Good Beginner Motorcycles

BDOGKush

BDOGKush

Well-Known Member
So I know there are a few motorcycle riders on RIU and I was hoping to get some opinions from experienced riders on what bikes are good for new riders.

I've seen a lot of people suggest starting out with something like the Ninja 300 and to hold off on the 600+cc bikes.
So what did you start out on and what would you suggest for someone with no riding experience?
 
WeedFreak78

WeedFreak78

Well-Known Member
My first bike was a hardtail chopper with a kick start only 80CI Harley shovelhead..I got it when i was 21..I hadn't ridden anything with 2 wheels since i was 14 probably..chopper2.JPG
it was the most fun bike I ever owned. I've since had a 2002 Sportster and a 2009 Road King( which actually handled better and felt lighter than the Sportster).

What kind of bike are you looking for sport, touring, road bike, dual purpose? How big are you ( huge consideration here - my buddy is 6'4 and 285..no bike under a 600 will comfortably fit him..) Are you a nervous person? Would an overpowered bike scare you or can you deal with it and not use the power until you accustomed to it? What's your size..can you easily handle the weight of a larger bike? I've always told my friends to get something they can grow into rather than buy a starter that will have to be sold, probably at a loss, only to get into something bigger/faster. Too many factors to consider, what I'd recommend to a middle aged guy who has some knowledge of bikes vs a 20 something girl who never was around motorcycles would be completely different.
 
chuck estevez

chuck estevez

Well-Known Member
BDOGKush said:
Nice suggestion on the Rebel, seems all the articles online about beginner bikes want to suggest sport bikes
Click to expand...
I tried to do the circle on my chopper at the DMV. You can't even walk it around and make it pass. So I rented a rebel for the test. About the easiest bike you could ride
 
BDOGKush

BDOGKush

Well-Known Member
WeedFreak78 said:
My first bike was a hardtail chopper with a kick start only 80CI Harley shovelhead..I got it when i was 21..I hadn't ridden anything with 2 wheels since i was 14 probably..View attachment 3427334
it was the most fun bike I ever owned. I've since had a 2002 Sportster and a 2009 Road King( which actually handled better and felt lighter than the Sportster).

What kind of bike are you looking for sport, touring, road bike, dual purpose? How big are you ( huge consideration here - my buddy is 6'4 and 285..no bike under a 600 will comfortably fit him..) Are you a nervous person? Would an overpowered bike scare you or can you deal with it and not use the power until you accustomed to it? What's your size..can you easily handle the weight of a larger bike? I've always told my friends to get something they can grow into rather than buy a starter that will have to be sold, probably at a loss, only to get into something bigger/faster. Too many factors to consider, what I'd recommend to a middle aged guy who has some knowledge of bikes vs a 20 something girl who never was around motorcycles would be completely different.
Click to expand...
I like the sport bikes but have always been around Harley's since my dad has owned them my whole life.

I had a complete meniscetomy on my right knee which is making me lean towards cruisers with a more relaxed riding position, even though I like the standard naked sport bikes the most.

I'm small as fuck, 5'6" 120 soaking wet lol. I can have a 1993 Softtail but I do find it intimidating and heavy, last thing I'd want to do is drop that one. One of the reasons I want to learn to ride is so I can be comfortable with my dad passing that bike on to me but it does feel like a lot of bike for someone my size.
 
Bublonichronic

Bublonichronic

Well-Known Member
I got a ninja 250 cause I haven't riden in like 10 years so I thought it be good to get back into it, pretty much a week after I bought it I wanted more engine to play with, get a 600 at least
 
D

Dyna Ryda

Well-Known Member
I started riding dirt bikes when I was 5, so transitioning to street was easy for me. I bought a Harley sportster when I was 19 and I would say it was a good stepping stone to the bigger Harleys. If your end goal is to be able to ride your dad's softail then I would go with a sportster. After riding a sporty for a few years that softail will feel like a Cadillac.
 
WeedFreak78

WeedFreak78

Well-Known Member
BDOGKush said:
I like the sport bikes but have always been around Harley's since my dad has owned them my whole life.

I had a complete meniscetomy on my right knee which is making me lean towards cruisers with a more relaxed riding position, even though I like the standard naked sport bikes the most.

I'm small as fuck, 5'6" 120 soaking wet lol. I can have a 1993 Softtail but I do find it intimidating and heavy, last thing I'd want to do is drop that one. One of the reasons I want to learn to ride is so I can be comfortable with my dad passing that bike on to me but it does feel like a lot of bike for someone my size.
Click to expand...
Yeah your size could be a limit..I'm 5'8 and hover around 190-200. I was able to pick up my Road King by myself when i laid it over, but it was a chore...don't lay em over and it's not an issue...:wall:.

After the Road King..I'd go softail style personally, lower riding position, more laid back, the Road King you sit high and straight, I had to add a backrest or it would destroy my lower back. I also have knee issues( dislocated my left knee 10+ years ago and tore it up) and the bent knee position of the road king wasn't any good for me, it's also why i got rid of the sporty..if I couldn't straighten my leg out, i wasn't comfortable.

You got a license yet? if not get it and go rent some bikes see what you like..
 
lahadaextranjera

lahadaextranjera

Well-Known Member
Beginners bikes are small, like 125cc. When I was 16 I could only have 49cc. I've got a full license but funnily enough have another 49cc! I would like a CBR 600cc but only because I have over 2 decades road experience.
 
WeedFreak78

WeedFreak78

Well-Known Member
lahadaextranjera said:
Beginners bikes are small, like 125cc. When I was 16 I could only have 49cc. I've got a full license but funnily enough have another 49cc! I would like a CBR 600cc but only because I have over 2 decades road experience.
Click to expand...
This shows the difference between the USA and other countries, we generally consider something in a 400-600cc as a starter bike, a Harley Davidson Sportster is either 883cc or 1200cc and that's generally considered a starter bike... My last bike was a 1500+cc bike. I'm not even sure I've ever seen a 125cc or 250cc size bike that wasn't a dual purpose or just a dirt bike around here..then again..I've never looked.
 
BDOGKush

BDOGKush

Well-Known Member
WeedFreak78 said:
Yeah your size could be a limit..I'm 5'8 and hover around 190-200. I was able to pick up my Road King by myself when i laid it over, but it was a chore...don't lay em over and it's not an issue...:wall:.

After the Road King..I'd go softail style personally, lower riding position, more laid back, the Road King you sit high and straight, I had to add a backrest or it would destroy my lower back. I also have knee issues( dislocated my left knee 10+ years ago and tore it up) and the bent knee position of the road king wasn't any good for me, it's also why i got rid of the sporty..if I couldn't straighten my leg out, i wasn't comfortable.

You got a license yet? if not get it and go rent some bikes see what you like..
Click to expand...
No license yet, just been messing around with a dirt bike on the canal roads around my house, I'm taking an MSF class this weekend though.


lahadaextranjera said:
Beginners bikes are small, like 125cc. When I was 16 I could only have 49cc. I've got a full license but funnily enough have another 49cc! I would like a CBR 600cc but only because I have over 2 decades road experience.
Click to expand...
That's quite a difference than what we're used to in the states, they market 50cc-150cc dirt bikes as kid bikes here.

hondagrower420 said:
Ninja zx-1400. And stay off the throttle. Til you feel comfy.
Click to expand...
1400cc, 190hp, does a 1/4 in 9 seconds. I'd kill myself on that beast.
 
lahadaextranjera

lahadaextranjera

Well-Known Member
BDOGKush said:
No license yet, just been messing around with a dirt bike on the canal roads around my house, I'm taking an MSF class this weekend though.




That's quite a difference than what we're used to in the states, they market 50cc-150cc dirt bikes as kid bikes here.



1400cc, 190hp, does a 1/4 in 9 seconds. I'd kill myself on that beast.
Click to expand...
Its really different. In the UK we love our sports bikes and over here the city is full of mopeds like X-Max and Burgmans. They look huge but some are just 125cc. These are perfect city bikes. You may need google to see what they look like.

My 49cc bike was an off road trail bike. I loved it and so did my German shepherd!
 
WeedFreak78

WeedFreak78

Well-Known Member
lahadaextranjera said:
Its really different. In the UK we love our sports bikes and over here the city is full of mopeds like X-Max and Burgmans. They look huge but some are just 125cc. These are perfect city bikes. You may need google to see what they look like.

My 49cc bike was an off road trail bike. I loved it and so did my German shepherd!
Click to expand...
This is what you get for a 49CC bike over here..you don't need a license for under 50CC's in most areas..so this is how they get around licensing. I see full grown, older men riding these things because they don't need to, or want to, go for a license test.

My neighbor travels to the Philippines a couple times a year and i guess there' a size limit on bikes there, i forget if he said 400cc or 600cc was max. He said it was funny watching the "bike gangs" over there, most of them around 5'2 and there all on little buzzy bikes..but he did say don't let that impression fool ya..they were some bad ass guys who wouldn't think twice to cut you or drag you into the jungle..
 
whitebb2727

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
This is a similar pic of my first bike. It was a 79 Yamaha tt500. It was a single piston 500 with compression so high it had a sight gauge on the crank. You pulled a lever to release the compression and lined up the mark on the crank.

If you didn't and kick started it, it would break your leg. I don't k ow the top speed but a buddy was behind me in a car and I was doing over a 100 when I came out of fourth into fifth gear.

It was a beast.
images.jpg
 
BDOGKush

BDOGKush

Well-Known Member
WeedFreak78 said:
This is what you get for a 49CC bike over here..you don't need a license for under 50CC's in most areas..so this is how they get around licensing. I see full grown, older men riding these things because they don't need to, or want to, go for a license test.

My neighbor travels to the Philippines a couple times a year and i guess there' a size limit on bikes there, i forget if he said 400cc or 600cc was max. He said it was funny watching the "bike gangs" over there, most of them around 5'2 and there all on little buzzy bikes..but he did say don't let that impression fool ya..they were some bad ass guys who wouldn't think twice to cut you or drag you into the jungle..
Click to expand...
Lol I want to see a biker gang that rides those midget bikes
 
dannyboy602

dannyboy602

Well-Known Member
My first bike was a Ninja 650. I liked it cuz it was quiet but quick. I cut a small fortune off gas costs to and from work. I do miss it. It was light and fast.
Just bought a Suzuki 800 Boulevard. Its also light, important for me, and relatively quiet.
I got my motorcycle endorsement in PA where you can use their bikes, little 250 cruisers that if you fall over, and some guys did you won't get all banged up.
I guess my advice is to buy a used sport bike and ride it around for a year until you get used to handling it. If you outgrow it sell it on CL where there's always a market for starter bikes.
20150515_140033.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top