So You're Ready for Your First Bike

© Ken Bingenheimer / Rumbum.com

Winter has dragged on far too long, but the calendar swears spring is coming soon. Honest. And you have promised yourself that this is the year when you're finally going to get that motorcycle. You're going to have the wind in your face, the throbbing power between your knees, and maybe even the bugs in your teeth. No, that last one's just a joke--usually.

But you've never ridden before so it's hard to know what to buy. Now, in broad terms you've probably already settled on what you want. For instance, if sportbikes are what turn your crank it's not very likely that you'll be considering a luxo-tourer like the Honda Gold Wing or Harley-Davidson Road King. Likewise, if you're set on a Harley but only have a beer budget you're not even going to consider the champagne-budget-busting Screamin' Eagle Ultra Classic. Except maybe in your dreams.

Here then are a few tips that should help you narrow it down.

Buy Used

If this is your first bike there is just no reason to even consider buying new. Despite everything you've imagined, you may not like riding. Or you may find your life is so loaded with other activities that the bike just sits. Better to find this out on a $2,000 bike that you can then resell for $2,000 than to pay $10,000 and then unload for $7,000.

Buying used, you also have the advantage that the bike has been knocked around a bit. Let's face it, you can pretty much take for granted that sometime early on you're going to drop the bike. Maybe at a complete standstill, maybe at 2 miles an hour in a parking lot. Dropping a used bike is a lot less psychically painful than putting the first ding in your brand new baby.

Buying used, at least from a private owner, also has the advantage that you can usually take the bike for a test ride, which is not true of dealers.

Don't Go Too Big/Don't Go Too Small

New riders often are leery of getting a bike that is too big for them to handle. This is not a foolish consideration. Learning to ride on a behemoth bike is just a bad idea altogether, and picking up an 800-pound bike is a lot harder than picking up one that weighs 500 pounds.

Nevertheless, you're probably going to be a lot happier if you push yourself at least a bit. Buy a little 250cc twin and in three months tops you'll have outgrown it and be wanting more. Be a bit more daring and go for something in the 600cc to 750cc range and you'll have a bike you'll quickly grow into but may never grow out of. After you've ridden for a few years, if you really want to move up to that superbike or that bagger you'll know exactly what you're doing and why.

Ultimately, you need to have a bike that fits your size physically. A tall rider on a small bike will have knees sticking up in the air, while a short rider on a big bike may have trouble reaching the grips, the pegs, or planting their feet on the ground at a stop. There's no substitute for going to a few shops and sitting on as many bikes as you can to see what really works for you.

The Right Tool for the Job

The type of riding you intend to do will be a major consideration in what you choose, and we've discussed different types of motorcycles previously. Within a given class of motorcycles, however, there are variations that need to be considered.

For example, the power from the engine makes its way to the rear wheel in one of three ways: a drive shaft, a belt, or a chain. Each have advantages and disadvantages. A drive shaft is dependable and long-lasting, but it robs the bike of power, sometimes substantially. Chains deliver more of the power to the wheel but need frequent adjustment--a pain--and regular replacement--an expense. Belts don't require adjustment or frequent replacement but are only available on a few models, primarily Harleys.

Cooling is another consideration. Air-cooled bikes depend on the movement of air across cooling fins on the engine to dissipate heat. If you're going to be riding in a lot of stop-and-go traffic you could have problems with overheating. Liquid-cooled bikes produce more power from the same size engine and also tend to have cleaner exhaust. The trade-off is that they give up the clean looks of an air-cooled bike that are very important to many riders.

Get Training

Riding a motorcycle, despite what many people assume, is not "just like riding a bicycle." Whatever bike you buy, the single most important thing a new rider should do is take a rider training course. Statistics show consistently that untrained and unlicensed riders make up the greatest portion of motorcycle fatalities.

Don't be a statistic. Be that guy or gal that people look at through their car windows and want to swap places with. You'll wonder why you waited so long.