Before you plunk down your hard earned pinger, swing your leg over the seat and feel that warm breeze of freedom, you need to resolve several critical issues. Take a gander at the helpful hints below…
Am I an experienced rider?
Riding a motorcycle is undeniably fun. It also can be lethal if done wrong. Therefore, before you even consider buying any kind of motorcycle, assess your skills and abilities.
If you’re a rank novice, you need to learn how to ride. If you’ve been away from motorcycling for a while, you should take a refresher course.
And if you don’t already have a motorcycle licence, you’re going to need one to ride legally. The best course of action is to go to a riding school. Check out page 36 for all the details you need to get your licence, and to find a riding school in your area.
How do I intend to ride?
The kind of riding you’re going to be doing dictates the type of bike you should shop for fairly well. Conversely, the kind of bike you ride largely defines your motorcycling world and lifestyle. So, besides selecting the motorcycle based on its mechanical and performance attributes (and, of course, colour!), consider what circles you’ll likely be riding in – so to speak.
If you don’t think of yourself as a MotoGP wannabe or a biker in the Wild One vein, and you would be comfortable at, say, an Eagles reunion concert, consider a traditional bike along the lines of a Triumph Bonneville.
People attracted to sportbikes, on the other hand, tend to indulge in extreme activities – think The Fast and the Furious, only on two wheels (don’t even mention Martin Henderson’s flick Tourque!). If you want to hang with the hip-hop crowd, maybe you’re a sportbike candidate.
Folks who enjoy the touring lifestyle tend to be older – often they’re retirees – and are in no kind of hurry when they watch the scenery go by on all sides. If an RV lifestyle or dinner theater appeals to you, so might a touring bike. But if you want to put some adventure into a long daily commute, you may be dual sport material.
How much should I spend?
Depending on the type of motorcycle or scooter you choose, you could expect to pay anywhere from under $1900 to $45,000 for a new bike.
Motorcycle dealers will do what they can to help you with financing options and gear packages, and most also have a decent selection of used bikes as well.
Do I really need a new bike?
For most new riders, a used motorcycle is a far better option. Besides being more affordable than a new bike, a used one is a sensible transitional machine. And if you are a newbie, then you will be restricted to getting a steed less than 250cc.
You may also find that the bike you bought to get you back in the game is somehow lacking after you’ve spent some serious time on it. And the reality is, sooner or later your first motorcycle may very well end up kissing the pavement, whether at speed or simply falling off its stand. There’s no reason that the bike you ding up needs to be an expensive one right out of the crate. Give yourself a few months to get comfortable – then you’ll be more than ready for a new set of wheels.
Is this the bike for me?
As you shop, consider your body type. If you cannot put both feet flat on the ground when the bike is upright, it’s too tall for you, period. Also, if this is your first bike, or you’ve never ridden anything scarily fast, don’t even look at a high-performance bike.
That said, if you see yourself using the bike primarily as daily transportation, consider a standard bike, like the Yamaha XV Virago (tested on p24) or a scooter, like the SYM Citycom 300i.
If you’re returning to the fold and your commute is a long one, you typically do it with a passenger or you just want a bit more style, the next logical choice would be a cruiser.
If you intend to spend many hours and miles in the saddle with a passenger sitting behind you, you need a touring bike. For a little more performance in a touring bike, look at getting a sport/tourer.
If you primarily want to straighten curvy roads, your needs will be best met with a sportbike. However, if you want a basic commuter that can keep going when the pavement doesn’t, look at a dual-purpose bike: a standard bike with extra ground clearance and knobby tires.
What else do I need?
Before you start riding, you’ll require a helmet, jacket, gloves, boots, and, most probably, a decent rain suit. Don’t skimp on this gear. The difference between good gear and cheap gear could be the length of time spent in hospital and whether you will still have all your extremities in the event of a crash. Most importantly, buy a helmet that meets all the safety standards, nothing less. You can’t put a price on your noggin.
Then, after you’re fully trained and equipped, prepare for adversity. Expose yourself to what you’re bound to face eventually when riding in a safe and controlled environment. While you may never intend to ride in the rain, sooner or later you’re going to get caught in a shower. Go to an empty parking lot or deserted stretch of road on a rainy morning to get yourself used to the feel of wet pavement and how the bike reacts to braking, accelerating and swerving in the wet. These are skills you don’t want to have to learn on the job.
