Who knows bikes

[Gorilla]

yeah i dont know jack about bikes only from what ive read in the past few days.

from what i understand im lookin for this

2-400 cc
4cylinder
4 stroke
i want a street bike i just need it for some fun on weekends and some here and there trips where it saves me gas and time.im willing to nudge on price ranges if it fits my criteria.

i was lookin at honda cbrs and shit but they are like 600cc im pretty sure i would die within a week on those.

ive also heard of dual sport bikes which are offroad looking but they have lights and blinkers for street use. just throw me ideas i guess cause i dont know jack.

[Elfdroper Gravelender]

I should think a 400CC bike is to small for anyone over the 175 pound mark, unless your talking about somthing like that sport Honda cbr which would most likely put a new rider on his/her butt. 400 CC sport bike is a lot to handle to start off butt i'm sure you would pick it up quiickly and get tired of it's low weight and stablity quickly. And don't get me wrong I LOVE riding wheelies on Sport bikes but if I wanna go for a ride my back is killing me after an hour.

A 600ish CC 4cylinder cruiser is a good bike to learn on for anyone over 175 lbs. Something like that is stable enough to be able to learn on and has enough kick to keep you coming back. I'm thinking something like a low CC Honda Shadow or Harley Sportster (I think they make a 600?).

Enduro bikes are as Squirely as two BD's fighting. Ubstable, lots of low end torque, not well equiped for road driving unless u get slick tires but even then they are sketchy at best.

On a related Note: Helmets have been made OPTIONAL in my home state of PA!! WAHOO!!

BTW I've been riding since I was seven and have ridden everything from 250CC Dirtbikes and Honda Hurricane 900's to 1100cc Harley Tourglide cruisers. And I'm no expert by any means but I thought that might help.

[barbos]

Usually your dual sport bikes cost a good bit more as well.

I've heard alot of people complain about the Harley Sporter's being too top heavy... which would definately not be something you would want to learn on

[Crippler]

You can kill yourself on any bike you ride. Not because you get too ballsy most of the time but because other drivers in trucks and cars are fucking idiots who don't pay attention. I've lost 2 friends due to bike related accidents which weren't their fault at all, and I used to ride street bikes. A 600cc will give you good gas mileage if you want that, like 45-50 mpg if thats really what you're after. Speed isn't an issue only your throttle control will be ( I have none btw ). CBR 600's are nice, so are GSX-R 600's, and Yamaha R6 would be nice too, good 600 cc bikes. If you want my honest opinion, get a used beater bike and learn on that. I don't want to sound like an adult here, but you'll lay the bike out at least once in your lifetime, probably more. Better to do it on some beater bike you're learning to ride on then a newer bike you'll want to take care of. Also make sure you get leathers and riding gear no matter how hot it is or how lame you think you look because it's always better to be lame/hot then to get laid out or in an accident and get road rash and more... You can replace clothes.

[Hall]

Crip is always my shining beacon of hope.

Ill be sure to mention the leather to the RUFF RIDER wanna be cocksuckers around my block

[Joshll]

I learned on a 750cc but it just as easily could have been an 1100 as long is it fit. The size of the bike isn't going to be as important to you as the height & making sure it fits you. Just make sure whatever one you start with is low enough you can sit and have your feet flat on the ground without leaning. Easier at stop signs, easier to park, etc.

And yes, almost every bike is faster than any car and can kill you. Just drive like everyone is trying to hit you, then you'll be fine

[Rhuac]

We just had a bike rally here in Austin and it reminded me how much I've been wanting to buy a bike and learn to ride myself. Only thing is some bikes cost more than my damn car.

Don't you have to get certified to ride bikes?

[barbos]

Don't you have to get certified to ride bikes?

Not sure if that varies from state to state. Here, you can take the beginner's safety course, and take the certificate to the DMZ and bypass the driving and written tests

[Crippler]

In california you can get permit around age 15... written test, etc, riding test. here you have to either pay 150 for a riding class after that to get your licenese or wiat until you're 21 to get your license...

[Zoidmeister]

Could be a bit late posting this but imho don't go below 750cc's. You'll soon realize why I said this when you hit the highway.

Also seems you are aiming for a sport bike. I prefer sport/touring/cruiser but then again I'm a bit older ... if you plan on riding for more than 1 hour at time and will be on the highway I'd consider looking at some of the cruisers or sport/touring hybrids. King of the heap in hybrid class is the Honda ST1300; gorgeous bike but expensive.

Best value/quality can be had by buying a 2-4 year old bike with low mileage. Also most dealerships have monthly ride programs where you can test out the various bikes - recommend this unless your hell bent on a sport bike.

Also I wouldn't recommend a bike to anyone who hasn't driven on the road in a car for at least 5 years. Bike danger is more in people cutting you off or not seeing you than going fast ... also highly recommend a 2-3 day on-hands training course to learn basic road safety ... could save your life one day ... things as simple as keeping your right foot on the break at stop lights to properly scanning for problems and even riding in the correct lane position through stop lights etc.

Also Crip has a good point about riding gear. Denim disintegrates within about 15 feet of sliding Full face helmet and as he mentioned perhaps an older less expensive bike just to make sure you don't make a big $ investment prior to knowing if you like biking.