Thinkin' 'Bout A Motorcycle
 

im thinking about getting one. i have never rode one before. what is a good m/c to learn how to ride on. what size, type.

Crotch rocket is a good learner!!!!!












Take it from this guy!!!

:moto:

ya that looks like what id do. but i am serious

hey ed, what kind of riding do you want to end up doing? are you wanting to look for more of a cruiser or a sport bike? how much do you weigh?

for me, the only reason I bought a sport/touring bike is because I've got the mountains or coastal foothills that make weekend rides on the twisties a lot of fun. otherwise I should have gotten a cruiser for tooling around town and commuting to work.

the main thing for getting your first bike is get something used as the odds are astronomically high that you're going to drop it in the 1st 6 months.

Dont ride motorcycles but had my fair share of dirt bikes and have worked with alot of guys that rode and the one thing i kept hearing the most is get at least a 600cc if you dont they said you will not be able to get away from the semi's, and you want, the Yamaha V Stars are good its a little bigger of a bike but nice bike or you could go get a 883 or 1200 sportster good learner bike

not knowing you or what you like or what you plan on doing hard to recommend a specific bike.

I have 2 yamaha r6's and a cbr 900 modified into a stunt bike. personally i would never get a cruiser not my bag.

recommendations, get a bike you like, many say go used and small to learn, but if u dont have the funds to replace u may end up having a bike u hate for a while. Keep in mind if u do wreck it you have to be able to affors repairs/replacement etc. optherwise u'll be caging it again

Anybike, even a moped can killl u quicker than u can blink, what ever u get, take ur time, learn its limits slowly and enjoy urself... keep the shiny side up :U:

my first bike was a gsxr-750, it was 'technically' too much for a first bike but I've found the same to be true with the newer, faster 600rr and now a 1000cc sport bike...they all go the same slow speed if you just barely crack open the throttle...

if you're looking at cruisers, the Yam Vstar and Honda Shadows are both good, common bikes that are relatively inexpensive. My roommate has a Shadow 750, it's a great bike.

If you want a badass American bike, look at the Victory line(not inexpensive starter bikes, by the way!)

:iws:


that being my point, most people say u will kill urself on any modern sportbike, i say if ur an idiot u will killl yourself on anything, go slow regardless of what you end up buying

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as a side note go to a motorcycle website like r1forum.com, search the forum for threads about a good first bike, u will see lots of opinions, but dont post a new thread asking its been done a million times and u'll get the same answers if u search

remember its all opinion

if i were you and you are serious about getting a bike go and take a safety class that way you will get some experience on a bike that if its dropped it won't matter and the instructor will be able to help you figure out how to ride better. my first real bike is the one i have now it is a honda VTX 1800 it is a big bike but i have been riding dirt bikes for close to 8 years so i had a basic understanding of riding and i am not afraid of my bike. The people that i see get into accidents with big bikes is because they were scared of the bike. My gf works with a lady that is only like 120lbs maybe and she rides a bike just as big as mine. Like everyone has said any bike can kill you and as long as you are comfortable on your bike you will have a less of a chance then one you are afraid to drive.

If you want a rocket, a Ninja 250 is about your best bet for a beginner bike. It will do 100, has plenty of snort to get a newbie around, and is cheap.

If you want a cruiser, a Rebel 250 is about your best bet for a beginner bike. Or an older Shadow.

A 250cc bike will move a lot quicker than you'd believe and when you're ready to move up, you can sell it to another newbie rider pretty fast.

i have never rode a dirt bike or anything. im thinking bout a cruiser. but im willing on either. i have had people tell me to start with a bigger bike because they are more balanced. is there any truth to that. i am looking for a bike to go back and forth to work in. and a bike to ride for enjoyment. im not looking for the fastest bike. i was into speed when i was young but i hardly speed at all now. i was told a sport bike is the easiest to learn on.

I don't know if you're into "the outdoors" I see you're from AR, so you probably are since ya'll still have outhouses, right? J/K Anyhoo, I'd get an Enduro type bike. That way you can head out on trails and side roads and not worry about "getting dirty." Check out the Suzuki V-Strom 650, or the high end BMW F650, or KTM 690. These are bonafide Adventure bikes. :pca1::c:

R1 :moto:

well i love the outdoors. and the out house part, well there are still a couple that are still used every day in my area. i realy dont care if i get dirty.

im wanting a bike that wouldbe cheap also. that way when i wreck i wont be out a shit load of money.

Get a Hiboosa lol jk nah get a good learner bike first like something that already is used and already has a few dings and scratches so you wont be mad when you lay it over. I remember when i made the mistake of buying a brand new dirt bike when i was 14 and laying it over and messin it up pretty bad. An endro bike isnt too bad of an idea they are pretty mild bikes for the most part

thats what i was plannin on is getting a well used one. then buy a newer one once i get experinced.

real men get a busa with noss, a chrome swingarm, a thumpin system and a half helmet for their first bike! YEEEAAAYAH!:booo:

I'm an average, full size dude at 210 lbs, the 250cc bikes are scary as crap when I ride them because the suspension and brakes are so soft and chinsy. A suspension that can't be adjusted/setup to your weight will teach you unsafe riding habits. I do believe they're good bikes for featherweights and small girls for commuting only.

it can't be stressed enough that getting a small bike WILL NOT save your life, not being stupid on two wheels will. if you HAVE to get a tiny cc bike just so you won't go too fast you shouldn't be on a bike, in my opinion.

as far as the stability thing goes, rider weight has a fair amount to do with how a bike feels...say you have a pallet of bricks to move, put that pallet in the bed of an S10 or a 2500 diesel...average guy is not going to affect a larger bike's handling/stability as much as you're nowhere near max capacity.

since you've never ridden, two things to me that are an absolute must, as passed on from the smart people that taught me how to ride:

1: spend the $15 and get "A Twist of the Wrist 2" by Keith Code and read it...there are some absolute necessities in there about focus, mindset and body control that any rider needs to know...there's a lot to learning how to ride a bike that you don't have (and really can't afford) to learn the hard way.

2: take the Motorcycle Safety Course before you start riding, whether you already own a bike or not; you'll want to get a bike very soon after so you can practice on your own bike what you learn there.

as far as looking for a bike, I'd recommend going shopping at a few dealerships just to get a price baseline on new and used stuff, also to see what they recommend you get and if they have a used trade-in available. buying private party's the best way to get a smokin deal, also the best way to get a hunk of trash...so only go that route if you've got a buddy that knows bikes to go with you. a dealer trade in will be a bit more but typically they'll go through and inspect the bike, so look at the price as if you bought a private party bike and paid their service dept to look it over.

Honda and Yamaha both make very good bikes, especially the cruisers...they're well engineered, they just perform very well all around and there are plenty of different models available to basically match your style.
I'd say the V-Star, Shadow and VTX are the most popular jap cruisers. I know the shadow comes in a 750 and 1100, the VTX in a 1300 and 1800. I'd say if you're looking to eventually have a little fun or EVER take a passenger, the 1100-1300 bikes would suit you well. that shadow 750 is not enough power for my roommate and his girl, he's 180 lb and she's all of maybe 125...he'd much rather have the 1100.
another reason to go to some dealerships is to sit on different bikes and see what the differences look like in person rather than online.

thanks for the info and the great ideas.
im 5'5" and 230. so im needing somethin that aint real tall either

Since you've never ridden a motorcycle of ay sorts definately look into a saftey/riding course. Money well spent to possibly save your life.

I watched a kid try to leave the local dealership on a brand new crotch rocket> He must have never been on a bike in his life. It took close to 10 mins of just sitting there for him the get the courage to take off across the 4 lane rd. And he almost got wacked!!

I have a suzuki Drz400 enduro bike. I absolutely love it because we have miles of dirt roads around here to ride. Plus i ride it back and forth to work every day at 50mpg!! It's a tall bike though.

my roommate is a sales manager at a powersports dealership and I can't believe how often stuff like this happens. every now and then there are people that they'll just say no, we won't sell you a bike (mostly the younger guys asking for the fastest sport bike they can get, being approved on a credit app for a 'busa). so Ed, props to you for asking questions before you jump on two wheels!! --> it's a good way to stay alive long enough to have a lot more fun!

im not realy worried about wrecking on my behalf. my only worries about me wreckin is something major happening to me and my ex gets my kids.

For us vertically challenged, the Honda Rebel or the Kawa Boulevard have low seat heights.

ok thanks
im gonna be checking on a safety course today or tommorow.

:pca1: be safe ed, i wish i could get one but my family would disown me...i want to get one before i get to old to know better:humm:

the vtx bikes are really good i looked into them a lot before i decided i was going to keep the one that i repoed. The 1300 would be a good bike for you as a begginner they are really stable bikes. like i said it is my first street bike and i thought i was going to be fighting it but they aren't as heavy as they look and they get great mpg i have the 1800 and i get 35-40 and i am not easy on the throttle at lights. if you want to learn more about them go to this place it is a forum just for the VTX bikes

bikes were always off limits for my brothers and I, I was always told once I moved out I could get a bike; but let it be clear that you may not bring a motorcycle home or keep it here while you live here. it was especially looked down on for me to get a bike as I'm somewhat of an 'aggressive' driver and haven't gone a year without a speeding ticket since I got my license:ph: so I bought a bike and kept it at a friends house a few minutes away.:w2: they didn't think it was very funny :madd: and within 6 months that friend was my 1st roommate :c: I'm now on my 3rd sport bike, building an old bobber and still want a newer cruiser at some point. I still work for my dad and they haven't disowned me!!

I forgot one of my friends just got a VTX 1300 about 6 months ago as his first bike. he absolutely loves that thing and hikes his wife a fair amount. they ride with his in-laws quite a bit, who have a bunch of harleys, they gave him a ton of crap for not getting a harley but now having ridden his VTX...well, they always want to trade on rides and borrow his bike!