Bike to Buy

What Kind Of Bike Should I Buy???

To make a wise decision, you really need to sit down and figure out just exactly what kind of riding you will be doing, how much money you have to spend, then choose a bike to match. It's that simple. Here's an overview of the basic types of motorcycles:

Sport Bike

If you want to wear bright colors, zip around curves real fast, and go 120 + miles per hour, you probably want a sport bike. Beware. These are not good bikes for beginners. They are very responsive, and easy to get into trouble with. Sport bikes are good for racing, "zipping through the twisties", and drag racing from stop lights. They are not as comfortable as other types for long trips. As a general rule, they are much more expensive to insure, especially those over 500cc engine size. Sport bikes are readily available with engines from 250cc to 1100cc, and are produced by virtually all major manufacturers except Harley-Davidson.

Standard Bike

Standards are the best bikes for beginners to learn on. They are all-around, general purpose bikes, which means they handle curves well, accelerate reasonably fast, and have a more upright seating position. Most MSF classes will have you learn on a small standard , sized between 125cc and 450cc. Many used standard from the late 70's and 80's are sold daily for very reasonable prices. Check your newspaper want-ads, have any prospective purchase checked carefully, and you might be able to get into biking for under $l,500.

Cruiser

You can learn to ride on a cruiser, as long as it's not too big. They can be had from 250cc all the way up to the 1500cc Honda Valkyrie. The riding position is more leaned back, with your feet set forward more so than other bike styles. Cruisers can be more difficult to turn and manuever, as the front wheel has a longer "rake", meaning it sticks out farther from the frame. If you're "vertically challenged", a cruiser may be your best choice, as they can be had with a seat height much lower than other models. Good models for beginners are the smaller Yamaha Virago's & the Honda Rebel series.

Touring Bike

These are the "Winnebago's" of motorcycling. It is not advisable to try and learn on a bike such as this. They are usually extremely heavy. "Moby" over here on the left comes in at just over 900 lbs! They are designed for long range touring. Learn on something a bit smaller, then move on up if this is your "cup of tea".

Dirt Bike

Dirt bikes , or "off-road" bikes, are a totally seperate biking niche. They are not legal to ride on the street. They usually have a very high seat, a higher center of gravity, and require special riding skills. If you have the time, dirt biking is something that you should learn. Many of the special riding skills learned "off-road" will increase your chances of surviving on the street.

Dual Purpose

Dual purpose bikes are meant to be ridden both on the street and off-road. They are designed for "adventure touring", although most are used more on the street than off-road. They too are a bit more difficult to learn on than a standard or cruiser, since they generally have a high seat, and knobby tires. On the plus side, you can still get to work when the roads wash away!

Sidecars & Trikes

These are not good for beginners to learn on. They are more difficult to handle, and you will not develop many necessary motorcycle skills while riding one of these. They turn much slower than a motorcycle, and you lose your ability to quickly swerve around accidents and go between some hazards. The only advantages are that you will not drop them, and you can rely on the "passenger" for security and advice on directions (1 woof, turn left-- 2 woofs, turn right).

Scooters

These are extremely easy to learn to ride. They are light weight, usally low powered, and handle very easy. The down side is that with these you also deprive yourself of many motorcycling skills. They generally have automatic transmissions, and only one brake pedal or lever. If you learn on and are licensed to ride a scooter, you will not be allowed to ride a motorcyle over 250cc. You must pass the test on the larger machine to be licensed for them. But hey---if all you want to do is zip to the store and back, go for it! Most are not licensed for the freeway, unless you get a Honda Helix, which is 250cc, and has been seen doing 70 mph on some superslabs!

Is it mandatory that you start out on a small bike? No. Although many people feel that it is best to first buy and learn on a smaller machine, not everyone follows that advice. I didn't. I knew that I would be doing mostly freeway commuting, with occasional vacation trips thrown in, so I did not want a smaller bike. I also knew that I would not need a really large bike, because my wife is terrified of them, and will never be riding on the back! I wanted either a standard bike or a cruiser, around 750cc in size. When I took the MSF beginners class, since I knew I would be purchasing a 750cc machine, I asked for and learned on a 450cc Honda Nighthawk. It was the biggest bike that they had available (each class is different, some may have a wide variety of bikes to learn on, some not). After riding the 450 in the class, it was fairly easy for me to make the leap to the 750cc. The bike I purchased, a 1995 Honda Nighthawk 750, is a good machine for a fairly new biker, as long as you practice your skills and use your common sense. Plus, you will not quickly outgrow a 750cc bike. I don't anticipate ever moving up to a larger machine. The 750 has more than enough power for anything I want it to do. It will out accelerate 99% of the cars on the road, plus ride all day long at 90 mph. It only begins to suffer if you carry a passenger for long trips. Try not to rush the decision. Sit down and think real hard about what the majority of your riding will entail. Take the MSF class, see how well you handle their machines, then go for it!

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Sport Bike		If you want to wear bright colors, zip around curves real fast, and go 120 + miles per hour, you probably want a sport bike. Beware. These are not good bikes for beginners. They are very responsive, and easy to get into trouble with. Sport bikes are good for racing, "zipping through the twisties", and drag racing from stop lights. They are not as comfortable as other types for long trips. As a general rule, they are much more expensive to insure, especially those over 500cc engine size. Sport bikes are readily available with engines from 250cc to 1100cc, and are produced by virtually all major manufacturers except Harley-Davidson.
Standard Bike		Standards are the best bikes for beginners to learn on. They are all-around, general purpose bikes, which means they handle curves well, accelerate reasonably fast, and have a more upright seating position. Most MSF classes will have you learn on a small standard , sized between 125cc and 450cc. Many used standard from the late 70's and 80's are sold daily for very reasonable prices. Check your newspaper want-ads, have any prospective purchase checked carefully, and you might be able to get into biking for under $l,500.
Cruiser		You can learn to ride on a cruiser, as long as it's not too big. They can be had from 250cc all the way up to the 1500cc Honda Valkyrie. The riding position is more leaned back, with your feet set forward more so than other bike styles. Cruisers can be more difficult to turn and manuever, as the front wheel has a longer "rake", meaning it sticks out farther from the frame. If you're "vertically challenged", a cruiser may be your best choice, as they can be had with a seat height much lower than other models. Good models for beginners are the smaller Yamaha Virago's & the Honda Rebel series.
Touring Bike		These are the "Winnebago's" of motorcycling. It is not advisable to try and learn on a bike such as this. They are usually extremely heavy. "Moby" over here on the left comes in at just over 900 lbs! They are designed for long range touring. Learn on something a bit smaller, then move on up if this is your "cup of tea".
Dirt Bike		Dirt bikes , or "off-road" bikes, are a totally seperate biking niche. They are not legal to ride on the street. They usually have a very high seat, a higher center of gravity, and require special riding skills. If you have the time, dirt biking is something that you should learn. Many of the special riding skills learned "off-road" will increase your chances of surviving on the street.
Dual Purpose		Dual purpose bikes are meant to be ridden both on the street and off-road. They are designed for "adventure touring", although most are used more on the street than off-road. They too are a bit more difficult to learn on than a standard or cruiser, since they generally have a high seat, and knobby tires. On the plus side, you can still get to work when the roads wash away!
Sidecars & Trikes		These are not good for beginners to learn on. They are more difficult to handle, and you will not develop many necessary motorcycle skills while riding one of these. They turn much slower than a motorcycle, and you lose your ability to quickly swerve around accidents and go between some hazards. The only advantages are that you will not drop them, and you can rely on the "passenger" for security and advice on directions (1 woof, turn left-- 2 woofs, turn right).
Scooters		These are extremely easy to learn to ride. They are light weight, usally low powered, and handle very easy. The down side is that with these you also deprive yourself of many motorcycling skills. They generally have automatic transmissions, and only one brake pedal or lever. If you learn on and are licensed to ride a scooter, you will not be allowed to ride a motorcyle over 250cc. You must pass the test on the larger machine to be licensed for them. But hey---if all you want to do is zip to the store and back, go for it! Most are not licensed for the freeway, unless you get a Honda Helix, which is 250cc, and has been seen doing 70 mph on some superslabs!