One of my dumber ideas....I'm out to get a motorcycle.

[BlackRider]

but at least I'm not so dumb because I'm waiting until January to buy it. (Though it doesn't seem that motorcycle prices vary nearly as much as convertibles' do.)

Here's the part where everyone tells me I'm dumb. I'm out to get a 2004 Yamaha R6 as my first bike. (Kinda like getting an F40 as a first car... or so I'm told.) But here's why I still want an R6: very comfortable to sit on, looks great, I won't get bored of it like I would a 250cc, and I can't stop daydreaming about the darn thing.
Down sides are 110hp from a 390# bike, 1 lapse in judgement = dead, ~$6000 for a 1st bike

I know some of you have/had motorcycles. Is there anything I'm not considering? (I will be taking the first MSF course of 2006, so I'm not forgetting that.)

and as far as me being mature enough for the bike... I've owned nothing but sports cars for the last 2 years. I don't speed, I don't tailgate, I no longer suffer from roadrage, I have never been ticketed, and I have only been in 1 car crash (and that involved ice and was back in 2002)

Oh, and with the above information and me being 21... I wonder how much insurance is going to hurt.

Lasty, are there any stats to show my poor mother that me + bike != dead? Its going to be hard convincing her that the moment I sit on a bike every soccer mom on the road is not going to be gunning for me. (Though it wouldn't hurt to act as if they were.....)

[Spinning Hat]

1) Always assume the other dirvers don't see you.
2) See #1
3) See #1
4) There's nothing wrong with an R6 as a first bike, as long as you're prepared to pay big money for insurance.
5) see #1
6) I'd recommend a smaller bike with less HP as a first bike, for the sake of getting to know how to ride first. I got a 750cc Suzuki for $500 and it's been a great learning bike, and now I'm ready for something newer, although not necessarily bigger. 750cc's will get you to 140mph in a real hurry if you're not careful.

Didi I mention see #1? you have 3 parts of the lane to ride in, but always try to ride in the left part. Drivers to the right of you will see you in their mirrors, and the drivers to the left of you see you, and move left to stay out of your way. And never, ever ever ride if you've had even 1 drink. not ever. It's not worth being a splat on the pavement, and as a new rider, you need ALL your wits about you. It's hard enough to control a motorcycle when you're new, let alone manage the traffic around you.

Despite all that, it's an amazing thing having a bike, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Also: get a good full face helmet, leather jacket and gloves at a bare minimum, and always wear pants (no shorts), and good, solid shoes or boots, preferably boots. You'll still be comfortable in a jacket in the summer, and could save you a LOT of road rash in case something bad were to happen.