Best Beginner Motorcycle - Who Am I?
After some nudging from Sam I decided to write this little article about who I am, why I made this website, and why you should listen to me and not your buddies. Feel free to post your comments after you read the article with any other questions you might have!
Why I Made This Website
We'll skip to the second question right away, because I think it is more important than who I am. About 4-5 years ago I saw a couple people riding motorcycles in my home town in Idaho and I thought, "Hey, that looks fun, I want to do that!" A few more weeks went by and I saw another guy on a motorcycle, in hindsight it must have been an old brightly colored Kawasaki Ninja 250, and the one thing I remember thinking is, "Man! That is the ugliest motorcycle I have ever seen, why would anyone ride something like that?"
Needless to say I was a potential squid in the making. I went to the Honda website and found my dream motorcycle (the one that looked the coolest since I didn't know anything about engines). The motorcycle I had my eye on was the beautiful Honda CBR 1000. Unfortunately it was very expensive, so even though I had a whole plan on how to save up for it, I would still have to wait a good year or two before it would be mine. I was hooked on motorcycles at this point so I started researching them everyday!
While surfing the Internet I came across a website, I think it was beginnerbikes.com or something like that. Anyway it was a website and motorcycle forum where new riders could ask veteran riders questions about this wonderful sport. That is where I learned that 600cc+ is too much motorcycle for most people to handle, and lots of people crash because they lack the proper throttle control. I also learned that I should wear a leather jacket and other protective gear as well. Before this time I never gave a second thought to anything besides what my future motorcycle would look like, and how cool I would be cruising around on it. It was an awesome forum and I learned a lot, hell, it might have even saved my life!
One day I tried to go back to the forum and it was gone, and I was pretty devastated. I kept checking back again and again but it never returned, I guess the guy couldn't afford the bandwidth or something.
Who I am
A year later I moved to the California bay area where there was (and is) a huge motorcycle community! I got a decent paying job so I set out to buy my dream motorcycle that I had been researching ever since I found beginnerbikes.com: The Suzuki GS500. When I got that bike I was super happy, even if it did stretch my budget a bit. I was surprised at how sensitive the throttle was when I first rode it, and I'm very glad I didn't start off with anything bigger. I learned all the basics on that motorcycle, and then I took the MSF course and got my license. After about 6 months I was forced to sell it because of poor choices I made.
My Honda F2 Ratbike!All hope was not lost though, my friend had a 2002 Honda f4i that he let me borrow for about 6 months until he sold it. After riding that I had about a year of riding under my belt, not a lot, but enough to know I would be riding motorcycles for life! After much scheming I got a cheap Honda f2 ratbike for $900, and I rode that for a good 8 months before I eventually sold it as well. The main reason I sold it was because so many people had told me it wasn't a safe bike to ride (the front end was from a 1984 Kawasaki GPZ 900 with its infamous anti-dive system) Basically it was a piece of crap and I'm glad I sold it.
I was bikeless for another year, and during that time I posted on other motorcycle forums, but eventually my addiction had grown to the point where I felt I needed to contribute to the community through more than just forum posts. Best Beginner Motorcycles was born!
Why You Should Listen to Me
Well maybe I should title this section, "How I write reviews". A lot of people might not like this, but I haven't ridden every motorcycle that I review. I make a point not to write my articles in a way that people would think that, but sometimes people make assumptions and that's something I can't really avoid. If I haven't ridden the bike, how do I review it? Well I research it!
With every review I literally spend hours combing the Internet, magazine articles, forum posts, consumer reviews, basically everything I can get my hands on to figure out all the pros and cons of the bike. I try to take all that information that is spread out, and bring it together in one well written article so people won't have to spend hours of their time just to figure out that a particular motorcycle isn't for them. The guides on the other hand are 100% all my own experience and knowledge, so when you read them, you KNOW that I have been through whatever it is you are reading.
Should you listen to me more than your friends? I'm not sure. Your friend may be a more experienced rider than I am, but that may also work against them if they can't remember how hard it was to control a motorcycle when they first started riding. My goal is to make people aware that motorcycles are dangerous, but they can be a lot of fun if you have the proper safety gear and ride a motorcycle appropriate for your skill level. If I hadn't found beginnerbikes.com who knows what type of rider I would be today, or if I would even be around today...
My Bike!
I wanted to end this on a positive note so here is a picture of my motorcycle! It's a 2001 Kawasaki ZX-6R! It's still relatively new to me (as of 7-18-07), and I'm having a blast riding it all around the bay area. If you see me at Alices or 4 corners give a wave and tell me what you think of the site!
Hope everyone enjoyed this trip down memory lane. Keep the rubber side down!
Comments
Bay Area!
I also live in the bay area, but I ride a Ninja500! I wave at every motorcycle I see, but if I see your bike I'll make sure to give you an extra long wave ;)
Eli
beginnerbikes.com did run
beginnerbikes.com did run into problems, but many of the good members can now be found at http://www.beginnerbikers.org/index.php (The message forum has the same concept as beginnerbikes.com
I just figured you would like to know.
Live everyday of your life
Great!
That's awesome! I'm glad i'm not the only site out there that is catering to new motorcycles :)
Ben
- Best Beginner Motorcycles Admin
Riding In Australia
Hi There!
Great Site!!! If only there was an Australian site like this!
I'm a new rider....yet to purchase a bike! Decided to purchase my riding gear first.
Not sure if I purchase second hand or new? ..... Never had a new car, so I thought why not a new bike!?!?
What are your thoughts on the HONDA 2007 VTR250 & CBF250?
..... I'm leaning towards the VTR250.... Loved the 2006 model but the 2007 is hot!!!
VTR
Unfortunately I don't think either of those two motorcycles are offered in the states :( I have heard tons of good things about the VTR250 though, I even know a couple of people that have imported them because they like them so much. I would go for the VTR if I were you, but then again I haven't researched either of them very much.
Ben
- Best Beginner Motorcycles Admin
website
Thanks. I am a rather older newbie at 59 years of age and female . I knew about the protective clothing and such but needed advice on bike size and some reviews and guides on different makes your site gave me all that in one place. I also appreciate the tips you provide.I think since I live in Florida that a cycle makes an excellent choice for my midlife crisis. you have answered a multitude of my questions here, keep up the good work because my observation is that interest in motorcycles is definitely increasing. It seems the number is growing by leaps and bounds. there are going to be a whole lot of new riders out there that can use good advice.
awsome website
i just found your website tonight, after doing a search on reserve fuel switchs, i was having problems figuring out what the switchs did lol(driving around on reserve for the last 120km's :( with my cbr250rr).
I've found your website to be really user friendly & informative(love the recommended reading option), i'll be sure to keep check up on future reviews and posts. btw your zxr 600 is sexy, i wanted a zxr250c myself but the seller was asking far to much for a 10 yr old bike.
ps. i'm wandering if you could put some guides up?(vids would be awsome), on how to jump start you motorbike & wat to do after to not kill the battery, maintaining your bike(lobing chain, changing fork oil, changing oil etc.)
ty for starting this website, i'm sure it will end up helping alot of new rider like me & i'll be sure to bookmark & keep checking any & all updates
@Nicole
there plenty of Australian based motorbike forums, they also hold riding days :D, which state do you live in? i can send you a few links to some very good australian forums. gl
Thanks!
I'm glad your finding the site useful :) You must have read my mind, I have actually been planning on making some videos to accompany some of the articles, in fact I was hoping to film the first one tonight (its a review of a messenger bag I use on my bike). I am also hoping to put up some vids on how to change the oil, and some other general maintenance stuff, I will make sure I include how to jump a bike on the list as well.
Ben
- Best Beginner Motorcycles Admin
Hey you have an awesome
Hey you have an awesome site. I have been thinking of getting a bike for the last couple of months. Been focused on getting the funds but no real idea as to what i wanted to buy. Your site has opened my mind and has showed me there are more options than a ninja thank you and keep up the great work :)
Great website!!! Keep up the
Great website!!! Keep up the good work and spreading the word. Some of the old BB.com members can also be found here: http://www.beginnerandbeyond.com/
ninja 250 or Katana 600
I love this site, just found yesterday!
I am 6 feet tall and weigh in at 230ish (on a good day)
but, I have the option to buy either a Ninja 250 or a Katana 600
both clean!
which would be a better first bike, keeping in mind my size!
I wasn't to keen on the 250 until I read some reviews in this site and
most folks were very pleased with the 250!
Ninja 250
Don't get the katana! Not only is the katana arguable the ugliest motorcycle on the planet, it is also 600cc's which is a lot of power for a new rider. I think it is still too much bike unless you have a lot of dirt bike experience. If you are worried about the 250 being powerful enough (which it would be, I regularly hear of people 200+ riding them easily), maybe consider the ninja 500.
Here are some good links to start you off:
http://www.bestbeginnermotorcycles.com/why-600cc-motorcycle-not-good-beg...
http://www.bestbeginnermotorcycles.com/beginner-motorcycles-dont-look-be...
Good luck, And keep the rubber side down :)
Ben
- Best Beginner Motorcycles Admin
hey, just found this
hey, just found this website, it's great!
one question, what kind of pants are those in the pic. with the F2? They actually look like pretty normal pants (something most protective motorcycle pants do not do) and as such, I was interested. I've been looking and looking for some protective pants that look normal and would provide some decent protection, so if you could help, that'd be awesome.
thanks!
Pants
The pants in the picture are First Gear Textile Overpants
http://www.bestbeginnermotorcycles.com/first-gear-textile-overpants-cras...
They slip on over your normal clothes, and the material they are made out of is waterproof. They are really great pants although I don't know if they would look 'normal' off the bike. Sometimes I go to the store with them on and the material 'swishes' between my legs when I walk. Its not too big a deal and I am used to it, but I know that would throw some people off.
I have been looking for some pants that look more 'normal' when off the bike, and I have had my eye on some of the stuff BMW makes. Check out their santiago pants
http://www.bmw-riders-gear.com/BMWRA_products.asp?page=10&mm=By+Form&c=P...
or their city pants:
http://www.bmw-riders-gear.com/BMWRA_products.asp?page=5&mm=By+Form&c=Pa...
They are both pretty pricey, but they look great and they seem to have all the protection you would require.
Ben
~Best Beginner Motorcycles Admin
- Best Beginner Motorcycles Admin
new to biking
hi i was just wondering at what age did you start riding?? sorry if it had already been answered and comeing from the uk and being 19 the laws are gay so "technicaly" i am only allowed to ride a 33bhp bike for 2 years once i pass my test, however you can have a bigger bike e.g. a 600cc and have a restrictor kit put on. I am realy interested in bikes and have been for some time (since i can remember) andso far i have found this site realy usefull, however i still need some advice, i used to have a 50cc twist and go did for a year then went for a car (parentals said they would kick me out if i got a bike).... but i am now realy interested in getting one and have been scanning the tinterweb to see what kinda bike would be best or more suited. i was at first when i was 17 looking at getting an apprilia rs125cc ( i prefer it to the cbr125 as it is a little more punchy being a 2stroke and looks wider.... ) but i have seriousley gone of the idea of getting a 125cc i cant see the point in sorting out cassh for it and possibly loseing money on it for a 2 year stunt, so i was then considering a bigger bike.... in perticular i like the honda cbr600 rr or normal one, i dont perticularly like suzuki as i find they are a bit to high pitched (sorry for being picky) and seem to short. do you think i am being over ambitios going for a 600cc and do you think i should / shouldnt restrict it to 33bhp, after all the bike only goes as fast as you pull back on the throttle.... i also have family who have bikes so they would be able to "break me in" more on the road with a slightly larger bike.... sorry for rambling on a bit... i have also heard that the cbr600 is not a to difficult bike to ride compaired to other 600cc bikes. as for protective gear i have pretty much got all that sorted just need a new lid but i fing if you buy a lid to match a bike it looks a tad better... anyways...... look forward to hearing from you. thanks and keep up the good work.
Hey
Dude your beginnerbikes.com is my bestbeginnermotorcycles.com haha if that makes sense. Thanks for the site, I have been wanting a crotch rocket for about 4 years now and I'm 18. Started off with a 90cc dirt bike and I'm trying to work my way up in the motorcycle world. Every time I brought up the idea of me getting a motorcycle my parents denied me before I could finish my spill. But I finally sort of "told them" about a week ago I am getting a bike (in a non bratty way). So come July, after I have taken my MSF course and done tons more research I hope I'll feel the wind pressing against me on my ninja 250. I just found this site a few hours ago and surprisingly I haven't left it to check my myspace yet. Thanks a lot man, your doing a great thing.
Just letting you know
I also appreciate the effort to put together and host this website. Its a good read and very thought provoking. The photos of road rash really sink in the importance of safety! Gross.
I also believe that we will be seeing a lot of new riders because of the insane gas prices we're paying at the pumps. I know that's what initially got me interesting in learning to ride a motorcycle. A bike can effectively cut my commute gas bill in half. And doing it in style and having fun might just be the kickers to win over 1new rider in me.
Keep up the good work and keep bringing the content!
Staying Alive with a New Hobby
I just turned fifty – right, one of those old geezers recreating their youth as it COULD have been – and have been thinking about buying my first bike since I have many friends and colleagues who are aficionados and it seems really fun. Driving a car I am what you might call a defensive driver, mostly keeping within speed limits and generally trying to anticipate what could happen and focusing on how to stay out of trouble in any given situation. "Let them crash into somebody else", if you will.
So I am not going to flip the bike over because of an overdose of testosterone, I cannot be goaded into stoplight competitions, I am happily married and don't need to get chicks with the bike and I couldn't care less if my bike and/or gear is the latest fashion or yesterday's news. It's all about clean, selfish fun. What I am looking for is 1) low center of gravity, 2) low-enough seat height to get both my feet on the ground when stopping, and 3) enough, but not over my skill limit of power.
I would probably be riding mostly alone, but the bike should have enough spunk to take both me and my wife (total weight 150 kg/330 lbs) for casual tours of, say, some 300 km/200 mi a day. The general speed limit on highways in where I live is 90 km/h (56 mph), so performance is not a primary issue. From what I have read it seems the 500cc range is quite enough for me.
After this longish preamble, the shortlist of bikes for a beginner like me begins to look like this:
- Honda CB500
- Yamaha Virago XV535
- Suzuki GS500
As every one of you on this forum is more experienced than me, please share. Any suggestions, additions, comments? Pros and cons?
All the best,
Kimmo, Estonia
What? No Kawasaki Vulcan
What? No Kawasaki Vulcan 500??
Ben
~Best Beginner Motorcycles Admin
- Best Beginner Motorcycles Admin
Vulcan shortlisted, thanks
Thanks for pointing out my oversight. Reading reviews on the Vulcan 500 I was particularly delighted that thanks to the long wheelbase it doesn't want to do wheelies. I prefer all my wheels on the ground – bike or car.
The only snag is that in the lower range I only found one Vulcan EN450 for sale online here, and it was a 1989 model with 45,000 km (28,000 mi) on the clock. The rest of the Vulcans were all 750s and up.
Ouch, bitten by the bike bug
All right, today I went to see if a local used bike shop would be open on a Sunday. Yep, and the guy was only too happy to show me the machines.
They had mostly Yamaha Viragos and Kawasaki Vulcans in the 750 to 1100cc range. When I asked about ~500cc, he said it wouldn't make sense because if I wanted to ride two up, I'd be coming back the next summer wanting to upgrade. OK, they didn't sell that range, so of course he would say that.
Anyway, a dilemma arises. Should I heed the warnings of Chuck Hawks, you et al. – or take my chances and get a bigger machine for starters to avoid the hassle (and probable financial loss) of trading?
I live in a small country town around which are a lot of quiet, winding roads in a hilly landscape, and the two nearest cities are some 50 km/30 mi away. The main roads are paved, smaller local ones are dirt. To most places I need to go I can take paved. And, as I said in my earlier post, I am a careful driver. (1. Whenever it feels like you're getting the hang of it, stop at the roadside, take a deep breath and start again more slowly. 2. Consider yourself invisible in traffic, that is, take care YOU either not get into or can quickly get out of any situation that's developing around you.)
On the other hand, the idea of the sport is to return home alive.
From the technical point of view, I like the shaft drive of the Viragos/Vulcans. In this neighborhood's circumstances, belt drive is the worst, as a rock in the works can wreak instant havoc. Chain drive is better, but as the guy said, he has never had to fix a shaft drive, they are virtually maintenance-free. I like that.
Phew. The brain is in overdrive trying to sort all this out. Any external input would, as always, be greatly appreciated.
All the best,
Kimmo
Kimmo
Hey Kimmo,
You're definitely right, the dealer is going to show you bikes that he has in stock, and more importantly, the ones that are the most expensive. A 500cc bike is going to be a lot less expensive to buy and maintain than anything in the 750 to 1100cc range. The great thing about lower CC bikes is they seem to hold their resale value really well. I bought my first bike, a 2002 GS500, for about $1800. When I ended up selling the bike later I sold it for $2500! Talk about holding resale value!
I have found that most bikes in the 250 and 500cc class will only depreciate 100-300 dollars over a year or two, and if you get a good deal on a bike you can even make money on the sale like I did. Because of that I don't think that buying a big bike so you 'won't have to trade up' is a very good reason to avoid buying a small bike.
I'm glad you're looking at used motorcycles at the dealership, but have you tried looking in the classifieds or on websites like www.cycletrader.com or www.craigslist.com ? I have bought and sold all my bikes privately off of craigslist.com and I have always gotten great deals (although I admit that I am pretty patient when it comes to finding stuff like this).
You should check out this article:
http://www.bestbeginnermotorcycles.com/top-5-reasons-start-250cc-motorcycle
All of the info there could be applied to bikes in the 500cc range as well. If you plan on doing a lot of 2up I would definitely suggest getting a 500cc bike instead of the 250, although most of the times a 250 can handle a second person without a problem, it just might not be the most comfortable.
One thing that you should consider is that although there is a lot of talk about CC's, each bike is very different. I could see someone getting a Vulcan 900 for the first bike, in fact a few people on this forum have recommended it, but a vulcan 900 is a lot less powerful than a GSXR 600. The best thing you can do is research as much as possible and keep narrowing down the field. Once you get a few bikes picked out, go to a dealer or to a private sellers house and sit on them to see if you like them. Some bikes will just 'speak to you' and you will feel at home on them right away.
I hope all of that helps, I kind of rambled a bit. Let us know what you decide!
Ben
~Best Beginner Motorcycles Admin
- Best Beginner Motorcycles Admin
250cc in short supply
Thanks, Ben, for your continued interest and support!
I re-read your Top 5 Reasons article—can't say anything else except I agree. The only problem is that 250's or under seem to be in really short supply in my country, they are all motocross bikes or scooters. Also, their prices are surprising: on the internet I found a Yamaha Virago 250 for sale (yes, only one!) at it cost the same as a 535 of the same year and more or less the same mileage!
Kawasaki Ninja 250 is available here, but only new (at a price that translates into $5,800—ouch—and the local Hyosung importer has chosen not to include 250's in their range at all, save the cruiser GV250 at $6,000—ouch again—which seems a bit lifeless for a cruiser. Of course, I could start with a 125cc, but that efficiently rules out all two-up riding.
Which brings me to another question. As you pointed out, it is not the cc's that count, but rather the kW. So, if I have a bigger engine, do you think it will make the bike more difficult to handle or not? I am fully aware that at least the machine will be heavier, but other than that, do you see any major problems?
On the other hand, I doubt my wife will take the risk of riding with me at least until I have taken the equivalent of the MSF course, available here under the name of "Motorcycle Survival Course", and gathered some road experience, so maybe I might as well start with 125, unless it is too "small" for me at 6'1" and 172 lbs.
Sorry to pester, but I like to be thorough with advance research before making any decisions.
Thanks,
Kimmo
Oh, forgot one thing
What I forgot to say was that www.cycletrader.com, www.craigslist.com et al. are out of the question for me here in the far northeast corner of Europe as the transport cost will eat up any savings I might make on the purchase. There's also the problem of type approvals: unless the bike in question has been type approved here, the purchase will entail a LOT of hassle and money spending before getting a non-approved machine registered, so in real life I'm limited to the offering on local websites and at local dealers.
Well, what the heck, it just takes a little more research and patience. Which, I hope, will also explain some of my perhaps odd questions. Thanks anyway for all the help you've given!
Cheers,
Kimmo
Boulevard s40
Hi my name is Stacy. I enjoyed reading your pages. I'm 6-1 230lbs and looked at Virago (too small for my frame) and Suzukigz250. What is your opinion of the suzuki boulevard s40? I know its a 600cc, but it weighs only 50 lbs more than the 250 and I've read it's really low powered for a 600? It's attractive to me because of it's lightness, price and it's my favorite looks wise of any bike i've seen (my son calls it an old man's bike - ok i AM 53). anyways i'd like your opinion -thanks
Vulcan 500
Great site BTW , its what influenced me to by my '09 Vulcan 500. Awesome bike very easy to control and enough umph to let a beginner feel like he can still run with the big boys. Sorry the dealership for Kimmo disagrees, I guess thats the difference between commission and actual use. Another thing the dealers tend to forget is the weight of the bike. The Vulcan weighs in at about 498 lbs....sitting at a light... fairly easy to keep u, a sudden change of mind at the the light on intended direction and the weight shift can be more then what some can maneuver. I am a beginner biker myself, grew up around em but the people around me at the time had more testosterone then brains...which lept me at bay for about 20 years. Anyone in the NC area.... maybe I will see ya maybe I won't, but if I do...you will always get waved at.
Vulcan 500
Great site BTW , its what influenced me to by my '09 Vulcan 500. Awesome bike very easy to control and enough umph to let a beginner feel like he can still run with the big boys. Sorry the dealership for Kimmo disagrees, I guess thats the difference between commission and actual use. Another thing the dealers tend to forget is the weight of the bike. The Vulcan weighs in at about 498 lbs....sitting at a light... fairly easy to keep u, a sudden change of mind at the the light on intended direction and the weight shift can be more then what some can maneuver. I am a beginner biker myself, grew up around em but the people around me at the time had more testosterone then brains...which kept me at bay for about 20 years. Anyone in the NC area.... maybe I will see ya maybe I won't, but if I do...you will always get waved at.
new rider
I just got a Honda Shadow VLX. It's the perfect beginnner girl bike. I have only practiced riding around residential streets. I haven't hit traffic or busy streets yet. I'm itching to go explorign. What are some "heads up" pointers before I venture out.
yep, Shadow VLX is a great new-rider bike
I just had to reply to this and add my vote for the Shadow VLX. I'm a fairly experienced rider, but my fiancee just took the MSF course and we settled on the Shadow as her first bike. She's loving it, and is at exactly the same comfort level you describe--residential streets and no heavy traffic or freeways yet. I loved the coincidence of running across your post!
Newer Rider
Hey all, I've just completed the MSF basic course and have started looking into some motorcycles. Not quite sure if a cruiser or a sportbike would be more to my liking, and there aren't any of the listed 250's around for me to go try out =\. The ninja 250/500s have risen' to the top of my list because they have time and time again shown up on the top of recommended beginner bike lists. However, because there aren't any near where I live, I can't really check one out. I'm 5'9-10" and was wondering if anyone of a similar height has one of these, and if it fits them without having to mod the bike.
Thanks for any replies.
Also, thanks for putting all the work into this site. It's good to know that someone is actually trying to steer people away from starting on 600's. Just from the Google search Ive seen several people actually recommending people to start on them!
great site for newbies!
thanks for the great site, it has been very helpful to have a non-biased, informative site to research my first bike and becoming a new rider. it is nice to have a site where people give good advice and sound wisdom rather than just "get what you want, you'll be fine". I will be buying my first bike soon, am looking at either a 2006 ninja250 or 2009 suzuki TU250.
J.H.