First and foremost - take the MFS course before you consider the type of moto you want to own. http://www.msf-usa.org/
They provide the motorcycles and the course is cheap. I grew up turding around on dirt-bikes and what not, so I didn't end up taking it - but for anyone wanting to just start riding on the street (with cars, buses, pedestrians, potholes, and everything else), it's highly highly recommeded for your own safetey and the people you'll be sharing the road with. on to the fun stuff. I'd have to second Vinny. The key to getting the first bike is to not get something brand new, but to not get something that will end up in the garage constantly needing repairs. You don't want to spend much more than $3k on your first. You won't look or feel very cool, but that's the point - you just want to focus on learning to ride and pick up the characteristics of being on two wheels and an engine. (my first bike was an $800 EX500 Ninja - it even had some pink on it - hehe - best little rat bike I've owned). Braking, turning, swerving around obstacles, sliding on gravel, cars pulling out in front of you, deer, children - these are all things you want to learn how to handle on a used bike. Used bikes sell for considerably cheaper in the fall than they do in the spring, so you might want to consider that as well. Check out ebaymotors to see what's in your hood. Old Japanese standards are common enough to find almost anywhere - start with one of those. Honda CB750's are awesome. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1871815624 The old Kawasaki KZ's are good too. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1872144186 If after a year you decide that you enjoy riding, then you can sell the old one and then finance the big, bad, shiny v-rod. If you decide after a year that it's not something for you, well at least you had the experience and better - you didn't lose out on much. Resell value even on a slightly used motorcycle is horrible, a lot of people make that mistake and lose out big. And don't let Vinny scare ya, you don't have to necessarily crash :) Most crashes are from people starting with too much power. The nickname for those people is "squid". If you've ever seen somebody doing a wheelie on the expressway and swerving in and out of cars - that would be a squid. Adam. > -----Original Message----- > From: Vinny A DiDonato [mailto:Vinny.A.DiDonato@;amexpub.com] > Sent: Thursday, November 07, 2002 11:23 AM > To: CF-Community > Subject: Re: Starter bike > > > Howie: > > I'd recommend a used Japanese or British cruiser bike like > the Suzuki Savage, > Yamaha Warrior, or Honda Valkrie. For starters, they're a > *lot* cheaper than > the HD's, more reliable, and have a lot of the same looks > that a Harley has to > offer. Plus, if you drop it (which you WILL if you've never > rode), it's far > less expensive to fix than a Harley. > > You're in NYC, right? We could get together for a ride. :) > > Just my two cents. > -V > > -----Original Message----- > From: Howie Hamlin [mailto:howie@;coolfusion.com] > Sent: Thursday, November 07, 2002 11:53 AM > To: CF-Community > Subject: Starter bike > > Does anyone have a recommendation for a used starter bike? > I've never driven a > motorcycle and I've wanted one for the > longest time. I've been thinking of a used Sportster but I > want something easy > to handle and reliable. > > I kind of like this one but it'll have to wait <g> > > http://makeashorterlink.com/?I2DC21062 > > Thanks, > > Howie > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?forumid=5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?method=subscribe&forumid=5 Structure your ColdFusion code with Fusebox. Get the official book at http://www.fusionauthority.com/bkinfo.cfm
