10 replies to this topic

[StopItYouPervert]

Hi Faber here, I'm turning 18 this aug 23rd, and im wondering whats a good starter bike to get? In my mind atm is a 2019 Honda Grom, the grom is said to be fun, reliable, easy and gets a lot of attention, downside is its not fast enough to be ideal on freeways, so my other option or choice is a honda CBR300R but my dad said its too expensive, so is there any suggestion? I have yet to get my driving license, wish me luck

[zeur0sis]

Do not learn to ride on a brand new bike.  Don’t know if you grew up on dirt bikes but if you didn’t don’t start off on a 2019 anything.  

[fangs58]

HI Faber,

 

Welcome to the world of riding. My first suggestion is take a course sponsered by the Motor Cycle Safety Foundation.

It sounds like you are looking at something below 500 CC for your first bike which is a good idea. To get something that you won't grow out of too quickly. My suggestion would be skip the CBR300, go with the CB300F. I would also look at the Kawasaki Z400 ABS (dads like safety features), and the Versys 300. All of them are dependable and beginner friendly. 

Good luck. 

 

[boppinbobby]

Buell blast, Honda Rebel. So many to choose from but just keep the power down and make sure it's not too heavy to pick up if you drop it. 

[wrecker1968]

Definitely take the motorcycle safety course. I was riding for 20 years and then I took the course. And I still learned a lot of stuff. I wouldn't go with a new bike either. It is better to learn on a used bike. That way if you drop it your pride won't hurt as much. Anything under 500 C c's will get knocked around on the highway, so be careful with that. Chances are you will get into riding so you will out grow your 1st bike. A dirt bike is always a great way to learn also. Best of luck and stay safe.

[smackonthehead]

Try a Hayabusa ....

Seriously,  go with something used and smaller and upgrade later.  

[BadRedloser]

Also consider insurance.  Insurance on a brand new bike at your age with no experience will be over $1000 per year (check progressive.com).

 

I also suggest taking the MSF course first, before looking for a motorcycle.

 

Buy your helmet first, jacket, gloves...find a local motorcycle shop to try on helmet and gloves, and jacket.  Don't just buy something that looks pretty, those fancy paint jobs on helmets push those prices up ($500).  $200 on a helmet is a good start, for a good quality helmet.  If you have a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet.  And, if you buy a solid color helmet, you can put your own graphics on with reflective tape.

 

Same thing with jacket, $200+, and get leather with soft armor, not hard armor.  Hard armor just transfers the impact to you.  And, if you can, get Korean leather, it's better quality than Taiwanese leather.  Check the stitching; pull on the seams, if they come apart in your hands, they'll definitely come apart in a crash.

 

Gloves: velcro wrist strap; and if you can, get gauntlets to protect your wrists (overlaps with the jacket, so make sure you try on the gloves with the jacket on).  Start with summer gloves that are ventilated, get used to wearing them when it's hot.  Don't be tempted to ride without gloves, your hands are the first things you are going to put out to protect yourself/catch yourself in a fall. (til you learn how to ragdoll (go limp in a fall (tensing up is how bones are broken)))

 

Boots: Alpinestars has a pair of half boots, about $150 (I use these and a pair of $200+ Sidi race boots (not at the same time)).

 

Pants: jeans are not going to cut it over 35mph, they are 100 denier (threads per inch).  You need 500 denier minimum and those will burn through at 65mph (disposable).  Tourmaster/Cortech has pants that are 1000+ denier, and with armor (~$180).

Edited by BadRedloser, 04 August 2019 - 05:52 AM.

[Barny227]

The Honda Grom is a fun bike but I wouldn’t get it if I was a young adult. It is to small, doesn’t handle highway driving very well, and it is way to tempting to do stupid stuff in a parking lot and get in trouble.  I take it that your budget must be about $4000.  Look at the Kawasaki versys and the Z400 that was listed above,  both are great beginner bikes.  Don’t rule out a used bike either, the beginner bikes tend to show up frequently.

 

[_Cletus]

I've been riding my entire life and the first thing to think about is that motorcycles are not for everybody.  Some people are born to it and some people will never learn to ride safely.  Make sure you're not in the second group.

 

Take the safety course.  When you ride pretend you are invisible, nobody can see you.  Just as soon as you are sure the person in the car is looking at you is when they swerve into your lane.  Be invisible.

 

Buy a used bike to start for sure.

 

My first streetbike was a suzuki SV650.  It was probably a little bit more bike than most people would want for their first, but I had been riding dirtbikes since I was 10, and that's not a hardcore bike anyway.   I can't say I pay enough attention to new beginner bikes to make a solid recomendation, but get something 500cc or less and you'll be okay.  

Edited by _Cletus, 05 August 2019 - 04:08 PM.

[StopItYouPervert]

I would just like to point out that I have experience on what its like to be on a motorcycle let alone a scooter(dad used to own one),i know what it feels like to be on one, i even tried my friend's Dirtbike, and  for me personally I just want something like the grom, cheap, reliable, easy and i heard its insurance is around just $200 per year, dirt cheap. And yes I don't mind if it can't go on highways or freeways, as I like to things through baby steps. I just wanted to hear you guys thoughts, thanks tho 

BadRedloser, on 02 August 2019 - 07:24 PM, said:

Also consider insurance.  Insurance on a brand new bike at your age with no experience will be over $1000 per year (check progressive.com).

 

I also suggest taking the MSF course first, before looking for a motorcycle.

 

Buy your helmet first, jacket, gloves...find a local motorcycle shop to try on helmet and gloves, and jacket.  Don't just buy something that looks pretty, those fancy paint jobs on helmets push those prices up ($500).  $200 on a helmet is a good start, for a good quality helmet.  If you have a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet.  And, if you buy a solid color helmet, you can put your own graphics on with reflective tape.

 

Same thing with jacket, $200+, and get leather with soft armor, not hard armor.  Hard armor just transfers the impact to you.  And, if you can, get Korean leather, it's better quality than Taiwanese leather.  Check the stitching; pull on the seams, if they come apart in your hands, they'll definitely come apart in a crash.

 

Gloves: velcro wrist strap; and if you can, get gauntlets to protect your wrists (overlaps with the jacket, so make sure you try on the gloves with the jacket on).  Start with summer gloves that are ventilated, get used to wearing them when it's hot.  Don't be tempted to ride without gloves, your hands are the first things you are going to put out to protect yourself/catch yourself in a fall. (til you learn how to ragdoll (go limp in a fall (tensing up is how bones are broken)))

 

Boots: Alpinestars has a pair of half boots, about $150 (I use these and a pair of $200+ Sidi race boots (not at the same time)).

 

Pants: jeans are not going to cut it over 35mph, they are 100 denier (threads per inch).  You need 500 denier minimum and those will burn through at 65mph (disposable).  Tourmaster/Cortech has pants that are 1000+ denier, and with armor (~$180).

As a mountain biker I get it, and I know what its like to wear no gloves and fall on a road lol

[_Cletus]

Faber711, on 05 August 2019 - 10:39 AM, said:

I would just like to point out that I have experience on what its like to be on a motorcycle let alone a scooter(dad used to own one),i know what it feels like to be on one, i even tried my friend's Dirtbike, and  for me personally I just want something like the grom, cheap, reliable, easy and i heard its insurance is around just $200 per year, dirt cheap. And yes I don't mind if it can't go on highways or freeways, as I like to things through baby steps. I just wanted to hear you guys thoughts, thanks tho 

As a mountain biker I get it, and I know what its like to wear no gloves and fall on a road lol

 

All I ever had was a helmet.  Well I had a leather jacket too, and my mom bought me these armored jeans but they never fit right.  Point is all that stuff is expensive as hell and unless you're gonna take it on the highway I wouldn't worry about it too much.  Wear your helmet, if you wipe out you'll have road rash which is great, chicks dig scars.

 

I've heard good things about the grom, I like your cheap reliable easy plan.  If you make payments you'll have expensive insurance, if you can just buy it outright you can just get liability insurance and yes it's cheap as poop.