Things You'll Need:
- Money
-
Step 1
Choose A First MotorcycleCHOOSE A JUNKER MOTORCYCLE. If this is your first motorcycle, there's no sense paying lots of money for a flashy bike you're likely to scuff severely while you learn. While some people take to motorcycles like fish to water, most of us will dump our bikes a few times before we get the hang of it. Save money by sacrificing the flawless appearance of a factory new bike. That beauty won't last long on your first motorcycle.
-
Step 2
Choose a First MotorcycleGO CHEAP. If this is not only your first motorcycle, but your first time riding a motorcycle at all, don't invest too much. As a complete novice, there are too many unanswered questions. You have yet to learn what you want most in a bike or what makes a motorcycle pleasant for you to ride. In fact, you don't even know if you will enjoy riding a motorcycle. Until these questions are answered, save money on your first motorcycle and put that money towards your next motorcycle purchase.
-
Step 3
Choose a First MotorcycleGO MILD. You may have dreams of riding down the highway on a loud and powerful Harley Davidson, but that's just too much power for a new biker. Your first motorcycle shouldn't be a challenge to control. While large, powerful bikes are considered safer because they create more noise, that noise only serves to protect you from other drivers on the road. In the beginning, too much power can make you a danger to yourself.
-
Step 4
Choose a First MotorcycleAVOID A FIXER-UPPER. Unless you are mechanically inclined, avoid choosing a first motorcycle that needs serious engine work. Even with known mechanical problems repaired, other problems are likely to show up at the most inconvenient times. Motorcycles that require extensive repairs will likely require more in the near future. You want to spend your time ON your bike, not in a lobby, waiting for a repair bill.
Comments
luv2laugh said
on 12/2/2008 great advice. my husband was going to buy a motorcycle until talking to my uncle. he has rode a motorcycle his whole life up till a couple years ago and have had a lot of friends who died in accidents.
cyclegirl98 said
on 12/2/2008 Great article. I actually dumped my Harley three times when I first bought it. Thank goodness it was while I was stopped. Once was in my own backyard. Luckily it all happened within the first month of ownership and I haven't done it since!
ElizabethLeigh said
on 12/2/2008 Motorcycles "scare" me, but this is great advice for those less chicken!
slphilbrick said
on 12/2/2008 All excellent tips on choosing your first bike. As a rider, I knew I didn't want a new bike when I first began, but did end up with an older bike in mint condition. The couple times I "met the road" so to speak, I was more worried about the bike than me ! (No scratches though....... on the bike that is..lol). Buying a beater bike alleviates this worry. 5*