first motorcycle for beginers

[Mark Olson]

Mark,
The Brit mags rave on about Susy SV 650s and Kawasaki En650s as being really fun, not so intimidating learner fodder that can keep even advanced riders entertained as well.
See you at the WCR

Andy French

Andy, I wanna keep the cost around 1000. so an older bike would be best, and when he outgrows it can trade up to something he will keep for a while.
looking forward to seeing you at the rally as well.

[Mark Olson]

Becuase he's got a dirtbike background, I'd skip the usual "learner" bikes, which are pretty boring in a hurry.

What does he want?  If he wants something to corner with or something to accelerate with, or a dual sport, or something to tour with dad on?

An SV650 is a good starter.  Honestly though, if he's got some knowledge of riding and enough size to handle a larger bike, he may as well start with something that he well likes.  You can get out of control on a GS500 or EX250 in the same way you can lose control of a Busa, it starts with respecting the capabilities of the machine.

If he wants a cruiser or touring type bike, I'd absolutely look for something with shaft drive, also.  It's easy to "forget" to maintain a chain as a newish rider....

I am ashamed to admit he is wanting more of a cruiser but I plan to move him away from the dark side and into the light. twisties are fun, speed limits are suggestions.
The bike needs to be able to handle 2up riding and still be fun.

[andyoutandabout]

Mark,
for about 1000, you might be lucky and find an old CBR600 on craigslist - for example there's a 94 model up for 1300 today. They are easy to work on and there's loads about so no bother finding bits in Rancho Cordova breakers yards.
Andy French

[Dan Filetti]

The money is going to be the issue -seems to me.  If that's a fairly hard number, than seriously reconsider the Ninja 250.  I have one and a GSXR750, and for the type of riding I do (read: not terribly mental) I can ride either bike comfortably when I go for a ride with my buds.  Sure they'll walk away from me at the lights, and on long straits, but in anything twisty there is not a lot of difference.  Sure you have to thrash it, to get anything close to performance, but it does not seem to mind. 

It'll hum along all day long at 90-95 mph and still get 75 mpg.  It's fast enough to walk away from 90% of the cars on the road.  The bike makes me smile every time I ride it.  Mostly because I can actually feel the bikes' limitations, whereas on the GSXR it's crystal clear to me my skills are a fair distance away from that bike's abilities.  The little Ninjette continually teaches/ reminds me things I should already know:

1) No one really needs more than this bike.

2) You need to plan way ahead/ anticipate what's next to ride with a group of riders on bigger/ faster bikes

3) Being able to pin the throttle at almost any point in a corner, without horrible effects teaches you an awful lot about throttle control, proper braking, and conserving momentum in a corner.

4) It's simple and cheap to work on and get parts for -thereby providing cost saving as well as rider-machine intimacy -which teaches you invaluable lessons about keeping your machine running.

5) Cheap to insure; (1/2 of what I pay for the Gixxer)

6) Plus there's a load of them out there, I picked up mine; a pristine 2005 example with 43 miles on it -and gummed carbs and a dead battery- for $1600.  That evening I had gone through the carbs and it was running like a top before I went to bed.   

I can cover 200 miles with my buds on 1000's and 600's and never get separated from them, (nor do they wait for me), -a fact that continually surprises most of them.  And all the while, it'll still get 70 mpg -despite thrashing the living shit out of it.  I can almost skip an entire fuel stop on longer rides.  Although I've never tried, I'm guessing that if I rode this bike conservatively, it'd get 85+ mpg.   

I'm a big fan of this little bike, if you can get away from the ego that has an awful lot of people buying bikes bigger stronger faster than they actually need, it's a sensible buy -and not just for beginners.

Last point; if he's never ridden on the street before, there's a fairly high likelihood the bike will be dropped in the first year or two seems to me.  That too will teach him many lessons.  My point is that 1st bike motorcycle selection should be influenced by this likelihood -although it almost universally is not. -This is true no matter what he actually gets.

Good luck!

[Bill_Rockoff]

Mark makes some good points.  I'm especially pleased to read that Dan has such good things to say about the Ninja 250, since we just bought one for my girlfriend to ride.  (Boone - doubtful.  But Tellico - perhaps.) 

I'll add that $1,000 these days doesn't seem to be quite enough for a bike that runs well enough to suit a new rider.  A new-rider bike really needs to start, idle, shift, run, fuel itself, brake, charge itself, light its lights, and blink its blinkers in dependable fashion.  $1,000 bikes these days are usually too old and decrepit to do all those things without making a new rider wonder "is it SUPPOSED to be like that?  Did I do something wrong?  Am I going to crash now?"

$1,000 is enough to buy a motorcycle the same way $15,000 is enough to buy an airplane.  It's "enough" in that "there are some for sale at that price."  However, those are almost always going to be the old ones that have fundamental issues.  An old one with issues is the LAST thing a newbie needs.   

$1,000 these days seems to be about what it takes to duplicate either of my 1970's air-cooled parallel-twins these days.  My XS650 and KZ750 were neat bikes when I owned them, but even as 10-year-old bikes they were fraught with mechanical and electrical issues.  I can't imagine the remaining examples have gotten reliable in the last 20 years.  As much as I love the power and comfort of the FJ, my favorite thing about it is that it has never required me to say the word "stator" out loud. 

$1,000 is a good figure for "buying a suitable bike, riding it a while, and selling it next year so that my total cost for having owned it was less than $1,000."  But that means you buy a $3,000 bike that needs nothing, and sell it as a $2,000 bike that needs two tires and a front blinker.  It's a rare bike that sells for $1,000 and can provide a suitable motorcycle learning experience for someone who would fall over if it the engine suddenly quits off-idle.

Inexpensive cruisers - I always liked the Intruders.  John (the Beer Scientist) has had good luck with his Maxims and seems to enjoy his Virago. 

But, like someone with $15,000 to spend to spend on their first airplane or $500 to spend on their first sailboat, I would tell your son-in-law who has $1,000 to spend on his first motorcycle, "That's not enough - it's maybe halfway enough, if not one-third." 

Most of us could get a satisfactory riding experience from a $1,000 bike.  But if someone tries to learn to ride by buying their first bike for $1,000, chances are it'll be their last bike.

[ddlewis]

I'll add that $1,000 these days doesn't seem to be quite enough for a bike that runs well enough to suit a new rider...

If the new rider is a budding mc fanatic like most of us here, that's not true.  When I was a young broke guy I got my first motorcycle for free.  It was a lightly wrecked CB450 nighthawk.  I was totally consumed by the thought of riding a street bike and went through all kinds of pre-ebay junkyard hell to get that thing going again.  I rode it way before it was ready to be back on the road.  learned things like: Always park at the top of a hill.  Get home before dark cause your lights are "blinky".  Try to stay < 63mph which is where the wobble gets bad.

otoh, if the first time rider is not a self-motivated type.  Not the kind that eats, sleeps and dreams of riding, aka wife/girlfriend you are trying to get interested, then you are right.  They'll be high-maintenance prima donas and will want things like straight forks and reliable starting/idling, lights that always work, etc. 

[Mark Olson]

well , I am not sure he will be a m/c nut like most of us. reliability will be a major factor of the bike and if  we end up working on the bike it will be father/son in law special time.
for those of you with married daughters you know what I am talking about.
so for a 1000. I can get my moneys worth and bond a bit.

[andyb]

Hell, my first bike was an XS400 that needed a crapload of work.  Cost me $150 to buy, and about the same to make safe/reliable.

What's more important is that it taught me how to fix common issues and gave me a good chance to go through and make sure everything really DID work before riding it much.  If he wants a cruiser type, that's cool, but maybe something dirt cheap to start with is the best bet.  Parts are cheaper, and so on and so forth--and odds are it'll break a lever, turn lamps, and handlebars at some point or another. 

Get yer crashing done as cheaply as you can!

[Steve C.]

The Honda Magna of the late 90s variety is a pretty decent bike for a cruiser, 80 HP and chain drive.  Some different bars and a few tweaks and IMHO it's a pretty decent bike with good ergos for a newbie.  Can't argue with the SM and 600 stuff either, a cheap pick is a 600 with rashed bodywork, do the street fighter trick to it and ride it like you stole it.

[Mark Olson]

Hell, my first bike was an XS400 that needed a crapload of work.  Cost me $150 to buy, and about the same to make safe/reliable.

What's more important is that it taught me how to fix common issues and gave me a good chance to go through and make sure everything really DID work before riding it much.  If he wants a cruiser type, that's cool, but maybe something dirt cheap to start with is the best bet.  Parts are cheaper, and so on and so forth--and odds are it'll break a lever, turn lamps, and handlebars at some point or another. 

Get yer crashing done as cheaply as you can!

that's the whole idea.

[Dan Filetti]

Having cheered for the Ninjette, I will say that my first bike was an '82 Yamaha 550 Maxim.  Great bike, ran like a top for the two years I rode it. A pretty competent UJM, near as I could tell at the time. 

Here's on on fleabay that's strikingly like the one I owned:

  http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Yamaha-Maxim-1982-Yamaha-Maxim-XJ-550_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a3Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem320346346610QQitemZ320346346610QQptZUSQ5fmotorcycles

Still, looks like it'll go for +/- $1200...

Dan

[Mark Olson]

that looks like a decent bike but it is a bit far away for me, i'm sure i will find a local bike.

I have owned more than 15 bikes in my day and have a knack for getting a good deal.

[ogmudbone]

Mark there is an FJ in Oakdale...that's about 90 min's from you ..maybe less depending on how close you are to the 99. i think its in the bikes for sale list on the group here. let me know what area your in  as i have some free time to do nothing a few days a week i can dedicate some time to trying to find you a suitable steed.


OGmudbone
AKA
John

[Mark Olson]

The son in law is not ready for an fj, not yet at least.

I have a line on a local bike I think will do nicely.

[ogmudbone]

Right on, good to know you have found a suitable pony 


OGmudbone
aka
John