So those two wheeled things...

[Martinjmpr]

First bike and no experience??? Get yourself a cheap beater for under $1000. That way when you drop it, and you WILL, it wont cost ya much to fix. Then, after ya get the experience, upgrade to something nicer.

This x eleventy jillion brazillians. DON'T BUY NEW! Motorcycles depreciate even worse than cars. Craigslist is full of low-mileage older bikes that are hardly ridden.

Also remember there are two kinds of riders-those that have crashed and those that will. I'm also a strong believer in a used/beater first bike. Having all the gear has saved my life and allowed me to enjoy life and keep riding.

Well....Maybe not "crashed" but certainly "Dropped." I've been riding since 1982 and I've been in two "crashes", the first one happened in 1990 when I got rear ended at a stoplight by a drunk driver, the second happened when I wasn't watching traffic and locked up my brakes coming to a sudden stop. I wasn't seriously hurt in either one.

I'm also going to disagree with the people here who say a 300cc bike isn't a good starter. If you buy it used and don't wreck it you can probably sell it for just about what you paid. Starter bikes are always in high demand. As for starting on a 600 supersport, just because some have done it doesn't mean it's a good idea (nor is starting on a 900cc cruiser that weighs 500lbs.)

My mantra for starter bikes is: Small, cheap, used. I started on a 450 which IMO is a perfect size to start with.

A smaller (lighter) bike is easier to learn slow-speed maneuvers. Light weight makes it much easier to recover from a sudden change in conditions (like coming to a sudden stop with the handlebars turned.) It's also easier (and less embarrassing) to pick up a small bike after you've dropped it. Watching a NOOB trying to pick a full-dress Harley off the ground is equal parts of painful and funny to watch. Not only are lighter bikes easier to pick up after a drop, they are less likely to break expensive parts when they do.

This is also a good reason to consider a dual sport as your first bike.

People who start on oversized or overpowered bikes often never really 'learn' how to ride well. I see it all the time - people "paddling" their bikes around at low speeds because they don't have the confidence and skill to be able to maneuver at parking lot speeds.

As for those who say you'll get "bored" on a small bike, there's an old saying that goes "It's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than to ride a fast bike slow." I have two bikes, a BMW R1150R and a Triumph Bonneville 790 and I have to honestly say there are times when I think it would be a hoot to have a 200cc or 250cc bike for zipping around town.

[Martinjmpr]

Oh, and as for gear, Performance Cycle has about the best selection and the best prices I've ever seen. They used to be in Englewood but just moved, I think they're up near IKEA now off of I-25 and Arapahoe or Dry Creek. HUGE selection and great prices. And unlike a lot of places, they actually have knowledgeable staff that can help you pick out the right helmet, jacket and other gear.

And please don't be the guy who goes to Performance, tries on a helmet and a jacket, and then goes home and orders it online to save $20. (Do you WANT brick-and-mortar stores to go out of business? Because that's how you make brick-and-mortar stores go out of business.)

I would budget at least ~$500 for gear. Remember that a $600 Shoei helmet that is SNELL rated doesn't protect your head any better than a $150 HJC that is Snell rated. The Shoei may fit better, be lighter, have more ventilation, etc, but the protection will be about the same (in fact, some tests have shown that some of the "budget priced" helmets actually do a better job of protecting your head.)

I'm on my 2nd Scorpion, which is a notch or two up from HJC but well below the Shoei/Arai high priced line.

When you buy a helmet make sure you wear it for at least 20 minutes to see if it fits without any "hot spots." Again, if you go to Performance they're happy to find you one that fits and let you walk around the shop with it on. It's one of the many reasons I buy all my helmets and most of my other gear there even though I could save $$ by buying online.

As for outerwear, I gave up on leather years ago and don't regret it a bit. On the track, leather is king, but consider that there is no class of motorcycle road racing I'm aware of that races in the rain. Modern nylon gear is better than it's ever been, and less expensive than it's ever been, too.

Don't skimp on gloves, either. As for boots - I actually prefer non Motorcycle boots. I've been wearing a pair of my old Army combat boots for years, they work great and are reasonably comfortable to walk in, too. Good riding over-pants that zip on over jeans will make riding in cold or wet weather much more tolerable.

[Dave_L]

I only rode for like 5 months but I didn't drop my bike once. I got it in mint condition and it left my custody in the same condition. I also probably rode the bike very soft compared to others. I didn't get squirrley in traffic, I didn't do any "stunts", etc. I only opened it up when there was no traffic ahead of me and no turn outs for traffic to appear in front of me. I rode with the idea that odds are already stacked against me and I didn't need to push those odds any further.

[ray1970]

I'm going to go out on the non-politically correct limb for a minute.

I say wear as much or as little gear as you need to feel comfortable.

For some, that might be full blown leathers, boots, gloves, and a helmet. For others, it could mean shorts and flip flops. You need to find your own level of protection that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Every time you get on a motorcycle you are putting your life in the hands of fate. Even if you are doing everything right, you just never know what the other person is going to do. Depending on the situation, wearing all of the best gear money can buy might not make any difference.

People choose to ride for different reasons and I honestly believe your reason for riding plays a big part of how comfortable you are when you ride. I have a sister in law that started riding because she thought it would make her cool. She was scared every time she got on the bike and needless to say she never rode much and her skills never improved. I bet she hasn't ridden in five or six years but still loves to tell people she rides her own. My wife loves to ride. I kind of pushed her to learn just in case we were somewhere and something happened to me she would at least be able to move the bike or maybe ride it back to the house. I didn't know she would take to it and enjoy it the way she did. She's been riding for about nine years now and has been over just about every mountain pass and through every canyon in Colorado and made the trip to Sturgis once.

[Great-Kazoo]

I'm going to go out on the non-politically correct limb for a minute.

I say wear as much or as little gear as you need to feel comfortable.

For some, that might be full blown leathers, boots, gloves, and a helmet. For others, it could mean shorts and flip flops. You need to find your own level of protection that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Every time you get on a motorcycle you are putting your life in the hands of fate. Even if you are doing everything right, you just never know what the other person is going to do. Depending on the situation, wearing all of the best gear money can buy might not make any difference.

People choose to ride for different reasons and I honestly believe your reason for riding plays a big part of how comfortable you are when you ride. I have a sister in law that started riding because she thought it would make her cool. She was scared every time she got on the bike and needless to say she never rode much and her skills never improved. I bet she hasn't ridden in five or six years but still loves to tell people she rides her own. My wife loves to ride. I kind of pushed her to learn just in case we were somewhere and something happened to me she would at least be able to move the bike or maybe ride it back to the house. I didn't know she would take to it and enjoy it the way she did. She's been riding for about nine years now and has been over just about every mountain pass and through every canyon in Colorado and made the trip to Sturgis once.

Well said.

[colorider]

Here is my story. Had never been on a motorcycle untill I was 40yrs old. Got on a buddies xr650l enduro while in Moab. Rode up and down a dirt road for an hour and was hooked. Bought a Yamaha ttr250 right after. Street legal just in case I wanted to ride on the street. Did dirt rides only for about a month. Practiced in the culdesac a lot learning turns and balance. VERY easy bike to learn on. And cheap. Got my motorcycle endorsement and rode some street. Always just in the neighborhood for about a month. Then ventured out on non busy main roads like highway 72, Simms street, and others like that. Sold it, went up to a Ktm 450. Same thing for a year but ventured out to the canyons. Coal creek, clear creek, and Boulder canyons. Next year bought a Suzuki dl-650 vstrom and kept the Ktm just for dirt. I'm now on my 2nd Ktm 450 and still ride the vstom for the long pavement rides/some dirt adventures. To this day, I hate the highways and avoid at all costs. Still have never been on i25. learnimg this way was awesome. Felt comfortable and learned a lot from fellow riders. I'm craving more power now with the vstrom, but for the price and how much I actually get to use it, buying something else isn't really smart.
My advice. Pick something that is easy to ride and comfortable. And used. You want to pay attention to your surroundings instead of fighting a bike. The guy I bought my vstrom from rode it 2000 miles in 4 years and hated it. Didn't hate the bike, but hated riding all together. My benefit was he took the new bike hit and I got it cheap. Buy right and you can sell it at a great price when your ready for an upgrade. Dual sports are a great way to learn becaise you can get on some of the epic dirt roads this state has to offer. They are by far my favorite.

[milwaukeeshaker]

2 things. 1. NOT a motorcycle. 2. Man up??? B.S. If you are attracted to these backwards tricycles buy a car.
You ain't riding a motorcycle!

Man up and get a third wheel!!!

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[milwaukeeshaker]

Aha, you like the Harley look but don't want to pay the freight.

I've been kicking the idea around for a long time- but it is kind of intimidating.

I've been looking at the Yamaha Star Bolt, but right now it's one of those "I like how that looks" sort of thing. It's stripped-down, retro, but still looks comfortable.

More experienced motorcycle riders/owners, what do you think?

https://www.starmotorcycles.com/star...specifications

[milwaukeeshaker]

Mostly good advice on here. I have found Geico to be the best in insurance. Those of you that don't know, Progressive is owned and run by progressives, hence the name

[Martinjmpr]

Oh, and be prepared for all your non-riding family and friends to tell you every horror story they ever heard about motorcycles, or calling them "donor-cycles" because they think they're clever and you've never heard that before. .