Several rules when getting a first streetbike:
1) Get something you can handle, modern 600s are as fast or faster as the older liter bikes were 10 years ago. They WILL KILL YOU. It goes beyond respecting them, it goes into rider skill... PERIOD. A YF-600 would be a much better first bike than the R6. The R6 is a snappy racing bike made for the street.
2) Gixxers are some of the most UNcomfortable bikes to ride unless you're like 5'8 or something. Me being 6'1 I felt cramped when riding around on a 00 GSXR-600 AND it has more of a racebike seating arrangement, you are splayed out more than you would be on the CBR600 or ZX-6R. This isnt opinion, its fact.
3) Get a used bike and get frame sliders, because you WILL drop your first bike at least once and possibly 2 or 3 times.
4) Take the MSF course, it drops your insurance costs down and can save your life. There are things that you don't just figure out so easily when riding a bike... its nothing like driving a car.
5) Dont ask for bike advice on a board like this. I love this place, but its not exactly filled with correct information pertaining to anything like bikes or cars (this thread is a great example in a few posts).
http://www.sportbikes.net (or better named SBN) is the best forum out there for sportbikes, they are harsh with newbies, but thats to be expected... there are many many stupid people that think they are smart enough to get away with a powerful first bike... and they die.
To the opinionated parts of the thread:
The CBR600RR ownz joo
:head: