Choosing the motorcycle

Bellow, there are some guidelines that new riders should ideally follow.

1. Do not go BIG. This means you should avoid big engine bikes. Lots of power might sound like fun, but this also means a heavier, harder to control beast. This, in turn, greatly increases the risks of accidents for inexperienced riders. The following scenario is common for almost 60% of the new riders.

• Want motorcycle.
• Buy powerfull motorcycle.
• Crash bad in the first 6 months.
• Thank god for beeing alive.
• Sell the bike.
• Blame motorcycles for not beeing safe.
• Tell everyone the story, putting accent on the extreme danger.

Be one that does not follow the above scenario. Buy a motorcycle that is suited for beginners. You will still have a lot of fun, but you will also be safer. In time you will gain experience and you'll be ready for bigger and more powerful bikes.

2. Buy Second Hand. Unless you have way too much money on your hand, you should not buy a new bike for the first time. In the first year, chances are you are going to drop the bike on a side, hit it, scratch it or other stuff that will make you cry after a brand new shiny bike.
Regardless of the motorcycle it is a very good idea that you equip it with some sort of protection like crash bars or rubber pads (also called mushrooms).

3. Go with the right type. We have some bad news here. There is no perfect motorcycle for all the riding types; mostly because in their effort to enhance riding experience, the motorcycle builders made very specialized machines.
Choosing a motorcycle now is like choosing the right tool for the right job. Will be good for most of the time, but sometimes you will lack some features.

A common mistake that beginners do is to choose the type of motorcycle by looking at movies, commercials or whatever they think is cool and fashionable. This is why many people living in big crowded cities buy choppers, only to keep them in the garage most of the year.

Think where will you ride the most (more than 80% of the time). And then consider buying a type of bike design specialy for that.
For more about motorcycle types check the Motorcycle Types section from the menu.