I'm in the market for a bike, I've been scavenging Craigslist for the past couple of nights looking at different bikes and I'd like to get some suggestions on what to look for. So first what I know I want, sport bike 500-650cc...don't want to go any bigger than that (I like living) and don't want to go lower because well I want it to last me awhile. It's going to be my first bike, I've driven them before just never for long periods of time. And I have a budget of around $5k MAX the closer to $3k the better.

So suggestions on good models/years?
Things to avoid when I see them?
Good brands for helmets/jackets/etc?
Good sites to search for helmets/jackets/etc?
Any other tips in general so I don't bust my arse?

I have one potential bike that I've emailed a guy about, it's a 2004 GSX-R 600 with 16,000 miles, has a fender kit and exhaust. He's asking $4,200 for it is this a good deal? Link to Ad

Pic of said bike:

1600cc or bust

Making sure he can have a back seat rider? Or do you prefer a side car?

Metal, Are you a skilled rider?

No this would be my first owned bike so I'd be learning. But I've been on them before so I won't be going full retard.

Baby steps...baby steps.

yeah....this reminds me of wanting to get a Ducati 1098 with never having been on a motorcycle before. I opted to take lame classes to learn before the purchase (I'll be doing so this summer)

I refuse to buy a "learning" bike like a kawasaki ninja but thats just my stubborn arse. The bike above looks pretty sweet if you ask me.

I wouldn't spend that much on your first bike. You WILL wreck it as soon as you think your comfortable with it. Get a bike for around 2k and ride it for a year. Gradually work your way up the CCs the better you get. I got a CBR 600 F3 as my first bike back in 96 and wrecked it 3 times before totaling it. Just the nature of riding I guess. I don't have one friend who hasn't dumped yet.

Icon I'll be taking the motorcycle safety courses before I ride as well.

2nd Runner, I'd like to find one for cheaper but in all honesty I haven't seen any bikes that are in decent condition for under $4k yet, unless I go 10+ years old and then I don't think they are even worth the 3k that people are usually asking for them. If I went for the bike posted I'd try to bring him down to the 3.5k range before the sale, but it's still all very much up in the air.

Get a sv650, great starter bike

That sounds like a reasonable deal on the gixxer. It appears to be in very good shape.

A modern supersport 600 is a very fast and capable machine. Just be very careful and do not get over confident on it. Newer bikes leave little room for error.

I say get it and enjoy.

My starter bike was the Yamaha V-Star 600. I thought I wanted a sports bike, but they had cruisers on the course and I ended up liking them better.

Isn't the Ninja 500 a pretty cheap bike?

And yes, what 2ndRunner said is true. You'll most likely drop your first bike

As an old guy I am troubled by this thread. You are gonna spend 3-5000 bucks on something you will likely wreck/total in a year and oh by the way there is nothing between you and the pavement/traffic except leather and a helmet.

Sounds like a good plan. Oh by the way you live in Minnesota where it is too cold to ride half of the year?

Just my two cents, put your money somewhere else. How much is insurance, upkeep, medical bills?

Not judgemental, just concerned as a former trauma surgeon.

If you do it, be safe please.

DK...I'd rock it, we could tear up the strip in vegas with those.

Doc for me it's either buy a bike or invest thousands more into my car to make it even faster. Honestly I think I'd be safer on a bike as I wouldn't be stupid on it as it's all new to me. I'm not planing on wrecking it either, but I am aware the it is likely that I could drop it or something. We'll just call it me being young and needing to learn the hard way, but thanks for the concern

On the real. I'm getting a ruckus in the spring. Figured I'd kill myself on a crotch rocket, and I want to get back on a bike. I rode Dirt Bikes and Quads till I was in my 20's. My next step will be a YFZ350 (Banshee). Don't want to spend too much time on the asphalt. Dangerous stuff.