Motorcycles, a newbies guide.

[miokomioko]

Vintage and bare-bones streetfighters and bobbers are getting more and more hip by the day, so it's going to get harder and harder to find a great deal on Craigslist for anything that resembles an old Honda Dream or something sweet like that. Buying from an independent motorcycle company may be the best bet unless you want a straight up crotch-rocket or touring bike.

[bluefan]

Bad choice, not a big fan of people starting with a 4 cyl with 600cc or greater. a 2cy with 600 or below would be your best bet.
I started on a Ninja 500r, because it was more common to find one and to get parts for it when I needed them. Currently bike less these days but I would like one of the newer 250r's or Honda CBR250(hard to find but I love them) for local driving. These standards have a look of sport bikes with an upright position, which is a little more comfortable. They are also nimble and quicker than a car, but are also more forgiving than their larger counterparts. Plus if you go through progressive for insurance they create a rate based on the CC's. Loved my 500 I had back then for real riding in town and the back country twistys. Had a great powerband for the stop and go in town and was nimble as hell. When I had sold mine the pegs were ground down pretty low from hitting turns, also no chicken strips on the tires.

^

Like my first post here, I'm still saying the Ninja EX500 is the best choice for a starter bike.

[kareface]

The EX500 is a great suggestion.

Somewhere in this thread someone was talking about 250s not having guts. With my g/f on the back I've broken 100 on empty highways. I'm a skinny guy, between myself and my girlfriend we'd be lucky to break 260lb, so take what I say with a grain of salt. The bike handles amazing in the twisties, a lite bike with a lite rider makes for some damn fast turns. I could easily keep up with my friends 650 and he's got a lot more time in the corners than I do.

http://static.blogo.it/motoblog/kawa...250r_se_01.jpg

[Dantrag]

What is the seat position on the EX500? Up or leaning?

[bluefan]

What is the seat position on the EX500? Up or leaning?

It's a sport street bike. The mid point between super sport and cruiser. I've never had a problem with the position of it.

[Mojo]

I've always been a fan of enduro bikes. Kawasaki makes some nice ones that you can often find pretty cheap, although a few are fucking huge and require at least a 5'11" rider. I think they're really fun to ride. I recommend you try riding different styles of bikes before you buy one anyways. Nobody can really tell you which style you'll like the most.

[Dantrag]

It's a sport street bike. The mid point between super sport and cruiser. I've never had a problem with the position of it.

It's more of an insurance question. Seat/lean position dictates how much you pay per month.

[Tyche]

Do you typically suspend motorcycle insurance while it's stored for 4 or 5 months?

[bluefan]

It's more of an insurance question. Seat/lean position dictates how much you pay per month.

My insurer has a calculator on their site. Not sure how it works outside Canada, but I assume there's a similar system in place for most insurers. I know mine does it specifically by the engine displacement size.

[Ragnus]

Do you typically suspend motorcycle insurance while it's stored for 4 or 5 months?

I don't since I store my bike outside during the winter.

[Brill Weave]

Tyche most community colleges(at least the ones by me) offer free classes. It's something you may want to look into. Your first bike should be a beater, plain and simple. Run it into the ground then upgrade. Two best pieces of advice I can give you.

1. You are going to drop your bike. It's going to happen. Everyone does it. Usually it's your first bike that takes the fall. Don't stress. Everyone who rides has dumped their bike.
2. If you're in a turn and you feel like you're losing it, let off the gas and coast. Do not brake through the turn, you will get tossed.

[Dantrag]

My insurer has a calculator on their site. Not sure how it works outside Canada, but I assume there's a similar system in place for most insurers. I know mine does it specifically by the engine displacement size.

Lean position when I was in FL. Displacement had little to nothing to do with it. R6 was 365 dollars a month. A V-Star was 30 dollars a month for the same coverage. V-Star was a 650cc vs the 600cc of a R6. Doing it solely on displacement seems silly considering the difference between a R6 super sports and a 1100 cruiser.

Tyche most community colleges(at least the ones by me) offer free classes. It's something you may want to look into. Your first bike should be a beater, plain and simple. Run it into the ground then upgrade. Two best pieces of advice I can give you.

1. You are going to drop your bike. It's going to happen. Everyone does it. Usually it's your first bike that takes the fall. Don't stress. Everyone who rides has dumped their bike.
2. If you're in a turn and you feel like you're losing it, let off the gas and coast. Do not brake through the turn, you will get tossed.

1. Dropped my bike at a stop sign lol.
2. You'll learn all sorts of useful stuff in the class. Always look where you want to go. If you look at what you're trying to avoid, you're most likely going to hit it.

[Ragnus]

I dropped mine in a parking lot going about 5mph the first time I was on it. Learned how to not do that again real quick. lol

[Brill Weave]

It usually happens at a stop or a really slow speed. I dropped mine at a stop sign.

[Acevalefor]

Story time! I like reading about riders dropping their bikes...makes me feel not so stupid.

I was pulling into a gravel parking lot at really low speed when I stalled the bike. Simply put your foot down and start it again right? Yeah...when I put my foot down, it was like standing on marbles and my foot just slid out from under me and I laid the bike down on the foot peg. I caught it before it hit the gas tank or anything, but you still feel incredibly stupid when you do it...

[Dantrag]

Almost dropped it one time in the parking lot of a hibachi restaurant. My girlfriend and I were riding around the parking lot when I found a spot. I pulled in and did something that made me lose my balance when I stopped. The bike suddenly fell to the left side. GF on the back of the bike had to jump off(she some how managed to land on her feet). Bike handle bars were probably about 2 feet off the ground... Didn't do that again lol.

Oh, if you're going to fall off at speed. Pray for a low side and not a hi side...

[Brill Weave]

Oh, if you're going to fall off at speed. Pray for a low side and not a hi side...

This. Buddy a mine took a spill high side. Lots of rehab after that.

[Omnipotent]

I've heard not to worry about a fall or a "fender bender" $$ wise so to speak with motorcyles... because as oppose to cars... they are relatively easy to fix/repair?

[Dantrag]

As always, worry about yourself lol. My friend dropped his bike and totaled it with a low side. So any accident on a bike can literally tear it apart.

[Brill Weave]

It's just like a car Omni. Some repairs are cheaper than others. When a drop(as opposed to a full out wipe) happens you "might" cause some cosmetic damage like cracking the molding etc. I've never seen any serious mechanical damage occur from a simple drop. Accidents are a different story. A lot of accidents end up with the bike being scrapped. You generally don't see many minor fender benders when it comes to bikes.