| With so many choices in motorcycles, selecting your | | | | (you've been dreaming about) to the Northern tip of |
| first motorcycle can be challenging. Here are several | | | | Alaska, you'll most likely be riding a dual-sport |
| tips to help you select the right motorcycle for you. | | | | motorcycle, like the popular Kawasaki KLR650. |
| What type motorcycle should you purchase? | | | | A standard motorcycle is an older style that once |
| There are at least eight different motorcycle types | | | | described the majority of bikes available... hence the |
| (styles) of motorcycles: touring, sport-touring, standard, | | | | term 'standard'. Standard motorcycles are generally |
| sport-bike, scooter, dual-sport, dirt-bike, and cruiser. | | | | upright and moderately priced. Picture that 1970s bike |
| Many new riders begin their search by looking at | | | | your dad owned. It was most likely a standard |
| Harley Davidson motorcycles. Don't make this mistake. | | | | motorcycle. While not the fanciest or flashiest bike, |
| While cruisers are extremely popular they don't | | | | standard bikes can be good starter motorcycles. |
| necessarily make the best beginner motorcycle. | | | | Scooters? Before you form an opinion here, visit your |
| They're heavy, loud, expensive, and unforgiving (loaded | | | | local motorcycle dealership. Gone are the 50cc |
| with chrome) of minor spills. | | | | mopeds of the 1970s. Instead, several new scooters |
| Touring motorcycles are generally built for long | | | | fancy large 650cc engines and automatic |
| distance riding. Examples include the popular Honda | | | | transmissions. With a top speed of over 100 mph, and |
| Gold Wing and the BMW K1200. These motorbikes | | | | a 0 to 60 acceleration time below 5 seconds, scooters |
| are heavy, powerful, expensive, and require significant | | | | can keep up with most anything. Want to embarrass a |
| skills to operate properly... making them a poor choice | | | | Harley rider or Mustang owner... no problems? A |
| for new riders. | | | | Honda Silver Wing 650 scooter can do both. |
| Sport-bikes (also referred to as crotch-rockets) are | | | | Do scooters handle like motorcycles. Sure. Do they |
| built for speed, agility, and performance. They're light | | | | operate easily on interstates? Yes. Do they make |
| weight, brightly colored, and quick. Engine sizes for | | | | good beginner bikes? Why not? |
| sport-bikes usually range from 600cc to 1000cc. | | | | A sport-touring motorcycle is the last style of |
| Note: Don't let a smallish sounding 600cc engine fool | | | | motorcycle addressed here. Sport-touring models are |
| you. A Honda CBR600 sport-bike can run circles | | | | sporty versions of touring bikes. Or conversely, relaxed |
| around an 1800cc v-twin cruiser. Crotch rockets can | | | | versions of sport-bikes. This class of motorcycle falls |
| accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds! That's | | | | between a touring bike and sport-bike. |
| faster than 99% of all production sports cars. | | | | The sport-touring class was designed as a balance |
| Do sport-bikes make good beginner bikes? Probably | | | | between ergonomics, engine performance, and long |
| not, unless you have the maturity to handle the | | | | range touring capabilities. It's a popular class of |
| temptations of power, speed, and agility. | | | | motorcycle that combines the best of both worlds. |
| The next style of motorcycle is pretty easy to | | | | The Honda VFR Interceptor 800, Triumph Sprint ST, |
| describe. Dirt-bikes are made to ride off-road. Tread | | | | and Yamaha FJR 1300 are examples of popular |
| patterns and suspension components on dirt-bikes are | | | | sport-touring motorcycles. Most models utilize 650cc to |
| very different than their street-bike cousins. | | | | 1300cc engines. |
| While many models have headlights and turn signals, | | | | Do sport-touring motorcycles make good first bikes? |
| most won't easily accommodate interstate travels. If | | | | They can. Most, however, are relatively heavy... utilizing |
| you have convenient access to dirt roads or other | | | | high performance engines and creature comforts like |
| off-road areas, a dirt-bike is a good beginner | | | | hard rear storage bags. Before you select a |
| motorcycle. | | | | sport-touring model, make sure you have the discipline |
| Don't have easy access to off-road areas? Consider | | | | to use only the power that matches your skill level. |
| a dual-sport motorcycle. These bikes are made to | | | | For answers to other complex questions like: "What |
| accommodate moderate off-road conditions, and | | | | size engine can a beginning rider safely handle?" |
| handle highway speeds. A compromise of sorts, they | | | | We've written an entire guide entitled, "First Motorcycle |
| don't perform on-road as well as street bikes, nor | | | | Buyers Guide - Unique Perspectives from our |
| off-road as well as dirt-bikes. | | | | Contributors." In this guide, several senior contributors |
| But, most dual-sport models can easily travel at | | | | give recommendations and advice on how a new rider |
| interstate speeds and handle moderate off-road | | | | should select their first motorcycle. |
| conditions. When you take that motorcycle tour | | | | |