You're learning. And you are.

Rob

-double post-

:P

the old goat has some spunk after all

I was once in that boat. The best deal i found was a used 2001 ZX6R, with gear included. I took it right away before knowing much about bikes. Would i have gone smaller? Maybe, but like you i want something that will last, not just something to toy around on and sell. I was VERY nervous about riding it the first time because it's so much larger than 250/650 in size (all around) but i was determined to do it. With enough patients and focus i think you can start out on a 650 with no problem. I'm 5'6 on a good day with a machine that can go 100mph in the blink of an eye. I've gone 40mph and that was fast enough for me so far. Know your limits and the bikes and i think you're golden.

I never understand "smaller bikes make you work harder" because that is usually followed by "they are more forgiving". Why you would want to learn on something forgiving and then move to something that isn't? With each bike comes that period of learning the clutch release point, throttle twist, weight...

I say go for it, but be smart with it.

You've apparently had your bike for a little while now?

I really hope that you don't really mean that 40 mph is as fast as you've been on it. You seem to be a perfect example of why you don't start out on a fast bike.

Rob

I was in exactly your same situation just about. I bought my 650R at the beginning of this summer, and I am 18. It's my first bike ever, never driven dirtbikes or anything. having said that, it was pretty easy to learn how to ride on it, although I can't compare it to anything else because I've never ridden anything else. What I can tell you is that it's easy to control at low speeds, very stable at all speeds, and has plenty of power for shootin up to highway speed on an entrance ramp. You do have to be a little careful because it does have enough power to get the front wheel off the ground occasionally from a stop if you hammer on the throttle too hard. Other than that, it's a quiet bike, sounds good, decent gas mileage, and really comfortable. I've ridden it on a couple 3-4 hour rides with not a whole lot of discomfort. I've also had no problems with it and I have over 5k miles on mine. The only thing is after a couple thousand miles my windscreen got a little loose and so did the sidepanels, so you have to tighten up the screws a little bit.
-.:EDIT:.-
I also took the motorcycle safety course and advanced course before even attempting to ride the bike anywhere. I had my dad ride it home and it sat in my garage until i was comfortable with the 250s and 500s that I got to use in the course. Don't be impatient and hop on the bike too early. It has more than enough power to kill you because of one mistake.

Read Mr Whetstones post above in conjunction with the new thread he's started.

Apart from getting the wrong bike he's done most things right, so all he needs is a pile of expensive new panels. Some riders starting on a 650 won't be so lucky.

Rob

I think regardless of what bike you get, you will lay it down eventually. The safety course doesn't give a tip for if there's sand on the inside of a turn in downtown Cedar Rapids Iowa from all the crap they pour on the roads to get rid of ice in the winter.

But the safety course, if it's any good, will mention that it might happen.

If it doesn't, experience will teach you. You'll be looking for it now and are unlikely to make the same error again.

The lighter 250 would have given you a better chance of being able to hold the bike up. If applying too much gas as you hit the sand was a contributory factor, you wouldn't have been able to give so much. That's also true if the start of the slide caused you to inadvertently open the throttle. That's just sometimes physically unavoidable. You may well lay down a 250, but not as often, and usually not as hard.

Sand shouldn't really be much of a problem as long as you're looking where you're going. It's the grit in with it, which, as the sand washes away, is like riding on ball bearings. Look for a white or grey salty looking deposit on the surface. If you see it, exercise great care.

I'm a bit puzzled as to what your advanced course covers. Advanced courses here are for experienced riders and would cover topics such as positioning for bends and how to modify the position to allow for traffic or road surface issues, and how to spot those potential problems before committing to a line. It will cover the application of everything learned at high speed (at least up to the national speed limits) and out on real roads in real traffic.

Your advanced course, if you can pass it before going on the road, must be something different. This isn't criticism - just curiosity.

Rob

Just remember, this young man is familiar with dirtbikes, and that's a major advantage to riding on the street. If you have owned a few dirtbikes, then you have a big time one-up. Just becareful with some of those people driving cars and trucks. Never ever drink/do drugs, and then ride...never!!!