Your Motorcycle Purchase: What To Consider

Advice on finding the best bike for you

Vanja writes: Can you recommend a good bike for a beginner? I have ridden on the back of bikes before, but I don't know what type of bike I should be looking into. I am 20 years old and have been absolutely dreaming about learning how to ride. I want to take lessons and own my own bike, but my family has many concerns and stereotypical opinions. I'd like to get some advice as a young woman in love with riding.

I weigh 132 pounds and I am 5 feet 8 inches tall. I assume the weight of the bike is very important, too, but I don't know what to consider, so any advice is appreciated. I live in Australia, and I just love your site.

Dear Vanja,

I'm glad you sent this question. It's one of the most commonly asked because selecting your first motorcycle is a big deal. There are a lot of factors to consider, and the decision-making process can seem especially confusing when you've never ridden one before. Armed with the right information, you can make a selection and purchase with confidence.

Suzuki GZ250 - an entry level motorcycle.

Most people will ask for advice from a friend or relative, or rely on the expertise of a salesperson. All the advice you get is fine, and you might learn a thing or two. But the opinions of others are no match for your own personal needs. Buying a motorcycle is a lot like buying footwear. You have to consider fit, form and function -- not to mention your finances! Like differences in footwear, boots, clogs and sandals may all serve the foot, but they do so in very distinct ways.

Kawasaki Vulcan 500 - an entry to middleweight category bike.

Fit
Size does matter. Yours and the bike's. What's more important than your height and weight, however, is the length of your arms and legs. Know the inseam measurement on your pant leg (the length from your crotch to the ground) and consider different seat heights. Even with boots on, a rider with a 30-inch inseam will not fit comfortably on a bike with a 33-inch seat height.

Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 Low - a step up in power from the Sportster 883 - Harley's entry level motorcycle.

Sit on as many bikes as you can to get a feel for the controls. With someone spotting you, check the fit of the bike. Can you place both feet flat on the ground comfortably? Can you reach all the controls without overextending yourself? Or are you too restricted, too cramped in the riding position? Can you turn the handlebars in both directions? Reach the brake pedal? Operate the levers? While some seats and controls can be adjusted somewhat, you should feel comfortable with the way your bike feels. Like footwear, it needs to fit your body in order to work for you.

You should also consider the weight of the bike, and the size of the engine. Engines are commonly referred to by their cc displacement, which stands for cubic centimeters. Can you pull the bike off the sidestand without a struggle? If it feels too heavy for you, it probably is too heavy for you, and you don't need a whole lot of bike when you;re first learning how to ride. My first bike was a Suzuki Savage 650, a single-cylinder machine that weighed only 350 pounds. It was a great bike to learn on, fit my small frame beautifully, and I rode it for five years before I felt I needed anything larger. Larger, heavier bikes are not the best choice for beginners. Neither are high-performance sportbikes. I think it's best to learn on something small and manageable, when you can build your skills and confidence, before moving to a larger bike.

Suzuki Boulevard S40. This is an easy to handle beginner bike boasting decent power at 650cc.

Form and Function
Know the different types of motorcycles. And by that I don't mean brands. There are cruisers, sportbikes, standards, dirtbikes and dualsports, to name a few. They each have a different purpose and look, too. This is where style and preference come into play, but the key here is really function.

What do you plan to do with the bike? Will you be puttering around the neighborhood? Commuting 50 miles a day on the highway? Taking long trips on the weekends? Do you need cargo room? Are you going to be riding on paved roads, dirt roads or both? I'm about to trade my Yamaha V Star 1100, a great comfortable cruiser (also available in an entry level 650), for a BMW F 650 GS, a light, nimble dualsport, which also happens to be a great beginner bike. Why? I'm riding more on unpaved highways and the V Star wasn't built for that function. You wouldn't wear sandals in the snow!

The F 650 GS - considered BMW's entry level motorcycle. It's a dualsport meaning it does well in gravel and rocky roads and well as pavement.

Finances
What can you afford to invest in a first bike? Your first bike does not have to be the bike of your dreams. If you take the time to learn to ride right, it's likely you'll move up later on. And because it's likely that your new bike will end up on the ground at least once (usually due to improper handling at very low speeds), you might want to consider buying a late-model used motorcycle. The first scratch doesn't hurt as much that way, and you won't beat yourself up over a drop, if one occurs.

You wouldn't buy an expensive pair of hiking boots just to walk in the park, then get upset when the leather gets scuffed. As far as motorcycles are concerned, if you buy a bike that's too big or too powerful for your beginner's skill level, not only may you be wasting your money, you may be risking your life.

Check out these suggestions on the Beginner's Guide on WRN.

Choose Wisely and Ride Right!
Susan Rzepka Orion, MSF RiderCoach

Susan is a certified MSF RiderCoach and Rider's Edge Instructor who loves to ride, write, and help others who want to do the same. You can find her on the road on her Yamaha V Star 1100 Custom (for now) or on the web at WritingWays.com.

Reader Comments

My son bought a 650 today and has no experience on a motorcycle. He weighs 350 pounds. Is he too heavy for this type of bike? Donna Blythe Monroe, NC Saturday, March 27, 2010 Editor Response No matter what weight your son is, the first thing he needs to do is take a motorcycle training class before getting on any motorcycle. I do not recommend anyone riding a motorcycle for the first time without taking the Basic Rider Course. As for your son's weight -- once he passes the motorcycle training class, find out what the motorcycle's gross vehicle weight capacity is to find your answer. My husband and I have been sharing the riding of our only bike, a Triumph Street Triple 675cc which we bought just over a year ago, after a break in bike riding of 25 years. We recently decided we wanted another bike so that we could both ride at the same time (neither want to be pillion) and thought a cruiser would make a nice change in style and riding position. So I recently test rode lots of cruisers in the 800cc range thinking that was all I could handle (I'm 5-feet-5 of average build). After a dealer convinced me to try something bigger, I tried the Honda VTX 1300 which I really liked for its handling. I then felt confident enough to try a Harley-Davidson Dyna Glide - didn't like the handling and cornering of that one at all. I eventually rode the Thunderbird - a 1600cc Triumph, that's 339kg or 747pounds on road. It was love at first ride! Everything felt perfect - the handling, the cornering, the peg positions, the riding position. I could comfortably put both feet down which is important with such weight. Although you knew it was a heavy bike, it didn't feel so while riding. My husband tried it after me and gave me a thumbs up after riding it a few seconds. We placed our order as soon as we returned the Thunderbird to the dealer. I think one of the most important thing is to ride what you feel comfortable and confident with. Anne Speed Brisbane, Australia Wednesday, September 30, 2009 I returned to motorcycles last year after a 15 year break. I used to ride a Kawasaki, a GPz-900, and later, an older Yamaha Virago 750. And so, I thought I still had the mad skills -- my reach exceeded my grasp: I bought a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R. Fast, powerful, light. It tried to kill me three times. Actually, my skills (or lack thereof) weren't equal to a 350-pound, 600cc sportbike with 105 horsepower. So, after the third time in three weeks I kissed asphalt at low speed, I admitted that I didn't have the chops for a sportbike right now and traded it for a Harley-Davidson XL883, the last of the standard Sportsters in Pacific Blue Pearl, with the complete Screamin' Eagle Stage I kit added on; 55hp, 61 ft/lb torque, 560 pounds dry weight; 27 inch seat height instead of the Ninja's 31; and a better seating position. It won't hole-shot a Lamborghini, but it hasn't tried to kill me either and it sure is fun to ride. Fifteen hundred miles later, I'm glad I did it. I'm not ready for a sportbike yet. I'll keep the Sporty for a couple years until I'm more comfortable on two wheels again and then get that Ducati I've been lusting for! Cat Tampa, FL Tuesday, January 27, 2009 I, too, was encouraged to get a 650 when I was shopping around. My first bike is a 2006 CF Moto CF250T - V5, an automatic. I had a hard time with the clutch in the MSF course and the MSF was also the first time I ever rode. I decided to build my confidence and road skills with the automatic, practice working the clutch on my husband's 250cc Hyosung and then trade up to a bigger, 'regular' bike. Lisa Patria Jacksonville, FL Monday, November 17, 2008 Editor Response Be sure to check out the video test ride of two Hyosung cruisers at our Motorcycle Videos link under Departments on the left. Genevieve Schmitt, Editor Page 1 of 6 (23 items) [1] 2 3 4 5 6 Loading…

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