Buy Used

 

This is a great article that recommends motorcycles for beginners to purchase. I like the way it begins with asking the question of what type of riding a person would enjoy the most (cruising, sport, dirt, adventure etc.). Then it gives some pretty good advice on deciding how much to spend, including insurance payments. Also, the motorcycles detailed are pretty good, nothing overly big or overly powered. However, one gripe I have is that this article only specifies new bikes and only has a short paragraph at the end about possibly choosing a used one.

I would never recommend a motorcycle straight from the showroom for beginners. Even if someone can swing it financially, it just ends up being a waste 9 times out of 10. My reasoning is partially due to the fact that a new rider has huge chance of crashing their first bike (which is mentioned in the article). My main argument is that I truly feel that if a rider enjoys riding a motorcycle that no one thinks is cool, they will be a motorcyclist for life.

I know this goes completely against any dealership's stance and the Harley Davidson commercials we see on television. The lifestyle is what's being sold here. But, when the novelty fades and friends aren't checking out the bike anymore, chances are that it'll be rotting in storage instead of being ridden. The first question we should ask people interested in buying their first motorcycle is if they'd be open to riding a ten year old bike for a year before buying a new one. If the answer is no, then they probably shouldn't buy a motorcycle.

"One kid's old, used up equipment is another kid's brand-new, awesome, awesome equipment." - Bode Miller