For the BEGINNER BIKER

[kabob983]

I just started reading "Proficient Motorcycling" Great book, highly recommended for the new rider like myself.

[Shenanigans7]

For the bigger and or longer legged folks out there re: this information about beginner bikes. If you have not yet realized, you soon will, that once you begin shopping for a bike, and based upon the advice found here and elsewhere, you are in a catch-22.

I'm 6'3, 230, w/ a 36'' inseam. Having just finished the MSF course on a Rebel 250, I have to say that I had a safety concern w/ this size of bike. I literally was folded up on this bike. I could barely hike me legs up comfortably between the seat and the pegs to operate the rear brake and shifter. Several times throught the weekend, the instructors criticized me for not having my knees closer to the tank which was damn near impossible for me to do on the slow cornering manuevers as the handlebars hit my knees. I got through the weekend. For obvious reasons I will not be buying any sport bike or smaller standard to begin on.

Which leads me to the catch-22. Guys like me cannot fit on these smaller bikes, yet as beginners we are told to gravitate towards the smaller displacement bikes. While I whole heartly agree with this wisdom, bigger folks have no choice but to seek a bike that is more comforable, i.e. larger, which usually means bigger displacement. We'll just have to take it a bit slower.

did you take the MSF course through TEAM Arizona? i'm taking it next month on the weekend. What did you think? And you rode 250cc? Did you have to bring anything with you?

[thedonutbandit]

i'm new here... and i'm a total noob to the whole motorcycle world. i'm not actually planning to get a bike yet... i'm going to wait until i graduate from college. and the main thing i'm worried about is finding a sport bike that would be comfortable for a smaller rider. i'm about 5'6'', 125lbs... any suggestions on what bike i should start with?

[Scoutmedic]

The best advice is to go sit on a few. If you find one that's "close", check to see if you can get a lower seat for it. Just remember, the listed seat height doesn't tell the whole story. You have to take into account the width of the bike as well. You'll see what I mean after sitting on a few.

[Jacine]

Hi everybody, Reading the thread I guess I'll add my .02 to the issue.

Firstly don't let the dealers decide for you. In my experience the sales people know less about bikes than the riders. For example the sales "idiot" didn't know that vstars have self cancelling signals, and then thought the Suzuki M50 was carbed. It is best to do you homework prior to buyin, otherwise as people have listed here, they will try to talk you into the better commissioned bikes.

Secondly I firmly believe that you must be able to fully flat foot any bike. I'm a small short seamed girl, little less than 28" and ruled out a lot of bikes that I had looked at. There are those that will tell you that you can balance on one foot. Try that with a 500 pound bike on an oily road where the light has forgot to change. Try standing up over the bike without holding on to the handle bars when testing. If you can balance the bike it fits in length. Then you have to consider the handle bar placement if short armed not to mention the position of the brakes and shift.

Which brings me to the brake and clutch. Some of them are too wide for small hands. Some models offer a dial adjuster, others don't. If you can't squeeze and hold the clutch or brake, it's just no good.

Bike weight played an important part for me. I'm only 120 pounds, and 5'7'
If I couldn't move it off the stand easily, then what good was I doing for myself. A hundred pounds can make a big difference. And if It drops I have to be able to pick it up myself. Don't kid yourself, new or old bike, you'll eventually drop it.

And of course most importantly aftermarket. Lots of aftermarket products add interest to bike. Being able to modify it, customize it, add safety features. There's nothing worse than finding that you can't even get a light bulb replacement.

The mechanics, I'll leave the debate to others, but generally belt is better than chain, and drive shaft is better than belt, efi may be better than carb, v-twin better than single. Ok folks chime in here...

A safe bike is one that fits, and ccs can have nothing to do with it unless excessive.

I like riding, Yeah I can scrape the pegs in a turn, but I don't like to. I'm in no hurry, and if I arrive 5 minutes later, I've done so safely.

[moorepimp]

I'm 29 years old and I just recently purchased a 06 ZX-6R(636cc). Now I did my research and read alot of good posts and reviews about buying your 1st bike. I do agree that it makes alot of sense to buy something small and used to learn on. The reason I justified buying a super sport bike was that I realy did my homework on what type of bike I wanted and needed. I wieghed the benefits of starting off small and used compared to buying big and new and decided that I was mature enough not to push the bike or myself until we were ready. I've had the bike for 3 weeks now and I'm about to hit 1000 break-in miles, but honestly I've alresdy had the bike up to 130 with no problems. That was 2 weeks ago before a freind told me about an article he read that explained how airplane engines were broken in, thay have the most stringent guidlines on engine break-in, and that if you follow the guidlines on breaking in an engine you can have a great bike instead of a good bike. Now I'm not sure if this is true because I don't have the experience with bikes that others do, but after I changed my oil at 500 miles my bike rode alot better, felt more powerfull, and sounded better. Now I've been getting on the bike and getting it into it's powerband and it feels great. I've gotten familiar with the head shake associated with high RPM's and a large powerband, but I just hug the tank tighter with my knees and it go's away. But riding the bike and learning how to control it is only 1 of the ingrdients needed to be successful. My biggest problem is learning how to deal with being invisible! It's seams that most auto drivers do not see me until it is too late. I've had to learn how to ride the bike quikly to avoid being killed, so I suggest that if you honestly don't feel that you can be carefull, drive very defensively, and learn when to drive slow then you should start on a 500cc bike or less. I would have already been dead or seriously hurt if I wasn't so respectfull of the power a 636cc bike has!

[flynrider]

...decided that I was mature enough not to push the bike or myself until we were ready. I've had the bike for 3 weeks now and I'm about to hit 1000 break-in miles, but honestly I've alresdy had the bike up to 130 with no problems.

Don't you see a problem with those two sentences? I think you're fooling yourself.

Good luck,

[Sev]

I've had the bike for 3 weeks now and I'm about to hit 1000 break-in miles, but honestly I've alresdy had the bike up to 130 with no problems.

I heard this story a while back.

This guy jumps out of the window on the 30th floor and starts falling.

At about the 3rd story he looks around and says to himself. Hey, this isn't so bad, it doesn't hurt at all.

Three stories later...

[m4lu6]

My biggest problem is learning how to deal with being invisible! It's seams that most auto drivers do not see me until it is too late.

I am an ardent user of that magic horn button. It works for some drivers, but not for others. When I see a tricked out car, I assume they won't hear it over their 50 Cent cd. When I see an SUV, they do comply. Sometimes. When I see a Cadillac, I lay off the horn, because the Blue Haired Granny driving that 5000lb. monstrosity sh*ts herself, and jerks the wheel into my path of travel.

I would have already been dead or seriously hurt if I wasn't so respectfull of the power a 636cc bike has!

Totally agreed. My EX500 "will go fast when you want it to, you just have to wait a while", compared with my week-old R6, which "moves where I want it, when I want it." ... Point-and-click. But, you see, that's the separation, I think, from the Quick & The Dead. The Quick realize "I have the power when I need it", the Dead are dead too quickly to realize and process why wheelies are bad.

[Seetrout]

Well here's MY story (always a bad start). Back in June I was on vacation and thinking about a bike (never figured the wife would go for it.). Figured something like a 250 to 400cc twin for a commuter would be nice, but the salesman said if you're going to be on the highway go for something around a 600, and talked me right into it (figured it didn't matter anyway - no way no how was my wife going to let me get a bike).

I was looking at the 1 cyl suzy and a 2 cyl yam, both cruisers, when I noticed this bright yellow Honda leftover marked waaay down (The local shop has a used one they're asking $200 more for than what I paid). Still more than the others, but looked like a good deal. Looked like a lot more bike for the money too. Nice and sporty looking, but not like a crotch rocket.

Stopped by with the wife to show her what I was looking at "just for grins"
and lo and behold she says "Well, go ahead and get it for your birthday tomorrow"!!!!!!????? I really do Love my wife by the way

So I rounded up a learners permit and put my money down and wheeled out my brand new leftover Honda 599 the next day on my birthday. Idled it around the parking lot in 1st & 2nd a while and headed out. Pulled out into the street and gave it just a little gas to get it moving and said "Holy Crap, what have I done?" I know there's lot's faster bikes, but this is way too much for a novice. Like me.

Three weeks later I got my first speeding ticket in 5 years (Don't tell my wife). I avoid cars like they're the plague. 2 weeks after that I aced my MSF course and got my real licence. 4 weeks after that on my way to work I found some of that cool blacktop that gets all pushed up in the middle of the lane by the 18 wheelers and took the high side at 65mph.

You can say what you want, but I say ABATE is stoopid. I can remember sliding down the highway, feeling my helmet bouncing along and thinking "THANK GOD I"M WEARING A HELMET!!!" Broke my kneecap in half and had to have it screwed back together.

So now $21,000 in doctors bills, $4,500 in repairs to the bike and I can still walk and I've taken it out for a couple small rides around the block, weather permitting. The cold makes my knee hurt like hell.

Want to know what to buy for your first bike? Figure out how much money you have to spend. take the first $1200 and buy yourself some HIGH QUALITY riding gear and helmet. Buy what you can afford with what's left.