Best First Motorcycle: How Much Is Too Much Bike??

[spackard]

I'm guessing the OP is buying on credit.
That's the fly in the ointment for starting the hobby. Can't find anyone who wants to finance a used 250, plus there's a lot of money you have to spend for wardrobe and helmet.

Oh well, the other posters gave good advice about buying used. Just thought I'd point out something I saw when I was young, a long time ago.

 

[Bandito440]

For sure on the used bike. You'll be much less grumpy when you drop it in the garage or a parking lot.

Without knowing much about how you're planning to ride, I like the Suzuki V-Strom 650 for beginners. $4,000 will get you a good used one. Put a set of SW Motech crash bars on there and you'll pick it right up after a tip over and be on your way.

If you're feeling adventurous, there are used BMWs around for not much more than that.

Don't finance it. Pay cash, or save up until you can.

 

[02SE]

Originally Posted By: Cujet
I would suggest starting on a dirt bike. Do some off road riding and really get to understand how to handle a motorcycle.

I started on dirt bikes when I was 7 years old. I'm now 50. I've owned 49 motorcycles! Very few crashes. People were always amazed that I was the one who never crashed when in a tough situation. It was due to my dirt bike roots.



If you are going to get a street bike as your first bike, go with something that fits you well, is not too heavy and handles very well.


This is my advice too. I started on a dirtbike at 6 years of age.

 

[Bud_One]

Originally Posted By: 02SE
Originally Posted By: Cujet
I would suggest starting on a dirt bike. Do some off road riding and really get to understand how to handle a motorcycle.





If you are going to get a street bike as your first bike, go with something that fits you well, is not too heavy and handles very well.


This is my advice too.



+1

 

[29662]

Go for a used bike, and get something torquey rather than revvy. If you must go new, get the 500. You'll be much happier in the long run.

 

[BusyLittleShop]

With proper training 250 are easy to master but riders quickly grow tired of them whereas
a 500 is just as easy to master but riders don't grow tired of them... In fact I rode a
Honda VF500F for 14 years and racked up 98,000 miles... Sometimes being the littlest bike
in a group of big bad Motors of Death can be a recipe for bruised egos...... he he he...

I loved my 86 VF500F Interceptor so much I engineered my own belt drive... friends coined the term Belt-0-Ceptor...

Custom dash...

 

[29662]

BSL, the 500 is what originally made me fall in love with the "interceptor" bikes. And yours is killer with that belt drive, just awesome.

That letter would of had me [censored] in my pants. Hilarious....

 

[tc1446]

The 500 sounds best to start with. Look around for used one as you'll definitely want something bigger in a few years. Stay on back roads till you get comfortable with it.

 

[hunhog]

I agree with most of the advice so far, and a 500 or 650 would be a better choice. There will be times when you need power to drive out of a situation, and 250's don't give as much as larger bikes. If you are carrying a passenger, larger is better because smaller bikes don't have the wheelbase or power for two-up comfort. My first bike, when I got back into it after 35 bikeless years, was a Yamaha 650 V-Star. Too small, so next was a Yamaha 1600 Silverado. Much better. Current bike is a 2004 BMW R1200 CLC with 83,000 miles on it. When I think about another bike, a Suzuki 650 V-Strom is one that appeals to me. It would be a good general purpose choice. I am getting older, so a lighter bike might be best. When you go from low seat heights to taller ones, it can be a little intimidating at first, so be prepared for that. Seriously consider ABS on anything you get. It's saved my bacon on three occasions. Used first bike is a good idea. Regardless of what you start with, it takes a while for your preferences, likes and dislikes to "filter out." Then you get the second bike. Tough to hit a home run with the first bike. That's just normal. My first priority is comfort, followed by adequate power. "Wow factor" no longer matters to me. Read as much as you can and make use of websites dedicated to specific models.

 

[Errtt]

At your size, a used maybe 750. Just my 2c

 

[Robenstein]

In Australia, which has a graduated motorcycle license system they make people start on bikes with a smaller engine displacement and a power to weight ratio for a period of time before getting a full size bike. So just about everyone starts out on a sub 500cc bike and works their way up. While I find it being government mandated to put a bad taste in my mouth, I find for a brand new rider that its a great idea.

Sure you get bored with the 250cc bikes quickly in terms of power, and they are not the most comfortable at times, you will master riding technique on a forgiving bike before going up to a bigger one.

When I was on my 250cc Virago I was 225 pounds and I am 6'1. My only complaint on the bike was you really felt the wind out on the highway. But the 85mpg I got made up for it when gas was over 4 bucks a gallon. After 7k miles I traded up.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Robenstein
In Australia, which has a graduated motorcycle license system they make people start on bikes with a smaller engine displacement and a power to weight ratio for a period of time before getting a full size bike. So just about everyone starts out on a sub 500cc bike and works their way up. While I find it being government mandated to put a bad taste in my mouth, I find for a brand new rider that its a great idea.

I know in some countries, new bikes can be purchased with a neutered ECU programming (temporary). I believe this is also done for a similar purpose - to allow a new rider to get comfortable with the whole concept of riding and getting used to the bike while keeping the power down to a manageable level for a novice rider. The benefit of this is that you don't have to go out and buy a new bike after your "training" period. You just go back to the dealer after a few thousand miles, and they unlock the ECU to enable the bike's full potential.

 

[Robenstein]

That of course only works on newer fuel injected bikes. This simulates the low power, but for instance I have seen novice small riders get bikes that do not have much power but are way too heavy for a novice rider. But its better than nothing.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Yup, if it's too heavy to be manageable, then it's too heavy. No way around it.

 

[123Saab]

A 90's 750 GSXR, Light and nimble and not difficult to drive at all.

Very easy to adjust to fit with tons of aftermarket bits too.

Easy around town and great on the highway and as you get better at things it is an excellent Back roads Bike.

They can be had for 3-4k in good conditions and there are still many around.

Fairly cheap to maintain as well, Tons of parts available.

 

[Ken2]

SwedishRider, your question is harder to answer than you think.
Quote:
How tall are you and how much do you weigh?

Quote:
Go to cycle ergo.com and see how these bikes fit your body.

Quote:
My advice: don't buy a new bike as your first bike. There's a high chance you'll drop it and it'll hurt more to do it to a new bike than to a used one.

Also, most people don't stick to their first bike for long. They end up outgrowing it in one way or another. So why take that huge depreciation hit?

VERY important comments. You need a bike that fits you. You also probably will decide on a different bike as the best for you. While the Honda CB500F is a fine bike, it is probably too small for you. http://www.ridermagazine.com/road-tests/2013-honda-cb500fcbr500r-road-test.htm/

The engine displacement has little to do with engine power. An example from the Suzuki line...Suzuki M40, 650 cc, puts out 31 hp. The Suzuki GSX-R 600 puts out 103 hp. There are other 650 Suzuki engines with power outputs in the middle of this range. More important is the size and weight of the bike, and the actual power output. The CB500F would be a good choice if it fit you, which it probably doesn't.

Honda makes very good motorcycles. So do other makers. ABS brakes are important to me and perhaps also to you. Other makers put out bikes with ABS brakes. There is no good reason to limit your choice to Honda...unless your father-in-law owns a Honda dealership.

So, find a bike of low to moderate power that fits you. Ask us again.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: AITG
Go to cycle ergo.com and see how these bikes fit your body. I took the MSF course on a Suzuki TW250 and the bike didn't fit me at all. (Instructor comment "No offense, but you look like a gorilla on a tricycle"). I am the same size you are.

Pick the bike that fits you best. You won't ride an uncomfortable bike very long.


Dude I work with rides his "bad-debt bike", a little V-star 250. He's 6'3" and ~240lbs. It actually fits him well & he loves it (likes it so much, he sold his 900 Vulcan!), but especially in his cold-weather riding gear, he does look a bit like a circus clown.

It's an oddball and a half, but I have to mention this: my wife adores her Hyosung GT250 Comet. (It's a "naked" bike, basically a standard.) Despite the little engine (an air-cooled, 8-valve V-twin that loves to spin), it has plenty of power, and is perfectly capable of running 70-75MPH. It's really wound out on the highway (IIRC, 75 is 9000RPM), but it's clearly built for it...honestly, without a tach, you'd never know it! The Comet GT650 is on the same chassis--unlike most 250's (especially the Rebels), it is not a "mini-bike", it's a normal-sized motorcycle. Note that the GT250R/GT650R is very different! Note they did not get EFI until 2010. Liz is tall and the Comet fits her nicely. If you do not have long legs, it will likely not fit you well. She is a leggy 5'8" and can flat-foot a Goldwing...I will leave the image of her at the MSF class on a Rebel to your imagination!

Her first bike was a 1000cc Suzuki touring bike...she liked it, but much prefers the nimble, thrifty (75+MPG!), tossable Comet.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: Bandito440
I'm 5'10" 180#. My first bike was a BMW R1100S.

I rode a Ninja 250 at the MSF course in 2009. They're fun around town. If you'll even consider getting on a highway, 600cc is the minimum. Anything less will get old in a hurry.


My Burgman is fine on the highway & will sail along at 70 easily...honestly, it's a lot happier there than my mother's LS650!

 

[123Saab]

Burgman?

Is that not a City/Beach scooter?

I always liked to have enough power in a bike to get out of the way of things when needed.

 

[Jarlaxle]

A Burgman is a 480lb maxi-scoot, capable of ~100MPH (limited by gearing, not power) and happy to run highway speeds even 2-up. A 650 Burgman will touch 130MPH.