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Well, I want to be a motorcyclist, and I think I will regret it if I wait until later in life. I am 18 and am not a reckless person, I never speed in my folks cages or my own cage. I have a few concerns before I get into this lifestyle.

1.) Honda Rebel 250, I want a cruiser to start with and am wondering if this will fit me? I am 6 feet tall, 32 inch inseam. Also, is this a great starter bike? I watched a guys videos on youtube that posts here, he seems to do fine with the Rebel, but he's obviously experienced.

2.) Potholes, how bad is it when you hit one? Do you fly off on a small pothole or not, and are all potholes equally lethal?

3.) Turns, so my surrounding highways are somewhat curvy, and in the woods, what happens if I lay my bike down on a curve going about 45-50, do I have enough momentum to fly and hit a tree, or will I just skid to a stop on the road, I'm scared of hitting a tree.

4.) What happens when your tire loses air? Does it just implode/explode, or does it just slowly deflate allowing you to slow to a stop without crashing?

5.) Is gravel that bad?

6.) I dont have any city streets or controlled areas to practice, how can I get some practice in without taking the highway to a nearby city?

7.) Should I take an MSF BRC or a Harley safety course? Or should I just teach myself?

8.) Does helmet price matter? What brands are extremely trusted among the biker community? I want a full face lid.

9.) What do I do if someone is tailgating me on the highway? Speeding away could be dangerous.

10.) How often do I change tires?


Thanks in advance for any help, I hope to become a part of the motorcyclist community, and I want to feel like I am part of something again.

Silverstein wrote:Well, I want to be a motorcyclist, and I think I will regret it if I wait until later in life. I am 18 and am not a reckless person, I never speed in my folks cages or my own cage. I have a few concerns before I get into this lifestyle.

1.) Honda Rebel 250, I want a cruiser to start with and am wondering if this will fit me? I am 6 feet tall, 32 inch inseam. Also, is this a great starter bike? I watched a guys videos on youtube that posts here, he seems to do fine with the Rebel, but he's obviously experienced.

2.) Potholes, how bad is it when you hit one? Do you fly off on a small pothole or not, and are all potholes equally lethal?

3.) Turns, so my surrounding highways are somewhat curvy, and in the woods, what happens if I lay my bike down on a curve going about 45-50, do I have enough momentum to fly and hit a tree, or will I just skid to a stop on the road, I'm scared of hitting a tree.

4.) What happens when your tire loses air? Does it just implode/explode, or does it just slowly deflate allowing you to slow to a stop without crashing?

5.) Is gravel that bad?

6.) I dont have any city streets or controlled areas to practice, how can I get some practice in without taking the highway to a nearby city?

7.) Should I take an MSF BRC or a Harley safety course? Or should I just teach myself?

8.) Does helmet price matter? What brands are extremely trusted among the biker community? I want a full face lid.

9.) What do I do if someone is tailgating me on the highway? Speeding away could be dangerous.

10.) How often do I change tires?


Thanks in advance for any help, I hope to become a part of the motorcyclist community, and I want to feel like I am part of something again.

1. The Rebel will be a bit small. It's also a bit underpowered. You would, IMO, be much better off with a mid-size cruiser such as a Shadow or V-Star 650. These bikes are more than tame enough for new riders, but perfectly capable of highway speeds and stuff.

2. Potholes suck, but they're not so bad. You don't get thrown off, but it does rattle your spine.

3. Don't lay the bike down Besides that, wear your gear, be careful, ride defensively, and don't worry about it.

4. Depends on how quickly it happens. If the tire shreds, which is extraordinarily rare, you're going down. If your rear tire goes flat, you can just coast to a stop (but don't try to turn or brake sharply, cause you'll rip the tire off the rim). If the front tire goes flat, that's a little more serious. Steering will be almost impossible if you don't go down immediately in the case of a real blowout. But, more generally, the tire won't lose pressure instantaneously, and you'll feel the front end get very heavy, and you will have the opportunity to stop before going down.

5. Gravel sucks when you don't expect it. If you're leaning into a turn and hit it, you're going down. If you're riding on gravel and know it, just be very careful and go slow and you'll be fine.

6. Take the highway to a large parking lot or suburban area.

7. ABSOLUTELY TAKE A COURSE. MSF and Riders Edge are essentially equivalent. But absolutely, unequivocally, yes take a course. This is NOT AN OPTION.

8. Helmet price does not matter. Fit matters most. Besides fit, choose based on features (venting, removeable liner, etc). Price has no relation to how well it protects in an accident.

9. Pull into an adjoining lane and allow them to pass.

10. Depends on the type of bike, type of riding, and type of tire. But, in general, you're looking at somewhere between 5k and 20k miles per tire.

Most of your questions will be answered when you take either the MSF or Rider's Edge class...and yes, DEFINITELY take one of them. What you learn there is worth every penny it costs.

If you take the MSF you'll likely get to sit on a Rebel and see how it feels to you; with a 32" inseam it probably won't be a problem. I'm 5'8" with a 32" inseam and it was a wonderful starter bike for me. My 6'2" son, however, with his 34" inseam, just barely rode it comfortably. He could do it, but it wasn't always pretty.

Helmet price is less important than helmet fit. Don't buy a helmet online; go to a dealership or someplace like Cycle Gear where you can try them on, and leave them on for a good 15-20 minutes. A size M in one brand is not the same as a size M in another, and internal shape is different in different helmets. If you have a round head, you won't want something like an Arai Profile. If you have a seriously oval head, you might want that. But an inexpensive lid--as long as it's DOT approved, will work just fine.

For sure, take the class...you'll learn tons, and most of what you want to know will be covered. Plus, the guys here are terrific and can answer any more questions that pop up along the way.

Thanks for all the advice.

One of the reasons I wanted a Rebel over a Shadow is price, because I don't make that much money and am trying to decide wether I should spend 1-2 thousand on a used rebel or 2-4 thousand on a used shadow, should I save up more and get the shadow if I can?

Also, the highway question I had was about being tailgated on a 2 lane generic highway, 1 lane going and 1 lane coming toward me.

Silverstein wrote:Thanks for all the advice.

One of the reasons I wanted a Rebel over a Shadow is price, because I don't make that much money and am trying to decide wether I should spend 1-2 thousand on a used rebel or 2-4 thousand on a used shadow, should I save up more and get the shadow if I can?

Also, the highway question I had was about being tailgated on a 2 lane generic highway, 1 lane going and 1 lane coming toward me.

You can get a quality used cruiser for $2000. Yes, it's worth it.

On the 2-lane highway, slow and pull over into the shoulder and let the other car pass.

Thanks Jonnythan, and are you sure I can find a nice used cruiser for $2000?
That's awesome news for me, cause I thought I'd be shelling out at least $3000, where should I look for good deals, local first, then ebay or something?


And is a Shadow 600cc ok to start with or is it too powerful?

It's not an inline-4 cylinder since it's a cruiser obviously, but is it still tame enough for a newb?

Silverstein wrote:Thanks Jonnythan, and are you sure I can find a nice used cruiser for $2000?
That's awesome news for me, cause I thought I'd be shelling out at least $3000, where should I look for good deals, local first, then ebay or something?


And is a Shadow 600cc ok to start with or is it too powerful?

It's not an inline-4 cylinder since it's a cruiser obviously, but is it still tame enough for a newb?

I found one for $800

A Shadow 600 is fine. Very tame, relatively light V-twin cruiser. Very beginner friendly.

Craigslist seems to be the best place to find bike deals. eBay is OK, but don't commit to a bike you haven't personally inspected yet.

Silverstein wrote:Thanks Jonnythan, and are you sure I can find a nice used cruiser for $2000?
That's awesome news for me, cause I thought I'd be shelling out at least $3000, where should I look for good deals, local first, then ebay or something?


And is a Shadow 600cc ok to start with or is it too powerful?

It's not an inline-4 cylinder since it's a cruiser obviously, but is it still tame enough for a newb?

price depends on where you live. and if you realize (1) this is your first bike and (2) the most important thing is to get a decent sized bike that is beginner friendly (3) rather than looks then your chance of getting something for a good price open up. if you can find one... a great bike that is very dependable is a honda cx500 or gl500. they are older but rock solid. if it's been taken care of you should have no problems. and you can usually find them anywhere from $800.00 to $1500.00 in good working order.

outside of that, just start looking at different bikes and post them in this thread to see what people think about them being a good starter bike.

good luck and sign up for a course as soon as you can. the wait is usually a few months. and if you can wait to buy a bike, later summer/fall and into winter is a good time to buy a bike because riding isn't on everyone's minds and you can usually get better deals.

In the best of all worlds you would start with a very small 100cc dirt bike. And learn to ride so that gravel and unexpected road surfaces would not worry you very much. Then gradually move up in size after you take the course. In the real world buy a road bike that fits you. With not too much weight or horse power. Park it, take the course, then go ride all you can. You may want to check insurance rates for the different sized bikes as well.

Silverstein wrote:Well, I want to be a motorcyclist, and I think I will regret it if I wait until later in life. I am 18 and am not a reckless person, I never speed in my folks cages or my own cage. I have a few concerns before I get into this lifestyle.

1.) Honda Rebel 250, I want a cruiser to start with and am wondering if this will fit me? I am 6 feet tall, 32 inch inseam. Also, is this a great starter bike? I watched a guys videos on youtube that posts here, he seems to do fine with the Rebel, but he's obviously experienced.

2.) Potholes, how bad is it when you hit one? Do you fly off on a small pothole or not, and are all potholes equally lethal?

3.) Turns, so my surrounding highways are somewhat curvy, and in the woods, what happens if I lay my bike down on a curve going about 45-50, do I have enough momentum to fly and hit a tree, or will I just skid to a stop on the road, I'm scared of hitting a tree.

4.) What happens when your tire loses air? Does it just implode/explode, or does it just slowly deflate allowing you to slow to a stop without crashing?

5.) Is gravel that bad?

6.) I dont have any city streets or controlled areas to practice, how can I get some practice in without taking the highway to a nearby city?

7.) Should I take an MSF BRC or a Harley safety course? Or should I just teach myself?

8.) Does helmet price matter? What brands are extremely trusted among the biker community? I want a full face lid.

9.) What do I do if someone is tailgating me on the highway? Speeding away could be dangerous.

10.) How often do I change tires?


Thanks in advance for any help, I hope to become a part of the motorcyclist community, and I want to feel like I am part of something again.

1 - Yes, the Rebel is great for a beginner. Will it fit you? Who knows? Sit on one and find out.

2 - Obviously it depends upon the size. If it's a sinkhole that will swallow a bus, you're in trouble. And so is everyone else on the road. Otherwise, they shouldn't cause you much trouble.

3 - Again, no one can answer that question. Can you hit a tree? Yes. Depending upon your speed, the road conditions, the distance of the tree from the road, and 1000 other factors. Maybe you'll get lucky and hit an old lady pushing a baby carriage and that will slow you down enough to miss the tree.

4 - What happens when your tire loses air? Same thing that happens in a car - sometimes it deflates slowly, sometimes it will explode (like if you run over a grenade or something). How often do you hear of car tires exploding? ... Not too often. I think you're pretty safe.

5 - If you hit gravel at 40MPH and make a sudden sharp turn, yes, it's that bad. Trust me on that one. If you take it easy, you'll be fine.

6 - No city streets or controlled areas to practice?... Good luck with that.

7 - You are scared to death to ride. That's obvious. 80% of your questions revolve around fear and safety concerns. Why would you even CONSIDER teaching yourself to ride a motorcycle? It is a LOT harder to learn than you think. Take a course.

8 - Shoei, Arai, KBC, HJC. Buy new. Never used. Higher prices usually mean greater comfort and less road-noise, not greater safety.

9 - Get away from them. Speed up. Slow down. Change lanes. Exit the highway. Whatever it takes.

10 - When they get worn out, you change them. Just like cars and bicycles.