ALT-3 Recommended Motorcycles for Beginners
I can't stress enough how important it is to take the local motorcycle safety course.It offers a chance to wrap your legs around a smaller 125cc or 250cc motorcycle and develop globs of confidence. Not only will you be better prepared to select the correct size for you but also it will get you to appreciate riding and treat it more as an artful skill set as opposed to the monotonous nature that has turned into driving a car.
My ex-girlfriend was actually the person who formally introduced me to riding. Squeezing into a size small aria helmet and throwing my leg over a bright yellow Kawasaki ninja 250. I rode it for about 2 hours and decided the bike for me was the Ninja 500. It's been three years, two crashes, and two classes later I can confidently say I bought the right bike (however buying used would have been, financially speaking, s smarter choice.)
I still firmly believe however that some gifted souls can learn quite well on a fully blown 600 super sport, but they are few and far between and still urge that a first motorcycle shouldn't be anything above a 500cc for at least a few years or 20,000 miles. Without that kind of saddle time you can't expect to really respect a larger more power bike. It is in the interest of your wallet/purse and health to make your mistakes on a smaller, more forgiving, inexpensive bike.
Being able to keep up with all your maintenance in the confines of your apartment carport shaves a lot in maintenance bills. Simple, older technology makes it easy to identify service/repair needs and quite possibly you might learn a thing or two on a bike that needs MINOR attention. You of course want to make sure your first bike is safe to ride.
Taking a class or not, you will eventually find yourself in a compromising situation. Then your decision on your bike selection will make a difference. Will you accidentally be riding way over your skill set?(overpowered) Will you be going to fast?(sensitive throttle) Will you be able to handle and maneuver a heavier less forgiving bike?(steering and bike weight) A very good friend of mine started off on a Honda CBR 600RR and found his way into a tree and in intensive car was 6 months, this all happened with less than a year of riding. He's still riding and in good health now but was very lucky. Skill, experience, and a good set of reflexes are way faster than good luck.
Life is full of experiences to be had. Start small, work your way up to a comfortable level, and grow old to see the history of bikes you'll own... not the just the first.
