Crotch Rocket

SAM I AM - if he is going to do this - have him take his motor cycle license class FIRST - especially if he has NEVER ridden a motor cycle before.

he wants a 600cc engine...can he handle a 400lb bike?

do you have friends that have bikes? if so - have him ride with them FIRST before he buys ANYTHING....

Most importantly - he needs to know how to HANDLE the bike...if he has NEVER ridden before - in my opinion? he needs to start out with something lighter and more "easy" than a crotch rocket...my nephew in Escondido has a few bikes...maybe you two could drive down to see and handle some?

Please please please have him really stop and think about this. My husband and I have spent our whole lives riding bikes (motorcycles) and there is 1) a lot of safety to learn if you've never ridden before, 2) it's a lot of money, not just buying it but fixing, upgrading, etc 3) lots of time, if he plans to ride it for fun and unless your kids are older and can stay home by themselves, you will be home with the kids while he's out riding.

Here's an example. The husband of one of my friends decided he wanted a motorcycle. He just went out and bought one, never ridden before, doesn't know the first thing about them. He had to call my husband to come pick it up and ride it home for him! Three years later, he never rides it, it's not even worth what he bought for it, it sits in his garage and takes up space.

Another example. An ex-boyfriend of mine went out and bought a dirt bike because that's what me and my family ride. We had to teach him how to ride and then after only a month he decides he's pro, goes out jumping it and breaks his collarbone.

I'm not saying your husband will do any of the above but he needs to think long and hard about everything that it entails. We were talking about selling one of our bikes, my husband's GXR1200 and he said he could get $5000 for it easy, so $2500 for a 600 may be farfetched. Don’t forget the extra licensing, taxes and insurance that will need to be obtained. Some states (not sure about CA but in CT) you can't even get your bike license until you've passed the DMV test. Does he have a friend or family member that rides that can show him what to look for in a bike? What to check for in a used one? How to ride?

I'm not against riding, everyone in my family (immediate and in-laws) does it. However, we want people to be safe and know what they're getting themselves into. Good luck!

you know there are dealerships out there who offer rentals. Have him rent a few times, take the classes....& then he'll have a better feel for what size/style suits him best.

Arm yourself with first-hand knowledge before making any purchase! Oh, & the problem with buying used is that you have no idea how many times it's been laid down....just saying a little bit of paint hides a whole lot!

I don't know what's available in your area, but our DMV offers safety classes for people seeking a motorcycle license (and they provide bikes to use). I'd highly recommend looking for something like that BEFORE putting out the cash!!!

make sure he gets lessons!!
GSXR are powerful bikes. they can be hard to handle for someone who has never done it before. They are fast, with a LOT of torque.
Advice: Get lessons.
MAKE him buy a helmet & leather Jacket. and MAKE him wear it.
I LOVE those bikes, but you have to be smart about them.
Wear protective gear, Never just t-shirt sandals etc
I'm not sure as to where to buy them in CA.
I can call my brother and ask. He has 3 crotch rockets now.

I had a murdercycle (sp? LOL) when I first got married. I was in college and needed very cheap transportation. When my wife got pregnant, and I graduated and got my first full time job, I got rid of it. When my last child got married and was comfortably on his own and my wife got a job good enough to take care of all the bills, I got another murdercycle.

If he does get a murdercycle, especially a pocket rocket, he needs to have such a good AD&D policy so you and your kids will be taken care of while you either take care of him or until you remarry.

I've seen the "kids" (young bike riders) on pocket rockets and they tend to weave in and out of traffic, ride on the yellow dashed lines between lanes in heavy traffic. I've seen several on the pavement with an ambulance near by. I've had two or three almost crash in the back of me while I change lanes with blinkers on.

I would advise he wait until he no longer has kids at home and you are financially taken care of. Then get the pocket rocket.

Good luck to you and yours.

He's going to need his motorcycle license before he can legally ride one. Look online, I know there are classes you can take. As for the type of bike, something smaller to start with is probably a good bet.

Rentals, classes and increased life insurance....and sign the organ donor card.

my husband suggests Yamaha R6 or honda CBR 600RR...per my husband all japanese crotch rockets are good.......

he is on multiple forums for bikes gixxer.com is one he said to recommend to your husband.....and as far as buying one go to ebay or craigslist

my husband just last weekend bought a Ducati 999R from ebay....he drove to florida to purchase this

our insurance went up about $550 a year, but our riding time is seasonal out here

although i really didn't want him to get it i knew that it would be hard to talk him out of it since he used to race in daytona & he absolutely loves riding.
also i had a bike prior to us getting married too so what could i really say but i sold mine after i had kids. I just wanted him to wait till the kids were much older/out of the house

i did have lots of stipulations otherwise he couldn't get it:

raise life insurance
raise disability insurance
1 speeding ticket & it's gone, no if's ands or but's and much more

getting a motorcycle license is super easy, most people have a bike prior to getting their license, I did.

I suggest you price insurance & make sure his life ins & disability insurance (extremely important) are enough to cover you & your kids incase something happened......do this prior to buying it, just to make sure it's in your budget.

I think you need to advise against it. It just is not safe and he has no experience or much time, right?! AND, worst part...you guys live in L.A.! No bueno, tell him to wait until you can pull off being a single parent.

Um....still LMAO at 8kidsdad response...sorry.

He cannot legally ride it until he gets a motorcycle permit, then license (at least in PA). Your insurance is going to go up. If he takes a motorcycle safety class either at the DMV or a local community college, your insurance will be better.

I briefly dated a professional road racer and he wouldn't ride a street bike from O. corner to the next--and he made his living racing bikes!

My husband recently bought a H/D and he has taken the training, classes, etc.

Your question isn't really asking for anyone's opinions on him getting a bike, more where to BUY O.. My husband found his Harley on craigslist.
And, obviously, motorcycle shops sell used bikes as well--they take them as trades all the time.

Sam, I know you didn't ask this but get a quote on the insurance. I just quoted a young man here in AZ (I'm an insurance agent) and the annual premium was $3000!!! So that may need to be factored into your decision. Good luck!

LOL 8kidsdad. Um, out here we call crotch rockets "donorcycles" because chances are you'll end up an organ donor. You live in a very dangerous place to even drive in a car. And he wants a fast motorcycle and has no experience? Does he have good life insurance? I am serious.