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I have been looking at some beginner motorcycles but am looking for suggestions on what might be a good fit for me.

I'd be using this bike to get around town during the week as well as for longer trips (about 4 hours) on the freeway during the weekend once I get better at riding. I'd definitely like to be able to fit some luggage on it so I could transport a decent amount of stuff. I'm not overly concerned about performance beyond it being able to handle itself in traffic on the freeway and be fine at speeds of 80-90 mph. Climate-wise I live in southern California. Basically I want something practical.

I'm looking to buy new or somewhat new and spend less than $8000. So if you have any suggestions for a bike that could meet my needs please chime in.

There is a great beginners section on this site. Check it out. Has lots of good info.

I built a webpage that you might find useful too:
www.CaliforniaBikeNights.com/learn

The page has tons of advice on how to start out and a list of good bikes to try and bikes that beginners should NOT try.

If your budget is $8000 you'll do fine. You can get a brand new Ninja 250 plus $1000 worth of great protective gear and only spend half your budget. If a cruiser is more your style, you can get a Honda Shadow VLX for $5400.

There are lots of good standards the Japanese make that live in the 500-650cc range. Should fit your budget, especially if you go used. Cruisers will probably fit into the 800-1200cc range.

Be careful about suggestions that you limit your horsepower rating. In my mind you'll be better off on something that limits the torque rating.

My CBR 600 is rated at 108hp, and is not nearly as much of a handful as the Multistrada 1000 DS (88hp?) I just rode. THe Duke had reduced gearing, so that compounded the danger (fun).

Power tends to live at the top of the rev range, and torque in the middle or the bottom.

Good luck!

Graulm wrote: I'm looking to buy new or somewhat new and spend less than $8000. So if you have any suggestions for a bike that could meet my needs please chime in.

Check out the SV650. I've seen alot of them setup to tour with bags, accessories and whatnot. It's a good reliable bike that's nimble, good in traffic, easy to learn on, and still good for longer travel at freeway speeds.

She's also a good bike for a beginner and within your budget. Make sure you drop a good chunk on gear too!

Happy riding

for a noob, a triumph rocket III (2.3L)
the first and only bike you'll ever need

Depending on your height, a dual sport would work. Kawasaki KLR650, Suzuki V-Strom, etc.

If you like the sportbike look, Kawasaki Ninja 500 or 650 seem to be the most common recommendations.

For cruisers, I think anything with 500 to 800cc would work. My Suzuki S50 was $7,000 otd including some riding gear.

Go to some dealerships and start sitting on different styles of bikes. Get a feel for what you think you may want. If you haven't already, take a safety course. Plan on getting used to riding and practicing before deciding to drive it all the way to work or jumping on the freeway.

Good Luck making a decision and Stay Safe!