Wanna buy » Should I buy the MTS 1100 for my first real bike

[Vino4 2007 1100 (Red)]

OK, don't laugh. I have riden moped & scooters, etc. when I was younger, and just completed my basic rider / safety course on a Honda CBR 125. I feel pretty comfortable with riding, etc. but am trying to decide if I want to buy a smaller, used bike or just go for what I think I really want - the MTS 1100. I have read that the 1100 tends to want to pull the front end up. Is that true, or just the rider forcing it? I would assume that just because the power is there - you don't have to be hammering on the throttle, etc. I am very cautious and feel like my area is the perfect place to ride and learn the feel of the bike - as opposed to buying smaller and graduating up. Any thoughts?

[falcofred 2010 1200S (Red)]

Vino,
NO, for your first real bike find a used Suzuki SV650, ride it this season as much and as far as you can. It's a fantasitc bike for beginners, yet I know plenty of riders with 20+ years of riding who love there SV.
It has plenty of power but is not scary fast, kind of like the Multi, then next season get the bike of your dreams.
Your bound to make a few mistakes with your first bike, but they'll be A LOT less expensive on the SV.

[archkevinbrown]

This kind of question about appropriate bikes to start with usually hinge around a rider's presumed ability to "handle" a certain bike, his inexperience, and the likelihood of mishaps. What often seems to be forgotten is the reason for getting a bike in the first place.

If you're generally a prudent rider/driver, experienced in riding the streets outside a cage, and not a 98-pound weakling, I don't think being "ready" for an MTS 1100 is a question. It's really a matter of whether it's an approporiate bike for your riding needs or desires to begin with. If you're getting a "real bike" now because you intend to take riding a lot more seriously, tour a bit, ride two-up, run around the city on a regular basis, maybe commute via freeway now and then - in a sense "need " a bike like the 1100 - then I'd say it's a perfectly reasonable choice. I'd even go so far as to say that getting another bike to make some kind of transition would be a waste of time.

But if you're getting a "real bike" now just because it would be nice to have one, and you think the MTS 1100 is the coolest bike out there, well, it would be kind of like getting a Porsche Cayenne as a first "real car." Sure it would be nice, and it wouldn't hurt, but you could hardly call it a reasonable choice.

Of course, as they say, buying a motorcycle is never a rational decision - it's always about passion, emotion or gut feelings - so whom are we trying to kid?

[Explorer1456 2007 1100S (Red)]

Well I can reply from experience. The 07 1100S was my first real bike, And if you don't mind scuffing and scraping up a $14000 bike go for it . On the other hand maybe having a "beater" for a season might not be such a bad idea.
I saw the Multi an fell in love in about 2 seconds and just had to have it. Needless to say its got a coupl'a scuff's. I can deal with it because it's an amazing bike. Gotta do some soul searching dude!

[dandrewk 2006 620 Dark (Flat black)]

You may want to look for a MS 620 instead. Lighter and easier to flick around corners. Cheaper too.

[eviltwin 2007 1100S]

I'm with the sv650/MTS620 folks. I'd even consider a used monster if you want to go the duc route. 1100 isn't exactly a superbike, but it's torquey and you have to buy new. If money isn't an object and you're supremely confident in your skills, the 1100 is a great machine.

[Bohdan]

(...) and you're supremely confident in your skills, the 1100 is a great machine.

Almost evybody thinks "I'l be carefull and do not drop the bike" and then is brought back to harsh reality. Truth is, that the more powerfull bike is the greater chances of loosing control you have. For the first bike even SV650 is a handful.I have a friend who started on Buell Blast and is progressing fast, because this would be ideal beginners bike: low, light, not much power and cheap, easy to get used. You will reach this bike's max potential quick and this is good - you can concentrate on mastering skills and making them into muscle memory. Confidence is a false measure; if a year later you look at the point when you thought you have achieved all the necessary skills you will be amazed how much you have learned since.
To summarize: buy used bike, around 500/650cc, ride the hell out of it for a year and then buy your dream. It will keep it unblemished longer.

[kneepuck - Moderator]

Why it is a good starter bike:

1. Power is very linear. Makes it easy to access. It does not surprise you with a sudden spike in HP.

2. The more comfortable you are the better you will ride. Don't underestimate this. As KRSR says, 90% of riding is mental. If you are relaxed on the bike you will ride better.

3. You may never have to buy another bike in your life. It will do everything you need it to do.

Why it is a bad starter bike:

1. It is expensive. Any mishap will gut you emotionally and possibly financially.

2. It is a powerful bike. If you are ham fisted it will punish you.

Generally I think people attracted to this bike are older and less rash - so the old adage of get a cheap weak bike applies less. It is always good advice - but not the only route to take.

(god why won't this guy just stay away...he sold his frickin multistrada....)

[maven 2006 620 (Yellow)]

I bought a 620 a few months ago as my first bike and have been loving the experience of learning the nuances of riding a motorcycle on it.

I had a 500cc beater bike for about 2 months while I was in high school that I had fixed up...came with the barn that came with the house that my father had purchased. I sold it before the end of summer because I wasn't all that interested in riding back then.

I agree with the prudence of the individual riding aspect. The 620 lets me wind her up and get a pretty damn good acceleration, enough to slide me back in the seat, without getting too out of control. I would be afraid of something more powerful on the days when I'm feeling a little more ambitious.

As stated by a friend that I go shooting with (retired army sniper and gun safety/marksman instructor), any gun can kill. You just have to less accurate with a 50 caliber than with a 22. I think that holds true here. You can 'screw up' more on a smaller displacement bike and the results are not as pronounced. I also think that getting a 250cc bike could tire someone from riding if the weight/power ratio is too high. (e.g., good for a smaller person, but not someone like myself who is slightly over 200 lbs/100kg)

I do wish that they did speeds higher than 20mph in the MSF class. Pretty much had to train myself for anything beyond a parking lot. IT would have also been nice to know how a 125-250cc bike handles 55mph.

[martins]

Get something like an S2R, 800cc, find a nice used one from 2005, a big improvement over the old Monsters, single swing arm, more modern electrics and more guts, but not as powerful as an 1100,

You should be able to pick one up at a good price, it will be worth something too once you get fed up with it, buy some crash bungs,

The other good thing is no expensive fairings,

The engine will provide good training for when you want to step up,

[Scrambles 2006 1000 DS (Red)]

I agree with a used SV or MTS620, either one will keep you happy for a long time, or sell it next year and get an MTS1100. An SV would make a great Multi trainer!

[scottstrada]

I bought the MTS620 as my first bike- brand new and $7,200. I knew the 1000 or 1100 would be a helluva lot more powerful than I needed and I didn't want to drop over $10,000 on my first. The most important thing for me was the fit of the bike and comfort and what I would be doing with it. I think the 1100 is something to work up to once you get aquainted with a smaller engine. The 620 has amazing power and every once in a while if I'm not careful, the front end feels like it might take flight. Even if $$$ isn't an object, safety and enjoyment should be. The 1100 is a bit heavier and a bit more difficult to maneuver for a first bike. Gotta go now...I've been off my 620 too long! Best of luck to you!

[ingo 2012 1200 (Red)]

Well if you like the Multi and feel comfortable with it just buy it. I too started with a 1000er bike as a beginner and that was a good decision. Because it was so powerful i was very careful, which i guess would have been different with a lighter bike like a japanese 650er.

From my experience its a must for a beginner to ride a lot to get a lot of practice with your bike, especially BEFORE you ride in heavy traffic. And if possible take another course a bit later with your own bike to learn more.

[AdvSkier 2007 1100S (Black)]

Having taught MSF for years, I've seen beginners start out with all kinds of bikes. Rarely the right ones at that.
If you scored really well, and don't have issues with the height of the Multi, go for it.

That said, I once told a student who scored a perfect riding evaluation, who was relatively young and in good shape, to go out and get his dream KTM 950. A week later he planted it into a fence post on a dirt road and broke the frame.

So if you do get it, give it the respect it deserves and take your time learning how it handles.

[FemBot]

I'm a big fan of the 620 school of thought. I just got one and I've been riding for 35 years. My other bike is a BMW R12GS.

Why a 620? Because in town, and in the twisties, I can ride circles around the big BM. The 620 is more flickable than the 1100 so you can immidiately start learning how to ride like a "hooligan", then when you think you're good, get the 1100 and cautiously apply your skills on a MUCH larger scale.

If you start with the 1100 it could actually take much longer to learn the same skills cautiously.

Buy a smaller bike and toss it around.