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Ok, so you have fallen in love with motorcycle riding, taken all safety courses, practiced your skills, and now you need to do the most important task of them all. Now you have to buy your first motorcycle. But how do you choose? Simple, follow the checklist below before you make your purchase:
1. The first rule of motorcycling is graduating from a lighter bike to a heavier one. Do not attempt to buy a 600 cc bike at the very outset. Begin with a smaller bike, and over time it will make you a better rider, and give you enough experience to handle a bigger bike. Begin with a bike with a lesser performance standard, hone your skills at it, and then go for a bigger performance bike. A 600 cc bike that pumps out 70+ ponies at the real wheel can be quite unforgiving. Remember you may jump from a 600 cc bike to a 750 cc or even a 1000 cc bike, but you cannot begin with a 600 cc bike. It will be difficult for any new biker to handle that kind of engine performance at the very beginning.
2. Recognize your need for a motorcycle. There are cruisers, street bikes, custom made bikes and sports bikes, and each of them cater to different kind of functional requirements. A bike that may be ideal for heavy traffic conditions may not be ideal for long distances, or for using as a weekend thrill toy. Ask yourself- do you love the torque, or does a 0 to 60 rush excite you? Be realistic in identifying where and how much you will ride your motorcycle before you make the purchase.
3. Know what is available. Spend time to identify the different variants available based on your requirement, and study each carefully. Each bike, each brand has its own characteristics. While some have excellent handling abilities, others blast away on a straight line. Be realistic in your assessments. Visiting dealerships to check out a final shortlist may help you identify distinct preferences and dislikes, which will help you make an informed choice at the time of purchase.
4. Choose a bike that suits your body type. Since bikes come in different shapes and sizes it is important that your bike is ergonomically suited to you. Try having test rides on the bikes you have shortlisted. You will be amazed at how different each riding experience is (Honda Motorcycle Seats are notoriously difficult for having different feels from bike to bike). Some may require you to sit in uncomfortable postures, some may have a more manageable center of gravity, some may have a higher seat, and some may have uncomfortable handlebars. You need to take a spin on the bikes to determine which bike fits you most so that riding can be a great experience in the long term.
5. Decide if you want a new or used bike. While a used bike will give you less guilt when you dent or scratch it, consider that the long-term operational costs of the bike may be higher than a new bike. Conversely new bikes will come with a warranty that costs higher but will also depreciate quickly. If you are not absolutely sure of your riding skills, you may buy a used bike, master the art of motorcycling and the graduate to a new and heavier bike.
6. Consider long-term finances when you are purchasing a bike. You may have to pay a heavy insurance premium for the bike so make sure you look around for the best rates available. Also you will have to invest in safety gears like a helmet and gloves, which will incur additional expenditure. There may be routine costs involved for the bike's servicing depending upon how you have maintained the bike post purchase. So make sure you have a checklist ready of all these things before you invest in a motorcycle.
7. Make an informed decision. Do not buy a bike you saw outside the café and fell in love with, tempting as it might be. See if it will suit you after the first rush of adrenalin dies down. Get a qualified mechanic to check if you are buying a used bike. Take a test ride, consider all economic, and physical factors and you will have moved away from making any rash decision.
8. Make sure you also choose passionately. Discretion is the key word here. You may follow the checklist word for word and end up buying a bike that is merely functional and does not actually excite you. In the long run it may take the passion of riding out of you. So even while you make a logical decision take care to let it slip once in a while and choose with passion too. Get a bike that will excite you every minute you are on it.
Follow this checklist and be the proud owner of a bike that fulfills all your needs and yet is a joy to ride.
Joey Ikino is a senior writer for Motorcycle Parts and Apparel.
Visit them online for a wide selection of motorcycle parts and accessories: http://motorcyclepartsandapparel.com
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