I'm a bit curious, since it seems to be a general consensus here that the 599 is a good bike for a first time rider with no experience, how many first time riders have been able to avoid having accidents within their first two years of riding.

Also, feel free to share thoughts on why you may have had an accident if you did, or what you could have done to avoid it.

To be fair, I did drop my first bike - the 599 is my second.

If you're including drops and tips, then it's going to be everyone. I think that distorts the numbers a bit, don't you? More interesting is moving accidents.

Well if we're being fair then I actually crashed on my first bike, twice.:)

Which is why I was glad that I started on a used older motorcycle. The few scrapes that it got were just added character on the bike to me since it was nearly two decades old and cost less than my new computer.

My first time was less than a week after I had purchased the bike and acquired my permit. I made a left turn where there was construction going on and there was dirt in the intersection. The wheels lost traction and I lowsided.

And the second was riding around in heavy rain like an idiot. Coming up to a traffic light it turned yellow, I started to brake and my rear tire started fishtailing everywhere. I stayed upright all the way to the stop, at which point I tipped over sideways.

After those learning experiences I took the MSF course, acquired my license and put a couple thousand miles on that beater before upgrading. It has since served as my training tool for my wife and two other friends, all of which have dropped it at least once, but the bike is no worse for the wear and neither were they with proper gear and controlled environment.

If you're including drops and tips, then it's going to be everyone. I think that distorts the numbers a bit, don't you? More interesting is moving accidents.
Actually, I see the drops and tips as a part of the beginning riding experience. I know it still happens to experienced riders, but I think you are far more careful about it and less likely to do it after you have been riding for a while. I could be wrong though.

Also I should qualify that by saying I mean drops or tip-overs while on the bike. Not my dog knocked it over in the garage, the tie downs snapped in the trailer, or the hot sun and the asphalt teamed up because they had it in for me.

The first time way revving too high and letting the clutch out because I was nervous. Maybe less power wouldn't have been as bad, but I don't really know. It was a really noobish mistake. The second was grabbing the front brake and would have sent me down on anything but a cruiser with crap brakes.

Ive never crashed but my bike was backed into twice in two years if that has anything to do with this.

Highsided on the interstate about 2 1/2 months (Aug 22nd 2005) after getting it.

If you're interested in reading about it.
It's the first post in this section.
Here's a link.

http://www.honda599.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=479

Highsided on the interstate about 2 1/2 months (Aug 22nd 2005) after getting it.

If you're interested in reading about it.
It's the first post in this section.
Here's a link.

http://www.honda599.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=479

You know what's more amazing about that story? That your wife lets you ride at all anymore!

Highsided on the interstate about 2 1/2 months (Aug 22nd 2005) after getting it.

If you're interested in reading about it.
It's the first post in this section.
Here's a link.

http://www.honda599.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=479

You know what's more amazing about that story? That your wife lets you ride at all anymore!

Maybe she figures the motorcycle is still a better midlife crises than a 25yo hottie! :naughty

Hay, nice poll Icarus. Modified it a bit so everybody would be able to chime in... More fun that way, hope you don't mind.

Oh and...
it seems to be a general consensus here that the 599 is a good bike for a first time rider with no experience...
Dunno if I'd agree to the "general consensus" statement but here we are :wink:

Don't mind at all, thanks for the assist RND :)

If you're including drops and tips, then it's going to be everyone.

Only dirtbikes, I haven't dropped a streetbike yet (licensed since '83). I crash dirtbikes regularly. Does anyone think prior non-street experience minimizes or eliminates clumsy drops?

Everyone on the local forums around here suggests to start a new rider or a young rider on the dirt. Most of the time it's not that fast, and a fall won't be a perilous (dirt is softer and no traffic to speak of).

Then, once you get into a situation on the street where you lose traction, your dirt experience can really save you.

I've heard that too, and was planning on going that route but got too impatient. I did ride dirtbike when I was a kid though, so maybe there was some carryover?

dirt is softer and no traffic to speak of...
You've never run into a tree I take it... :shock: :lol: Ouch.

Yeah I think any small bike experience helps. Dirt especially because you get an idea about how a bike behaves when one and or the other wheel ain't hooked up to the pavement.

I'm a bit curious, since it seems to be a general consensus here that the 599 is a good bike for a first time rider with no experience, how many first time riders have been able to avoid having accidents within their first two years of riding.

Also, feel free to share thoughts on why you may have had an accident if you did, or what you could have done to avoid it.

For the record, I do not agree that the 599 is a good beginner bike.

I've had 3 bikes over the years and only 1 minor mishap. Admittedly, I have a relatively low amount of miles, about 5000. Dropped my first bike at an intersection. Braked on some gravel and the bike went down. I was going about 1 mph when I dropped it. No biggie, picked her up and continued the ride.

I was going about 1 mph when I dropped it. No biggie, picked her up and continued the ride.
That's the reason I absolutely hate the saying "two types of riders..." It scares the hell out of people and seems to get most people to think "going down" has to be a tragic event. Kind of makes it a self fulfilling prophecy. I've dropped my 599 more times than I can count (Frame Sliders save bikes) and all but one of them was at low to no speed. Anyway, guess I was just venting...

The first time I got on my bike I was pulling a U-turn in a driveway going like 2 mph and fell over, does that count?