Choosing Your Motorcycle

“What kind of bike should I get?”

I used to get that question frequently as a rider.

Now that I teach how to ride motorcycles, I get that question all the time.

What I’m about to write isn’t the end-all and be-all of opinions. I don’t usually think of bikes as “beginner bike” or “not a beginner bike”. With that said, I have a few philosophies on first bikes, a lot of it depends on the rider’s experience, size, skill set and budget, to name a few of the big determinants. Let’s cover few of them:

1. Make sure the bike feels good. I think this could be the piece of advice that I hear least often, which is a shame, because it’s really important. Not only does your bike need to fit you, but it also needs to be comfortable.

2. You should plan on your first bike being exactly what its name implies. It’s your first bike, not your last bike. Don’t worry about getting bored on it, don’t worry about looking cool on a “learner bike”; instead, use every ride as an opportunity to develop your skills. After your first season, you’ll probably be shopping for bike #2.

3. Don’t try to justify not getting a beginner’s bike. You are starting as a beginner. You need to pay your dues and feel dorky for a season, just like many other riders have for a hundred years. The reward? Actually, learning to ride, not learning how not to get hurt on a motorcycle. There is a difference.

4. Spend wisely. I recommend to buy a used motorcycle. Italian bikes tend to be pricier as is, in addition to its price you have to think about maintenance and parts, which is definitely more expensive than any Japanese bike. If you’ve got to have the Euro-sexy it’s fine too. It’s really up to your wallet!

I can assure you that learning to ride a bike is fun. Near everything about motorcycling is fun.

I can promise you this - you will never look back on your riding career and say, “Man, I didn't buy nearly enough first bike.”