Typical "first bike" question...

[Rough Customer]

Late twenties, never had a motorcycle. I am thinking around $2,500 for a bike. $2,000 would be better. If I really like riding I will get something nicer after a year or so. Am thinking Ninja 250, some kind of 250ish cc dual sport or SuperMoto kind of thing, maybe an SV650 but that is probably more than I feel like spending. Not set on bike style. Just something fun to ride around on.

Going to take the class first. After the class who knows... I might not even want one anymore.

[Stunter Bob]

Do NOT Waste your money on some tiny bike because within a week you will outgrow it and have a hard time selling it.
Get yourself a used 600 ( No katanas) and be done with it, ride it til the wheels fall off then sell it.
Dont let anyone tell you that a big bike wrecks easier or some crap, because trust me, you can wreck a 600 just as easy as a 1k!

Theres lots of used bikes on Craigslist for under 4k and you would still have a pretty popular bike. F4i, F4, 600RR, GSXR etc etc

Good Luck!

[dsrtuckteezy]

whats the question?

[Venix]

I started off on 250 dirt bikes. I spent maybe 6 months on one and then jumped right to my 1300R. I agree with the other guy when saying to buy something you can resell easily. If you cant sell it, you get to keep it =)

[Rough Customer]

Got any better ideas? What do you guys looking back think your first bike should have been? Not talking about guys that were riding 50s when they were 8 but guys that were grown when they picked up riding.

EDIT: That was for Teezy who was pointing out that I didn't actually ask a question.

[Stunter Bob]

My first bike was an 05 Gsxr 600, Never been on a bike before that, I didnt ride dirtbikes or anything as a kid. It was really my first bike. And I did just fine on it and in fact still have it...parts of it anyways lol

[VaderTT]

My first bike was an 05 Gsxr 600, Never been on a bike before that, I didnt ride dirtbikes or anything as a kid. It was really my first bike. And I did just fine on it and in fact still have it...parts of it anyways lol

Me too, 05 was my first, owned 3, Two 05's and 1 04. Perfect, cheap, reliable and fun as shit!!!

[dsrtuckteezy]

sv650 would be great for you since you have 0 experience with bikes...good resell, enough power to have fun with, and easy to ride.

really though any bike would be fine if you have a little self control. i do not. if i would have had the coin years ago, i would have jumped right on a modern liter bike.

riding is easy, you'll love it..some people will say buy a beater first in case you drop it...i havent dropped a bike on the street yet.

[JasonRR]

I always suggest the SV650...the S version is a little sexier for some, and they're cheap and not hard to sell. Very capable, but forgiving machines. I like their sound with a good pipe too.

[Mike]

My first bike was an 05 Gsxr 600, Never been on a bike before that, I didnt ride dirtbikes or anything as a kid. It was really my first bike. And I did just fine on it and in fact still have it...parts of it anyways lol

That's funny. My first bike was a 04 Gsxr 600, pretty much the same situation, I didn't grow up riding and had to learn on the fly.

[ram57ta]

...i havent dropped a bike on the street yet.

You better go knock on some wood quickly....famous last words my friend.

[dsrtuckteezy]

You better go knock on some wood quickly....famous last words my friend.

hence the "yet" part..if it happens it happens.

[Skidmark]

That's funny. My first bike was a 04 Gsxr 600, pretty much the same situation, I didn't grow up riding and had to learn on the fly.

Same... 04GSXR600

I bought mine last winter and it had a littttttle bit of rash on the right side fairing, nothing major. I purchased it with about 5300 miles on it and paid $3500. Got to learn on it and got paid to put miles on it as I sold it for a bit more.

If you can hold off you can find some pretty kick ass deals around Christmas time.

[ram57ta]

I suggest a ZX14 or a Busa....they are excellent bikes to start out on...they're comfortable, fast, and you won't need to upgrade later


Seriously....OP you need to go to as many stealerships as you can find and sit on a LOT of bikes to see what FEELS comfortable to you. Once you decide on a TYPE of bike (sportbike, cruiser, standard, naked, adventure, dual sport) then you can start looking around at the used ads. You can kill yourself on a Honda CT-50 just as easily as on a turbo Busa by making bad decisions. A lot of newbies get that head in the clouds feeling when they get on a modern bike and gun it up to triple digits so easily...but you gotta learn to control the part of your brain that says "Hell Yeahhh!!!". I always suggest starting out on a smaller, lighter, easier to toss around bike so you can get used to how bikes ride. If you wanna go the super-moto route....get a used DRZ-400sm. It'll do 100mph, gets good mileage, has fantastic handling and ground clearance, and they are CHEAP. If you want a sportbike...get a used fuel injected 600. You need to figure out FIRST...what your comfortable on.

[noshine4mine]

OP do you have the motocycle license yet?

There is a required 2day course now. I took it a few months ago after having been pulled over and not having the classification and being ticketed.

Might want to take the course first. I felt like the course really helped me, most of my issues came down to trusting how far my new bike could go when turning.

You ride 125's and they expect you to drop it.

I thought it was worth it.

FWIW