Looking to get a bike

[moose]

Friend of mine taught me how to ride her Kawasaki last night and I'm hooked.

Where is a good place to look for a used medium sized sport bike for a beginner? Prolly looking to spend about $2000 roughly.

[bullett308]

Street bike bike or Dirt?
If Its a street bike it might be hard to find a good one for that price.

For a dirt bike you will get a beater as well.
Now If ya can spend 3.5k you will get a much better bike for the money.

[moose]

street bike...

might take a while longer but i could prolly save a bit more if it was really a difference in quality

[LePaul]

Moose

Dont know if they have these in Mass....grab an "Uncle Henry's"...i think they are all over New England.  Good classified mag for bikes, etc

I'd aim for a 600cc if you are confident in your riding.  You didnt mention what style but Im betting you could find a nice 1990-on-up Yamaha FZR 600 or a Honda F1.   If comfort isnt a worry, check the GSX-R's

[SaburoS]

Originally posted by moose
Friend of mine taught me how to ride her Kawasaki last night and I'm hooked.

Where is a good place to look for a used medium sized sport bike for a beginner? Prolly looking to spend about $2000 roughly.

1) If you haven't done so, take a Motorcycle Foundation rider course first.
2) Start out with a general purpose bike so you won't feel bad the first time you drop it.
3) When you REALLY know how to ride, then get a sport bike as that body work is EXPENSIVE!

Dirt bike, general purpose, sport, cruiser, they're all fun

edit: Forgot to add:
Dress for the fall, not the ride.

[Heretik]

Originally posted by SaburoS
1) If you haven't done so, take a Motorcycle Foundation rider course first.
2) Start out with a general purpose bike so you won't feel bad the first time you drop it.
3) When you REALLY know how to ride, then get a sport bike as that body work is EXPENSIVE!

I couldn't agree more, especially with #3.  My dad has always told me that there are 2 kinds of motorcycle riders: those who have been in a serious accident and those who will be.  When dealing with modern sportbikes, the lucky ones are those who get the chance to pay for the body work.

[loser]

Originally posted by moose
Friend of mine taught me how to ride her Kawasaki last night...

Aww man, don't make those your "Famous last words."

Listen to SaburoS. I was foolish and didnt take a course. Just learned on back roads and super-low traffic areas riding a 250 street-legal dirt bike. I was lucky i didnt screw up my first year of riding and get hurt or killed.

I guess i just had a knack for riding and never have been close to laying it down (knock on wood.)

You didnt go out and ask what kind of airplane you should buy and then fly after your first time in the right seat of a plane did you?

[montag]

My first bike was a Yamaha FZR, a fizzer.  Second was a Honda F 600. Suzuki SV-650s are good first bikes if your loking for a new bike. All depends on what kinda bike you like. Things to watch out for are the hours between 12:00 and 2:00 PM during the weekdays as people drive like ijiots. Traffic hour 5:00 - 7:00 is not so bad as the lunch hours. Ride safe.

[TBolt A-10]

Originally posted by SaburoS
1) If you haven't done so, take a Motorcycle Foundation rider course first.
2) Start out with a general purpose bike so you won't feel bad the first time you drop it.
3) When you REALLY know how to ride, then get a sport bike as that body work is EXPENSIVE!

Dirt bike, general purpose, sport, cruiser, they're all fun

edit: Forgot to add:
Dress for the fall, not the ride.

Take it from me, you don't want to forget this part:

Dress for the fall, not the ride.

Wear the proper gear at ALL times.

• Helmet
• Solid shoes or boots of some sort (no...tennis shoes don't work)
• Leather pants or padded jeans
• Jacket made specifically for riders
• Gloves

Road rash sucks.  :o

[Maverick]

"Sport bike" and beginner do not belong together. You need to learn how to survive on the street first before you go pushing any other envelopes.

[storch]

Take the course.

wear leather soled boots when riding, if you have to lay the bike down on asphalt and are real lucky you might be able to the tom cruise in risky business slide albeit without the panache.  seriously.

have fun, be safe.

[moose]

thanks for all the great advice. i'll look into that course for sure. her bike was a small 250cc that cant have been 300 pounds. i really loved it and not even flying a plane came close to the rush of riding it was.

[mason22]

Originally posted by moose
thanks for all the great advice. i'll look into that course for sure. her bike was a small 250cc that cant have been 300 pounds. i really loved it and not even flying a plane came close to the rush of riding it was.

yer gonna **** yer pants when you get to ride something like an 1150!  mmmmmmm  BMW R1150R  


do what we all have been saying, take that safety course first!! you will learn a ton, and thank yourself you did.

[SOB]

You go girl!

[bullett308]

You aint gonna like this but here goes.
I have been riding motorcycles since 1968 and racing them since1972 so I know a little about em.

By all means PLEASE take the safety course!! You will learn alot and save on insurance as well.

Now For the kind of bike.
I would suggest a cruiser.
They are big and stable and very easy to ride.
they also offer an up right seating possition unlike the sportbikes.

Now sportbikes are cool and all but you must understand they are the F1 s of motorcycles capable of incredible speeds

And In the hands of an inexperienced rider DEADLY!

Trust me as an EMT I have worked way too many bike wrecks and dont care to see another one .

I was lucky I had 20years of experence on motocross bikes before I ever bought a road bike so my reflexes and balance skills were very good.

If all you want Is the trill of speed buy a shifter Kart and go racing much safer  and you will live longer.

I would suggest you stay under 500cc for your first bike.
Now If you must go after the sportbike thing  then look at the kawasaki ninja 500 I think they still make it.

It's a twin cyl 500cc bike thats very easy to ride and learn on.

600ccc bikes teand to make most of there power in the upper rpm ranges  so they in turn are really meant to be reved and ridin aggressivly.
And they  WILL get away from you fast.

Think long and hard about it make the smart choice for you not the one your buds tell ya you would look cool on.

Here Is some pics of my toys .
The RC51 is a brute and on more than one occasion she has left me shacking in my boots and thanking God i was still alive.

The other is a Yamaha 1600cc Roadstar
And she has never once scared me.
Al she has done Is give me countless hours of outdoor enjoyment on the open road.

Good Luck.