600cc Motorcycles for Beginners - Everything You Need to Know 

I've been on the fence for a long time. 1000cc it is.

Normally I wouldn’t recommend a 600CC Supersport to anyone, but it must be said, that not all 600 supersports are the same. I started my riding career on a 2015 CBR500R. Great bike, totally easy to ride and handle, and enough power to ride in any condition and not be bored. Literally 5 months after lots of real world practice, I decided to buy a 2009 CBR600RR, which folks had always warned me not to get. Lo and behold, I realized, that the CBR600RR in particular is a stupid easy and forgiving bike to ride. There is very little power below about 8K and it’s all so linear, so an accidental throttle application won’t kill you. At about ~410lbs curb weight, the bike is easy to manage and cheap / reliable enough to fix if you drop it. Basically, you CAN start off on a 600CC supersport if you are mature, have self-control and put in effort to hone your skills. I have the same opinion about older Yamaha R6s, which didn’t make ANY power until like 10K RPM, which means you could just stay out the powerband and easily and keep yourself alive. Again, it’s not a recommendation, but I wish people didn’t scare me so much online into buying a “starter bike,” when I could’ve just as easily learned on a CBR600RR. However, If you have no self-control over your ego and actions, don’t ride a sportbike period.

Everybody should start on a Busa. Weed out the weak ones in the beginning.

1:39 600 make on average 40 hp and 600 make on average 115 hp

I left you some love down below but unfortunately it’s alll over my keyboard

Picking the 600 is a commitment. If you go into it knowing you're sacrificing comfort, utility, and storage space while also having to contend with a quirky powerband, you'll have a good time. If you buy a 600 just because it looks and sounds cool while not having a passion for it's quirk, you'll probably hate it.

Dog : bark Cat : meow Idiots : first

I'm an old fart but I have ridden an R1. Yeah, fun for a short time. I still have a couple thumpers (kick start only) a couple of cruisers (one a full dresser) and an R3. Believe it or not the thumpers are the ones I enjoy the most. That being said I believe that for some a 600cc bike as a starter is fine. For others it's a death sentence. People are different. Some are confident and aggressive others need time to work up and still some others should not get closer than a hundred feet to any kind of bike.

I'm still riding my beginner bike, a 2002 CB600S. I took my lessons on a cbr500, but I don't like the 2-cylinder bikes. 600 4 cyl has such a sweet ride. I can recommend it to every beginner. :) great video

First bike was a Honda 250 and was fun to ride. Got back what I actually paid for it when I sold it. Your first bike is what it is “your first bike” don’t be concerned with anything else but to get something manageable that you won’t get hurt on that you can sharpen your skills to get something more fun and expensive.

I understand that 300s supposedly aren’t meant for being pushed to the limits constantly but I feel confident that if I had one for a lil to get used to I could tear it up. I only weigh like 130 so the power to weight ratio would be insane

Can you make a video ranking “intermediate level bikes”? Such as Ninja 650, CBR650F, MT 07, etc. PLEASE!

Send me good vibes people. I just went from racing 125cc pit bikes to riding around on a GSX-R 750

I started to learn 4 months back on a 2018 Ducati supersport , now I moved over to 2018 Aprilia 1100 v4 tuono. People advised against it but it didn’t seem to matter. As long as you know your limits and value your life you should be okay. I’m still a beginner rider but i respect my machine and value my life even more.

I bought an R6 with less than 24 hours riding experience an I love it

So... 600s make about 40 Horsepower and 600s make on average about 115 Horsepower? Damn these schizophrenic bikes man

Good video, I agree that displacement is not the be-all-end-all. I have a 2019 Kawasaki Z650 ABS as my first bike and do not regret it one bit.

I always go on vacation with my dad on the Yamaha Thunderrace 1000. We drive a whole week Everyday day. We only drive trough mountain passes. Now that's hard even though im on the back. Your position on the bike matters.

I barely even consider power into the equation when I say beginners should stay away from 600's. Any beginner can stick to low revs and half of the super sports have rider modes these days. The touchy brakes and precise shifting are more likely to get them into trouble. Beginners grab brakes and shift sloppily, and doing either in the wrong situation on a 600 will spill you. Even with ABS and a slipper clutch. IMO people who recommend 600's to "grow into" have taken for granted just how far along they are, and they have forgotten how big a learning curve on bikes are. Add the mentioned ergonomics and heavier weight into the mix with a beginner who is extra nervous because they started with an expensive bike, and it's just a bad recipe. Starter bikes are nerve-wracking enough to start on for beginners and you'll probably be able to sell your starter bike from craigslist for the same $2000 you bought it for, so it's not like you're down anything for learning on a starter bike. And it's not like you won't have fun either; 250's/300's are super light and flickable and you get to rev the piss out of them, and you'll be more inclined to since you won't be out much if you hafta lay'erdown.

You fail to mention the self control it takes to ride a 600 slow, however coming from a 2 time daytona slayer its not surprising.

I think the power curve of the R6 is why it's a perfect bike to learn on. Under 12k rpm it's very tame and manageable. As you gain some confidence and skill, you can simply start pushing the revs and you already have a very quick and sporty bike. Most importantly clutch timing and shifting mistakes wont throw you off the bike when you're a total noob. I thought it was great to learn on. And eventually the lack of torque makes it feel slow and when that happens there are plenty of litre machines to buy:)

Finally someone that thinks the same way than me , if a 600c.c bike was driven until 10k rpm only produces around 80hp, its enought to enjoy and have fun and even the engine is getting less stress than a 300/400c.c. The breaks and suspensions are exponencial better and that provides a safer drive. The drive is less demanding if you drive until 9/10krpm of course.

I love how Yammie doesn’t take out his mess ups

I went for a Yamaha XJ6N, power at around 80HP not overwhelming. All in all a good beginner bike, in my opinion ofc.

beginners get a used bike that not very expensive so u dont get bummed out when u drop it or lay it down in a corner. engine 250-650cc (1 or 2 cylinders) never mind what make and model , ride the crap out of it in every gear and get something better when u are more experienced as a rider cheers

Street triple 675 was a fantastic beginner bike and you wont get bored with it for years. I bought mine in July 2015 and still own it.

Miss my bike already man......it just got ran over on Thursday and I wound up in the hospital with multiple broken bones. Can't wait to be back on 2 wheels

No sarcasm or any shit like that. Can you pls make a video explaining your license and insurance after the accident. How you managed to get them back? I admire your enthusiasm.

Love your content Yammie. I only became a rider at Christmas with a little 125cc but I'm already binging on your content. Keep up the great work Fanny Lube

First bike: 50cc, top speed 70km/h, had an absolute blast for a year. Second bike 88cc, 20hp and top speed of 120km/h, was and still is really fun to use, had it now for 3 years. Third bike 125cc, 30hp. Feels like I won't need a new bike for the next 2 years.

“Yammie be my dad” lmfao that had me dead

First bike: passed test and a week later picked up my 2007 Triumph Sprint ST 1050 ABS. Loving it still. Riding for just over 2 years now. Done over 28,000 miles since Nov 2016.

Guilty, I was a phantom subscriber. But not anymore 😌

Its all about reliability and self control, if your bike is reliable you can ride it fast or slow, go far or near, and so on… if you can control the urge to squeeze the throttle and go max speed on first straight you can start on any bike you can physically do a corner at 30mph at least

“Yammie Noob be my dad” I’m screaming from the bleachers.

I started out on a Honda Cbr500r and I think it's perfect and fun to start out on.

300 vs 600 "Si Si" argument. I lost it in this sentence. Keep up the good stuff and jokes, papa Yam

For everyone who wants to know. A 600 isnt too big to start out on. Its not much difference then a 300 until you crack the throttle open. The biggest danger of the 600 is that you can get over your head quick with a whole lot of speed before you are ready. Its really easy to hit 100+ mph on a 600 where the smaller bikes will top out a little after that. The issue is that some people will act stupid and get themselves hurt or killed when given that kind of power. Starting out on a smaller bike may give some advantages to an absolute newb, a tamer motor with low end torque is better for learning the clutch and learning to ride in traffic. The weight is a little lower, but honestly you should be taking it easy for a little while until you figure everything out anyways. Newbs often mess up by using their front brake when they should be using the back (grass, gravel, turning lowspeed stops) newbs often get to tense and force their bikes to wreck because the rider is nervous. (You gotta loosen up that grip yo) Let the bike do what it wants. It wants to stand up and go straight. A 600cc is a beast of a machine no doubt, but it is possible to cruise around on them. Also as yammi says, you are gonna drop your first bike alot, ecspecially if you are into stunting and drifting through yards and stuff, and just having fun. I learned on dirtbikes, which are awesome because you can drop them without messing them up usually. If its your first bike, get a cheap one that is already seen its share of drops. The ninja 400, cbr 500, are both good bikes. They are both plenty fast, fun, and excellent beginner bikes. My friend got a ninja 400 to learn on and its excellent, and I got a cbr500 for running around town on, but I have other bikes too. I like both of them, and they are excellent. Nowhere near as fast as a gsxr1000 but plenty fast to outrun 460hp cop cars or anybody else, if you know how to ride. Take your time and get into bikes at a good pace. You don't have to jump straight into a 600rr at first as that is a bit much for a beginner, but you certainly can if you value your life and you take it easy. If you have some experience riding though, maybe a year or so, a 600 is an excellent first street bike. The biggest problem with the bigger bikes for beginners is that most people who start out riding them never get good at riding in the same way someone who starts out on a 250 dirtbike, or ninja 250r will. I see people all the time on 600s and 1000s who cant even hang with a 400 because they dont know how to use the power correctly, and hold their curves smooth. Many people have been riding for years and still suck, because they started out on a 100+ hp bike. Its hard to improve when you are always scared, and you keep having close calls, almost running off the road, or running into the back of someone. The best flow is dirtbike -> ninja 400-cbr600 -> zx 636-cbr1000 - > the other 1000 rrs.

I got a 636 as my first bike,, I'm still alive

Thanks for all your videos Yammie, because of you i enlisted for motorcycle licence starting next week

I'm getting a 500cc at least as my first bike since I already have some experience on my dad's 125cc and I want something I can grow into and I won't have to change it in a year or two

My first bike was a 2001 600f Katana. A sport cruiser but emphasis on the sport. Personally, I wouldn't have started with anything more than a 600. However, I would recommend you drive a smaller motorcycle first. Even for just 30 minutes to learn how the throttle, clutch, and brakes work together. After that, I would say you can make the jump to a 1000 just fine. From my experience, it's the first 10 seconds you need to control. From 0 to 10mph is the toughest starting off. I know because I crashed my bike not 3 minutes after I first got on. I let go of the clutch too fast, panicked, hit the curb as I was braking, and was flung about 3 feet up into the air and landed on the sidewalk. Some scratches, a cracked clutchcase cover and a few weeks for the mechanic to fix the other issues it had, I was doing just fine with the bike. Just learn the first 10 seconds, repeat it many times over, and you'll get the hang of it.

300: Go kart track weapon 600: True track weapon 1000: Street racing weapon. Period.

I have a 2015 aprilia rsv4 rr as my first bike, and ive been riding around 2 years and no issues, respect the bike and you will be fine getting a 1000 as a first bike. with that said i have 8 lvl traction control, 3 driving modes, abs, wheelie control and launch control so its a easy bike :)

*2019; Year of the YAM*

Z900 is the perfect beginner bike. I'm probably getting one for my first bike.

In Ireland there are different categories of bike licences. AM, A1, A2 and A. The first 3 are generally for young guys because these categories are for mopeds (AM) and low cc bikes or restricted bikes. If you are 24 years of age or older you can apply directly for the A licence which allows you to ride any bike you want but here is the thing. You have to pass your test on a bike of at least 600cc.

Probably the best and most informational video I’ve seen in my journey to begin riding my own bike!! Thank you so much!

Honestly, I've never ridden a dirt bike or anything powered with two wheels my entire live. Purchased a 2007 ninja zx6r and taught myself. I don't ever recommend anyone do that. but It's do-able as long as you have good control

“Yammy be my dad” lmao

I always thought a beginner bike would be a 125, a 250, a 300cc..my brother's first was a Honda CBR 600F and I told him he was crazy.

That awkward moment when my bike cost way more than my car did lol

just wanna say that i love that you got your deck in the backdrop. got my skateboarding ass' attention straight away. now im gonna carry on and watch what i came here for...

You always use the R6 as an example of everything bad about super sports for street. Try getting on a CBR600RR. In terms of comfort and weight it feels like an R3. Upright seating, linear power, good low down power, light and flickable. So there's all your problems with 600cc bikes fixed.

Considering the Honda CB650R as my first bike as a beginner, thoughts on this?

Thanks yammi I'm new at the channel and tell u what I love every video u upload!

After jumping to a 1000 from a 300 as my second bike i am now fully convinced that this whole "start on a 300/600" thing is full of sh*t. Its a ploy for manufacturers to sell you more bikes. Change my mind 😅

I have a 2006 Suzuki katana 600, which I think is a perfect road bike. It has 80 horsepower, so it's not crazy, and it's comfortable enough to ride for long distances, plus decently sporty.

it looks like you've never heard of GSR 600, CB 600, FZ6.. 4 cyl, 600cc, but they're all really comfortable and easy to ride

Just another video which will make people go insane while watching another video because u just one to be the first on to comment to get that love form god yammie

yooooo YAMMMIEE....the CB 599/600f is a sick 600cc bike that isn't a super sport because the engine isn't loaded on the frame like a super sport engine. But it is super beginner friendly because it's comfortably upright due to the fact that it's sport touring class, theres no guts under 7000rpm and the thing LOVES to dip in turns. Power when you need it.....but the carburator makes throttle delivery easy to get used to. I started on one and still have it, I love it a tonne. See one in the background of your video....so i'm sure you already know this.....BUT.....all this to say, if you want to convince noobz to not get on a supersport....that is the bike they should default to instead. Food for thought.....or sick video idea!

I really hate how you just make it seem like a 600 hard asf to start on

600 cc's throttle make 'em twitch queens. I'd feel safer on a bigger displacement motorcycle with the same hp as a 600 cause I would now their throttle maps are much more user friendly, honestly the only thing that 600 have on larger displacement bikes is just weight (or rather the lack of) but once you learn how to work with bike's weight that advantage disappears

bottom line is you can start on a 600, but the best and fastest riders started on something small.

Talking about power delivery that's why I switched from IL4 to V4 and triples. Gives the bike some character too. I have IL4 for track but not road

1:40 you said 600's make about 40hp and 600's make about 115hp...??? My dude???

I think it's pretty similar to buying cars as a beginner. If you can afford it go for it because many modern Ducati models have different riding modes. In my case, I bought my first bike as a Ducati Scrambler FT and I don't regret it.

The 250/300 vs supersport starter argument will never end. I’ve done a ton of research in the last 6 months about which bike I want vs which bike I SHOULD start on and they are not the same bike. I have come to understand that I would be perfectly fine to start on a gixxer or a zx6r and I would love it. I’m a very disciplined person and even more so behind the wheel and I have a bit of experience on 125 dirt bikes, I know how to shift and how to counter steer and I know how to use the front brakes. With that said I also understand I would be much better off starting in a smaller bike because they are forgiving and give you room to experiment with your skills without penalizing you as quickly. I also know I’m 5ft9 and overweight, and I plan to do a lot of highway driving. On one hand the 250 isn’t going to be the number one choice on the highway given its speed and power limitations, and me being around 200 pounds most of the time plus all my gear. On the other hand riding a supersport isn’t going to be comfortable for someone with much of a “beer belly” and I’m not going be on the highway even 50% of my rides. I only like inline 4s on bikes everything else sounds like garbage to my ears so I’m left with be underpowered but safe and don’t like my bike or be uncomfortable, more careful and enjoy what I’m riding. The best option for me i think is a bike like an older katana. Still has an i4 but you sit more upright, and it doesn’t wheelie in 1st unless you’re really trying. Though it’s too heavy and hard to handle under 30 mph and let’s just say the roads I live on, 30 mph isn’t even possible in a car. So I feel like I can’t win and I don’t know what to do. Buy a ninja 250 and throw a 15 tooth front sprocket on it?

Oh thank god. I was starting to feel pretty weird for wanting Yammie to be my daddy. Good to know its a commonly asked question.

Anyone have 10 plus years riding but watching Slammie's "beginner bikes" videos anyway? For no reason whatsoever?

Lol my 1st bike was a CBR900 so yeah...then again it was also given to me as a gift. Loved that bike.

6:34 I wonder how do i look like when riding with R3. I´m 5´5 btw. sorry for being short.

I miss my 636. I ONLY road in canyons....well 95%. I had a six hour loop of all canyons including a taco break. It was parked outside my shower so I could stare at it in the morning and decide everything can wait, because I should go ride. It could burn a tank of gas in 30 min. or putt along at 65 mpg(after change diving my house for gas lol). And soon I shall have another one. But this time it will be track only. Why? Because while waiting for it to warm up, I would promise myself that this time I wouldn't go over 100, and then I would break that promise. Thanks for jogging my memory.

Should I get a 250 cc or 500cc for a first bike Yammie?

In Australia, once you get your first licence - R:E - you can ride anything between 50cc and 650cc, gotta do that for 2 years then another test then you're unrestricted, I'm looking at a 250cc personally

My first bike was a 2000 sv650 with no odometer and a slippery 2nd gear good memories

Here in New Zealand we have to go through learner and restricted licences before “legally” being allowed to ride any sized bike. I’ve had my learner licence for far too long. Though I recently brought an SV650 in the detuned learner version. It’s a brilliant bike, I love the way they have tuned it for all the torque down low in the rev range. Bonus being once I get my full licence I can have it de-restricted for full power. Had I brought a 300, say an MT-03 there wouldn’t be much I could do with it for more performance once I get my full. So for me the 650 was the right choice.

Slammin groove I have to say I completely agree that starting on a smaller bike and working your way up is the way, I started on the 2 cylinder 500 cbr500r, great bike, loved it, but was faster than it in about 12 months, now moved on to the CBR600RR, love it, but would not have started on it due to how I ride... fast. I am quickly getting faster than that though now and looking forward to the next upgrade. I love the aggressive position and play in the twisties more or less constantly so for me it is the obvious choice. I do believe next I'm going for the fireblade or the beamer S1000RR. Love your advice, keep up the good work Grammy luge.

I started on an r6 and its manageable

For a noob like myself, this was helpful. Appreciate it!

Start on a fireblade but every day before mounting on it you must pray to Rossi and rewatch Yammie's crash 20 times. In slow motion.

So if you’re bored of a 300 but don’t want an uncomfortable track bike, what is done to do.

1:41 600s make 40 horse power but 600s make on average 115 horse power?

I have an Aprilla Rs 125 full power for my 1st motorbike with a few mods runs around 35BHP here in the uk it runs like a dream and it’s so fun everytime I jump on it - and will beat most new 300cc 4 strokes

I have a Yamaha XJ6S (600cc) and I love it. First bike; first love.

Me: watches almost all yammie vids. Also me: checks licence, only allowed to ride up to 125cc motorcycles.

It's simple just get a 1000cc done

I will be buying my first bike very soon and when I put my money on the table and see what I can afford it is pretty obvious that my options are somewhat limited. I can afford to buy an R3 or Ninja 300 new or used R1 or GSX 600 with 750cc engine in it. And that R1 is quite old one too. That is what is offered used around the place that I live in. I know those are all sports bikes only, but that is what I am interested in. So, I was almost set on buying 2018 R3 until I saw the announcement for a new one. So now I am waiting just a few more weeks since it should be available at the end of this month or at the beginning of February, at least that is what dealership has told me.

My uncle left me his bike in his will. Honda cbr1000r Never rode a bike in my life. It sits my my garage.

Thanks for this new (for me) and incredibly useful way of looking at motorcycles and their performance.

You all are boomer af.. just like my dad always said "300cc is for girls"... well better start calling me suzie because i'm not dying on a 600cc just because "people told me so". A 600cc is just too much for a beginner... period. 300/400cc is way better.. it has enough power to keep up on highway with cars easily, but not so much power that it surprises you. Remember, it's better to be fast on a slow bike, than to be slow on a fast bike. Especially in most european countries, where you need to have an A license to drive anything above 35kw.... in my country i need to be at least 24 to get an A license... i'm not waiting for that. I'm getting an A2 license next year (20yo) and then i can get the Ninja 400, which is 33.4kw.

I yearn for back in the day when a beginner could get a 400-500cc UJM. Perfect utilitarian machines that if you were a semi responsible hooligan on you won’t kill yourself. You could ride The two lanes or the big slab for half a day in comfort and have just enough HP and torque to be fun. Well we really weren’t beginners because most of us had a mini bike, or a Honda Trail 70, or had at least rode a buddies if your parents wouldn’t let you have one(me). My first bike was a 1980 Kaw LTD 550, a simple air cooled inline 4. My buddies had a couple of Honda CX500s that we all thought were the coolest of the bunch(water cooled transverse twin, shaft drive), One guy had a a KZ550, and another a “little” KZ400 twin. We were cool as sht and we all survived the experience.

Lmao, I started out as a "phantom subscriber," but I subbed after watching the "motorcycle history" videos

If I'm being completely honest, I started on a 06 zx6r instead of a 300 because I absolutely do not like the sound of any 300 lol

Depends on the person on what you can start on. I started on a 600 cruiser with a tuned down ninja 600 engine.

Get a 600. If u get a 300 first u will be wanting a 600 in a month.

Can't wait to upgrade from my 125 to a 600 ohhh baby!

No troll though. I did my first lesson on a 600cc bike (Yamaha XJ6) and thought it was slow and needed more. So will definitely be going for a litre bike straight away.

Dude, thank you for mentioning that motorcycle ergos website. I’m currently swapping an RM250 two-stroke into a cbr250 and putting rs125 bodywork on it. I needed the dimensions of the rs125, and the website did the trick. Thanks! Great video BTW.