Choosing your first motorcycle pt.2

The good news and the bad news is that everyone you know or meet who already rides will be happy to give you “advice.” Your six-foot, five-inch friend tells you “All the magazines say my BMW R 1200 GS is the best bike,” as he lovingly pats its 33.5-inch-tall seat. “The chicks love Ducatis,” advises another, while a third says, “That Italian stuff is overpriced junk. You need a Gixxer.”

Some basic variables to consider to get a new motorcycle are

• Budget
• Engine size
• Comfort
• Weight
• Height
• Manufacturer

Riders, we love our rides, and too often we experienced riders rush to tell you what we love, instead of understanding your needs as a new rider and thinking about what’s best for you. If you ask an experienced rider what you should buy for your first motorcycle, here’s what you should hear in return: “What do you want to do with it?”

The kind of riding you plan to do determines what kind of bike you should buy. So asking yourself “What kind of riding do I want to do” is the first and most important step. It’s also one you’ll probably get wrong, at least slightly. 

So you’ll probably find out that what you thought you wanted to do on a motorcycle is not exactly what you really want to do, once you’ve got some miles under your tires.