My first tip would be to enroll into the MSF(Motorcycle Safety Course), now days they offer 3 courses: beginner, intermediate and experience.

Your quote can be very high for first timers, especially if you don't have the MSFs.

Get yourself a dot and snell 2000 approved helmet, you can get them from $150 and up. Unfortunately and unlike in Europe, here they let you drive any Motorbike without restrictions, that means that you can be 18 years old and buy a Hayabusa and no one cares, in my opinion it is a very bad idea.

They should do what they do in Europe, 3 categories, 0-125cc,, 125cc to 400cc and 400cc to no limits but obviously you must have 2 years experience to jump to the no limit category.


I think the most comfortable bike you can get for you is a naked import bike. They are not slow but they aren't crazy fast, they range from 400cc to 750cc(normally) and they are designed for fun and comfort plus they are very affordable.

The next category would be the sport Japonese bikes which are a lot of fun but too much for a beginner. If you just want something just to ride around and have the pleassure just get yourself a used sport or naked bike.

Yopu should also try what I have, it is called Dual sport(off-road on -road), all the Japones bikes offer them as well.

Good luck!!

Carlos

 

I am already enrolled in a couple motorcycle courses as they are free for students Yea im not looking for a nice, extremly fast bike at all. I just want something thats a good starter bike and will last for about a year without me getting to bored of it. Im guessing around the 400-500cc range would be good but not sure. I'm hoping to get a used bike thats under 3 grand for starters.

I dont know anything about Dual sport(off-road on -road). Could you please explain what that is specifically. Thank you for all the help everyone!

 

get a gixxer 750, one of the best bike period. almost as light as 600cc and almost as fast and sometimes faster than any 1000cc. I used to have a '99 gixxer 750

 

This is what I have, it is a dual purpose bike:

http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/bikes/bike.jsp?b=f650gs

Carlos

 

Last year after never riding a motor bike I took the MSF class at the local college, deff. suggest that class. Even though you don't want a new bike, go to shops and feel them out. Depending on your size you may be more comfortable on a heavy or lighter bike. I only way 165 and I have a Kawi Ninja 636. Great weight, will have the potential to do whatever I want and looks great too. I know you want a starter bike but don't waste your money buying a small bike to start and then wishing you got something better when you get comfortable. Remember you control the bike and if you're comfortable on it, you are the one who decides how fast to go. Read magazines on reviews, Honda 600rr's are sweet, love my Kawi, GSX-r's are great but a little flashy on the paint, and Yamahas are great but a bit over priced.

 

listen here man, take this guys advice and try out new bikes. i was bike shopping last may. i know, not the best time to buy a bike, but i didnt want to wait all summer then buy one in fall. all over the place were used 600s gixxers, r6s, 600rrs, selling for about 6000. these are on average 03s with on average 4K miles on them. i went to a deal and out the door got a brand new 05 r6 for 9200 OTD, this includes 500 for an exteneded 3 year warranty on top of the one year factory. figure i buy something with an engine that redlines at 16500rpms im getting a warranty. anyway shop around. to me its not worth spending 6K on a bike thats 2 years old with 3-5K miles when i can spend 2500 more and get brand new.

 

Wouldn't you guys agree that the current 600's are pretty insane for the beginner rider?

I used to have a Ducati 620 Monster which was a beautiful machine and very managable. I got rid of it within two months due to my discomfort while riding. I specifically didn't like how my boys would smack the tank due to the twitchiness of the throttle.

It is really important choose somthing you are comfortable siting on. Its unfortunate that you can't get a test ride.

 

no i do not agree with that statement. i agree that some riders cant handle it, but i also feel that most people with an IQ higher than mildly retarded will respect a bikes power, ability, and have patience to learn it properly. last may i bought a bike. never sat on one in my life, but bought a brand new 0.2 miles on it, yamaha r6. had a friend drive it home.

the key is throttle control. the first 10-15 miles of riding i did straight lines up and down my block. never left 1st gear, just to get the feel of the throttle and get the bike rolling. this is key. if you give too much gas, you cant just dump the clutch and rev to get the engine going again. you try that and you will have the back of your head breaking your fall. go in straight lines to get that throttle control smooth. people will look at you wierd and you will feel like a douche doing this for hours on end, but its worth it.

from about 15-100 miles i kept the bike in my neighborhood practicing my shifting and turning. the more comfortable i got, the faster i went and shifted, and the more i leaned my turns. i live in a low traffic area so this was an ideal space to learn these things without having to worry about traffic. so the first 100 miles or more my bike never left my neighborhood. when you master the neighborhood and turning pick up the speed and work on dowshifting. also go to an empty parking lot and practive agility. low speed weaving through parking spaces, start off weaving around 2-3 spaces and as you get more comfortable, narrow it down to 1. after you get all of this down get your license and take that bad boy on the roads and start applying these things in traffic. keep in mind people dont see you, and even when they do, they dont care. they will pull out in front of you, turn in front, tailgate, you name it and some jag will do it to you. i would have to say though that my main advice would be patience, and throttle control. good luck have fun there is no feeling like riding, especially a sportbike.

 

^^^Yea thats the way my friend told me to start. Just gradually move up from parking lot to neaghborhood streets to etc. I understand that theres no point and buying a slow bike because you will want to upgrade but at the same time i dont have a endless budjet and wouldnt it be better to get a bike that I wasnt worried about dropping since its bound to happen.

 

Thats the way I started to learn as well, all good advice.

My only advice to you is to purchase a used bike so you don't take the hit on depreciation as much if you ever do decide to sell. There are really good deals out there, I got my '04 Duc with 1400 miles from a guy that was leaving the country for about $3,500.

If you are worried about the cost of repairing a dropped bike, I would suggest a naked bike with frame sliders so you can at least limit the damage, but of course this does depend on the crash. A naked bike will have no plastic fairings that would easily crack in a crash.

The Suzuki SV650 is a very popular naked sports bike that also has good resale value. If you want to a get a full fairing sportsbike then at least get something like an F4i which is a more civil version of the honda 600 superports.

eviloution8, can you share your experience in terms of buying? For example, how did you know that the R6 was right for you; seating position, looks, performance etc.? Do you have any regrets or things you would do differently?

 

If this is your first bike I always suggest getting a dirt bike. You can find a used 125 for cheap, ride it for the season and sell it for exactly what you paid. Being in C'dale you should be able to find tons of places to ride. If you are going to go with a sport bike have fun riding down south, the roads are endless.

 

Get a ninja 250 or a bike of that size. Dont get an r6, 636, 600rr, gsxr600 as a first bike. You will drop the bike which will cost hundreds to repair. You will not learn how to properly control a bike becasue it is too strong. You will hurt yourself with the slightest mistake (even if you are a genius and have the greatest self-control).


And to the concept of the bike being too weak and you want to upgrade, most riders downgrade to something with less power. You can still have fun with a weak bike, in fact more fun. Last week I went to a mini track and drove an xr100 motard, I had much more fun then driving any of the bikes I have owned in the past.


Ask this question in a bike forum and they will lead you in the proper direction. People in a car forum are not bikers, at least most arent, so you will get the wrong answers. Yes there are exceptions to the rule of people who have gotten liter bikes and survived, but bike are very powerfull and can kill you in an instant.

 

Suzuki SV650S, used or new they are fabulous rides and you can mod. the heck out of them.
Inline 4s are a handful no matter how you cut them.
Get a good deal on a used bike, yes, but DO NOT scrimp on your safety gear.
Cheers,
~j.

 

Lets be serious here. You can NOT tell someone who is set on getting a sportbike to by a 125 or 250cc bike. The guy wants speed. Yes he should ride safe but no matter what he learns to ride on the danger to himself which could be caused by himself or another motorist is gonna be the same. I learned on a 500cc buell and ride 05 636 kawi. These 600's are mean and 1000's are insane. All 05 600's can clipp 10-11 sec quater mile times at 130-135 mph. They are fast. Just be safe on em. Its fun and all but I'm selling mine because I dont wanna be out one day and have some bastard talking on his cell phone clip me and cause me to loose a hand. Or foot or both. I couldnt imagine life without the Evo.

 

I suggest buying a small bike because he needs to learn how to ride before he goes out a hits 100mph. A 10 year old xr200 can be bought and sold in 3 months for the same money. And it didn't cost him but gas to learn how to ride. I have been riding for over 20 years and have always suggested this. I also build bikes on the side so I do have some experience.