motorcycle loan

That will be an inexpensive bike for insurance as well, which is where you can really get socked on a new bike purchase, especially a new rider (aka sport bikes).

Another good one is a 650 KLR. They're pretty tough, easy to work on and there is lots of support (forums) and accessories available. We have a group out here that does regular tech get-to-gethers where they help you learn maintenance (I've seen as many as 40-50 bikes attend). It's a good first bike too. They're pretty cheap, even new and they're easy to ride. It's a good learning bike. I have an '04 that I bought when it was a year old and only had 1K miles on it. I paid $3500. It gets about 45mpg. It's a little beastly for trails but I've done it, much better for fire roads but it can handle highway speeds too. Good all-around bike.

 

As a new rider, you'll probably get killed just in insurance payments. Get something cheap to learn on first.

I looked up a zx-10 once for a guy who's 18-year-old son wanted one. Progressive wanted over $10K per year. At your age, it's best to stay in the 600cc range. Even then, it'll still be expensive.

 

I just looked up what an 18-year-old in Omaha NE would pay for a BMW s1000RR with no riding history. If you're financing, you'll need full coverage.

$19,422.00 /year for $500 deductable on comprehensive/collision
$14,769/year for $2000 deductable on comprehensive/collision

Ain't gonna happen.

 

$9 a month insurance.

My first ride was on a KLR though

 

$9 a month is hard to beat
I pay $38/month for two bikes (KLR & 1998 Kawasaki Concours).

Here's my KLR (2004):



Here with Bags attached

 

This type of thread is why I sometimes think the European laws have it right. Motorcycle licenses are issues for different size (measured by the displacement, not weight) bikes and you have to have a certain amount of experience on smaller bikes before you can get a larger one. With the current power output of bikes a first-time rider has absolutely no business riding anything larger than 250 cc for their first year, then maybe up to a 600 for a few years. Liter bikes and up should require additional classes after several years on smaller bikes.

Too many kids think they can handle it and end up wrapped around a tree. Plain and simple, you should not get a bike that big yet. Best thing you could do is buy an older bike that you have to wrench on a little and learn how to ride a bike before you jump on a giant.

 

+1000000 I have had several bikes and raced for several seasons. I would NEVER suggest ANYONE getting a new bike..EVER. you can get a SLIGHTLY used one for half the price of a new one if you know what to look for. If you are into track and racing, hell, you can get a salvage title race bike for a few grand max.

 

My 400 isn't to happy getting over 70mph. But the "I need a 1000cc because I'm 250lbs and nothing smaller can carry me" line is complete bullshit. Dude I work with tried that line.

We were talking about riding jackets later. I told him my comfortable temperature thresholds with my gear now is about 50*-90* anything else is uncomfortable and just not fun when I've got a truck with heat and AC. He laughed and said "Over 90 you just take the jacket off" I told him I liked my skin a lot right where it is. "Just don't crash" I know I can look out for me but there's plenty of assholes that don't see me coming. "That's why you go faster, once you get some experience you can see the assholes coming" I'm inexperienced and see the assholes coming just fine. But eventually there will be two assholes or an oil slick or I'll just get blind sided by some retard on their cell phone who was driving in a perfectly straight line a second earlier. Wear the gear. He "agreed to disagree." If he wrecked and Tricare didn't cover the hospital expenses I'd be waiting at the bedside to say "I told you so."

But that guy thinks he knows everything about everything. Fuckin squids.