[Stephen Engberg]

Howdy all, as the topic says I am going to be getting my first bike here soon. I have decided on the 959. I know it's a large bike for a first. But it is the only sports bike I can sit on and feel 100 percent comfortable on. Is there any advice i could get from this community?

 

[Dingo]

If you've never ridden a motorcycle before, the very first thing you should do is sign up for a Learner Class that uses a small maneuverable bike like a 250.
Scary... Good Skill pilot!
You'll need to learn clutch/throttle/balance operation and be proficient to be successful riding the 959


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[Sdg24]

It also wouldn't hurt to ride something smaller for a bit. You can get something like a used 300/500, ride it for a few thousand miles and then resell it at nearly the same price you bought it for.

But if you must go with a 959 as your first bike, take the training class your state offers. Get insurance. Buy all the gear. Ride in wet mode.

 

[Ike]

eesh dude. awesome choice to own a 959 its a great bike. but seriously...and i mean seriously..make sure you this IS NOT the first bike you learn to ride. it may go well for you in the end if you are very careful and responsible. but it may also go very wrong. it is never a good idea for your first bike to be so powerful. you could get into real trouble. My first bike was a 350cc honda and i am thankful everyday that it was. Probably saved my life going that route. please be careful out there!

Regardless: Advice.
1) Keep it in Wet Mode while you are learning.
2) Wear ALL the gear. Helmet, Gloves, Jacket, armored pants, boots. EVERYONE goes down eventually. Being new and a 959 it will likely be sooner than you think.
3) have good insurance
4) focus on proper positioning and grip the handle bars properly. (like a screwdriver) this will help you give fine throttle controls. you want to be smooth with the throttle. smooth smooth smooth.
5) have your suspension professionally setup. I just did this a few days ago and im kicking myself for not doing it sooner. I didnt realize how much better the bike could handle.
6)Take a training/Learning Course. Take 2! Learn to be in total control of your bike. and what to do to avoid being killed on it.
7) just so we drive this point home again.....The 959 is not the best bike to be your first bike.

AGAIN PLEASE BE SAFE OUT THERE!

 

[TVGuy]

Good luck and best wishes, but just know there is a reason very few people start on a liter bike, or what's close to it. As it's been said repeatedly, take a riders safety course before you even buy the bike.

 

[Sdg24]

make sure you this IS NOT the first bike you learn to ride. it may go well for you in the end if you are very careful and responsible. but it may also go very wrong. it is never a good idea for your first bike to be so powerful. you could get into real trouble. My first bike was a 350cc honda and i am thankful everyday that it was. Probably saved my life going that route. please be careful out there!

This^^^^. I rode dirt bikes for years as a kid. When I finally decided to get into street bikes I decided on getting a ninja 300. I put 4,000 miles on that bike and In that time I can say for certain that if I were on a bike with a larger engine I surely would have crashed... multiple times. Fact! It's easy to make mistakes and those mistake have consequences. For example, accidentally shifting to neutral then putting it back into gear when the revs are far too high. Getting startled and putting a death grip on the throttle, etc etc. having a lower cc bike allows you a larger margin to make a mistake and not put yourself at a serious risk.

 

[Kevin.H]

My first bike was an R6 and I learned on the street like most dumb teenagers. I've long argued this with friends. The smart route is to get a learner bike. That wasn't in the cards for me and I simply exercised discipline with my right wrist and a healthy respect for the fact that I was already riding illegally...

Any person is going to consider the smart route of a starter bike first; obviously you've opted to follow a different path.

Be careful and don't let false confidence succeed your skill level and experience.

 

[DarR]

@Stephen Engberg
Ditto on all of the previous posts / replies. A 959 doesn't even come close to a starter bike as you will develop bad habits.
Seriously, consider a more upright, throttle friendly alternative.
Moreover, I strongly suggest you buy a used bike as your first. You will drop your bike, guaranteed! We all have.

 

[DJ Shrug]

My first and only bike is my 959

But to echo what everyone else said, take the learner's course. In most USA states, completion of the MSF course gets you your motorcycle endorsement (gives you the ability to go out on test rides and immediately ride around legally) and might give you some insurance discounts.


As far as what everyone else says, its all valid, but I had no problems learning to be smooth on my Panigale and never had my bike on engine low for longer than it took me to switch to the race setting. I consider myself to have a high level of dexterity and athleticism so that helped. After the MSF, I knew I wouldn't care for a 300 and had aspirations to get on the track, so hence the 959. Beyond what I've said, here's the things I would echo as advice:

You'll need to learn clutch/throttle/balance operation and be proficient to be successful riding the 959

4) focus on proper positioning and grip the handle bars properly. (like a screwdriver) this will help you give fine throttle controls. you want to be smooth with the throttle. smooth smooth smooth.

...I simply exercised discipline with my right wrist...

Absolutely the most important piece of advice to listen to is this:

Be careful and don't let false confidence succeed your skill level and experience.

End of the day, do what you want to do. You definitely cannot blame anything but yourself if you make a bad decision or outride your personal limits/skills. I know through first hand experience that the baby Panigale is certainly tamable by a beginner with only the 12 or so hours of MSF experience. I haven't dropped my bike yet over my 6000miles/9months of ownership, and the only place I plan on doing so is through pushing my limits at the track.

 

[DarR]

Barring the above caveats and proceeding with a 959, please do be careful with the throttle as it's very easy to get carried away above the speed limit. This is especially true for a novice as many of your senses will be jammed-packed with new inputs thus distracting you from paying attention to your speed.

 

[DarR]

My first and only bike is my 959
I haven't dropped my bike yet over my 6000miles/9months of ownership

The day's still young! >
Kidding aside, I hope we never do. I'm going way back in time here but all I can say about it is that it happens because of overconfidence and inattention.
About the MSF: making a U-Turn within two parking slots is challenging for most novices. I would even go as far as saying it could be a challenge for an experienced rider on a Panigale 959 with its clip-ons, throttle / engine idiosyncrasies and lack of turning radius.

 

[DJ Shrug]

The day's still young! >
Kidding aside, I hope we never do. I'm going way back in time here but all I can say about it is that it happens because of overconfidence and inattention.
About the MSF: making a U-Turn within two parking slots is challenging for most novices. I would even go as far as saying it could be a challenge for an experienced rider on a Panigale 959 with its clip-ons, throttle / engine idiosyncrasies and lack of turning radius.

Indeed. Keep it shiny side up.

Loved that U-Turn test, hated practicing it on my Panigale. I spent a lot of time trying to do it as a beginner on my Panigale, as you can imagine, lots of close calls. I can confidently say that I can do it easily after about 10 minutes of warmup though . Definitely requires you to get in the different mind set and body position to do the moto-gymkhana maneuvers.

 

[Dim]

Guys quick question.i am a ducati fan all my life and now is my chance financially speaking to buy one.i want a 959 or a v2 panigale but i havent riden in like 7 years...my rides were wr 200 fmx 600 xj6...do u think i will be ok on the duc?

 

[DarR]

Absolutely. However you may want to take a rider refresh course.