What is the est way to buy a motorcycle?

Question

I am 16, about to be 17. I have to drive about 30 minutes to work as well as share a car with my cousin, so i figured that it would be in my best interest to buy a motorcycle. I was thinking about getting a Ninja since I have heard they are great beginner bikes. I have not yet gotten my bike license, but I plan to do so soon. If anyone could give me any advice as to the best way to go about purchasing a motorcycle I would appreciate it. Should I buy a new one from the dealer? Should I get one off ebay or something? About how much would monthly payments and insurance be? Etc...Thanks!

Not to be rude, but i didnt ask if i should buy a bike or not, I said I am going to and wanted to know the best way to go about doing so. I'm not going to not get one just because i have a chance of getting hurt, I dont plan on living my life in the fear of what could happen.

Answer 1

buy used and cheap so that when you crash it you have not wasted all of you cash

Answer 2

Being 17 is a problem...unless you pay cash for the bike you have to carry full coverage insurance, which at your age will run well over $300 a month and that is on top of the monthly payment for the bike. Besides, I think you have to be 18 to get a licence for a motorcycle.

Answer 3

Sorry bro, your to young for a bike... the truth hurts

Buy a beater car if anything...something thats good on gas You really shouldn't be riding a bike at your age. Your just asking to get hurt.
Watch the local news, and see how many bike wrecks happen daily. In my part of ohio, we have 3-4 every week,because drivers just don't see them,or the bikes are not going by the laws (speeding,in/out of lanes, Run a red light)..

Wait till your 18-20 before you even think about buying one.

Answer 4

Take it from an old Dude.
Commuting by bike gets old REAL fast.
If you must however:
If it's commuter transportation you want,
don't buy a Ninja or other "race bike wannabe".
You want a 'more comfortable 'standard` with a
rack for a travel/rainsuit bag.
You WILL need it. You will have to be prepared
to deal with all sorts of weather changes as well
as carry stuff back & forth.

Answer 5

maximum present day helmets have cut back outs in the liner the place you are able to in good shape ear products/ speaker thingies that then you cord as much as a fly lead which then connects on your song source. BMW helmets come like this and could be under pressure to what ever you should use as a song source. any other way of attaining it is to in good shape a sat nav with song memory / storage and once then you plug your helmet lead in to the bike wiring sat nav harness good day presto. Ask your interior reach bike broker wots on furnish.

Answer 6

buy used, craigslist.org, they will have a link to an area near you, alot of motorcycles from all over the place.

Answer 7

TJO is right on the money. Find a nice used bike. Put most of your insurance money into insurance for YOU, and not extra coverage for the bike. Then hope like heck you never need it. (Of course, the saying goes that there are two types of motorcycle riders. The ones that fell already, and the ones that are going to fall down. I had my broken bones 20 years ago this up-coming September.)

One way to find a good used bike, of course, is internet ads at your local newspaper web-site. In most cases you can enter a search area in miles from your location you are willing to travel. You can also put in (In most cases.) years, models, mileage, and price that you are willing to consider.

Some people selling older, smaller, bikes are willing to bargain. I did when I sold all my old Japanese bikes since there was no real market value for them. Never pay the asking price. Even if it's just a few bucks lower. I even let one guy make payments! (He did. Every time, on time.)

You can also check the paper classifieds, and the special publications they put out just for selling bikes. One is called "Motorcycle Trader", and they also have an on-line site. You can find some good deals in the local free "rags" that take in cheap advertising. The problem with that is if the person is advertising in a cheap or free rag, they are short of dough. Short of dough could mean lack of maintenance.

If you know anybody at all who has a bit of knowledge of bikes, take them with you! You will need someone anyway, to follow you on your test ride. (To look for smoke, things that wobble the wrong way, and to take the car home if you decide to buy the bike.) Don't buy a bike without a test ride. Even if it starts on the first kick, sounds great, and don't spew fluid all over. The frame could be a little out of whack, the rims not true, a bad gear higher up in the shift pattern, the problems you could find are endless. Make sure the brakes work before you go on a ride, and since the bike may have been sitting, let it warm up before you take off.

Another thing that is good from a certain point of view, (Not everyone's.) is that you will learn alot more about bike maintenance with an older bike. It's never bad to be able to figure out what is wrong with your brand new bike a few years down the road, because you had the same problem on an older one you rode at one point.

If you have to get a new one, set your heart on getting last years model. The dealer wants to get rid of them, he needs room for the new ones. They will be willing to deal. Deal hard if you get a new one. Motorcycles are marked WAY up. When you talk them down, try to get a years free maintenance contract thrown in, or at least a free shop manual. Learn how to say no. Even if you think you will die without the bike, if it is not a bargain, it should not be your bike.

Any bike you get, make sure it is comfortable. A hard to ride bike is no bargain. Is using the shifter comfy? Can you get at the rear brake quickly? How about the saddle? A case of butt or nut rot becasue of a bad seat ain't no fun. Do your feet feel well positioned when you stop at a light or sign, or are you on tip-toes? Will you have to lean over the bars? How tired will your arms and shoulders get when you are riding for a while? How often will you have to fill up the tank? I fill up once a week since it's dirt cheap, but I only put on about 100 miles. I've gone almost 200 miles before I need to hit the "pingle" to go to reserve.

And now to get the to meat and potatoes part of your question. It's hard to answer for the following reasons: I don't know what state you are in, I don't know if you are taking a rider safety course, (Substantial insurance discount for some people, in some places.) and I don't know how long you have had your permit to ride. (You need a permit to practice, so you can pass the test, before you get a license. You will need the permit just to take the test!)

All I can tell you in truth, is that when I started, I had a Yamaha XS 650 Special. I paid $700 cash for it (It was 7 years old.) back in the early 80's, and motorcycle insurance was not mandatory, but I carried it anyway. I paid, if my memory is working correctly, $425 a year for the minimum on the bike, and $10,000 in medical coverage for me. I was in my early 20's, and I got a military discount.

Now I have a '99 H-D FXDWG with the TC-88, I'm in my late 40's, I have my bike financed at 8.9% on the $9,000 I paid for it. (Down from $9,999.) The bike is modified. It has an "E" model S&S carb and SE II pipes. Got a shop manual for free, and one year of free service. (I got in the winter months, when bike sales are slow.) I pay $190 a year for full coverage. I don't have to pay for the "extra" medical coverage since I wear a helmet at all times. I also wear a leather jacket, (Even in the 90+ degree heat here in Florida.) and long pants, gloves, and motorcycle boots. Sweat can be washed away. Road rash is forever. (The scars, anyway.)

The best way to buy a bike is the way that works best for you. Yeah, it sounds corny, but that's the way it is. Some places are willing to finance a new rider, usually the high volume dealers, but be ready to pay a stiff price for the financing, and your insurance. The other route is the used bike from an ad in the paper. Don't forget to look for scratch and dent specials from the people that decided they could ride, then fell down and gave it up. They should be in good mechanical shape if they have low mileage.

Sorry, forgot to mention this. Before you buy the bike, call the insurance company you are planning to use (Or call a few to see if you can get a better deal!) and ask them to run the VIN and give you a quote. It's no bargain to get a $500 dollar bike and spend $1,000 a year for insurance. The insurance company will also tell you if you have a bad VIN, for example, a stolen bike. (Also sold cheap by rotten %@#$&$#@.)

If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a line. I may have left something out that I could have assumed you knew when I made certain statements. I do e-mail and, on certain occassions, I-M. When you get your scoot, ride safe! Ciao.