I'm thinking about getting a motorcycle. I have no experience and want to know of a good bike for beginners.

Question

I know nothing, so please no fancy terms. Let me know what kind of bike it is as well, ie - crotch rocket, hog, etc.

Answer 1

Take a basic rider course. Go to this website to find one in your area: http://www.msf-usa.org/ The class is normally 2 1/2 days. They will teach you to ride on a smaller bike, you'll be taught about different bikes etc. And best of all it can qualify as your road test to get your license as well. And most insurances will see the class as an insurance reduction. This is also a good idea so you don't waste your money buying a small bike. Once you finish the class and get your license you will be more aware of what kind and size of bike will best fit you.

Answer 2

As one who has been riding since 1965 on all types and sizes, I would recommend a small bike to start with. Especially if you do not know how to operate a manual shift car. On a motorcycle both hands are needed. One must operate the clutch and the other the front brake. Both feet are used also, one does the shifting and the other the rear brake. So there is a great deal more coordination involved compared to a car with automatic transmission.

The safest way I know of for you to learn is to go to a Harley Davidson dealer and sign up for a learners course. The corporation is overseeing the programs at the dealers to insure they are uniform and teach all the skills needed to safely begin riding. You would begin on a bike called the Blast which the dealer will furnish!!. It is lightweight and has very good balance. There will be several instructors there to see to it you do not get hurt while learning. The course might seem a bit expensive at $250 and up but if you get injured and can't work for awhile how much will that cost you. (That's if you live through your first crash.)

I recommend the dealer course because it is so well supervised. You would be riding in a large closed off parking lot where there is no traffic. I learned on a little Honda 90! It taught me the coordination and skills so I didn't get hurt when I moved to a bigger bike. And every so often I take an advanced riders course just to keep my skills up to date and to check if I have developed any bad habits. I have ridden more than 100,000 miles on bikes in all kinds of weather without a wreck.

There are hazards with a bike that you won't experience with a car, but then there is the feeling of freedom and bikes use far less gas than cars. There are some scooters out there now that can keep up with the average car if you decide you don't need a full size motorcycle. Used bikes can save you a great deal of money at first but if they were not properly maintained they can be very expensive to repair.

There might be other dealers that provide a bike to learn with, I only mentioned the Harley because that is what I am most familiar with.

For beginner bikes I would recommend nothing big at first. Big is heavy and fast and that can get a beginner hurt real easy. Try finding a good buy on a small Honda, Kawasaki, or Suzuki of less than 500CC's. Maybe you could land a good price on a Blast from the Harley dealer. They sell them after awhile to make room for the next years model and it is a genuine Harley.

After a while if you become confident of your skills you could sell the bike and get something bigger, there will always be someone new to riding who will be looking for your bike.

The really great thing about the Harley dealers I am familiar with is that the drivers testers come out to the dealer on the last day of training and you can get your license right there if you can pass the course.

Answer 3

I'm going to assume your from the US.

Short answer. Buy used unless you have money to burn on insurance and dings, not to mention depreciation should you want to move up in a year or 2. If you're small, the Ninja 250 is great. If you're bigger, the Ninja 500. These are not really crotch rockets (which is not the correct term anyway and will offend some sport bike riders). The Suzuki GS 500 and Buell Blast are OK, but won't idle in traffic long (air cooled). The small cruisers around 250cc are good for light people, the Virago 250 being the most liked by the press. Bigger folks should look at the Vulcan 500 (very good) or the Suzuki Savage which isn't savage at all. The Nighthawk 250 has the crappiest brakes out there.

They made way more cool bikes under 600cc in the 80s. My first was an 83 Yamaha 400. I did drop it twice while trying to park it and yes it was faster than a Mustang GT. I bought it and sold it for the same price 2 years later.

PS: In hot weather wear mesh gear. I haven't ridden without a jacket in years and just got mesh pants.

Answer 4

The answers might differ based on where you live but the general logic should be the same.

A beginner's bike should be small and light, not very powerful, cheap, and easy to repair. I recommend used bikes because it is a given that you will fall down while learning.

In the US, some of the best beginner's bikes are the Kawasaki Eliminator 125, the Kawasaki Ninja 250, the Honda Rebel 250, and the Honda Nighthawk 250. The Nighthawk is a somewhat sporty bike but not as full a spots design as the Ninja, while the Eliminator and Rebel are more of a cruiser design.

Other good beginner's bikes to look at are the dirt bikes, especially the 125 and 250 cc dual purpose (street legal and dirt) bikes. The Yamaha XT225 and TW200 would make great beginner's bikes also.

AS a very strong recommendation, look at a motorcycle safety school near you. In Texas, not only will it teach you to ride, but it will get you a discount on your insurance and exempt you from taking the driving portion of the motorcycle license test.

Answer 5

I will tell you what my first bike was: a 650cc Vstar custom made by Yamaha. I suggest this to all new riders. To the person who suggested life insurance....duh!! You could die walking to your cage to drive to work. Life insurance is in actuality death insurance... pays out upon your death. Geeeeeeez these freaking cagers suck!!!

A bike like that is light, fast enough/slow enough, and low to the ground. I did not want anything smaller because it is hard to keep up when the people you are riding with pace out at 75-80. 650 will most likely be the smallest you want to go.

For your 1st bike, I think a cruiser would be the best, and check out a motorcycle class unless you have a good friend or a hard head (like I did) that will teach you. My husband still says the class he took was the BEST and he wants to go to the second part. Do not let anyone talk you out of what you want to do. Some people are so closed minded about motorcycles... check out the website and look at what there is to offer. Helmets are great when you start, but what I have seen in the years that I have been riding is that the only difference between wearing a helmet or not is.... an open or closed casket.

My feeling is when God says that it is time, it won't matter......

Answer 6

Some good tests:

Make sure it's light so that you can pick it up if it falls over.

Make sure you can get both feet flat on the ground while sitting in the saddle.

And for pete's sake, make sure its horsepower isn't the sort of rating you would expect for a small car.

You'll want to go to a dealer and sit on a few bikes to find out what's comfortable. Just about any 500 cc or smaller sport bike, or 750 cc or smaller cruiser, is something you can consider. My wife kind of liked the Virago 250. As dealers work on commission, they are likely to try and talk you into buying a bike that fails one of these three tests.

Also, you'll want some proper training - the state governments often run classes similar to the ones Harley dealers have, for cheaper. The wait to get into one of these can be long, though. And you'll want some proper gear - helmet, gloves, jacket, pants, boots, the works. There are summer jackets that you can wear without feeling like you're burning up.

Answer 7

If you really are unfamiliar with motorcycles, I recommend starting on a scoot and moving up to a light bike once you're comfortable. Most scooters have automatic transmissions, so the first worry new bikers have is taken care of - no shifting gears. A 50cc scooter won't cost you much, even new, but you certainly aren't going to be doing any interstate travel on it - top speed is only about 45 mph. On the other hand, you'll gain the skills you need to feel more comfortable on a larger bike later on, such as braking, turning and balance and the practical rules of the road for motorcyclists. Best of luck.

Answer 8

I'll just comment. The most common injury on the hog is foot related when it lays over. You'd be surprised at the poor gas mileage of any bike 750cc and above ... it's lousy. Consider where you'll be driving the most. 750cc is about the minimum for the highway. If I get back into a practical bike for urban commuting it would be about that size so I can take short hops on the freeways. If gas gets much worse I'll go with something very economical in the 125cc size.

Answer 9

1. don't go for small bike like less than 200cc. it's can't go far and fast when need be. go for something between 200 to 500cc if the regulation at your country permits for young riders.

2. don't go for seat height too tall that you need to tip toe when stationary. don't go for seat too low that you look like a clown.

3. don't go for racing bike. it never makes you a racer. a street bike or a naked bike (the one without fairing) will do. think of the repair cost when you skid.

4. don't shy away from looking at the bike you dream. create a list of dream bikes within your budget. the first bike usually will not be your last bike.

5. don't go for heavy bikes that you can't pick up or park properly.

6. don't go for designer's bike that you can't afford the spare parts.

7. don't go for popular bike that it will get stolen the moment you bought it.

8. don't go for a bike with high petrol consumption unless your dad owns an oil well this day.

9. don't get a bike your mechanic can't service.

10. don't get one unless your loved ones is convinced and confident that you can take care of yourself on the road. Bike is meant for responsible adults only.

get a trusted bike from JAPAN. Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki.

I am riding a V-Strom 650. It's too tall for most people, but i like it.

Answer 10

First, welcome to the road - Im relatively new to it myself, and its been an excellent change to my life.

That said, first suggestion is to ride the bikes at an MSF safety course. They usually tend to be cruisers or standard style bikes that are 125-250 ccs. The course will teach you all the fundamentals of how to operate the ride, the gears and of course, safety.

On what to choose. Bikes are as individual as the owner who sits on them, so thats largely up to you. Things to consider are your weight in relation to the bike, what kind of riding you plan on doing and essentially, what you like.

I presently ride a Suzuki Marauder with an 805CC engine. Its an overall good ride, great on gas and enough power to get me out of tight spots. Mine is set up like a typical harley, looking almost like a Sportster, but a little longer and wider, like a softtail.

My personal advice is to go with a larger engine - a 125 or 250 will do decent on side roads but its too light and underpowered for Interstate/Highway driving and you will outgrow it fast. 2 days on a 250 in the class was enough for me to realize that such a bike was too little for what I wanted.

Above all, ride safe, wear a helmet and if you go cruiser, get the loud pipes and scare the neighbors...ok just kidding..not really!