| Author | Message | ||
     Bobby_fletcher |
hello all, i will be going saturday to pick up my 1125 CR. i have never rode a motorcycle before and my best friend, that is an experienced rider, says i am getting in way over my head. i want this bike and that should be enough, right? i guess my question is....is this too much bike for my first bike? any advice would be greatly appreciated. | ||
| P_squared |
Your friend is right. Having never ridden before, getting an 1125CR as your first bike is not the smartest thing to do, IMO. Respect it, learn, and please don't kill yourself. | ||
| Samcol |
Some people can do it. That's a lot of bike that's not very forgiving though. I think I'm over my head with my 3rd bike the 1125r haha, and the cr is geared lower so that's even more 'OH SHIT' moments. | ||
| Georgehitch17 |
i think it all about responsibility if you can stop yourself from pushing the bike to its limits and obey traffic laws it would be just like any other bike but if you know your gonna be tempted to see what it has theres a big possibility you or your bike are going to get hurt. just take it easy | ||
| Clarkjw |
The CR is alot. Even more then the R cause it's geared shorter. The major problem you'll have is turns. It's so quick steering and so strong out of the corners you could easily spin it up. Be careful. Thankfully, it's a twin and very tractable. Your life is no joke. Don't take it past 4500 rpm and 55 mph until you do the following: Get the suspension setup for you. Make the front extra soft When I say soften the front I mean reduce compression damping. TAKE ANOTHER COURSE WATCH SOME VIDEOS (instructional and WSBK.com to observe proper form and body positioning) READ ADVANCED SPORTBIKE TECHNIQUES PLAY TOURIST TROPHY TAKE A TRACK DAY Then turn on your bike and respect the throttle. | ||
| Dynasport |
Is it possible for a beginner to get an 1125CR as their first bike and not kill themselves or even wreck? Yes. Is is a good first bike? No. | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
"PLAY TOURIST TROPHY" haha that's awesome! A guy I used to work with rode a hyabusa and it was his first bike - he never had any problems. BUT he had a lot of self control. I asked him once how he started on a bike that fast and he said that his busa could be ridden just as slowly as a vespa. While that is true, I think 99% of riders (including me) don't have the self control to make it happen. I've been riding for a little over 2 years, and about 15k miles but wouldn't trust myself with a CR. Bobby - it's all up to you whether or not the bike will be a good fit for your first, but IMO you would learn more on something that won't scare you. Your first few thousand miles should be about figuring out the physics of being on two wheels - not about hoping you can survive the next ride. | ||
| Froggy |
Bobby_fletcher, there are much better choices out there for a first bike. Get something cheaper and less powerful. The Buell Blast is a good candidate, its cheap to buy, you can fix it cheap if you wreck, and when you are ready to move up, you can sell it for about the same you bought it for. If you really got your heart on the CR, then go for it, nobody is going to stop you. Would you give your 16 year old son a brand new 500hp Corvette? | ||
| The_italian_job |
my friend, the CR is not a bike for beginners, that's out of discussion! but, if you will be mature enough to understand that you are riding a bad ass bike and you don't have enough experience to cross the line and you will give her enough respect, you will be fine. don't get scared on what we told you, you won't kill yourself, as long as you will ride safe. do you have the license yet????? LOL LOL LOL LOL | ||
| Carbonbigfoot |
F*** it. Just grab the throttle and hold on. You'll be fine. No, Seriously, just the fact that you asked the question speaks well of your maturity. Go easy, Respect your limits, and when in doubt of your limits, err on the side of caution. Buell Riders are rare enough out there. Don't take yourself out of the pool. BTW, It is a Bad Assed bike! But then again, I am a little biased.... Welcome to the Party! Rob | ||
| Fresnobuell |
PLAY TOURIST TROPHY Okey dokey. | ||
| Marcodesade |
My 1125R was the second bike I've owned since 30 years ago. The first was a Buell Blast, which I heartily recommend as a beginner bike. I paid $2K for mine, and rode it for about 4 months before I was done with it. As noted above, the CR is even more extreme than the R --- and the R is plenty. I *accidentally* (no, really, accidentally) wheelied it a few times, and screeched the brakes A LOT before I got good on it. Am I sorry for any of it?  Do I freakin SOUND sorry? | ||
| Fresnobuell |
My feeling is that your riding development will suffer on the CR. A newbie riding such a powerful bike will ride scared. This will retard your riding development significantly. A better path would be to go with something less powerful (maybe an XB) that's less intimidating. Your riding skills will come along faster on a more middle of the road bike. Once you start pushing the limits of this bike, THEN move to an upper end bike. Figure 2-3 years on your first bike, before the upgrade. | ||
| Hwyranger |
you sound like you can keep your cojones in your pocket, so you may be alright, however, the bike's power may be more than your skills can handle...even if you are trying to keep it within your limits, there is something to be said about the skills needed to maintain control of the bike. Respect the bike and practice ALOT. If financially possible, get a Blast to practice on. Another member of this forum got an R as his first bike...Mature enough to practice on a less powerful bike, and he is doing well as far as I know. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
"Is it possible for a beginner to get an 1125CR as their first bike and not kill themselves or even wreck? Yes. Is is a good first bike? No." Amen to that! "I've never ridden a motorcycle before"-that scares me. You may turn out to be a gifted rider, but you're taking a hellova chance. Buy something you can afford to drop. You will drop it. Yes, you'll see in my profile I ride a Blast. I've been riding thirty years now and seen far too many people get in 'over their head' with predictable results. I passed on the opportunity twice to test ride the 1125 at the track. Way more bike than I ever want or need. Fast bikes look cool standing still. Fast riders look cool all the time and it doesnt matter what they ride (in a 'safe' way, not the squid "hey, look at me" way). | ||
| Redscuell |
Here in Oz (well, Victoria, at least) a rider is REQUIRED to start on a bike of less than 260 cc and stay on it for at least ~ 1 year -- even if you have a license from elsewhere. I've been riding 2 years and 30,000 kilometres. I started on a 250 V-twin, went to a 750 V-four, now ride the 1125 V-twin R. Based on that experience, IMHO that first unintentional mono will do you in. I wouldn't choose anything of that much power-to-weight ratio (150 hp and 170 kg) regardless of any so-called 'maturity' you have (and I'm 60). | ||
| Dirty_john |
The 1125 CR or R are not suitable first bikes and neither really is an XB given the torque at low revs. Having ridden for 34 years, been a motorcycle training instructor and am a member of the Institute of Adv Motorists I strongly suggest you get a bike which is much less powerful and cheaper to repair when it is dropped. Even better would be to like to ride a bike off road first, this will teach you much more bike control skills very quickly. No one here wishes to dampen your fun but we wouldn't want to read about your death either. | ||
| Cobra |
I took the Rider's Edge course, got my license, and got my XB12Scg. It was my first bike. I took it slow in the beginning, staying away from busy streets, not driving at night, not pushing any limits, and I haven't had any accidents and I feel completely comfortable. I know it's not the same as an 1125 but I think the same concepts of taking your time and not pretending to be Danny Eslick still apply. Like it was said earlier, it will go just as slow as any other bike. If you know the basics of riding and you are responsible, I say go for it. Seems like I'm in the minority though. | ||
| Pariah |
The 1125R is my first bike. I've ridden it a lot in the past year, no problems (except for a trackday crash--- too much lean angle--- which damaged neither the bike nor me seriously). I posted like you did, over a year ago right on this forum, asking about the suitability of the 1125R for a novice rider. Lots of similar replies. I took a lot of the advice to heart— I even went out and bought a Suzuki DR-Z400SM to facilitate skill-building. I gotta say, I think having the Suzuki helped me build skills that I may have been intimidated to attempt on my 25R, mostly out of the fear of dropping it. At this point, I feel like I no longer need the Suzuki, and I'm making plans to sell it. I have also taken rider training very seriously. I've taken the MSF Basic Rider's Course, the MSF Experienced Rider's Course (on my 1125), several trackdays (all with the 1125) and have worked through (and continue to work through) skill training from books and videos (most notably David Hough's Proficient Motorcycling series, Lee Parks' sport rider's book and the low-speed skills video Ride Like a Pro, all recommended). Situational awareness, riding at the appropriate speed (matched to sight distance and conditions) and hard braking (quick stops) are the most important skills you can develop for survival on the street. Take courses, take your riding seriously and practice restraint. Hwyranger's advice about getting a beater (any lightweight bike) to practice on is great, and worked for me. | ||
| Steeleagle |
I took an MSF safety course last Spring to see if I could be comfortable riding a motorcycle. Loved it. Both days. In the rain. Got my motorcycle endorsement and wanted an 1125R. Bought one. First bike. No regrets. Maybe at 55 I'm too old to be stupid (some will probably say it MAKES me stupid), but I have no trouble keeping the front wheel on the ground and am having as much fun as the guys that want to know how to keep it OFF the ground. Yeah, it has a lot more horsepower than the average bike, but only if you twist your wrist far enough. I'm comfortable riding it and certainly don't putt around town looking for milk bars. First track day is in the works. I don't want to preach, but the 1125R/CR can be intimidating. Ride smart or it will certainly bite you. Sermon over. You want the CR? Buy the CR. Enjoy. | ||
| Palmer |
The CR is my second Streetbike. Beforr it, I owned a Xb12, which was my first Streetbike. Before them I had some experiences in on a Trial bike (those for rock crawling dunno if trial is the exact word)and Enduro. I even went in Algers to a Desert Raid on a KTM. No problems with the Xb: great torque, but nothing too scary. The story change with the CR. it's a more powerful bike, but really smooth, with more ore less a virtually flate torque line, and this helps a lot. You don't nave any torque exploding all at one time. But this should not be all you have to know. Withe the very low gear ratio the CR pulls you in iperlight speed in seconds, and sometimes you dont't have the impression of riding so fast, the bike is really smooth, no vibrations. What else to say: I agree to the fact that as frst bike the CR will not help you to improve you driving skills. And of course ride safe: don't drink, and always wear your helmet and the more protection you can, specially the shoulder protection, even if you only take the bike for buying the milk. A lot of accident are in the cities, and when the bike is used for short time rather then for a long trip. Last but not least always THINK about your life and the people who loves you before riding. You don't need to go fast to have fun. If someone wants to race with you, let the poor idiot pass you. And remember, while riding you can hurt yourself even at 20km/h! Now, have fun! Ps: a Cr is a better first bike tha a cbr1000 or a duc 1098!! | ||
| Court |
>>>Is it possible for a beginner to get an 1125CR as their first bike and not kill themselves or even wreck? Do some searching. There have been 2 "1125 as a first bike" threads in the last couple months. Be careful. | ||
| Hellgate |
Buy a used Ninja 500 for about $1,500. Learn to ride, fall off/over you will. Sell it for $1,500 and then get your CR. Don't forget a good set of gear too. Have fun and be safe! | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
well here's my .02 i've been riding since end of 02 beginning of 03. i have over 70k in the saddle. yes the 1125r/cr is way to much for a first time rider. yes it can be done by a few. i hadn't riden in 5 months due to working overseas came home and got an r i am here to tell you that there were a few moments that i was worried about in that first 750 miles i put on her. | ||
| Scolly68 |
Personally, I think the 1125 is too much bike for a beginner. A good training course and a smaller bike even if only for one season will develop confidence. Not to mention a beginner rider course will save you money on insurance and in my state when you pass it, all you have to do at the DMV is have your photo snapped when you bring in your certificate of completion. An excellent bike to start on is Suzuki DRZ Super Moto. They are one of the best handling biks made and small enough engine to get your confidence up. You can also pick one up for about $3500. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
FWIW: Buell does make an excellent 'first' bike. Its called a Blast and they can be had very cheap!!! It also takes a crash very cheaply too. | ||
| Xbswede |
Its possible if you are mature enough not to give in to hooligan antics or always trying to keep up. Read Keith Code twist of the Wrist 2. Understand and a practice throttle control and counter steering. Take riding courses. Get endorsed before you even ride the bike if you are not already. Always ride your own pace. This can be very difficult if you plan on riding in a group. Every time I have puckered up has been in group ride situations. I cured myself of this and now have no problem dropping behind when I find myself in situations that may be outside my comfort zone. It took a wreck to do it though. | ||
| Chevycummins |
The 1125R was my first street bike. I rode dirt a little but that was it. No crashing yet! There is a motorcycle class here that is only like $30 to get your cy on your license. Its a 4 day class, 2 class room and 2 on the track, they even supply the bike. A couple of my friends took this class and liked it. The same class from the dealer was around $200. This may be a good option for someone that's never been on any type of motorcycle. | ||
| Cd89068 |
The first bike I ever owned was an 08 1125r. Just take it easy and respect that the bike will bite you. Taking it to the track this year for some track days. | ||
| Dynasport |
I could be different from the rest of you, but I have come to think that I would enjoy riding a slower bike well more than riding a faster bike with the greater potential for getting in over my head. I think part of that is my perception of my riding abilities. I rode dirt bikes ages ago, then an old heavy Honda street bike, then a looong break until about six years ago when I bought my Harley. I felt comfortable on my Harley very quickly, even though I had been away from bikes for almost 20 years. I took the MSF course even though my ego said I didn't need it and I really think it helped me. Then I started riding alone or with my cruiser friends. I always seemed to be the fast one in the group, comfortable at speed and I thought I was good in the corners. Then we started riding up to NC and riding in the mountains. Suddenly I was getting passed left and right by guys on BMWs and such. I passed it off to the fact my Harley was down on power and up on weight. Then I rode with some guys I hadn't ridden with before and came to the realization that I am not that fast after all. I have to admit that it is not just my bike that is holding me back in the curves, it is also me. Riding dirt bikes as a kid/teenager, taking the MSF course, and then riding a 650 pound 65 HP Harley for six years has not really developed my riding skills the way I would like them to be developed. I am a safe rider. I am an OK rider. I am not a fast rider. I would like to be faster. I know I will never be FAST, but I would like to improve. For that I think a lighter better handling bike would be nice to better develop my skills. It is apparently not a requirement, however, because this past year I got smoked on the Cherohala by a buddy riding his Road King. I had to slow down and let him go because I knew I was riding faster than I could safely ride at my skill level. A hard thing for me to admit to myself, but true. It's a good thing I wasn't on a CR. I couldn't have let him outride me if I had been. So, the bottom line for me, if I had it to do over again I think I would buy a smaller, lighter street bike to develop my skill on. Build up some good riding techniques. On a bike that you are not as afraid to drop and that you probably won't be riding at dangerous speed levels. Then, after a year or two move up to a faster bike if you so desire. Or not. Whatever you decide, be honest with yourself about your abilities. Don't let yourself feel pressure to keep up with faster riders if you ride with a group. Find people to ride with that you feel comfortable with, or just ride alone. Finally, don't get discouraged if you don't take to it as quickly as you hope. A friend of mine bought his first bike last year, a Honda VTX 1300. He had owned it a couple of months and did some pretty tame and short rides here in the flats of Florida when we took our trip up to NC last year. He wanted to go with us. I was concerned about his ability, but he is a very conservative, safe person and he really wanted to go, so what could we say? Anyway, he went. My concerns grew as we rode up. He seemed to have a hard time keeping up even though we were riding a relaxed pace on easy roads. Then he dropped his bike when we made it to the cabin in NC. The next day we rode the Blue Ridge Parkway. The weather was bad. Misty and a bit foggy. He dropped his bike a second time making a low speed turn. Then we got off the parkway and rode a much more challenging ride in the mountains. The group spread out over the ride and the ones of us in front pulled over to wait for the others. We had to wait for him for a long time. When he finally caught up, he got off his bike, took off his helmet, sat down and said he was done. He was serious. He didn't want to get back on the bike at all. Well, we are in the middle of the mountains a couple of states away from home. We had another five days of riding planned. We let him cool off a bit and then we all headed back out. Anyway, he grew a lot as a rider on that trip and he rides all the time now. He is still not great, but he is greatly improved. So, don't be discouraged if you don't ride like a pro at first. |
