Buying your first Motorcycle? First in years? pt 2

Now you have decided to buy that bike.  Hopefully you have already been trained on the basics of riding a bike and can safely handle one.  Now what size and do you want new or used?

Most of us prefer new anything to used.  What is wrong with new?  Nothing.  Just like a car, as soon as you buy it, you are eating a whole lot of depreciation.  Ahh.  But you aren't buying someone elses problems.  That is true.  Right now there seems to be an over abundance of used bikes on the market.  Like all "Fun" things.  When money gets tight, the "Fun" things must go.  What does that mean for you?  If you are a careful shopper, you can pretty much find a bike to fit you and your budget.

When buying a first bike, there seems to be two different types of shoppers.  The first group are the folks that have had a dream bike all along and they are out to get that bike.  Even if they feel the bike is too big for them, they figure they will grow into it (confidence growth.)  This isn't a poor way of purchasing.  Once the bike is motoring a highway speeds, they all react pretty much the same. 

The other type of shopper is the group that wants to start out with a slightly smaller bike that they can more easily build their confidence on.  This isn't a bad plan either.  The only problem is, most people feel they out grow this bike fairly quick.  Quick is a term that means different things to different folks.  For some, it can be as fast as a few months (or less depending on the driver.)  For others, it can be a few years.  This is especially true for those who will not or can not ride very much.

For either group, buying a used bike is a viable option.  The second group is the one who actually is much better off with a used bike.  If you can buy a used bike for $2500 that gets you on the road to your comfort level and still be able to get that better fitting bike later. 

Speaking of fit, there is one point I want to make about buying a bike.  You want that bike to feel good and balanced under you.  You want both feet to reach that pavement with some bend in your knees.  Holding up a bike on your tip toes is not a lot of fun.  Most bikes can have lowering kits added to them to make them more comfortable for height challenged individuals.  You also don't want to be crammed onto a bike.  To save your back, butt and legs some pain, add an engine gaurd and freeway pegs to your bike.  That can help turn any distance ride into a much more pleasurable trip. 

It's your money and your bike.  Enjoy it and take care of it.  It will take care of you too!

Biker Ragz