Motorcycle Recommendations - New to Motorcycles
 

I am planning to start lessons next week at the local CC. I am looking to eventually purchase a used one. Heres the scoop.

1. I have a 25 mile (one way) commute to work. At the current gas rate, I am spending 400+ a month just on commute and errands.

2. My commute can be done on back roads as opposed to the interstate.

3. Why not, it may be real fun on the open road...

Weather is usally not too bad here (rains sometimes, snow others) but most of the time I don't see any reason (unless you don't like 40 degree weather) to ride to work on a motorcycle (other than the idiots in SUVs that are driving up the gas prices for the rest of us - no offense to any SUVs on this site, hey if they can appreicate an RX8, they probably are good drivers).

So guys, I am totally "born yesterday" when it comes to this. I do ride bicycles a lot and have ridden a scooter, but this is a much more serious piece of machinery.

I just want the basics (no need to carry stuff other than me) and decent comfort and easy to handle for a beginner...

HELP...

Thanks

start with a 600cc bike, yamaha R6 is the best rated one. 4.5 gallon tank, around 50 miles per gallon. insurance is about 300 a year

My main suggestion is don't get to power hungry on your first bike unless you like accidently going out of control. I have a 91' Sukzuki GSX600 and I love it. You can pick them up cheap and they are fairly easy to work on. Hell if I can do it anyone can.

I would say that depends on the year. Suzuki has been kicking as for the last couple of them and that's nothing new.

Ducati 999 of course

Doens't that bike run $30,000! If it's the bike I'm thinking of I just watched a special on it this weekend and how it was blowing away the rest of the superbikes in it's class. That bike definately looked sic. Definately not a good first bike unless you have tons of money to cover repairs caused by spills and hospitals bills.


Edit- I just read your sig. Don't supose you can get me a job like yours:)

Life is short, ride hard!!!!

I'll take that as a no:(

Are you looking at the rice rockets, or a Touring bike ? If you are a beginner I would think even a 600 might be a bit extreme. Superbikes are great but realize the seating position can be back breaking. Also, what might be very sporty on the ride, might be like our RX8's...peaky. The BMW's are pretty nice bikes, or look at a V Twin.

I personally like the Yamaha R6 and the GSX600 isn't bad either. The BMWs are nice but may be a bit pricey for a first bike. Again, depends on whether you want a cruiser or a sport bike. I have no clue when it comes to cruisers (Honda's are supposedly good and some unknown brand called Harley is supposedly good as well). The key is to learn properly and to not get something beyond your capability (ie giving me an F1 car to drive). You have to remember that there are tons of bad drivers that believe it or not ... can't see rx8's (even if they are bright yellow, blue, red, etc) ... so with a bike, you're even less visible to them.

Yeah, a bunch of my friends have been jacked up on bikes, and none of the accidents were their faults. They got hit when cars were making lefts in front of them, or got shoved under a car when a car swerved into their lanes. I wouldn;t recommend a bike in a heavy population area. it's not that you might be a bad driver, but there are a lot of bad drivers out there.

Another bike that might be good for you is a VFR 800. Quality Honda bike, good power, and better driving position.

D00d, let me give you the advice I was given, because it was the best damn advice anyone ever gave me:

Get yourself a cheap, small, used bike to begin with, something you can beat up on while you learn. Get the smallest bike/engine you fit comfortably on. I'm a short guy, and I started off with a Honda Rebel 250; if you're not too big for that, then I strongly recommend it. Sit on it, and see how it fits. The point is, you wanna get a beginner bike to start with, odds are you are GOING to put it down while learning, just on stupid beginner things, so you want something you don't have to worry about scratching up fancy paint or chrome.
You wanna spend like $1-2K or so.

Then, when you've mastered the thing, you can move up to something more substantial, and sell your used learner bike for most of what you put into it (since it will have already done most of its depreciating before you bought it). And at that point, you'll be more knowledgeable, you'll know better what you want in a "real" motorcycle.

Finally: for a used bike of this nature, I strongly recommend Honda. They are the Toyotas of the motorcycle world, you can beat on them and they just keep running. My Rebel was 8 years old when I bought it, never had any trouble with it at all; heard the same thing from many other Honda owners.

Krankor
05 Shinka 6MT

My first bike was a Kawasaki EX-500. It's a great "starter" bike. If you must go with a 600cc bike, look at something like the Suzuki SV650 or the Suzuki Bandit 600.

Also, I've said this dozens of times to people who have asked the same question on this board: Get yourself some good riding gear. Don't be stupid and ride without a helmet and a decent set of riding leathers (or Condora), boots and gloves. I see people riding around in nothing but a t-shirt, shorts and flip flops, and it make me cringe. Even riding with just a helmet is pretty dumb. Sure you may save your head in a crash, but a t-shirt (or even jeans) won't protect you from having half the meat on your legs, arms, or torso ripped off from the asphalt. Oh and crashing on a bike isn't a question of will, it's a matter of when. The likelihood that you will be involved in a crash on a bike is almost a certainty. Why not take every precaution?

Good luck and be safe. :)

Go with Krankor's advice. He's got the right idea.

Check out Cycle Trader to get an idea of prices for used bikes.
cycletrader.com

Funny how some people are recommending 30K bikes to me. What my goal is simply to commute on a high mileage, fun to drive motorcycle.

I know that I am looking at only USED bikes, and under 5K (pref only 1K if I can). Thinking that with the coming winter, there will be a few out there to get dirt cheap.

If I get addicted to motorcylces, then I will consider upgrading.

In regards to driving. I will initially avoid higher speed situations or lots of traffic (i.e. Interstate 95 between Baltimore and Aberdeen). Pretty bad anytime day or night now. I can take Route 1 (better but still somewhat crowded) or even Route 7/Harford Road (these are back roads) and probably be the only one for a 1/4 mile on that road in my direction (I go the oppisote of the usual commute each day).

Seems that Honda Rebel might be what I am looking for. I am only 5'5 and weigh less than 150.

I will rather spend some more serious money in protective equiment (another area for input please). Are there motorcylce suits that better protect from scuffing on the road if you do slide that can go over business casual attire? Helmets, I would like to spend good money on a high quality helmet that will both be stylish and protect my noodle better than anything else out there.

Boy I am a virgin when it comes to this... but I think I am asking the right questions???? :confused:

I just rode in today. For commuting I wear jeans and a mesh jacket for warm weather riding. I'm not sure you'd want a whole suit just for commuting. They're not only cumbersome, but will obviously be hot. Two-piece gear is more flexible. You can get cordura pants,often large enough to fit over other clothes, and swap jackets depending on the weather.

Helmet wise, Arai and Shoei make great products but are the most expensive. But other companies like HJC, Z1R, and AGV make good stuff and you can probably get good deals on them.

Can't wear jeans. So for summer, I will either need to pack a change of pants (easy enough) or find a lightweight cover pants that will still protect me from scuffing (more concerned about that).

I have a several leather jackets already (need to look cool in my 8) that will work both in summer and winter. So just pants or a kewl coverall suit (like in Kill Bill... love that yellow Uma is wearing... yum)

used 600 that is newer then 2001.

new enouph to not want to upgrade, but old enouph not to break the piggy bank.

or brand new bike financed. they have start rates that are like 50 bucks a month. youll see more then that in just gas savings over the 8. id recomend hondas if your going new... even the 1000rr is user friendly.


denward

Prepair for the fact that you can go down with the bike. Think about what points, of your body, can slide along the ground. Head, hands, shoulders, back, butt, knees, etc. and protect those parts. Helmets are required in most of the US, but also think about a leather jacket, gloves and chaps. The chaps are cheaper & cooler than full pants and provide protection to the necessary parts of the body.
Over the years, I've gone down twice and practice what I preach (except for the chaps, I haven't got around to getting those yet).

WTF IS GOING ON IN HERE!!!

Did anyone read his post? He's new to bikes! YOu guys want to slap him on the latest and greatest supersports? Are you freakin kidding me?

PSB, dont listen to the kiddies out here, the best absolute best thing you can do is start off on the Ninja 250. It gets about 50+ mpg, is super cheap to insure and you can get it used for less then 2k... It's a fantastic beginner bike, had mine for years until i sold it to get into dirt, it's also extremely comfortable. Since it's going to be a commuter bike I would highly recommend going with that. It's very light, very fun in the twisties and it will never come out and bite you. It's very forgiving.

For commuting the SS bikes are not good, plain and honest. I have an 04 636 that I love to death but it's downright painful to commute on. Dont waste your money, your insurance premium and your gas (newer 600's realistically get high 30's low 40's), + tires on a supersport.

Something people dont factor in when deciding that commuting on a supersport bike is cheaper then a car....

Tires, SS tires last MAYBE 4k, to replace they're about oh 320 bucks or so if you can find a good deal, compared to a car 20k EASY and about 700 bucks.

The 250's tires can last forever and are cheap to boot. If you want more power (which you dont need the ninja is still faster then the rx8 to 60) you can opt for the ex500, the gs500 (suzuki) or maybe something a bit bigger like a Suzuki Sv650 (not great gas mileage low 30's) or a yamaha FZ6. All of those will be more comfortable then a supersport 6. If you have any more questions fire away.

The worse choice you could possibly make would be to buy a gixxer or a r6 for your first bike. You'll drop it, you'll probably crash it, and you'll regret it. Plus you'll drive my insurance premiums up.

What kind of leather are the jackets made from? Are they made for motorcycle riding (i.e. Joe Rocket, Vansom, Alpinestars, etc.) or are something you bought at a leather shop in the mall? I have three leather jackets that I wear in cooler weather, but I would never trust them in a fall on a bike. Leather made for cycle riding is usually thick cowhide and it's either got armor built in, or it's large enough to wear armor underneath.

Here's an example of a good leather jacket for riding:

http://www.joerocket.com/jrf/product...roducts_id=232

BTW - I don't recommend jeans for riding unless they are made FOR riding. Denim will shred in a crash just like tissue paper. They're certainly better than khakis or shorts, but not much.

Apparently you didn't read everyone's response or would have seen that several people including myself recommended the EX500 and SV650 along with a few other reasonably priced, used bikes. :rolleyes:

I apologize, i did actually read through the tread, and you weren't one of the people i was referring to. I was mad at the kiddies suggesting SS not the ones suggesting the ex500 and sv650 (which is still not as good of a choice as the 250 for commuting and a n00b)

It's all good. :)

I like the EX-250, but I think it's too small for a full-sized adult male. They're fun to zip around on, but I would not want to go anywhere near a major highway at rush hour on one. I realize he said that he's going to take back roads, but there will always be a temptation to see what it can do, and unfortunately it isn't much.

^^^------ full sized adult male (pointing at my SN)

I commuted with that on the freeway and never had a problem, it's so narrow that lane splitting (if legal in your state) is a breeze. It's the perfect bike as far as sport bikes go for commuting. It's also an absolute blast in the twisties.

The last time I road an EX250 was in 1991; it was peppy at best. Maybe they've changed. :confused:

Nope, they're still the same lol. They still put down 27hp to the wheel.

But they wont hurt the wallet when you fill it up, when you insure it, or when you drop it. I really cant say enough good things about the bike. The fastest local rides his wife 250 in the hills, lets just say no one can keep up with the "wee 250."

dont mean to jack the thread in anyway but i had the same question. ne one have any info the zx6r kawasaki i know i could look it up but is it a good bike to start off with?

Great bike. One of the fastest 600s when it was first introduced. Lousy choice for a first bike. Way too much power.

No, it's an awful choice to start off with. Agressive geometry, peaky power curve.

I still have the ex's Ninja 250 in my garage. I rode it a couple of time and agree it's pretty zippy and a lot of fun. I was pretty surprised how well it handled on the interstate, though I wouldn't recommend it very often. It's so light that it gets blown around quite a bit by passing traffic.

Yeah, if it is just a commuter bike, and maybe for fun in the twisties a Ninja 250 would be hard to beat. You won't be doing 12 sec. 1/4 miles, but who cares.

TAKE A SAFETY RIDING CLASS.

Quite alright... I ask this question in public so that others interested in trying out motorcylces could also have some questions answered... Go ahead and ask!!!

I however, don't have any answers. I really am a virgin (when it comes to motorcyles...)

It is required for a motorcycle license (separte from an auto license) in the state of MD.

It is both a learning and safety course combined with a motorcycle road exam at the end of the course. I need to take the written test on motorcyles first and plan to study over the labor day holiday.

I would be CRAZY if I didn't take a safety course (required or not!)

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Harleys??? He's a n00bie and you guys are recommending him sportsbike??? One way ticket to the hospital (or even worse) if you ask me...

Have you checked out a used H-D Sportster? Compliant ride, decent gas mileage, comparably light, and the kicker... a 2001-02 883 Sportster will only set you back about $4k or so. Another thing too is that you won't feel tired when you get to your destination nor have a stiff neck from looking up (driving a sportbike).

I have one of these and one thing about Harleys, you can customize it to suit your style (kinda like the RX-8).

Oh, did I mention you insurance rate will be much better if you buy a touring bike (Harleys and similar) vs sportbike?

Well the Ninja 250 is less sportbike as it is a standard bike with a fairing. It's a very upright riding position.

true, but would you rather ride a ninja250 or a harley 883? :D

my first bike was a 1000cc with no experience.
needless to say, i crashed the very first day and totalled the bike. 2 months later, bought another 1000cc and crashed again the very first day(but it wasnt that bad. and was able to ride it home that day. but i dropped it in my drive way that same day). had a few lowsides at the tack since then.

on the other hand, my girldfriend started off on one of my 2004 r1s. dropped it once at a red light cause her pant leg got caught on the peg. thats about it. shes been riding for about 18 months now without any real problems. in my defense she took the CHP riding course though. in fact, there are 3-4 people here at work that all started on 04-05 r1 and cbr1000rr's that have had no problems with the CHP course. it all depends on your maturity lvl. the new 1000's have such tall 1st gears that once you get them going, they are actually easier to ride at low rpms the 600's. it really depends on what you want. will you be satisfied with a 250cc or even a 600cc? i know plenty of people that get a 600cc and sell within a year for a 1000cc. i also know people that buy a 600cc, crash, get scared and never ride again.

but keep this in mind, i had a buddy last year that bought a 2001 r1 as his starter bike. he thought he was pro just because he could ride a 1000cc bike. 2 months later he killed himself becuase he didnt know how to stop or turn correctly. whatever you buy, as long as you RESPECT IT and understand your own limits, youll be alright. a 250 could kill you just as fast if your an idiot.

also keep in mind that the zx6r and rr are not true 600cc bikes. the motors are 636cc and makes the zx6r the most powerful in their class. you really cant go wrong nowadays though. all the new bikes are superb compared to just a few years back.

denward

I'd take the Ninja over the Harley any day. At least then I would know it would run and not cover me in oil every time I did manage to get it started. ;) :p :D

Lol, that sounds like something out of Monty Python...

"Listen, lad. I built this kingdom up from nothing. When I started here, all there was was swamp. Other kings said I was daft to build a castle on a swamp, but I built it all the same, just to show 'em. It sank into the swamp. So, I built a second one. That sank into the swamp. So, I built a third one. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp, but the fourth one... stayed up! And that's what you're gonna get, lad: the strongest castle in these islands."

:p :D

thanx Ghost good info.

you're talking about the ooollddd Harleys. The newer ones with the Evolution engines are very reliable. In fact, the 2003 and up are all fuel injected.

Sometime back the subject of helmets came up, and didn't get a lot of discussion.

One of the most important safety features of a helmet is *comfort*. If the helmet isn't comfortable, you won't *wear* it. And comfort is a very subjective thing: different people have different shaped heads and different brands fit them differently. I've heard it said that some people have Shoei shaped heads, some people have Arai shaped heads, and someone I talked to didn't have either, but fit well with... I forget what, maybe HDC. The point is, you need to try on helmets and find what fits you. And not just try it on for a second, you want to wear it for as long as possible; ideally, you may be able to get a dealer to let you take it home and wear it to watch a movie.

Krankor
Shoei RF900 bright orange

Ditto much of the advise. Taking a motorcycle saftey class. Your first year or so of riding will be full of dropping and crashing your bike. BUy with that in mind. Don't buy too much bike... as was said here... a Ninja 250 will kick an RX-8's ass... what do you think that brand new R1 with 180hp can do? It gets real easy once you start to get the hang of things to want to wack open the throttle.

Take a look at the Ninja 250, SV650, and VFR800. Stay away from the 600 and 1000 supersport bikes. At least for your first 1-2 years of riding. And as many said... the riding position sucks for commuting and for riding 2 up on those bikes too.

Always wear a helmet and full protective riding gear. You wear a seat belt when you drive and get a car with full air bags... why skimp on your bike? You have even less to protect you in an accident.

Lastly... enjoy!

So..lemme get this straight. You're trying to say that a HARLEY is "SAFER" than a sportbike!?

Are you INSANE!? First off, if you look at the nationa average of "who's dying" on motorcycles-- its guys on HARLEYS, not sportbikes.

Why you ask? Because 40yr old men are buying them with ZERO experience riding. Harleys (and the like) have much less acceleration, breaking, and corning ability (can you say.. "Can't get out of trouble").

Furthermore, the older crowd has slower reflexes than the younger riders... Just a fact of getting old.

What will kill you on a sport bike? Stupid cagers (vehicles), people on their cellphones, just ignorant drivers, and misjudgement about using the THROTTLE. Don't drive like an idiot at 100+mph.. nobody makes you open the throttle but you.

As far as insurance-- I carry 300k comp/collision with PIP, rental, you name it... for my '04 Yamaha R1. The insurnace cost? 600/yr, or about $100/yr if I just want liability.

The trick here-- is to use State Farm for insurance. Progressive quoted me $4,000 for the same (actually less) coverage.

Personally, I'd start out on a '00-'02 used 600 like the R6, ZX-6, or CBR-600. You should be able to pick a NICE one up for $3500-$5000.

There isn't much to add to this thread, but I'll say this: you WILL GO DOWN if you ride. It WILL happen. I've went down twice, both times at 40-50 mph, and thanks to wearing my gear, I was able to ride away both times.

If you get a sportbike, I'd say stay away from the liter bikes. The 600's are seriously fast and you can get a F2 for under 2k pretty easy. I wouldn't bother buying anything new.

The Phoenix jacket that Joe Rocket sells is a great warm-weather jacket with armor, but it feels like wearing a t-shirt. Some debate how crash-worthy it is. Let me just put it this way; mine's been tested... :(

As for jeans, they don't abrade as fast as people say (again, I have tested this) but they offer no protection in terms of impact or transferred friction. I got a huge burn on my knee the second time I went down (jeans instead of riding pants) but the actual jeans didn't rip. Pretty weird. Still, riding pants are so much better.

Beware, riding is a statistically risky activity. Do everything you can to stay safe. You won't find many people who've been riding for a while who don't have a friend or relative who's died on a bike.

Riding skills are about controlling your fear. That first time you feel like you won't make a turn, you have to force yourself to lean the bike farther, stay smooth on the throttle, and don't grab the brake; usually the bike can make the turn, its you that thinks you can't. Learn about countersteering, threshold braking, when to use the front and rear brakes, etc.

I started with an old Honda CB350 and had a blast with that bike. Definately start with a smaller bike, even if it is for one season. I ride a Honda 919 now and love it but would have killed myself starting out on one. 0-60 in less then 4 seconds is way too fast for a beginer.

I have the Joe Rocket Alter Ego jacket and love it. It's a true 3 season jacket with built in armor.

http://www.joerocket.com/jrf/home.cfm

I think you're the INSANE one here. Your argument makes zero sense. Let's take your statement as read: Harley riders are the ones dying because they attract a demographic of inexperienced riders. Well guess what: THIS GUY IS AN INEXPERIENCED RIDER! Duh! So if being an inexperienced rider is going to kill you on a Harley, then its sure as hell going to kill you on a sport bike! While it certainly is true that a sport bike's superior abilities provide more safety for the skilled rider, they are just rope for the newbie to hang himself with. For the inexperienced rider, the Harley is absolutely safer.

Mind you, I'm not plugging Harley, I don't happen to like them myself, and I think they're a HORRIBLE choice for a newbie, just because of the expense. As I and others have said, in your first year you're likely to drop the bike a number of times, you should have something you can beat up on without worrying about it. I suggested a Rebel 250, I also agree with some suggestions for Ninja 250. And there are other perfectly good small, cheap learner-type bikes out there.

It frankly boggles my mind the horrible advice I've seen offered here, and it frankly makes me question the value of this entire site. I know something about motorcycles and can see the wheat from the chaff; but with RX-8's I'm the newbie and relying on people's advice to be intelligent. I'm glad there are a few sensible posters here, I just hope any newbies reading this can sort out what's what.

And yes, let me add my voice to some of the other important obvious-but-needs-to-be-said advice that the sensible folk have been giving: motorcycling carries inherent risk, and you must take that risk very seriously. That means getting proper training, always wearing proper gear, riding within your limits, defensively, sensibly, unimpaired, etc. The good news is: it's TOTALLY worth it, it's ridiculously fun. My strongest emotion once I started riding was: "Why didn't I do this 10 years ago???"

Krankor
98 Yamaha Virago 1100 Special