Buying Your First Bike

What type of motorcycle or scooter should you purchase?

With so many choices in motorcycles, selecting your first motorcycle can be challenging. In this article we will try and provide you with some general knowledge that will help you in making a selection.

There are at least eight different motorcycle types (styles) of motorcycles: touring, sport-touring, standard, sport-bike, scooter, dual-sport, dirt-bike, and cruiser.

Cruisers

Many new riders begin their search by looking at Harley Davidson motorcycles. Don't make this mistake. While cruisers are extremely popular they don't necessarily make the best beginner motorcycle. They're heavy, loud, expensive, and unforgiving (loaded with chrome) of minor spills.

Another consideration concerning these bikes is price. Harley's for 2010 start at the low end of their bike range at $14,500.00 and finish at the high end with $35,500.00 plus.

The reason why these bikes produce a throbbing roar is that they are, as with many other bikes, powered by v-twin engines. The classic Harley-Davidson engines are two-cylinder, V-twin engines with the pistons mounted in a 45° "V". The crankshaft has a single pin, and both pistons are connected to this pin through their connecting rods. This design causes the pistons to fire at uneven intervals and causes vibration issues.  This is due to an engineering tradeoff to create a large, high-torque engine in a small space. This design choice is entirely vestigial from an engineering standpoint, but has been sustained because of the strong connection between the distinctive sound and the Harley-Davidson brand. This design, which is covered under several United States patents, gives the Harley-Davidson V-twin its unique choppy "potato-potato" sound. To simplify the engine and reduce costs, the V-twin ignition was designed to operate with a single set of points and no distributor, which is known as a dual fire ignition system, causing both spark plugs to fire regardless of which cylinder was on its compression stroke, with the other spark plug firing on its cylinder's exhaust stroke, effectively "wasting a spark." The exhaust note is basically a throaty growling sound with some popping. The 45° design of the engine thus creates a plug firing sequencing as such: The first cylinder fires, the second (rear) cylinder fires 315° later, then there is a 405° gap until the first cylinder fires again, giving the engine its unique sound.

For a full explanation you can check out this wiki article.  These engines are loud.  If your thing is riding on a country road on a bright and sunny day and taking in all the scenery then a loud, rough riding motorcycle may not be the bike for you.

All of the Harley bike line up for 2010 are powered by twin v-stroke air cooled engines. One of the problems with being air cooled comes when you are stuck in traffic on a hot summer day. Many riders shut their bikes off if the traffic is at a stand still. Idling a big air cooled engine is not a good idea. Harley's in the past have earned an unsavory reputation for breaking down and this is one of the reasons. However, in recent years Harley has made great strides forward towards making their bikes reliable.

One pro point for some cruisers is low seat and low center of gravity makes the balance on these bikes very good. However being covered in cool looking chrome means that even accidentally dropping the bike will most likely mean scratched roll bars at minimum. The wide low chassis of the cruiser means limited curve handling. So, if you like a road hugging bike built for a twisty road then a heavy cruiser may not be the bike for you.

You should know that Harley Davidsons are not the only manufacturers of cruisers. In fact many motorcycle manufacturers produce cruisers. If your heart is set on a cruiser, shop around and compare different cruiser styles.

Touring Motorcycles

Touring motorcycles are generally built for long distance riding. Examples include the popular Honda Gold Wing and the BMW K1200. These motorbikes are heavy, powerful, expensive, and require significant skills to operate properly... making them a poor choice for new riders.

They do have some significant advantages over cruisers. Generally they are powered by 4 stroke, water cooled engines that are well suited for long rides or even being stuck in traffic. These bikes are also very quite compared to their cruising cousins and a more comfortable ride then they deliver can not be found.

But like their cruising cousins their low chassis and heavy bulk limit them on a twisty road. I have seen these bikes, under the right skilled rider, perform remarkable maneuvers but these bikes are not for the beignner.

Sport Bikes

Sport-bikes (also referred to as crotch-rockets) are built for speed, agility, and performance. They're light weight, brightly colored, and quick. Engine sizes for sport-bikes usually range from 600cc to 1000cc.

Note: Don't let a smallish sounding 600cc engine fool you. A Honda CBR600 sport-bike can run circles around an 1800cc v-twin cruiser. Crotch rockets can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds! That's faster than 99% of all production sports cars. Most of these bikes use 2 stroke engines and are air cooled but they do deliver the power over weight. You really have to hang on when riding these speedy bikes.

Due to engine choice and rider posture these bikes are not made for long trips so if touring is your thing then this is not the bike for you.

Do sport-bikes make good beginner bikes? Probably not, unless you have the maturity to handle the temptations of power, speed, and agility.

Dirt Bikes

The next style of motorcycle is pretty easy to describe. Dirt-bikes are made to ride off-road. Tread patterns, gear torque ratios, and suspension components on dirt-bikes are very different than their street-bike cousins.

While many models have headlights and turn signals, most won't easily accommodate interstate travels. If you have convenient access to dirt roads or other off-road areas, a dirt-bike is a good beginner motorcycle.

Dual Sport Bikes

Don't have easy access to off-road areas? Consider a dual-sport motorcycle. These bikes are made to accommodate moderate off-road conditions, and handle highway speeds. A compromise of sorts, they don't perform on-road as well as street bikes, nor off-road as well as dirt-bikes.

But, most dual-sport models can easily travel at interstate speeds and handle moderate off-road conditions. When you take that motorcycle tour (you've been dreaming about) to the Northern tip of Alaska, you'll most likely be riding a dual-sport motorcycle, like the popular Kawasaki KLR650 or the BMW Enduro. The BMW Enduro was featured in the TV Travel blog “The Long Way Round” with Ewan McGreggor and Charlie Boorman. They are tough, durable bikes.

Standard Motorcycle

A standard motorcycle is an older style that once described the majority of bikes available... hence the term 'standard'. Standard motorcycles are generally upright and moderately priced. Picture that 1970s bike your dad owned. It was most likely a standard motorcycle. While not the fanciest or flashiest bike, standard bikes can be good starter motorcycles.

Sometimes these bikes are modified to become choppers. However, choppers require skills beyond what the standard motorcycle requires. The long extended forks in front make the bike less agile.

New to the standard bike scene is the introduction of bikes that have automatic transmissions and anti-lock braking systems that make them ideal for beginners. An example of this bike is the Honda DN-01, stylish but pricey. The DN-01 is a water cooled v-twin 650cc engine, however, the absence of a windshield that fully protects the rider makes this bike a poor touring bike.

Scooters

Scooters? Before you form an opinion here, visit your local motorcycle dealership. Gone are the 50cc mopeds of the 1970s. These are not your grand dads scooters, instead, several new scooters fancy large 650cc engines and automatic transmissions. With a top speed of over 100 mph, and a 0 to 60 acceleration time below 5 seconds, scooters can keep up with most anything. Want to embarrass a Harley rider or Mustang owner... no problems? A Honda Silver Wing 650 scooter can do both. Even the 400cc bikes can keep up easily with interstate speeds. Gas mileage on these bikes are equally amazing. These bikes are water cooled, sport steel belted radial tires, very comfortable suspension systems and the ultimate in seating with plenty of leg room. The large windshield on most of these bikes and the presence of anti-lock braking systems make the perfect for touring.

Price is another plus for these luxury bikes. Most of the top end bikes in this category can be had for under $9,000.00.

These scooters have spawned a whole new class of riders who tour the country on their very comfortable bikes. Their low center of gravity and tight wheel base give them an agility that few cycles have. Combining that agility with an automatic transmission makes these scooters the easiest bikes to master. These bikes make some of the best beginner bikes money can buy.

Sport Touring Motorcycles

A sport-touring motorcycle is the last style of motorcycle addressed here. Sport-touring models are sporty versions of touring bikes. Or conversely, relaxed versions of sport-bikes. This class of motorcycle falls between a touring bike and sport-bike.

The sport-touring class was designed as a balance between ergonomics, engine performance, and long range touring capabilities. It's a popular class of motorcycle that combines the best of both worlds. The Honda VFR Interceptor 800, Honda ST1300, the Kawasaki Contours 14, Triumph Sprint ST, and Yamaha FJR 1300 are examples of popular sport-touring motorcycles. Most models utilize 650cc to 1300cc engines. They boast water cooled, 4 cycle engines, anti-lock breaking systems, luggage hard case saddle bags, full windshields (some are powered height adjustable), agile handling and quiet performance. Their handling on twisty roads can be very enjoyable. If you plan to take long trips then you should definitely consider these bikes but they still take a considerable amount of skill to operate.

Do sport-touring motorcycles make good first bikes? They can. Most, however, are relatively heavy... utilizing high performance engines. Before you select a sport-touring model, make sure you have the discipline to use only the power that matches your skill level. You should also seek the help of experienced riders to train you on the do's and don'ts of handling these bikes. The very first bike that my friend purchased was an FJR 1300. It took about 2 months for him to master this bike but now he is buzzing around the country with a big smile on his face.

Thats the line up of bikes in general and I hope this information is helpful to you in making that first choice of a bike. There is nothing like the freedom you will experience in riding a motorcycle. Get that bike, learn to ride safely, and get on the open road. I look forward to meeting you out there somewhere, sometime and riding with you. Until then...