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Beginner Bike

2K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  JMobile 
#1 ·
Hello all i'm new here and was looking for some advice i'm a 23 year old male in the Navy who will be going to hawaii as my next duty station so i'm looking to getting into riding and needed some advice on a first bike, i have zero riding experience and actually only driven a manual car once, so i was at some point debating between a 600 and a 300 however upon completing the Basic rider course i realized that i don't have the confidence or skills to start on a 600 even though peers are pressuring me to get a 600 and honestly its kind of intimidating to see a female start off on a 600 (i know quite a few) however i have decided to go with the 300 because living is more important than image to me if you are dead you have no image right also to really develop my skills, also i've heard that the 300s are loads of fun and thats why we ride right for the fun? My dilemma now is which bike to choose i've been looking at the ninja 300 yamaha r3 and cbr 300 i eventually want a cbr 600rr (if that matters when choosing a starter bike i'm not sure) even though as i learn to ride thats subject to change. Any advice as to which three of these starters are best for me? Also idk if it helps but i struggled with 1st gear in the basic rider course idk if one of these bikes is better for shifting etc all advice is however welcomed thanks.
 
#2 ·
OK, here we go again. Size is just something Marines argue about in the shower. Look at the horsepower for a first bike. 20 to 60 is a good range. 60 Hp in a 450Lb moto will allow you to outrun 75% of the cars on the road. You WILL wreck (drop) it. Wear gear. Hat (helmet) Boots and gloves are a must. A stout jacket, leather if you can afford it, and your pretty much set. I wear Kevlar pants too but that is just me and not really critical. Remember, the purpose of a 'learner bike' is to learn.
If the figure of 600cc floats your boat, then find a 600cc bike that puts out under 60 HP. They are out there, you just might need to look more.
I'm not a MSF fan. They are more bark then bite. The low powered machine will allow you to reach your limits without dying. Dying is counterproductive. The really important rules are few and simple. NEVER EVER NEVER pull across the path of an oncoming vehicle. Try not to pass on the right, not ever in an intersection or a street with lots of access. A Motorcycle goes were you look. That last is important. Keep track of your escape route. Try to always have a safe place to go. Or safer place. When 5hit gets flaky, look at your safe place and the moto will go there.
"Good luck and good hunting".
-Admiral Nimitz
PS Gyrls are good riders. Their COG is better for bikes and they are not so aggressive. It might be better to say they have a better, more natural understanding of when to be aggressive.
 
#4 ·
Late braker might be on to something;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawasaki_Ninja_300

Although there are a lot of new learner bikes on the market. The 300 kow is a newish model, so You should be able to find one reasonably cheap that somebody bought new and is looking to move up off.
Don't pay a lot of attention to the motorcycle rags. They are just proxies for the ad departments of the various moto corps;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds9PCfVqBMY

Find one that fits;
Motorcycle Ergonomics
Narrow it down by whatever matters most to you. All motos are basically the same (2 wheels, engine, the rest is just details). Sort by type, then go sit on it. Controls should be easy to reach. Figure out what doesn't fell comfortable from sitting on a bike, then use the above URL to find a model that has a better fit on paper for you. Then go sit on one.
 
#11 ·
Year? Mods? Navy Credit Union will know if that is a good price or not. The price thingie varies from area to area.
I consider a Grom to be a motor scooter. Motor scooters are like fat girls. A lot of fun but you don't want your friends to find out you have been riding one.

Pouser World says 2999 new for a 2014 so that would be a baseline for a Gome;
2014 Honda Grom- Riding Impression- Photos- Specs- Pricing | Cycle World

The figure for the 300 Kow probably came from KBB. Kelly's Blue Book is dubious at best. That is because they base their numbers on information from Dealers. Motorcycle Dealers LIE. All the time, every day. If that didn't shock you, then you are ready for GIGO. No, not the Insurance fellas but 'Garbage In, Garbage Out'. GIGO is a compter concept. It states that no system will produce valid results if the initial data set is bogus. As proof of concept, I point at American politics.:meangreen
 
#12 ·
I learned way back in 1987 on a Kawasaki EX500, later it became a Ninja 500. All around good bike. Parallel twin with good enough to get you around horsepower and it was fun and forgiving. Used, they are everywhere pretty cheap as the bike has been around A LOT of years. I used to ride it from NOB Norfolk to NAS Memphis all the time when I was in the Navy so it can travel. Good choice if you don't have to have the latest, greatest
 
#15 ·
get the baby ninja 300 and be happy, unless you are going to the base on Kauai the get a Grom or a scooter. A sportbike would suck on that small island. Also look at other kinds of bikes endure and standards make good first bike.

I have said it many times over the years on here I don't think any one should buy a new motorcycle for their first bike. Think cheep buy a bike based on how it feels under you and how good it's running not on its looks. I would not want to spend more then $3500 all in for my first bike, that includes NEW GOOD gear. Please do not go for the helmet included deal form Craig's list. This should not be your dream bike, and you probably have no idea what your real dream bike should be.
 
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