[slvr2000fdvspec]

hey all, i'm new here, i never riden a real motorcycle before, but i'm pretty good at riding a bicycle and i've driven a moped before..i'm 16 and i wanna learn how to ride a bike..i dont know much about motorcycles except the basics..what bike should i start out with, i'm looking for a sport bike..nothing too crazy, dont need to go too fast, just want something i can learn on..about 1000 dollars is my budget right now..

 

[Whitey]

Spend some time on a dirt bike, and keep an eye out for a good used 250 ninja.

 

[bikeaholic]

re

i agree - start in the dirt,learn how to use the contols and balance the bike
you'll learn more at faster pace that way :wink:

 

[ekinnee]

Well, you need to take the MSF course ($180) plus buy a helmet ($75-$499) and good gloves ($30-$80) and a good jacket ($50 - $300). Oh, plus insurance. That $1000 should cover safety gear and the insurance with a little to spare.

I'm not trying to bum you out. It's just that this can be a dangerous hobby. The only thing between you and the pavement is your gear.

I've seen Ninja 250s run from $1000 to $2500 used. Just depends on how old they are.

 

[rlovrin1]

I agree with the comment about starting in the dirt. You learn the controls, basic handling, and balance. Also who cares if you dump a dirt bike or a dual sport. They're made to be dumped and survive a beating.

But, if you get a dual sport, I'd suggest in the folding mirrors that are available, that way they can be folded out of the way while offroading and won't be broken to easily.

 

[NinjaGirl]

You've got some good suggestions here!!
I highly recommend the MSF coarse and the proper gear before you even get on a bike. Your pretty young to have a streetbike, (my opinion) just becareful and don't let the bike control you!!!!!
Have fun and good luck on your new purchase. :wink:

 

[slvr2000fdvspec]

thanks all, you all gave me some good tips..my cousin has a zx12r i think, told me that he could give me his old helmet and jacket, cause they fit and he had new ones..so that's good news for me..and i was wondering, when you shift gears with a motorcycle, do you have to balance clutch and throttle like a car? or is it different?

 

[gorillahandz]

Hey slvr! Honestly, being only 16 it is probably a bad idea to get a streetbike. You should get a few years of driving experience under your belt first before attempting to learn how to ride in traffic. The streets are a dangerous place and you need to learn the nuances of street driving first. Take some time to learn how traffic moves, how cars and trucks react, how road conditions affect handling, things like that. But riding in the dirt until then is a great idea!! It will teach you the proper skills regarding the basic operations of motorcycle controls. Best to learn how to shift, brake, turn, accelerate, etc. away from cars and traffic. Do that for a couple of years and then take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Beginner Rider Course and then get yourself a streetbike. Trust me, it is better to be patient in your riding career than to try to take too much on at once and get into an accident. I'm not trying to scare you away from riding, I'm just trying to make you aware that riding is dangerous and should only be attempted when you are ready and able to deal with the complexities of the road. Good luck!!

And in response to your question about the clutch/throttle work, yes you do have to balance the clutch and throttle like a car. If you have some manual transmission experience it will help a little, but not very much. A car and a motorcycle are two very different animals. What will make one purr with make the other roar ferociously. Get a dirtbike, it'll teach you all you'll ever need to know about how to use the clutch/throttle!

 

[woundwort]

I agree with the dirt idea as that is how I learned.


And you get to do the stupid stuff with out getting tickets. wheelies, stoppers
jumps.... all kinds of cool stuff, with proper guidence though or close by medical facilities I ain't saying take a long time on it either. 6 months or better though. TAKE the MSF course though......

 

[Freakinout]

MSF course will help you out a TON. Then look for a ninja 250.

 

[Aikata]

MSF course will help you out a TON. Then look for a ninja 250.

I second that

 

[ZX-2R]

BASICS

The basics will come from riding a dirt bike or a dual sport. Peer pressure gets people into trouble pulling wheelies and getting out of control...Learning to control your bike clutchand brake an throttle all at the same time is really important. Ther eare times when you will have your foot on the rear brake giving the bike throttle and clutching all at the same time...the reason for the throttle is because the rpms take to long to build up and you can stall...not a god thing if you are on a narrow trail, and it's all wet leaves, pine needles and or mud straight down on both sides...learnign how to keep the bike balanced is really important adn learning what to do in a jump is important as well. one day when you least expect it you will be going around a corner on a street bike and all of a suden you will hit a patch of sand, gravel or even worse transmission fluid/oil/ or radiator antifreeze and water andit will be like ICE! Handling your street bike at that point is just second nature....but afterwards you will take a moment to reflect badk to the days when you were on the dirt bike and did it for fun...and not for a panic attack, heart spopping exercise!

 

[Curt]

You're getting a lot of good advice here. $1,000 isn't much to work with, especially if you need to buy gear. An old helmet is a lot better than nothing, but it's no comparison to a new (better safety ratings and undeteriorated linings and shell) perfectly-fitted helmet. I've seen Ninja 250's just over $1,000, and you might get one under $1,000 if you're patient and a good shopper and negotiator. Keep in mind that insurance is a lot of money for a 16 year old. And keep in mind why that is -- because a lot of 16 year olds do really stupid stuff on bikes. Don't be one of them.

Like ZX-2R said, don't succomb to peer pressure. Be a man.
Curt

 

[Whitey]

Not getting caught in the peer pressure crap is probably the most important thing. Couldn't tell ya how many times I've heard of people letting others talk them into stuff they didn't have the skill for and getting them selves hurt. Just remember your peers are not who pays the price when things go wrong. :!:

 

[Tim-]

In my opinion, 16 is not young to be getting a street bike. I know someone that goes to my school thats 14, and he has a Ninja 250 and drives it responsibly. I plan to do the same, in time. It's not a matter of age. It's a matter of maturity.

Hmm, thats a good saying that i just came up with. *uses it in his signature*

 

[nathan600r]

I was 16 when I got my first bike. I got something with no power and it was hard to control, becuase it was from 1980 and it wasn't balanced well on small tires. Try that and then get a sport bike.

 

[kyhick1]

First Bike

My first bike was a 76 Honda 250 Elsinore. I was in Hawaii and it was enough bike to get around. I bought my brother-in-law a Honda Ascot -400c if I remember correctly. He took the MSF safety course on it when he was 16. A 250 is great to learn on, but you outgrow it quickly. My husbands first bike was a 81 Suzuki GS450S. He bought it because he could put both feet flat on the ground :lol: and it looked cooool He said.
We both love bikes and are working on a collection. Have two boys 16 and 12. We want them to learn to ride before they drive a car. Good luck and always wear your protective gear!!!!

Mack and Heather

 

[ZX-2R]

Hawaii

I hated those pesky 250 Elsinore bikes, when I lived in Hawaii (Pearl Harbor aboard a ship...US NAVY) and I rode my 175 Kawasaki F7. I couldn't our run them! I leared to ride from Pearl Harbor around to Barbers Point area and I ran like crazy through the cane field roads, so that I had my riding down pretty good when I got a chance to ride on the asphault Campbell Industrial Raceway. Changing to street tires removing the baffle and spark arrester, tapin g over all teh glass with duct tape...the 250 Elsinore was still in my class of racing...I did well enough with 3 of them to actually stay ahead of only one of them, and I think that it was because I had a better gear ratio (worked on this several gearchanges) and large enough tires that they would only slide when I was Wide Open Throttle and nearly touching the pavement with my footpeg...yes that far over! Loved racing, had a lot of respect for teh Elsinore...haven't heard the name in nearly 30 years..I raced there 1973-1975.

 

[kyhick1]

Small World

I was there too in Sept 75-79 I bought the Elsinore new at the Honda dealer in Pearl City, on Kam Hwy. I had a friend drive my motorcycle back to the barracks in Pearl Harbor. Learned to ride in the parking lot behind the enlisted club. After that I was transferred up to Wahiawa communications station. Rode all over the island..bike was too heavy for me to off road much...I only weigh 118lb soaking wet.

I have been riding ever since...wore out a BMW...now I am riding a kz550..just bought a KZ750 LTD...haven't even seen it yet!!!!! I am hoping to get the beemer up and running one of these days. I only put 300,000 miles on it!!!!

I was transferred to Norfolk..I sold the Elsinore there..found out after the fact that it was one of the best off road bikes at the time.

I retired from the Navy in June 1995 and we rode cross country two up on my beemer. My husband rode the KZ550 from Idaho in March a couple years ago when he bought it. We are getting the kids used to riding too so maybe we can go on a long trip together. If you would like to shoot the breeze drop me an email!!!

Heather
RM1 USN ret

 

[Gremlin]

Never to young to learn

England Calling.

I own a 636 Ninja, my first bike at 37 years old - wished i'd done it at your age, however, you should realise the extreme amount of power any bike can throw out - get on it and learn the only possible way, in traffic - it may frighten at first but its the quickest way you will learn