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So, I've wanted to get a motorcycle for years.. Finally going to take a class and get one.
 
Now, I'm kinda confused on if the FJ-09 in B mode is going to be too much for me, since I'm getting a flurry of different opinions. I'm seeing people say start with a 250cc bike, but then I'm seeing at the place I'm looking to take a class at has people learning on 500cc bikes. Several officers that I work with that ride told me not to get anything under 1000cc because of my size &weight and because the girlfriend would like to ride on the back sometimes. The girlfriend used to ride and she started with a Harley 883 Sportster and she said she was getting bored with that fairly quickly. The dealer that I went into to look at bikes also suggested something a bit on the higher range because of my weight and so the girlfriend could ride on the back.
 
Now, as far as other officers recommending higher ccs to me I'm not sure if that's just because they know me. I don't even know how much my maturity level and personality would play a factor into how big of a bike to get. I know that I handle stressful situations well, have driven at high speeds in pursuits (To be fair the fastest I went was 140MPH weaving through traffic), etc etc, but none of that was on a motorcycle. I'm pretty good at knowing myself though, and subscribe to only driving at 90% of your ability (good rule of thumb we were taught for pursuits).
 
So.. Was at a dealer, didn't get to ride anything yet, but really liked the FJ-09. Would it be a good bike for me specifically? I haven't been able to find out easily, but is there a max weight for it and what is it (So I know if I and the girlfriend can both be on it at the same time). Any other starting advice?
 
Also, I know I mentioned the girlfriend multiple times, but I don't plan on her riding on the back at first till I'm comfortable and more skilled as I imagine having a passenger changes the dynamics of things.
 
Thanks,
Dan
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In the UK most older riders take a direct access course on a hired bike from the school. There are often different bikes for riders to try to see which suits them best. There again, I believe our training and examination criteria to get a full power licence are a little more complex than the US.
 
Do you have the option to hire bikes for training purposes?
 
You do not say how heavy or tall you are. A friend had a 500cc Kawasaki ER5 (UK name) as his first bike after getting a licence. He was 6'8" tall and weighed 280lbs. He didn't take a pillion.
This signature is left blank as the poster writes enough pretentious bollocks as it is.
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So, I've wanted to get a motorcycle for years.. Finally going to take a class and get one. 
Now, I'm kinda confused on if the FJ-09 in B mode is going to be too much for me, since I'm getting a flurry of different opinions. I'm seeing people say start with a 250cc bike, but then I'm seeing at the place I'm looking to take a class at has people learning on 500cc bikes. Several officers that I work with that ride told me not to get anything under 1000cc because of my size &weight and because the girlfriend would like to ride on the back sometimes. The girlfriend used to ride and she started with a Harley 883 Sportster and she said she was getting bored with that fairly quickly. The dealer that I went into to look at bikes also suggested something a bit on the higher range because of my weight and so the girlfriend could ride on the back.
 
Now, as far as other officers recommending higher ccs to me I'm not sure if that's just because they know me. I don't even know how much my maturity level and personality would play a factor into how big of a bike to get. I know that I handle stressful situations well, have driven at high speeds in pursuits (To be fair the fastest I went was 140MPH weaving through traffic), etc etc, but none of that was on a motorcycle. I'm pretty good at knowing myself though, and subscribe to only driving at 90% of your ability (good rule of thumb we were taught for pursuits).
 
So.. Was at a dealer, didn't get to ride anything yet, but really liked the FJ-09. Would it be a good bike for me specifically? I haven't been able to find out easily, but is there a max weight for it and what is it (So I know if I and the girlfriend can both be on it at the same time). Any other starting advice?
 
Also, I know I mentioned the girlfriend multiple times, but I don't plan on her riding on the back at first till I'm comfortable and more skilled as I imagine having a passenger changes the dynamics of things.
 
Thanks,
Dan
B mode is nothing to be scared of. A mode it a bit rough, but still nothing to be scared of. STD mode is a good all around mode and what I would start with if I was you. How much do you weigh and what area do you hail from? Chicago? I ask, as maybe somebody will let you try one out once you get your MSF course completed.
 
A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
Bikes:
2015 FJ-09, Seat Concepts seat cover and foam, Cal Sci medium screen, rim stripes, factory heated grips, Cortech Dryver tank bag ring, Modified stock exhaust, FlashTune with Graves fuel map, Cree driving lights, Aux power socket.
2012 Street Triple type R (Wifes)
2007 FJR1300 (Sold!)
 
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I think the FJ would be fine for you, especially in B mode. I sure wish there was traction control and wheelie control when I was learning to ride.
 
This bike can't be compared to your girl's old Hardley, or any other cruiser. It'll out-perform that Sportster in every conceivable way except for making noise. Do your fellow LEOs giving you advice also ride cruisers? Their advice would make sense if you were looking at cruisers. The 883 you mentioned would probably be pretty stressed cruising on an interstate at 80 m.p.h., and would want nothing to do with a passenger. If you enjoy riding, you'll get tired of that bike in no time. That won't be the case with the FJ, or any other sport bike. You can take a 600 cc sport bike and pretty much run circles around a 1800 cc cruiser. I've been riding for over 20 years, mostly sport bikes, and I'm nowhere near bored with this bike.
 
Max weight allowance from Yamaha on the FJ is 400 lbs. Having said that, I can tell you that my passenger and I, with hard bags loaded for a trip, weigh in at around 430 lbs. We've taken a few trips like that. One of them was over 1,100 miles (from Indiana to the Smokey Mountains and back) and we've had no issues. The bike still has plenty of power to spare.
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This is a hard question to answer... everyone is different. The FJ-09 is a VERY quick bike with a touchy throttle (granted B mode is much more subdued). Sure some people could get a FJ-09 as their first bike no problem, just like someone mentioned a GSXR 750 as their first bike, would I recommend it not necessarily, but like I said everyone is different.
 
My main advice when talking to people about buying their first bike is to by a used bike. No matter what size you decide on, chances are you will drop it and it stings a lot less to drop a bike that only cost 3-5k versus one that costs 10k.
 
If you decide to give it a go with the FJ, you won't be disappointed. Be safe

'15 FJ-09 w/ lots of extras...

Fayetteville, GA, USA

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Wife generally uses B mode around town in heavy traffic; I find it preferable as well in town (and the ECU's been reflashed but even before that B mode is better-less abrupt on/off the throttle). She uses STD mode 90% of the time because even with 30K miles and 11 or so years under her belt A mode can be a bit intimidating at times for her. If you've got riding experience (and it sounds like you definitely do) I would not worry about the increase in power from the 250 as you seem to be doing. As Mike Hailwood famously said (non-arguably one of the greatest m/c racers of all time) "Throttle turns both ways boys." :-)
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Do you have ANY riding experience? street or dirt? My first bike was a Yamaha FZ1 (1000cc) but I also have over 40 years dirt riding experience.
Just because you have 1000cc doesn't mean you have to use it, likewise any idiot can kill himself on a 250cc.
 
Regardless of what size bike you get, I would recommend rider courses, you can NEVER learn too much on cornering or braking techniques. If you have never ridden before, I would forget taking a passenger until you have a lot of experience and are 100% familiar with your particular bike. A passenger completely changes the way a bike handles, and their life is in YOUR hands.

***2015 Candy Red FJ-09***

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I'm ashamed to say I'm 5'11" around 330. Still manage to chase people down, but yeah I'm fat. For the purposes of this discussion if it matters I do have a wide frame, I'm not sure what the width is but airplane seats, movie theater seats, etc tend to be uncomfortable for me because arm rests are too closer together in relation to my shoulder width.
 
I'm in the St. Louis, MO area.
 
Regarding what the people I work with ride, one enjoyed harley style bikes and the other did sport bikes.
 
Yeah, I wasn't going to take her with me on the back till I was skilled, but looks like even with this bike I wouldn't be able to because of my weight. Hopefully when I switch to a new department that doesn't have a crazy schedule I'll be able to lose weight easier (right now sleep deprivation is the norm, and was planning on buying the bike after I went to a different agency).
 
And no, no riding experience which is why I was asking about this as a first bike. I just have plenty of experience in high stress situations and driving really fast... in a car.
 
And yes deffinetly taking the rider courses before I do anything. I'm not going to buy the bike and try and teach myself, and then end up killing myself or someone else because I did something stupid and didn't know better.
 
I'm looking into what kind of helmets/jackets/etc to buy. I want something good for the rider course, but I'm also concerned about spending say $600+ on one of the Helicat inflatable jackets and then doing the rider course and finding out that this isn't for me (I don't forsee this, but I like to plan).
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Here are my thoughts:
 
- As an LEO, do you have access to excellently awesome motorcycle training courses? If so, think about taking those after the MSF.
 
- If you're not sure it's for you, get some inexpensive gear from CycleGear or something for the first go-round. Or maybe there's old stuff floating around at work that folks are done with?
 
- Not many bikes are going to be (a) suitable for first-time riders, (b) happy carrying 450lbs of humans, and © fun. If you can wait, I'd recommend that you not worry about taking your passenger immediately...
 
And yes, if you get an FJ-09, I'd agree that it might be good to ride it in "B" mode for a while until you have some practice with throttle control. "B" mode is still plenty fun, "STD" mode is studly, and "A" mode is IMO unnecessary--same power as STD but with jerkier response.
 
 
 
 
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Definitely find a different department if sleep deprivation is the norm where you are now. As a fellow and experienced LEO, I can tell you that sleep deprivation isn't in the best interest of you or the people you serve. Neither is obesity. When I started my career, I was told by a seasoned trooper that if you look like you can handle yourself, you won't have to. I think he was onto something. I lift weights and do Ironman triathlons, and in my 11 years of service, I've only had to fight 3 people and had 1 foot pursuit. I should add that I'm only 5'7", so no one is intimidated by my height. You need to work somewhere that gives you the opportunity and motivation to take care of yourself. My department pays me to work out at least 3 hours per week.
 
So, back to motorcycles. Since you have training and experience driving fast, you will want a fast bike. I'm assuming that you drive a Charger on duty, as most of us do, because I know from experience that a Crown Vic won't do 140. Whatever bike you go with, you are going to want it to have the same effortless acceleration as that car or better, which is saying something. If you are riding a bike for fun on your days off, it isn't going to be so fun if it isn't as fast as the car you drive on duty 40+ hours per week. And when I say fast, I'm referring to acceleration and cornering, not top speed. My Charger is governed at 155. I've had it there on emergency calls on the interstate. However, on ANY road besides an interstate, I could outrun anyone in a police Charger on an FJ, despite that it's top speed is 135 after the ECU flash.
 
As for gear, buy quality stuff. I like First Gear products. I've only had 1 crash (last summer) while wearing one of their mesh jackets. I didn't get a scratch on me, and the jacket wasn't damaged. I also have one of their winter jackets that I've had for 12 years, as well as mesh and winter pants that I admittedly rarely wear. They aren't the most expensive brand, but they last, and they're comfortable for me.
 
 
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First off, hello to fellow LEO! I'm a Sergeant in State Corrections.
 
Secondly, I can chime in pretty good for you here. I was just like you, a few years back. I wanted a bike, hadn't taken my rider course yet, and didn't know what size motor would suit me best. I didn't want to be overwhelmed, but didn't want to be underwhelmed a few months down the road. I had ridden dirt bikes about twenty years ago, so I had a little knowledge of riding. Long story short, I decided to pull the trigger on a 2014 FZ-09. Basically the exact same bike. I started out riding in B Mode, to get the jitters out of my system. After a few weeks of riding, I felt comfortable enough to keep it in STD mode. After a few more months, A mode it was. After a year, I learned what type of riding I liked. I knew the FJ would be better for me due to liking touring and camping off the bike. Traded in for the FJ about a year and a half ago. I absolutely love the bike. And you will too! The bike still has plenty of power for me, and doesn't leave me feeling underwhelmed. Had I listened to others and gotten a 250 or 500, I would have 120% wasted money.
 
Buy an FJ....never look back. You will not regret it.
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First off, hello to fellow LEO! I'm a Sergeant in State Corrections. 
Secondly, I can chime in pretty good for you here. I was just like you, a few years back. I wanted a bike, hadn't taken my rider course yet, and didn't know what size motor would suit me best. I didn't want to be overwhelmed, but didn't want to be underwhelmed a few months down the road. I had ridden dirt bikes about twenty years ago, so I had a little knowledge of riding. Long story short, I decided to pull the trigger on a 2014 FZ-09. Basically the exact same bike. I started out riding in B Mode, to get the jitters out of my system. After a few weeks of riding, I felt comfortable enough to keep it in STD mode. After a few more months, A mode it was. After a year, I learned what type of riding I liked. I knew the FJ would be better for me due to liking touring and camping off the bike. Traded in for the FJ about a year and a half ago. I absolutely love the bike. And you will too! The bike still has plenty of power for me, and doesn't leave me feeling underwhelmed. Had I listened to others and gotten a 250 or 500, I would have 120% wasted money.
 
Buy an FJ....never look back. You will not regret it.
I'll offer a counterpoint.  
Yes, the FJ-09 might eventually be a good choice for you, but with your lack of experience you must ASSUME that it will be dropped.
 
Buy a used naked learner bike, like an SV650, and RIDE, RIDE, RIDE! ...then sell it for exactly what you paid! There's no wasted money!
 
I know, I know...be a man. Buy what you want. Buy the FJ-09 now!......NO. You will drop it and when you do, you will be devastated. Even in B mode, you have minimal miles under your belt and experience is the issue here! Motorcycling is FUN, and the SV650 is an amazing bike in it's own right, but easier to ride than the FJ-09 and if you drop it, no heartbreak!
 
Piedmont of NC
'15 FJ-09
'94 GTS-1000
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