I am 17 about to be 18 and I want to get a good starter bike to take to college. I have only rode a motorcycle a couple times but I love it and my budget is about $5000. Any suggestions? I want a sports bike and I have been looking at the suzuki Katana model. Any suggestions?Good bike (motorcycle) for a beginner?
I have been riding for over 30 years. I currently own a 1990 Katana 1100 that a bought new. At the risk of sounding like a parent I have a few bits of advice:
1. DO NOT start on a sport bike. I tell everyone I meet that is interested in riding to buy a used bike small bike, something in the 250cc range. Used because it won't break your heart when you lay it down (and you will lay it down). 250cc because the bike will be lighter and while plenty responsive it will be controllable. You can pick up a used 250cc for almost nothing and if while learning to ride if you don't destroy it you can re-sell it. 250cc and used to keep your insurance cost down, many insurance companies charge a higher premium for inexperienced riders and the cost is directly related to the power of the bike.
2. Spend some learning time away from traffic. You should spend 2-5 hours just practicing starting, stopping, turning, up shift and down shifting (while going straight and in turns). These initial practice hours should be done in a vacant parking lot, preferably one without parking stops and not too many light poles.
3. You should buy good safety gear (it鈥檚 cheaper than skin grafts). Spend some of your money to buy a high quality full coverage helmet ($300-500), a leather jacket with ballistic pads ($400-700), a good quality pair of gloves ($70) and a sturdy pair of shoes or boots. You might think this is a bit of overkill but in the 30+ years I have been riding l have had several spills and with each one I learned something.
4. When in traffic ride your bike on the conservative side, use you signals and avoid rapid accelerations and rapid lane changes.
5. The last bit of advice is more or a warning or maybe a prediction; after you have been riding a while (the while varies for each individual) there will come a moment when you will think ';hey I have the hang of this'; when you think this you should treat it as a warning alarm of a pending accident.
It may not sound like it but I do love to ride and I encourage you to ride as well, just don't let the thrill override your sense.
As for a recommendation on your second bike, I am a fan of Suzuki - they seem to be the best value for the bucks. I have owned a Hondas, Yamahas, and my Suzuki they are all good bikes but I prefer my Suzuki. Good Luck.Good bike (motorcycle) for a beginner?
Here in PA they offer free motorcycle safety course and provide motorcycles for the course, They are 250's and most of them are Honda Shadows. These are good training cycles and are not very expensive. They start out teaching you the trip precheck through to avoiding hazzards on the road. We had 5 people in our class who have never driven a motorcycle, one of which never even been on a motorcycle before. Everybody passed the four day class and received their license. Try a smaller bike and work your way up until you become more experienced. However, if this will be your first bike buy used and pay cash, get the experience of riding before moving up to bigger and more expensive bikes. I have had friends who bought big bikes like Goldwings and rode only a few times then selling them at a loss because they weren't ready for a big bike. Nothing wrong with starting small and working up to bigger later on. In fact the smaller bike will normally sell quicker when you are ready to move up, then use the money for your next bike. I would avoid sport bikes because the insurance is going to cost you 10-20 times as much since insurance companies consider these high risk.
Since you have some riding experience, I would suggest a 600cc bike rather than the Ninja 250 (which I usually suggest to beginners). The 600's all perform pretty much the same, so your choice would be based on what is comfortable to you and what type of looks you want.
But, I would strongly suggest that you go with a used bike initially. You will most likely lay the bike down a couple of times, and that is disastrous for a new bike (and plastic is so expensive to replace you'd think it was gold-plated or something).
Also the 600's seem to retain a fair amount of resale value when (and if) you decide to upgrade to a larger bike later on.
Dont go with the 250 unless you are short and are just looking for a motorcycle to ride. If you want a true sport bike, the 500 is also not a good choice but much better then the 250 and you wont outgrow it in a days riding. You can get a used one cheap. Your best bet, if you can afford the insurance, is to look into a good used 600cc bike, preferably something fuel injected. Maybe its already been dropped and has a few scratches. All the better cause 95% chance you will drop it at least once. Make sure you get all your safety gear and take a safety course and ride safe.
Go on the cheap, and save your extra cash for the next bike after you get the feel for riding, drop it a few times, and know more exactly what you want out of riding.
A used and well cared for Ninja 500, Suzuki GS500, or a Honda Nighthawk 450 would be good starter bikes. In a year, Get a really seriously cool ride like a Ducati Monster!
Katana is heavy, think about a used CBR 600 r so if ya lay it down its not a big deal, ride the summer or year away then step up with the big boys.... Sport bikes are way fun, but think about a Harley, chicks love em!!
I have a Suzuki GZ250 which is a good beginners bike. It's very economical and great around town. For an entry level sports bike, I think that the Ninja 250 has to be one of the best values in any motorcycle you can buy.
I think a simple bike is good to go with so you can learn the maintenance yourself.
Get a used Ninja 500. A real sports bike will cost money to insure!
I am in the same boat as you, however my budget is much more strict. I would have to suggest a Ninja 250 as a first bike. Everywhere I seem to go no matter the site, the bike is listed for its light weight, decent power, and fuel economy. Many owners i have talked to says it'll cruise very nicely at 65 all day long.
To me it is a solid first bike, and I will be going to sit on one very soon at the dealer down the street from me.
Kawasaki Ninja 250, nice beginner sport bike.
Me, also being 18, looking for a roadbike, after 5 years of supermoto racing, have riding experience here. The ninja 250 looks like it's still designed from the 80's! And the Suzuki katana, as well as the CBR600F4i both have those lame looking scooter style one-piece seats. What to choose?!?
I am getting a Hyosung GT250R. maybe the GT650R...
What's that you say?
Hyosung (yo'-sung) is a Korean motorcycle manufacturer, that produces a naked, 1/4 fairing, and full-fairing version of the 250 and 650 sports bikes. Check out their website. Their basically suzuki-clones with a ducati-style engine design. the GT650R is about $1000 LESS than Suzuki SV650S!
*A company called United Motors ';UM'; also takes their bikes and change the decals and slap a longer warranty on them.
--drawback is the weight of the bikes, because of some parts being made of steel over aluminum, and dealers can be spread over longer distances.
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