

jediofthefeet said:

I'd be that one who just had a bike only. Many bike owners are into mods, mods, mods, which can seem as though they are "working" on their bikes. I priced things, such as bike transmissions, motors, and tires, and they don't compare to the car versions. Honestly and seriously, I just cannot mentally handle another money pit car. :

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Sounds like you know more about this than me. Good Luck and Ride safe.

I started on a ninja 300 and honestly found it sooo much fun. It really depends on you though. For me most of the fun was in finding awesome twisty roads, and in that case having a 300 was plenty to have heaps of fun. That being said, I do know people who started on a 600 and even a 1000 with no issues. Have you tested a few?

@bennyk1991

I heard on YouTube moto vlogs how the smaller bikes are better on curves than the bigger ones. It would be a lot of straight roads for me with very, very few twists. I once read a muscle car type magazine, and the author called Hondas and Nissans with mods, "front wheel drive performance wannbees". Whoa! Never looked at it that way. I always thought those gigantic exhaust pipes were to mimic motorcycle exhausts, not V8 motors.

What I want is power and speed without using power and speed. But both, if needed, which I hope will not happen.

I have yet to get my DL back. Failed the vision test, and was too cheap to buy glasses. Now I have them, and just have to pay for a traffic school test, which provides me with a car to use. Then I can take the MSF course.

So no riding until I take the MSF course. Then I find a bike. I am a very slow person when it comes to such things.

jediofthefeet said:

@Jorschach

Suzuki GSX-R600 aka a Gixxer because it has three power levels: A (full), B (mid), C (low). Or a Yamaha R6 or Kawasaki Ninja 600.
I may as well be happy with it because I am not going to be bike flipping. It's my turn to sound old. That would be like buying a Chevy Chevette to get used to driving before I buy a Chevy Camaro V8.

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I've been on a Kawasaki Ninja 6 and it has ass when pushed but I admit I glazed over everything once I saw your mention of buying a Camaro.

WHAT YEAR?!

@Jorschach

No, that was just an analogy. No more four-wheeled vehicles for this guy! It's two wheels or no wheels.