Tips for getting first motorcycle?

10+ years of riding and many different bikes so I'll throw out some pointers.

Buy new used or used especially if this is your first bike since your are more likely to drop it. Like a truck, once you purchased it you'll want to do some maintenance to it so you'll learn more about the bike sooner. Any mistakes or scratches you make to your bike will be less stressful than doing it to a brand new bike.

A bike is more like a expensive hobby, it's not something you get to save money. Again this is the most misconception people have. If this is your only vehicle and means of transportation that's a different subject. You still have do you maintenance to it, oil changes, tires (are not cheap), brakes etc just like a regular car or truck. You have to pay registration and get insurance for it which is also not cheap. You have to buy at least a helmet, gloves, and jacket, again, not cheap. Say you buy a used bike at $6000, insurance $600/yr, registration $100, gloves $100, helmet $300, jacket $200, that's $7,300 out of your pocket already. These are conservative numbers and will change on what type of bike (new or used) you buy, gear you want, and your driving record/age.

Now lets go into actually riding it. It's another vehicle you need to get gas for even though it does get better mileage. Speeding tickets are very easy to get when you can go from 0-60 mph in about 3 seconds, 60-100 mph in a twist of a wrist. Going 60 mph feels slow to normal, on the freeway going 85 mph feels like 65 mph. There's two types of rider, ones that have fallen (maybe more than once) and ones that will fall. You ride long enough and you will eventually fall and hopefully it's nothing crazy. I been fortunate not to have any medical bills. If the bike is not total it could get costly. I've done anywhere to a few hundred dollars to over a thousand dollar in damages. It's very hot in the summer having your legs between a hot engine and the sun beating on you. It's very cold in the winter when you are riding having that cold air push against you. If you ride in the rain, which it's not advise regularly, be prepare to get very wet (duh). Depending on your work it can be a hassle to ride it to work. Going shopping or getting grocery, probably not unless you limit it to stuff you can carry in your package or saddle.

I like Shoei helmets, they "fit me". KBC are my go to secondary helmet. Alpinestars for my jackets, boots, gloves, and suit. I also have some Dainese gear.

After saying all of this, which I'm sure there's more to it I haven't mention, it's still a very fun and enjoyable experience. There's just something about it, the feeling once you're riding, you'll just have to experience it first hand. Enjoy.

 

So thats like saying, If i was only interested in one type of riding, i’d only be interested in the type of bike that was best for it.

Which is what i mean.

I can still enjoy the limitations of a small bike, because i have a bigger bike too.

The only way i can see people “out growing” a bike is if they can only afford, are only able to store, or can only justify, one bike.

 

Gotcha and totally agree. It's my understanding that this thread is about getting one bike

 

Get something light, something you can throw a leg over easily. Get a dirt bike or a dual purpose bike, then STAY IN THE DIRT FOR A YEAR OR MORE! Learn how to ride, crash, skid, jump, wheelie & crash some more. When you can throw a leg over any bike & ride with total confidence in the dirt, you are ready for a street bike. Generally mistakes in the dirt end up with bruises. Mistakes (yours or others) on the street usually end up in the ER. MSF safety course is must, but 2 things they won't teach you. How to physically ride a bike & how INSTANTLY switch your brain into life saving evasive manuever mode. This only comes with experience from your off-road adventures. You'll know when you're ready. Enjoy!

 

Last time OP wrote on this thread was April 2018; still the education here is timeless. @Superman, your thread has officially been jacked.

 

Thanks for posting a very informative video in this thread.

TL;DW:

1. Bike (too big 1000cc CBR for him who was straight out of his MSF course)
2. Skill (his skills werent ready to be pushing it and doing 3hrs on a twisty mountain road, risk threshold)
3. Courses (more courses, besides the basic MSF starter course, before pushing past your risk threshold, get ttips, tricks, supervision, and feedback from the trainers)
4. Practice (practice what the trainers have taught you to do and focus on, practice, practice, practice, then practice some more)
5. Gear (dont cheap out, your life is worth good gear, buy good stuff and wear it ALL THE TIME, EVERY TIME, no excuse is worth your life)

 

Hey all,

After reading this entire thread more than once, I wanted to jump in and hopefully mine some of the collective experience on TW.
I was just awarded my PA motorcycle permit (with a perfect score on the written exam), and I've also registered for the four-day safety/licensing course which will be during the first week of October.

I've never ridden a motorcycle before so I'm a blank slate, but I was pretty skilled on my mountain and trick bikes back in the day. I wanted to see if any of you had suggestions as to what kind of motorcycle might be the best fit for me, physically speaking. I'm currently 6' 3" and 185 lbs. I didn't know if I might be too tall to be comfortable on certain kinds of motorcycles, in other words.

With all of that out of the way, I plan to buy quality gear and will wear it all the time. I'm excited to take the safety course, and plan to get a long-term motorcycle next spring. I want to spend the winter doing research and saving money.

 

Get a Harley man! Dyna Street Bob, loved mine

 

Any idea where you want to go? A lot of the dual sport bikes are good for tall people. And you can explore dirt roads to your heart's content.

 

There are two types of riders,ones that have fallen off and ones that are going to fall off. Falling off a bike is fact. For those just starting out a great learner bike ,IMO,would be a DRZ 400. Go out on dirt roads learn to slide,fall and control your bike. I've been riding for over 40 years and have owned around 20 bikes. Stay safe the street is a dangerous place.

 

Thanks for the replies!

Will look into them! How are they in terms of reliability and build quality?

I hadn't even considered off-road riding, to be honest. I just expected that I would get a street bike or something for city and possibly commuting.
Is the DRZ400 a dual sport bike? Any drawbacks to riding a dual sport for city or commuting?

 

Drz400s are pretty good, possibly a bit short for you. I'd go to a dealer and sit on some bikes, that'll give you a better idea. Just stay away from the ktms and huskys for now...I rode a husky 701 last year and it was so easy to get the front wheel off the ground in the first 3 gears that I giggled for days. Not exactly first bike territory

As far as commuting, ehhhhhh. It really depends on your commute. A drz 400 is a single cylinder dual sport. It would be fine if you're not spending lots of time on the highway. That said, commuting in a city on a bike just seems suicidal these days. People have gotten incredibly inattentive the last few years.

 

Duly noted, very much appreciate the information. I knew I wanted to start out slow with an easy starter bike, but I've had people tell me a 250 CC is just right for me, and then I've had other people tell me I need a 500 CC at a minimum. It's cornfusing.

I can certainly rule out commuting as I have two perfectly fine vehicles - I can keep the motorcycle for weekend cruises and things like that. I do drive through the city on parkways/highways every day and it gets hairy even in a car, so that was probably a bad idea.

 

Amazing man. Doesn’t get much better than a Harley. I was sad to let mine go

 

It depends on the bike. 600cc in a 4 cylinder sport bike is very powerful. 650 cc in a single cylinder dual sport is closer to the tractor end of the spectrum.

If I were in a city that did lane splitting id be more comfortable with commuting, but where I'm at you're basically invisible. You have to ride super defensively all the time and that just isn't compatible with rush hour.

 

go sit on stuff. ride what you are comfortable with. Start following revzilla's commontread or other motorcycle geared news/blogs/reviews. I perused this thread as well as researching numerous other web resources and talking with fellow motorcyclists before I bought my first moto. I am about 5'11" and 165lbs. I bought a Honda CRF250L Rally with the knowledge that I would only be riding around the city with occasional dirt roads but that I would not often get above 50mph. I am really happy with it. I took the MSF beginner class (so I could get my moto endorsement on my license) on a honda grom. Its a tiny 125 that will make anyone feel really comfortable. Based on that and where I would be riding around the crf250L was perfect for me. I will almost never be riding a highway and due to that the 250 is perfect for me. Also I know if (read when) I grow out of this bike I know I can easily sell it for pretty close to what I paid for it (I got a good deal and its a honda so its going to hold its price value well). I am happy with my decision.

Don't let anyone sway you to get what they thought they needed when they started. Figure out what you want and need (I recommend after your MSF class because you will get a couple days of riding a moto in there that you may like or find that you dont like). Buy ALL your safety gear, heck I bought some safety gear (boots) before my MSF class simply because I wanted to be overly cautious and it was a small input of $$ for a lot of piece of mind. Again ALL your safety gear. ALL = jacket, helmet, gloves, pants @ a minimum! I even bought moto socks because it has made riding that much more comfortable for me. Then buy your bike. Dont be afraid to go small. You need to build confidence, not be afraid of the big output machine you bought.

but hey I've only been riding a few months, I am not a seasoned veteran. I just like riding, and I find that i picked the right bike that I want to find every reason to ride. And that I picked the right safety gear that I am comfortable in and will wear every time. If you want to pick my brain send me a pm. other than that I am glad youve made the decision to want to ride. I wish there were more people like you. I think drivers (cagers) could gain a lot from the MSF class.

 

When I was doing lots of autox I took a couple of EVO driving schools. Made me better at autox, but also made me a better street driver. And I'd already been doing that for a long time, accident free. So training (in a quality class) is very valuable.

In addition to multiple (not just beginner) courses as suggested......

Practice in low traffic areas.

A high end helmet.

Solid medical insurance.

Good life insurance if someone depends on you for sustenance. This is true even if you don't ride. Just more so if you do.

Don't be the sport bike stuntman doing the wheelie down the lane stripe between a couple of miles of stopped traffic. I used to have one of those 2 houses down. It didn't end well. He lived, but he's a 30 yo gimp.

 

Dead on.

Also, when you buy a helmet, try on a bunch of them. Different models fit different shape heads.
The people at the store should be able to help you with this. Don't be too afraid to have it be a little snug. It will break in, but if it's giving you a headache, that's too tight.

 

Awesome advice, thanks everybody.

I will be visiting a local cycle shop this coming weekend to sit on some bikes and do some helmet fitting. I already ordered a good set of boots and a high-end jacket, so that way I will be prepared for the safety course. I plan to get a damn good helmet, like a Shoei or Arai.

I will report back as things develop. Thanks again!

 

The other bit on helmets are what is known as "pressure points", read more about an article on Head Shape and Helmets here.