Something he can ride on the streets with but not kill himself on....he is very responsible and does well in schoool. I am considering entrusting him with a bike...what should we get?
It needs to be street legal obviously...
2006-06-12 18:37:45 · 19 answers · asked by Josh 5 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Motorcycles
If I was going to trust a 16 year old with a motorcycle, I would have to go with a 250cc, it is the smallest engine on a street legal bike that I know of. You can get 250cc in sports bikes or traditional styles. The 250cc would be a great starter bike and also save some money. Honestly I didn't think that a 16 year old could get a motorcycle endorsement. One thing that I would take into consideration is that even though he might be a safe driver, motorcycles are often overlooked by other drivers and it does take much of a wreck on a motorcycle to seriously injure or kill someone.
Hope that this helps.
2006-06-12 19:30:46 · answer #1 · answered by coreyatkmg 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Starting off with a dirt bike isn't a bad idea since there aren't any cars to avoid on an offroad trail and dirt riding is a lot of fun. In any event, you're best off having him take whatever state-sanctioned safety course is available in your state and going from there.
I wouldn't go with a sport bike as a first motorcycle since they can be unforgiving of many of the mistakes new riders make. A good used bike in the 250-500 cc range is a great starting place. Mine was a 1995 Suzuki GS 500 and it was a very good bike. You might want to consider a used bike in great shape over a new one in case he decides he doesn't like riding it or puts it down and scrapes it up.
You probably don't want to hear this, but riding any motorcycle on the street is dangerous because other drivers don't see you a lot of the time. If it were my son, I'd get him a car first and let him learn his lessons on that, then he could think about getting a bike.
2006-06-12 23:26:34 · answer #2 · answered by Mark M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's really no such thing as a safe motorcycle. Assuming you mean a sports bike, I wouldn't go faster than a Honda CBR600, since even that is very fast and dangerous if he abuses the speed. I crashed going slower than 40 and still have scars. Make sure he always wears leathers, no matter how dumb he thinks he looks, and ALWAYS wears a helmet. Check the news on Ben Rothlisberger (Sp?) from the Pittsburgh Steelers today? Didn't ever wear a helmet, underwent multiple surgeries to repair his face.
Edit: Keep in mind, that your son can be the best driver in the world, but that doesn't mean everyone else is. Even the slowest bike out there is faster than 90% of the cars on the road, and there's no airbags or seatbelts.
2006-06-12 18:40:56 · answer #3 · answered by Swarms 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is not the bike that will hurt him. Its more up to him (or the dumm that drives the car which will hit him) I ride more than 25 years in dirt road and track and never had a severe accident. I might be very lucky but I am also very carefull.
I would suggest an enduro bike that will drive him to the woods (if there are any where you live). Something in 250cc (KTM or Husqvqrna Yamaha etc) This way way he will learn how to slide (helps hime to keep the bike up) fall with no big chances of injury, balance control etc. Thatas of course if he likes dirt bikes. Street bikes are faster generally and your son son is young for them (Well Valentino Rossi was about his age when he got his first title in World GP 125) In this case an Aprilia RS 125 will be perfect. Hope I helped you.
2006-06-14 09:39:11 · answer #4 · answered by kapetan_michalis 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I dont think a motorcycle is a great idea for a 16 year old. I am 16 and am responsible and do very well in school, but i know if i had a crotch rocket i would ride the hell out of it, and very likely kill myself. They are extremely fast, much faster than most any car, and I know if i had one i would be tempted to let it loose, even once in a while is not safe. Again, do what you will, but let me reiterate, i'm 16, going into my senior year, and i make all A's, and thats what i would do.
I have a dirt bike and ride on dirt, i dump it enough on dirt to hurt myself, i wouldnt want to dump it on the road, as my dad has and broken both is feet and left a Harry Potter scar on his forehead.
2006-06-12 19:14:47 · answer #5 · answered by silverrubberband689 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The best thing you can do for your 16-year-old son is to buy him a top quality helmet, pay his class fees for a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) basic rider course, and insist he complete this class before he rides a motorcycle on the streets.
The MSF basic rider course will give him the tools and training he needs to become a safe motorcycle rider, and depending on where you live, this may be a requirement for him to get a motorcycle endorsement on his drivers license anyway. Use the link below to find a MSF course location in your area.
As far as what kind of bike to buy... I'd agree with Grendle on this one... Don't just buy him a motorcycle. If he wants one bad enough, let him earn it. He'll appreciate it more and take better care of it (and himself) in the long run.
2006-06-13 02:43:29 · answer #6 · answered by JetDoc 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well I started riding bikes here in Missouri at the age of 15 1/2 with a permit. I rode a Suzuki LS650 Savage for two years. The bike accelerated well, stopped well, and topped out at 86MPH I would recommend that bike or a Suzuki Boulevard S40 both cost a little over $4000 brand new and are slower bikes at the top end and lighter bike making it easier for younger, shorter, and not so strong teenagers to be able to learn proper control of a bike. I would strongly advise you to not allow him to ride a sport bike(crotch rocket) until he has ridden a lesser bike for a year or so because I got a sport bike and with in 2 weeks of having it I did something stupid and I was in the hospitol for 5 weeks.
2006-06-12 20:42:56 · answer #7 · answered by specialized448_2004_2 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all I think that if you want your son to ride let him but I would suggest him taking a motorcycle riders safety course. They provide the motorcycles and they cover all aspects of riding BEFORE he ever touches a bike. Also if he takes the safety course he will also have lower insurance premiums and in my state(Indiana) you do not need to take the riding test for your license. The courses are offered by A.B.A.T.E. see if they are offered in your area. After he has had the course I would suggest something along the lines of a Honda 250 Nighthawk. Kind of sporty looking but still cruiser enough to not be a killing on insurance. Hope this helps
2006-06-12 19:32:44 · answer #8 · answered by William M 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Listen to the suggestions about making him take the safety course, and about getting him the proper gear (and insist that he use it).
Whatever you do, don't get him a sportbike, even a 250. Even to a responsible 16-year old boy, that would be a very bad idea - not to mention the insurance....
Where I disagree with the others (the ones who know what they're talking about, that is) is that I think it's great you're getting him a bike. (Would you be MY daddy?) Whether you take their advice or not, keep him to nothing bigger than a 4-500. A 250 would be ideal for a young guy to learn on.
2006-06-13 04:02:24 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your first answer from "Swarms" is absolutely, sadly, true.
Paramedics and emergency room staff don't call them motorcycles...
They call them Donor Cycles.
He would actually be safer on a dirt bike, for recreational purposes, then anywhere near the roads and some of the lunatics that are allowed to have licenses.
I'm sorry, I know this is not the answer he was looking for.
If you do decide to get him a street bike, I cannot tell you enough times the importance of the novice rider, safe rider, and defensive rider courses, and all of the proper safety equipment.
2006-06-12 18:43:46 · answer #10 · answered by blewz4u 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋