newbie needs help with first bike choice.

[sumshi_roll]

Well I'm a beginner biker and I'm having a hard time deciding which bike I would like, I'm going to purchase a used bike first before anything else.
Would these bikes be good for beginners? If not can someone please recommend a bike that would be more suited for a newbie?
I'm generally tall, about 5'10''.

Thanks for the help and suggestions guys! So would something more along this be my type?

http://www.buysell.com/root/detail/Nort ... 01++1500cc

[Johnj]

50hp.
500lbs.

[Wrider]

Might want to go through and read this thread... viewtopic.php?t=24715
As for your question, neither of those are good beginner bikes, not by a long shot.
I'd suggest starting off on a Ninja 250/500, or a Suzuki GS500, or if you have some dirt riding experience, I'll throw in some Suzuki SV650s and Ninja 650s for your consideration.
Good luck!

[Duffy]

No, I would not suggest those for a new rider.

If your going for the sport bike look/feel then I would suggest these

1. 2008 - recent Kawasaki Ninja250

2. 2006-recent Hyosung 250gt

3. Kawasaki ninja 500

4. Suzuki gs500

I'm sure there are other sport(sportier) bikes out there, these are just off the top of my head. Good luck.

Until you have some experience under your belt I would stay away from any sportbikes 600cc or over.

[mazer]

The people who are responding have a reason to be worried. Too many newbies buy bikes that are made fro riders who have been riding for years. Here is my suggestion. Go to a dealership and take some test rides. A 250 is going to ge you where you want to go and back safely. A 400 or 500 is as high a cc as you should go being a new biker. It is better to but a smaller cc bike and outgrow it, than it is to buy a 600 and have it sitting in the garage because it is too much bike or worse yet you wreck it and never ride again, which would be a shame......good luck

[wonderjana]

O.k., I posted something similar on here a year or so ago and got so many conflicting responses, I thought I would tell you my experience.
I took a Harley sponsored class on the Buell Blast sportbike and passed. When I went to purchase a bike I heard two things often;
1) you will want something bigger sooner than you think
2) buy used so you don't have to worry about scratches and stuff when you drop your bike

I drove myself crazy with this stuff, but finally listened to my own gut. I didn't want a sport bike because I have a daughter who rides with me and I didn't want a used bike because I didn't want to worry about that thing having mechanical problems while worrying about safety. Plus, I found that motorcycles don't depreciate like cars so a used bike wasn't that much cheaper than a new one.

After research and a few test seatings, (I did get to test drive a used bike from a private seller) I bought a Hyosung Aquila. It is a 250 but has a v-twin engine which gives it more getty-up and go. I have dropped it 3 times, always at stop signs, but was able to pick it up without the whole squatting and lifting with my back against it and hoping I could actually accomplish it! Being a new rider is intimidating to some and I didn't need the actual added stress of that issue. Whatever dings I got are unnoticable
and more importantly I feel safe on this bike, and safe with my daughter on the back. I am 5'3" and 105 lbs and 41 years old. My feet reach the ground with no wobbly and I can stop on a dime going 65-70 mph.

Maybe being younger or more in need to prove something I would have gotten something bigger, but I am very happy with my bike and have had it a year now. Would I like to motor down the road on some giant beautiful bi*#$? YES! But first I want to master all the skills I can.

[Lion_Lady]

O.k., I posted something similar on here a year or so ago and got so many conflicting responses, I thought I would tell you my experience.
I took a Harley sponsored class on the Buell Blast sportbike and passed. When I went to purchase a bike I heard two things often;
1) you will want something bigger sooner than you think
2) buy used so you don't have to worry about scratches and stuff when you drop your bike

I drove myself crazy with this stuff, but finally listened to my own gut. I didn't want a sport bike because I have a daughter who rides with me and I didn't want a used bike because I didn't want to worry about that thing having mechanical problems while worrying about safety. Plus, I found that motorcycles don't depreciate like cars so a used bike wasn't that much cheaper than a new one.

The first statement sounds like "dealerspeak" - what the sales boob will say to try to get a new buyer to spend more money.

The second statement is pretty common advice for new riders, from experienced riders... it accompanies the assumption that a new rider isn't really certain WHAT kind of bike to get, and ideas change once their comfort level goes up. The important thing is to get riding as soon as possible after completing that class, to seal in the new skills.

That first bike isn't usually a long term keeper but a stepping stone, so mechanical headaches down the road aren't a big concern.

I'm glad you found a bike that suits you!

P

[wonderjana]

LOL, that is funny, but true....I mostly did hear that I would want a bigger bike soon from dealers! I also heard it from friends of friends of friends, so who knows, that's probably where they heard it originally!

I love my bike...even though sometimes it looks soooo tiny! I think it is set up to show on my posts now, we'll see here.

wonderjana

[amysue529]

I started riding a last April and I probably fought with myself for a year or better on which bike to get. My boyfriend and all his friends ride sportbikes, so naturally I wanted one too. EVERYONE in his
"pack" or whatever told me to not buy a 250 because I will want to sell it and get something bigger in no time. But, I had absolutely no riding experience whatsoever so I didn't think that this would be true. Actually, at a dealership I went to in my area, the salesman said I should start on a 250. In his opinion, the women that he knows that started off with a smaller bike like a 250 can outride some of his male friends that started out on 600 sportbikes because they get more experience with the form and basic riding skills rather than worrying about it taking off on you.

I fought with the idea of buying new or used. I knew I wanted a sportbike, so the only 250 choice around me was the ninja. But I absolutely hated the old 80s style of the bike; definetly compared to all the sleek 600s around me. I finally just went for it and bought a brand new 2009 ninja 250. LOVE IT. Im so glad I didn't listen to the men around me . The new ninja 250s are inexpensive but they still give you that sweet sportbike look. By the end of the summer I was pretty comfortable on my bike and though maybe I might sell it and get a 600 this year, but I think i'll keep her. I got too comfortable too quick on it my first week of owning it and wrecked....so I think maybe ill listen to my gut this time and ride her for another year or so . Plus, bikes dont depreciate as much as cars, so I know that when I am ready to sell it in another year or two Ill get a pretty good return on it. I would highly recommend the newer ninja 250s. Im still kind of a newbie, so I hoped this helped! Good luck!

[dweiss]

My first bike was a used Honda CM450A. I rode her two years, put 10,000 miles on her, and gave her to my son who needed transportation.

I recently bought a brand-new QLink LG250, which is like my old Honda in that it is automatic. I have Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, so I really didn't want to deal with the wrist and ankle action involved with shifting, that is why I have stuck with the automatics.

Both of these bikes are cruiser-style, so I don't feel that I am laying over or on the tank, or leaning forward from the waist. Since I commute 80+ miles a day round-trip to work, this is a serious plus. In addition, a cruiser-type of bike (IMHO) allows you to sit lower because of the styling...and at 5'1", it needs to be really low-slung for me to flat-foot at a stop.

Anyway, as you can see, I started with more HP (450), but actually dropped down (250) because I have no interenst in the long road trips many here on the forum take...I was only interested in a bike that was highly economical, lightweight, highway capable, and inexpensive bought brand-new (the LG250 MSRP is $2999). This was fine by me, since all my SERIOUS money goes toward the upkeep of my HORSES...LOL