Which motorcycle would you recommend for a beginning rider?

Question

Hey guys,

With all these crazy gas prizes and traffic, I finally decided to buy a motorbike. I did research and I think a bike ranging from 200cc - 600cc would be ideal for me. I would also love one with good MPG, duh hehe, and that can seat 2 people. I would also prefer to spend less than $10,000.

So what I came on Yahoo for is advice, tips, suggestions and especially links to sites similar to AutoTrader.com but for Motorcycles! Any information given would be awesome, especially if you have rode the same model before!

Remember links = awesomeness, lol.

- Jason

Answer 1

I am a little partial to Suzuki.  I own a Suzuki Boulevard S40.  It has 652cc.  It does great on the city streets, but also has enough power for the highway.  

I am a beginner, and it was easy to get on this bike and ride after taking my rider's course.

Answer 2

Honda and Yamaha bike are good bikes, stay away from HD

Answer 3

I am considering a Buell Blast. 500cc, 70 mpg, low center of gravity,relatively inexpensive.  

Answer 4

its kind of hard to help you find which bike fits you seeing as how the type of bike you choose is according to your height and weight. And do you want a streetbike, cruiser, or what? Theres a ton of variables.

and a good website to look at would be www.cycletrader.com  

Answer 5

I think the best thing to do is get a few lessons. Not only will you get to see if a bike is for you, but you will get to try a few out and get a feel for what you are looking for. A lot of people are drawn to a type of bike because of the image but find it is not right for them. You may look at riding a motorbike and think it is so cool, but believe me it can get scary. Motorbikes are small, fast and offer you no protection. Once you go out in one, that will be very clear.

Power is a tough one. If you are an inexperienced rider and get a powerful bike then you can find yourself in real trouble. In a car there is very little difference in performance between different engine sizes, but in a bike there is a massive difference. It would be better to get a cheap second hand bike which is less powerful that you want just to get a bit of experience.

Most bikes claim to seat a pillion, but are designed for only one. A cruiser may be your best bet if you are riding with a pillion passenger regularly. My Old bike was a cruiser and had a back seat and was really comfortable (It was a SYM Husky 125 cc). Avoid any bike wear there is a grip behind the pillion for them to hold on to. I was on my friend's bike (Honda Hornet 600 cc) and it was uncomfortable and felt really unnatural and scary.