Attention Motorcycle riders!! Need opinions.......

Ok. I've been riding a small 49cc scooter for the last 6 or 7 months now and am enjoying it a lot. I'm thinking of moving up to a real motorcycle.

I want something that looks sporty, but something that is a good beginner bike, and not so fast that I break my neck first time out.

I'm seeing a lot of seemingly good deals on Ebay, but I have no clue what I should get...can anyone provide some suggestions?

they don't call them donor-cycles for nothing ya' know

other than that, stay with honda

I would be REALLY careful about trying to pick up a bike off of E-bay unless you are really mechanically inclined, or know someone you trust to go over the bike in person with you. Motorcycles have their own set of peculiar potential problems that are not always obvious on a quick test drive.

I don't have enough info to give you one or two really good recommendations, but with a few comments here are a few bikes that are considered reasonable for beginners:

If you are wanting a sportbike consider a 250 or 500 Kawasaki Ninja. They are relatively cheap used, and not so overpowerful that you put yourself at extreme risk. If you are over 6ft tall they may be a bit too small framed for you. If you like offroading you could also consider a 250 to 400 cc dual purpose bike. (but not if you have a fairly short inseam, dual purpose bikes have seat heights of 32 inches and up) Slightly bigger in engine size but in the middle in seat height is the Suzuki SV 650 which is a great bike that you probably would not outgrow anytime soon.

feel free to PM me or post more details such as your height, what kind of riding you want to do (just cruising around town, long trips, offroad, sport riding, ect) and what kind of budget you have in mind.

I strongly recommend you take the MSF (motorcycle safety foundation) Beginner rider course. It is a good way to get your motorcycle endorsement on your license. I had been riding a small dual purpose bike for years as a teen, then quit for a while. When I moved up to a real streetbike I took the course and was AMAZED at what I didn't know. Things like countersteering. Why most motorcycles have the maximum reserve traction and leanover clearance if you accelerate moderately through the curves. What headshake is and why it happens. How to really have good slow speed control while turning. and on and on...

And in reply to Turbodog's post, yep, bikes are about 5X more risky than riding in a car. There is a lot one can do to migitate that number, however.

Most of the Jap bikes are all highly reliable, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda. Harley Davidson has GREATLY increased their quality control over the last 10 years or so but are still overpriced for what you get (with the exception of the sportsters) It is rare to pay MSRP for a Harley, most places are selling for a few hundred to a few thousand OVER MSRP. Victory is a division of Polaris and are making some pretty good bikes.

Me, I ride a BMW R1100R.

Other brands like Ducati, Moto Guzzi, Triumph, and possibly Aprilla are great machines, but would probably not be an ideal first machine due to being a bit harder to find a dealer for routine maintenance.

After reading some stuff on a few other sites, I realized that my height and weight DOES make a difference.

I'm about 5'9 and 180lbs. I don't want to spend a grip of money, but I don't want to buy crap either. Something that I won't "outgrow" as quickly is desireable...I also like the look of the sport bikes more than the cruiser bikes.

I've also read about that MSF course and it seems that it is a very informative class, and most students pass easily.

When I first rode my scooter, I was VERY uncomfortable (as I'm sure most beginners are) about starting off and cornering, and getting used to the feeling of riding on two wheels without physically propelling the bike (that was the weirdest part). So now I am completely comfortable on it, and am of course wanting a little more power (35 mph tends to get boring).

So, with this in mind, do you think I would do better in the class now that I have some initial experience riding a motor propelled cycle?

There is another statement you learn in the MSF class that most people involved in motorcycle accidents were taught by friends and family. That may be just because at the time of that particular study, motorcycle training wasn't widely available. The biggest challenge after riding a scooter is getting a feel for the clutch and to a lesser extent, shifting gears.

Probably you ought to look at bikes like the Ninja 500, Suzuki SV 650, suzuki bandit 600 and maybe the Honda Nighthawk 750. The Ninja is very sportbike looking, the Suzuki can be had either naked (no windscreen or bodywork) or with a fairing. The Nighthawk is a basic naked 750 with minimal bodywork. All these bikes make on the order of 50 to 60 horsepower.

One thing in favor of a naked bike with no bodywork: minimal cost if you drop the bike. Replacing plastic bodywork is crazy expensive. One slip and you might be out more than $500 to repair the bodywork. A naked bike may take a few scratches and maybe need a mirror, brake or clutch lever or turn signal replaced for less than $100

I don't recommend even a 600 class true sportbike like an R6, GSXR600, ect because all the modern 600cc bikes make OVER 100 horsepower. That is a pretty darn big step from the maybe 5 horsepower a 50cc scooter makes /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/aaa.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/str.gif

For comparison, I am only about an inch taller than you but have relatively short legs, my BMW makes about 70 HP at the rear wheel, and it is more than any sane person can actually use on public roads. It would hang in pure acceleration with any production car with 400 Horsepower or less up to about 100 mph. (top speed is less than 130) A bike with 50 horsepower will be able to hit 100 mph unless you put a big barn door of a windscreen on it. Most of the bikes I have listed are more than 100 lbs lighter than my BMW and would probably accelerate in the same league (a good rider could get around a 13 second quarter mile time) Those top drawer sportbikes can go 0-60 in LESS than 3 seconds, do the quarter in right at 10 seconds, and top out anywhere from 170 to nearly 200 mph. The 600cc sportbikes all are capable of 150 mph or so.

How about this one?

Ninja 250R

I'm intrigued by this "positive neutral finder"...I guess this means that neutral is above first, not somewhere in the middle of the gearing?

LaserFreak,
It ain't bad, but I bet you could find something cheaper in your local paper.

What experience do you have on a street bike?

One thing about the 250 cc is that not enough power can also be dangerous in quite a few situations.(from my experience)

Good luck, and be careful. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

That's just it...I don't have any experience except for riding my scooter, which of course has no clutch, so that's gonna take some getting used to.

I only intend on riding whatever bike I get on surface streets....I don't think I'd travel the freeway even if I were an experienced rider. I think the freeway is just WAY too risky...too many moronic drivers out there that are not looking for a bike....I see these guys whizzing by me at 100+ in rush hour traffic and I think to myself "Are you nuts?!?"

If you go with a 250 class machine that one wouldn't be bad. Power should be adequate with only one person on board, and the Ninja 250 and 500 both handle well. Go to a dealer and see if you can find one in stock to sit on and see if you feel cramped or comfortably spread out on it. You can probably find a use one a few years old for about half the new cost. Not many other 250 cc machines have enough power for prolonged hiway speeds, but if I remember right that Ninja would at least hit freeway speeds of 80 or so. If you want to do much riding at freeway speeds without having the engine wound out, look at the 500 Ninja. If you buy the 250 I would plan on owning it for about 2 or 3 years, then upgrade to a 500 to 750 cc machine. You would also really appreciate more power if you eventually plan to have a passenger.

All you guys have given me good advice and I appreciate it.

I think I'll look for that Ninja 250R. I've read a few reviews on it and they all seem to agree that it's a great beginner bike.

Am I right about that "Positive Neutral Finder"? (see my earlier posts)...if so...that seems to be a great feature.

LaserFreak,
I take it from your "freeway" mention you are in the same state as me..CA.

You are smart to stay away from the freeways until you get some 2 wheelin under your belt.
Although I have encountered crazed "cagers" on the surface streets. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

As for the clutch, it is no big deal, IMHO people make to much out of learning to use it on a bike.( I have how ever seen a rare few that can not master it and should not be on a MC, in fact are not)

If you are in CA. The CHP runs an excellent training/testing course where you ride Honda 250's, my nieghbor went from total newbie, through the CHP course to buying my old Suzuki GS 750, to a sweet DynaGlide with in less than a year.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

my first bike was a over 30 year old cb 750 honda man it was fast but it was scary to drive it was lose i guess cause its age so make sure ya get a bike thats newer i say

[ QUOTE ]
Beamhead said:
LaserFreak,
I take it from your "freeway" mention you are in the same state as me..CA.


[/ QUOTE ]

LMAO!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif You got it! I suppose only us Californians would be able to instantly figure that out from a vague description like that!

Yeah...the freeway is definitely too insane. I'm definitely going to look into training courses.

I've also seen some REALLY graphic pictures of MC accident scenes, so I plan on being extremely cautious when I ride..I won't even split lanes. I think the people that do that are asking for an accident.

Again, thanks for the advice, guys!

LaserFreak,
I just got back from the state where I grew up, I took the "turnpike"/PAYWAY" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif all over the place.
They refer to highways as "parkways".... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I think the CHP course is your best bet and IIRC it also helps you save some greenbacks on insurance. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Good luck and have fun "in the wind". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I would go for the naked SV650. It makes a little over 70 hp but being a 90 degree V twin it puts that power down in a very "new rider friendly" way vs an I-4, meaning you won't be spinning the rear tire accidentally coming out of the corners. It's got a flat torque curve and a forgiving chassis that will usualy keep you out of trouble where other bikes might not. Its easy to work on and maintain, there's a huge aftermarket supply of parts and accessories and a huge online presence on the net of SV650 owners. It's inexpensive and used ones are easy to come by. It's become somewhat of a cult bike and online support is outstanding.

I'd throw some frame sliders on it, get some decent riding gear, take the MSF course and you'll be good to go.

To learn more about that bike go here
link
and here
link

Also check out the micapeak mailing list for SV650.

IMHO it's one of the best starting bikes for a beginner and also one you probably will never outgrow. Of course you may want to add more bikes to the stable at some point /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I'd say thanks for the links but they come right back to the CPF homepage...I'll google that and take a look. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

*UPDATE* Hmm...looks like a nice bike but I don't think I'm ready to spend $5000 on a bike just yet...I'm finding most used Ninja 250R's are going for about $2500..much more within my price range. I think the new ones are about $4000 out the door.

Links fixed.

You can find used SV's in good shape in your price range easily. You'll outgrow a 250 ninja in 6 months, guaranteed, but it's ok to start with. I'd go for a used 500 if you really want a ninja, you won't be able to get out of tight spots in traffic on a 250. JMO

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Re: Attention Motorcycle riders!! Need opinions...

I hope you enjoy whatever bike you choose.

My main advice? Make sure you get used to the bike before you hit busy areas. A scooter has a low top speed, and even a 250 is much, much more powerful. The bigger bike will accelerate faster and you have to get used to things like the longer stopping distance.

Let me illustrate. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

30 years ago, I sold my Suzuki 90 dual purpose bike and bought a CB350 Honda just five minutes later. I rode the Honda 20 miles home. On major streets. In an unfamiliar city. I did not realize that the Suzi weighed 150 pounds or so, and the Honda was over 300 pounds. Riding down the El Camino Real in Palo Alto at 55 MPH was a blast. Till I noticed the red light. That's when I found the Honda did not stop as quickly as the Suzi. I proved it as I came to a stop in the middle of the 6 lane wide intersection.

After that, when I bought a new bike I'd ride very carefully to a deserted school where IO could get used to it in the parking lot.

Again, good luck!

Daniel

I had a 83 nighthawk 650

4 valves per cylinder water cooled 4 cylinder.
first year with hydraulic valve lash adjusters.
88 hp 425 pounds

not no 50 or 60 hp

seemed really fast at the time.