by Stephen Surgener

Created on: January 14, 2008

On nearly any given week, I can view the for sale adds of my local paper and find otherwise new motorcycles for sale. Descriptive words like "low miles" and "only ridden once" are synonyms for "I bought the wrong bike". Unless you're an experienced rider, the allure of pounding pipes, and high speed cornering can often override the more practical aspects of purchasing a tow wheeled travel companion.

First Time Riders: The are generally two classifications for the first time buyer; the very young, or the mid life adventurer. Both have blind spots from lack of experience (though in differing ways) and will often make critical decisions based on misinformation or not understanding the information they've been given. One of the biggest mistakes made by both groups is purchasing a bike that is too big. When it comes to motorcycles, big refers to both physical size, and the power of the engine. Because of the dynamics involved in operating a motorcycle, both are extremely important as you go through the process of learning to ride.

Starting with engine size, a good rule of thumb for the first time rider is 600cc or less if your looking to buy a cruiser, and 250cc if your thinking sport bike. Suzuki makes an excellent 800cc Boulevard 50 cruiser (in early 2000 called the Intruder Volusa) and is one of the few bikes that size I would recommend for first time riders. The engine power is respectable, but very manageable, and much of the bike is fiberglass, making the curb weight very light, and handling extremely manageable. As you gain experience, simple modification to the pipes, and jetting (carbureted) or regulator (fuel injected) increases performance as much as 30%.

Sport bikes tend to appeal to younger first time buyers. The best recommendation is don't start with a sport bike. Buy design, sport bikes are for experienced riders, with one thing in mind; racing. You have to get your feet wet, before you can swim. Because cruisers and sport bikes are such different animals, starting out with a small, more caf racer styled bike, like the Yamaha FZ6 is a great choice. Very manageable power output, with a mild sport bike configuration, will be forgiving enough to keep you upright as you learn.

More often then not, I recommend that first time buyers purchase used bikes. The investment is much less, for a bike you need, but will outgrow within a year or two, depending on how much you ride. Also, it is not uncommon for inexperienced riders to dump a bike when they are sitting

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