Best starter motorbike?

Question

i'm wanting to start having lessons so am looking to buy soon and was wondering what people think is a good first bike?
also is it better to buy second hand?
thanks

thanks for all your suggestions..i've now got a few of the bikes mentioned lined up for a little try this week so i'll see how it goes!
going to put this to vote as there are so many great answers! x

Answer 1

i started on a Kawasaki Ninja 500, and i bought it used, on ebay. good starter bike cuz its not too big of an engine but still has power.
good luck!

Answer 2

get a cruiser for at least 2 years before trying to tackle a sport bike. they're worlds different. it's cheaper to insure a bike that: is fully paid off, and not a high powered crotch rocket.
used bikes will usually have any and all bugs worked out, they're already broken-in engine wise; a new engine needs to be treated differently. u wont feel too bad if u drop a used bike, and when i say 'dropped', i mean having the bike fall from under u in a parking lot.

u need a forgiving bike for ur starter. i suggest no more than a 750cc if the bike is: a cruiser, and is water cooled. for air-cooled, 1340 would be the most...and this would be roughly a wide glide or a low rider from harley....tho a 1200 sportster should be givin a fair look-see.

Answer 3

It relies upon on the selection of bike you go with/ activities/racer, cruiser, commuter ect. The Yamaha a hundred twenty five drag celebrity is a cruiser, surprisingly outstanding, besides the undeniable fact that that's now no longer made so if something happens, there are not any substitute engines. yet another cruiser is the Suzuki a hundred twenty five marauder, returned a solid bike yet gets somewhat breathless at fifty 5 mph. Honda vt a hundred twenty five shadow. - definitely brilliant, plenty heavier and greater high priced than the others however the seems, the end, and 70 to seventy 5 mph basically did it for me (easily incorrect for a 600 or 750) maximum suitable element of do is google bike comments on all of them, then circulate from there.

Answer 4

Good for you, the more the merrier. I started small many years ago but once the bug gets under your skin, they get bigger and bigger. Definately go second hand as you will drop it while you are getting used to riding (don't worry, everyone does). Go for something not too powerful to start with - you can always trade up later - I wouldn't consider anything over 500cc until you have experience under your belt. Go for a style thats easy to ride and handle - cruiser would be good, avoid racer reps till later. Trail bikes are robust when you consider damage limitation when dropping them, but they are generally tall and I don't know how long your legs are! Finally, I would settle on one of the Jap makes as they are more reliable and spares are easier to come by. Trawl through the used pages of mags like MCN or more locally the Auto Trader, there are bargains to be had out there! This will also give you a good idea of pricing. When you finally get one, enjoy every minute of it and I guarantee you will be soon saving for the bike of your dreams.

Answer 5

crotch rockets suck. they're made up of mostly plastic that will cost u a bundle to fix, the insurance will cost u almost as much as a sports car, and they totally suck for long distance rides. and why would u want a rocket when all u have around u is flat land?

is best to get a cruiser, and 1 that u can pay off easy if not complete when u pick it up. 2nd hand bikes dont handle any differently than brand new 1's. the only difference is, if u drop it, and u will at some point, u wont feel like u are looking at a huge repair bill. cruiser's will also be alot cheaper to insure. no, they're not ment to lean at 60 degrees and take a 30 mph corner at 60, but give a much smoother ride.

i looked up that nightster that ghost mentioned. it would be perfect for vertically challenged riders.

Answer 6

First ...you need a bike you can sit on with BOTH feet flat on the floor. Any thing that isn't too big will be fine. Something from 500cc to 800cc in a cruiser. My wife started on a 650 Yamaha V-Star. I recommend you buy used because you're going to drop this bike more than once while you are learning ....everybody does and you really don't want to drop a brand new bike.

good luck with your bike.

Answer 7

if your in the UK and are after a bike to learn on, and are short in the leg, go for a Honda 125 VT shadow, second hand. My daughter is under 5 ft and it is perfect for her. Looks good as well. 3 on eBay at the min.
Safe biking no matter what u end up with.

Answer 8

harley just came out with a new style for the sportster. the xl1200n nightster. this bike is 3" shorter than the other 1200's. is slightly more expensive, but if other bikes are hard to flat-foot, this bike should be easy to do so.

it would be best to avoid the crotch rockets. they're not really built for long rides....rides 200 miles and up. rockets are also very unforgiving. 1 wrong move on 1 of these and it could kill u. cruisers will also be cheaper to insure, wont cost an arm and a leg to repair if u drop it in a parking lot.......and u will drop it sooner or later.

if u are not in or close to an area that has alot of twisty roads, it would be worthless to get a crotch rocket. they're built for twisty roads. they're built for extreme manuverability. they're to bikes like the a6m2 zero was to ww2 fighter aircraft....nothing could outturn the zero.

Answer 9

i would advise if you are starting lessons and wanting to get some experience before tackling a bigger bike,go for a 125, 2 stroke engined model they are far lighter and easier to handle being smaller and lighter makes them easier to gain experience on and most get their confidence quicker.took this route with my lad and he then changed to heavier honda 4 stroke and has now just got a suzuki rf600 and hasnt so far dropped one and hes an excellent rider.good luck in whatever you chose.take care and be safe.

Answer 10

stay clear of the honda cb500 or the cb500/s they are both **** and when you hit the motorway with no fairing you will feel it! i started on the kawasaki gpz 500 or the ninja 500 as some people call it. excellent bike, good for long distances and just enough power for a beginner!

Answer 11

go used one for its cheaper and also because im sorry to say that you probably will drop it once or twice as for the bike go with a honda rebel 250 for your first bike you can probably find one for about 1200.