2004 S4R Vs. 2010 696

[Scotty_Wheelz]

The S4R has basically the same engine that won a few WSBK titles a couple of years prior. Different cams, and intake are the difference IIRC.

YOU ARE NOT READY FOR THIS BIKE.

Get a ninja 250, beat the piss out of it for a few months, drop it plenty, sell it for what you bought it, then make the jump.

Getting an S4R as your first bike is like getting a 355 Spyder for your first car, just a bad idea, plain and simple.

If I get the 250 and ride it a few months, can I jump straight to the S4R?

[kopfjäger]

If I get the 250 and ride it a few months, can I jump straight to the S4R?

I vote a year. If you have never ridden a street bike.

[El Matador]

If I get the 250 and ride it a few months, can I jump straight to the S4R?

I wouldn't recommend it but it would be a hell of a lot better idea than without any prior experience. I'd give myself a 10k mile learning period. After that, you'll have learned enough about riding basics that you can probably handle most of what the road will throw at you without killing yourself on the torque monster that is the S4R.

Hell, 10k miles is nothing, you can bang that out in a few months if you're as feverish about riding as I was when I first started.

[El Matador]

I vote a year. If you have never ridden a street bike.

I lean more towards mileage. You'll learn more in two months and 5k miles than a whole year with 3K miles.

[Scotty_Wheelz]

Thanks for everyone's honest answers.

[El Matador]

Thanks for everyone's honest answers.

Just looking out for you, man. My first streetbike was a CBR600 and it's a genuine miracle I lived to tell the tale.

[Scotty_Wheelz]

Just looking out for you, man. My first streetbike was a CBR600 and it's a genuine miracle I lived to tell the tale.

I know man I respect that. I will probably pick the bike up it's such a good deal and throw it in the garage until i'm ready for it. I will pick up a 250 for a grand or something for the mean time.

[billruiz]

IMO a pretty good deal for the low mileage S4R. If you can swing the S4R AND a 250 beater bike, all the better. I've been riding for almost 2 decades and I wish I would've gotten a Ducati earlier. I've had to learn (still learning)how to be smooth on the throttle on my S4RS while my other (Japanese sport) bikes could forgive a little clumsiness. If the S4R doesn't have frame and axle sliders already, get some on order now.

[mojo]

Can you honestly tell us you are gonna buy the S4R AND a beater, and just leave the Monster sit in the garage???

Anyway, my first bike is my m900, and I don't think I would recommend anything faster than that for a first bike.  There have been a few times the low-end torque almost got me in trouble. FYI, the S4R has about another 40 hp on top of my 900.  That being said, I completely agree with what El Matador said.

[WetDuc]

The S4R has basically the same engine that won a few WSBK titles a couple of years prior. Different cams, and intake are the difference IIRC.

YOU ARE NOT READY FOR THIS BIKE.

Get a ninja 250, beat the piss out of it for a few months, drop it plenty, sell it for what you bought it, then make the jump.

Getting an S4R as your first bike is like getting a 355 Spyder for your first car, just a bad idea, plain and simple.

I have to full heartedly agree here.

[1KDS]

If you're dead set on getting a monster right away, go find a 620/695 or 750.  After a few years/ few thousand miles upgrade to one of the 4V monsters if that's what you want to do.  If you go buy an S4R and a two fiddy you will want to ride the monster immediately, and it is an unforgiving bike.

[muskrat]

you may also consider a 620 or an older 750 Monster.  These are very forgiving and pull out of corners easily is you are in the wrong gear.

[matt922]

you may also consider a 620 or an older 750 Monster.  These are very forgiving and pull out of corners easily is you are in the wrong gear.

+1, you're gonna be bored with a 250 in a matter of weeks. A s2r 800 or sv650 wouldn't be terrible choices either.  The learning curve will be slightly steeper, but sometimes you need to make compromises. 

[derby]

+1, you're gonna be bored with a 250 in a matter of weeks. A s2r 800 or sv650 wouldn't be terrible choices either.  The learning curve will be slightly steeper, but sometimes you need to make compromises. 

it's not about being bored, it's about building riding experience on something that is less likely to bite him in a very bad way.

[Billyzoom]

Times have changed, that's for sure.  A bike like the 696 would have practically been a superbike when I started riding in the early 80s.

My first bike was a Honda CB 400.  It was also my second bike and my fourth.  It was a great bike to learn on, with enough power to be fun and still be forgiving.  I rode it on trips from southern california to the bay area multiple times.  Today a bike like that wouldn't be considered for most folks.  My wife wants a first bike and when I recommended a SV 650 she said "isn't that too small"?  She's never ridden, but that's a common mentality.  I think it's way off and driven by the squid mentality.

I currently have an S4Rs, which is a great bike.  To be honest, it has too much power for me, and I've been riding for almost 30 years.  I can't use all its power.  I think it's overkill for the street for most responsible riders, though it's handy (and fun) to have that power in reserve just to touch on when desired.   

If I were you and those were the only two choices, I'd go with the 696.  To be honest though, I'd probably go with something like a Suzuki SV 650.   Much cheaper, a great bike, and easy enough to mod if desired.  Buy one for $3500, ride it for a year, sell it for $3250.  I may actually get myself one, in addition to one for the wife.  I tend to enjoy a bike I can wring out more, and I simply can't do that on my bike or I'll get in over my head.  Quickly.  Like by redline in second gear.  I'm not sure if I'll keep this bike, to be honest. But it's definitely not a learner's bike.

I also agree that a 250 could be good to learn on, but I'd persoally rather have a bike with a little more oomph for freeway riding.  Hence the SV. 

Good luck.   REgardless of which bike you get, it takes a lot of self control.