Nags1965

A motorcycle that is. With gas at 3.19 a gallon maybe NOW is a good time to learn to ride

I wonder how hard it would be to learn to ride? Any of you gals out there ride? I guess a dealer would be the best one to ask about size and stuff.. I dont want one to heavy.. but I dont want a vispa <sp?> either..

Opinions on the best brand? If im going for style I would go Harley.. but im more into whats a good bike for me at a reasonable price.

Ntruder1400

You should first sign up for a motorcycle riders course. They supply bikes (usually 125cc) and teach you the basics. This training will get you an insurance discount, as well as help keep you alive.

Based on what you said about Harley style, I guess you are in the market for a cruiser (as opposed to a sportbike or "crotch rocket"). If you have never ridden before, I would not go with a Harley. They are too expensive to learn on - starter bikes invariably get dinged, dented dropped, etc.

Here are some of the biggest factors that need to be considered: How much do you weigh? (you don't need to post it here, but it is a factor) I would not go any higher than 800cc for a first bike. If you are a "plus size" you should think about going with something closer to the 800cc. If you are very light, the smaller end of the scale is fine. I would not go lower than 500cc - below that and you risk having the bike feel like a Vespa very soon.

That being said, you need to go and sit on a bunch of bikes. Pick one that you can comfortably reach the ground with both feet - preferably flat-footed. Lean the bike from side to side to get a feel of the weight, distribution of the weight, center of gravity, and overall fell of the bike. Do the handlebars allow your arms to be in a comfortable position? Can you comfortably turn the bars "lock to lock"? Most places won't let you test ride it without a valid MC license - thus the reason for taking the MC safety course (you get your license as a part of most courses). Consider the bike that fits you and feels comfortable when you lean it.

Remember that a starter bike is usually just that - only a starter. You will develop your skills on this bike and "grow out of it". If you pick a bike at the higher end of the scale, you are less likely to grow out of it, but the bigger the bike, the harder it will be to leran on.

Some good candidates are the Suzuki Savage (650), Volusia, or Intruder 800. I am partial to Suzuki, but Honda makes a great product also.

I hope this helps, but I can't stress enough the importance of taking the MSF course first - even if you need to get on a waiting list to take one.

Nags1965

Thanks for the reply and the info. I did check into the course you are talking about. Its like a 2 or 3 day course with a cost of about 300 bucks.. but like you said it helps on insurance and the MC license you get at that time provided the class is passed. I am totally not into the crotch rocket... and i suppose im of average frame.. bout 5'7 135lbs. but i do have longer legs so im afraid if i get something to match my legs (where feet sit flat on the ground) it will be to big for me to handle. How does one really know what is a good comfortable fit? to me they all seem quite uncomfortable when i sit on them.. perhaps taking the course will allow me to feel more comfortable with a bike and therefore be able to pick one out. I really like some of the yamaha and honda bikes.. and they are actually more afforable then i thought..

I shall ponder this some more.

thank you for the info..

COBettaCouple

3.19 a gallon.. those were the days. :P 3.30 a gallon here and moving up. If people here didn't enjoy running into each other on purpose so much, I'd think about a Honda or Suzuki probably.

Ntruder1400

We are averaging $3.11/gal here in NH. I have been riding my Suzuki Intruder 1400 back and forth to work all week. The bike gets near 40 MPG. My truck has a 6.0 litre engine and only gets 12 MPG. I have a 42 mile round-trip commute, so I am saving about $8-$10 per day by riding the bike. I have to suck it up in the morning (averaging 28 degrees when I leave home), but I have been enjoying a great ride home (45-70 degrees this week). This is the first week of the riding season for me, and I couldn't be happier!!!

Ride Safe, Ride Free!!

susitna-flower

HA....you light weights.....our gas locally is now $3.63! It is 80 miles to the grocery store...WE are eating lots of pinto beans.

ShaynaB

I just paid $3.79 today. And that was the cheapest of the three gas stations at the closest corner to me. The other two were $3.83.

I love LA.

It's a good thing I have a small car... College student budget and all.

My dad has a motorcycle that he rides to work 1. because of LA traffic and 2. because it's cheaper. He loves it. Good luck with the bike!

Ntruder1400

Whoa!! I thought I was having a tough time financially because of fuel prices. I guess I am on the lower end of the scale of fuel gouging here in NH!

ShaynaB

Yeah, I wish it was $3.11 out here. I'd have a field day and buy excess gas or something. Ha! I don't think it's been that low for two years here.

pamd

A friend bought a Suzuki DR 200 SE about two months ago and absolutely loves it! It gets at least 80 m.p.g. and he was delighted at filling up his gas tank for $2.45 the first week when he was used to spending about $40 for the same time period/distance with a mini-van. Now he "feels funny" on the rare occasions he uses the mini-van. "It feels like driving around in a room."

It's only 199 CCs. It's plenty fast and he can't figure out why most people would need more than that for casual riding and getting back and forth to work. We live in a hilly area in mountain foothills, and it deals with the uphills just fine. He doesn't want to ride 120 MPH on the expressway nor to use it for "sport biking" in the desert.

It only weighs 250 lbs. It's a dual-purpose off-road/street bike. He says it's great as a street bike, and it handles speed bumps, potholes and overflowing river sand better than most strictly road bikes would.

The friend is about 5'11" and of slim build. He said the bike would be great for a female smaller than him who probably also has smaller hands.

Even though it's his first motorcycle, he self-taught himself to ride and spent less than $10 to get his Arizona motorcycle license. He skipped the MSF course but agreed that Ntruder's advice to check it out is good advice, since it does teach some important basics and allows you to get an insurance discount.

I think it's so cool a lady is interested in getting a bike. If you go for it, I wish you the best of happy and safe riding!

offminded

$3.19...what a joke!! i pay at least $3.60!

Tavel

I love my Corolla. 30mpg city, 33 if I milk it. Easily 40mph highway.

It would take a long time to pay off a motorcycle in fuel savings alone, especially because motor bikes aren't particularly practical and I'd need to keep a car for many tasks anyway.

I have a bicycle, but I use it almost exclusively for recreation because it's just too hard to carry things around (like groceries, lol).

Peterpiper

$3.19 a gallon = 84c a litre I would love to be paying that! we are paying around $1.30 a litre or $4.90 a gallon

Take a look at the pain

http://www.fuelwatch.wa.gov.au/graph...ice_trends.cfm

Nags1965

wow.. I think i should be happy im only paying 3.19.

Ntruder1400

I am definitely grateful that we are not as high-priced as some other places.

offminded

yes...i think you should be

Nags1965

Gas prices change here like the wind. Drive by the BP at 10am and gas is 3.19.. drive back by at noon and the price is 3.17.. I really dont get that..

offminded

thats better than almost $4!!!