Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Im looking for my first bike, a cruiser. Most of the topics i see about begginer bikes advise against 600cc and up sport bikes. Does this apply to a cruiser? say something like a Boulevard c50, or a Magna? These 2 bikes catch my eye. And a buddy at work whos been riding a harley for 20 years told me not to waste my money on a cruiser less than 750cc but to stay away from anything above 1000cc's(for first bike) Being pulled in 2 directions.

Im 6'3" ~300lbs

34" inseam

Thanks


-RZG

800cc is not the same in any bike

the 600cc RR (sport race replica bikes) put out a tonne more hp than a similar size cruiser would

650-800 cc cruisers are okay for starting, just have to keep your wits about you since any bike can be dangerous.

i'd not say you would be wasting your money on something less than a 750, since the situation would be different (new vs. used vs. resale value debate sort of thing) but a 750 would be decent to start on and you could keep riding one for the rest of your riding days and be pretty darn happy.

First of all.....

Second, Have you checked out the Beginner's Guide? There are also stickies and the Learn To Ride A Motorcycle page which is now downloadable in PDF format (Created and maintained by Dragonhawk).

Third, I also recommend an MSF course and reviewing your state’s (province’s/territory’s) DMV or DOT website for licensing information, guidelines and FAQ.

Fourth, Go to a variety of dealers and sit on all kinds of different motorcycles. Even if you don’t think you’d like the ride when you look at it. I was dead set on one riding style when I started and ended up buying a different type. You may surprise yourself as well. I decided on the Suzuki Boulevard S50. Similar to the "C" & "M" but with some important differences. The S is still carberated, more of a standard sitting position, leaner profile and no extra gauges (just a speedometer).

Fifth, Be sure to look at HP and Torque when you're deciding on your first bike. They are very important as mentioned in the Learn To Ride A Motorcycle page

Sixth, Good Luck, Have Fun and Stay Safe Out There! I hope you enjoy this site! Be sure to...:spreadtheword

Thanks alot fellas.

Glad to be here. Ive been reading this web site for a few weeks now. downloaded and printed all 850 pages of the begginers guide heh. Im set up to take the msf course by the end of the summer. I don't like to rush into things, especially this.

Just printed out the Learn to ride article, cant believe i missed it.

One more thing. My buddy has an 89' 424ltd. I could buy from him for about ~$700. Do you guys think i should get it to learn on and let the c50 or magna (whatever) sit untill im done with the 424? or should i not even bother with the 424 and put $700 towards gear?

RZG

700 bucks is a great price for a learner's bike.
take another 700 bucks and buy some good gear and you will have a great year or two of riding before you "need" to move up.

a year or two on that older bike and you could totally justify getting pretty much any other bike you might desire and could probably sell it again for 500-700 because it would be a great learner's bike for someone else.
(if you can't tell i am a huge proponent of the used starter bike)

I've got a 454LTD. They rock. Cheap to maintain, cheap to run. They go fast enough to get places but are also nippy enough to ride in a city (You guys don't have anything built like London streets). I get about 90 miles on a tank.

Parts can be a bugger, but there's usually some available on eBay, as genuine parts can be expensive.

I'm not sure how well you'd fit on it though, it isn't a big bike. I'm 5'4" with a 29" inseam and it fits me perfectly.

Yeah read the stickies and you'll see that a 800cc Sportbike and an 800cc cruiser are two different animals.

I'll give my insight on a Magna since that is what I ride, though older than what you'll normally find on the market. The Magna has a V4 configuration so it is more powerful than similarly sized V-twins. The 3rd gen Magnas are what you'll find on the market (1993-2004). They have a 750cc engine capabe of 0-60 in the 5 second range as well as being able to do the 1/4 mile in about 12.55 seconds. You'll be able to spank all Harley bikes except for the VROD type bikes. The VMAX/VTX1800 and a few of the big v-twin bikes will show you taillights, but most other cruisers you'll be able to beat. This is a lot of bike to handle as your first, but it is manageable because I'm doing it as we speak. You're also a much bigger guy than I so you'll be able to handle the weight.

As always, take the MSF BRC class before you buy a bike. It isn't a necessity, but it is good experience.

I just got a 98 Magna 750 as my first bike. I'm about 6'2", 240 lbs. Fits me pretty good. I'm doing fine with it as a starter, although I haven't ridden anything smaller to compare to. I'm not trying to race harleys either, so I take it easy on the throttle. If you've never ridden anything with a clutch before, you'd probably have to be very careful. I imagine if you let the clutch out fast with some throttle this thing could ride out from under you pretty quick.

Tonight I start the MSF, so after this weekend, I'll probably have ridden something in the 250cc range to compare with.

MX

I just bought the M50 an I think it is a great learner bike. It took about a day to get used to the weight and difference in power from the MSF bikes. I have had the bike for almost a month now and am getting used to it quickly. It transitions smoothly, rides upright and despite what most of the other posts that I've read on this site, is very comfortable on longer rides. I am 6'2'', 275 with 34" inseam. You'll most likely be comfortable. I can tell you that this bike seems to be very easy to get accustomed to. I can tell that I will want to trade up next year. All in all, this is a great bike and it really turns a lot of heads. I bought the red body and black rims model.

I'm 5' 7" and 145. I started out and still have an Suzuki Intruder 800 and I love it.

Bike weight wise (443 lbs.) that would be a breeze for you, and I think it would be comfy with that inseam.

Just a thought for something to start with.