Advice for a Young Motorcyclist

I have seen a lot of posts similar to this on the internet, so I'm just going to blend them all into one question and answer it.

"Hey, guys. I need your input. I am seventeen y. o. and I have no motorcycling experience at all, except for riding on the back of my friends' bikes. They have Ninja a 600 and a GSXR600. What should I get for my first bike? Don't tell me about the crappy small learner bikes, I can't do it. If I'm going to spend my money I'm going to get what I like which is a Honda CBR600RR."

Answer. I'm just going to put on my Sherlock Holmes hat here, since I don't know you personally. OK, let's see. You probably have a lot of self confidence, you are brave to the point of daring and maybe beyond. You have never experienced a friend or loved one dying or being permanently maimed in an accident. You are certain that with just a little practice you will be able to accelerate faster, stop faster, wheelie longer and higher than them. And you can't wait to see the look of awe and admiration on their faces when they see you handling that bike and making them look like dorks. Financially, you probably have started a job recently. You figure you can get the bike with no money down and low payments, and you probably have not yet looked into insurance costs.

Am I right so far? If so, here's my advice.

When you earn enough money (it may take longer than you think), use some of it to enroll in racing school. They are all over the place, and you will get a chance to learn from some professional racers, on a real track, with a real fast bike. It will cost less than a bike and it will impress your friends more than whatever you will realistically be able to do with your own bike. And you stand a much better chance to live to tell about it.

If you really have your heart set on a street bike, save up some more, or use the money that's left over to get a cheap used one that still runs. This will give you experience fixing a bike, as it is sure to need all kinds of fine tuning to keep going. This bike will help you learn to ride on the street more safely than a new hyper sport bike, and you will impress your friends with your ability to keep it running. Eventually you will have enough money and experience to get any bike you want.

If you do start with a new CBR600RR and then show off your skills with it, you will soon find out that your friends are way ahead of you, and your pathetic, albeit spectacular, beginner efforts are going to turn them off, not impress them. And as they have enough experience to know you are heading for something tragic, they may simple stop hanging out with you at all.