New to Bikes

[Tweksta]

Hey guys, I got a qucik question. I'm 17 about to be 18 in december and I'm trying to find a reasonably priced started bike. I really don't know very much about street bikes as it is. Could you guys help me?

[blackie1491]

Both Suzuki and Kawi. have 500cc bikes that are good bikes for leaners.
Most recommend a used bike as spills are common, therefore used cost less.
Read through the threads, Use the search function. Lots of material here.

[Scourge]

CycleTrader.com. Will help you find the right bike at the right price. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation will help you to learn how to ride correctly. MSF-USA.org. Check out the MSF before the cycle trader though. Learn to ride before you buy.

[jkulysses]

I'm guessing since you are posting in the sport bike section that you are wanting a sport bike? Either way I would take the MSF course and go from there. If you have never ridden before then the little 250 ninjas are good beginer bikes, but maybe be to small depending on your size. I rode one and felt like a sasquatch on it. The 500's as mentioned before are also good beginer bikes.

[Clint]

Hey and welcome. Search a bit and you'll get all the info you could ask for. We've answered that question approximately 140,000 times.

[SVZuki]

I have three letters...MSF

[Dizzle]

As stated above MSF, and look in cycle trader. Also do a lot of searching here you'll find an answer to probably 99% of your questions

[Clint]

Looks like we had another 1-poster. Carry on, folks. Nothing to see here.

[CManT1914]

Originally Posted by RowdyRed94

Looks like we had another 1-poster. Carry on, folks. Nothing to see here.

lol, well if the guys is still here, I'll throw in my .02. A lot of guys will say a 250 is a good size bike to learn on. But you will VERY QUICKLY outgrow it, so I'd say start on something a little bigger, like a 500 or something. But here is Uncle Bob's sig:

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob's Signature

Newbies should not buy a bike with more than 50-60hp to start.
Anything more powerfull will magnify mistakes.
They don't brand bikes for new riders with an "N" or an "B", but they do brand bikes designed for racing with an "R".
Wear Gear at all times
I don't want to read a newbies post saying it's only 600cc's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yea, don't go out buying a Gixxer as your first bike, you could end up dead.

[St0nkingByte]

Something naked or cruiser-like is good too for a starter bike. That way when you drop the bike you're not tearing up expensive plasticy bits.

[honduhx]

Heres my cents (which is probally against what most people say) Id get whatever bike you think you will enjoy. Theres nothing wrong with starting off on a 600cc i know a lot of people that have. Some guys even start bigger cause its your choice if you want to be a dumbass with no experiance a 250 can go 100 mph. I started off on a 600 and just took it easy for a while pretty much babied it and i did fine.

[Clint]

Honduhx, it's like many of us have explained a thousand times around here... It's not about top speed, but how much torque you have available when you accidentally twist the throttle at the wrong time, and how quicky the front wheel flips over your head when you inadvertently drop the clutch.

The picture is bigger than you seem to think. A modern 600 makes 100+ hp and is NOT suitable for a beginner. Take that to the bank.

[CManT1914]

Originally Posted by RowdyRed94

Honduhx, it's like many of us have explained a thousand times around here... It's not about top speed, but how much torque you have available when you accidentally twist the throttle at the wrong time, and how quicky the front wheel flips over your head when you inadvertently drop the clutch.

The picture is bigger than you seem to think. A modern 600 makes 100+ hp and is NOT suitable for a beginner. Take that to the bank.

Yep. It's not about how fast a bike (or car) will go, it's about how fast it will get away from you. Trust me, my first car, a 1985 Toyota Corolla would do 105mph, but it had very little power, so I never had any bad experiences in it. My second car, the mustang, has a LOT more power, and will easily do 150+mph. It's not the speed that matters, it's the fact that the mustang can get away from me a LOT easier than say a corolla. It's happened, I spun out and went into a ditch a month after having it, and that was not even messing around. It was just wet out, and I had crappy tires.

Now, since this is a bike forum, lemme say something else. One time, at a light, my 250 died (cold motor, cold ambient temps, not choked). My starter switch or something is finicky on it, to where sometimes it won't start. The light turned green, and it took me forever to get it to start. When it finally did, I revved that thing to the moon, and dumped the clutch, and it didn't even squeak the tire. Do that on a Gixxer, and you will absolutely be on your back with a 380lb bike coming down on top of you. One mistake like that by a newb, and they might not live to tell about it.

[Dizzle]

I started on an SV650S by suggestion. Not a bad bike, certainly didn't get bored BUT allthough its highly suggested on other forums as a good learner bike that low end torque can and will catch a rook by surprise. It got me a few times, usually when i was acting a little too confident for my own good, fortunatley never laid it down but it certainly "re-focused" me real quick. So I guess its debatable whether thats a good starter bike but I'd suggest it after you take the MSF course.

[87gsxrnut]

I wheelied a Ninja 250 - more than once. Honda 500 Interceptor too. Both relatively low HP machines. So, it can be done. A Ninja 250 set up right will keep up just fine with the liter-bikes in the tight stuff.

- Nut

[Smashinz2002]

Recommended beginner street bike: Suzuki GS500. Perfect balance of power and handling for a beginner. Not too fast, not too slow either. Enough power to teach respect for motorcycles and proper throttle control. But not enough to scare you to death. The power is smooth and forgiving, but quick enough for some fun, too. Also they are affordable. Find a used bike.
Then graduate up from there as your skills improve. Take the motorcycle safety course, a MUST for beginners. Riding a motorcycle is not like driving a car, at all. Avoid learning to ride on a scooter, or anything with an automatic transmission.
Good luck!

L.L.

'05 B12

[Born2Ride]

I Had some moped experience and few 100 CC bikes (Yes they exist !) .. I started off on a Suzuki Intruder 700CC and I am loving it... I will defninitely insist on the MSF. Good Luck. (did you bought it yet ..? )

[liv-4-dirt]

start small end big, the modern philosophy.