Recommendations for a first motorcycle help please - Page 2

suzuki 650

Kawasaki also makes the Ninja 500, which may be a good compromise between the 250 and the SV650 if engine displacement is a concern. It stickers for $5500 new, so the OP would be advised to try and find a used one.

My first bike was a Yamaha 400 ... it had no trouble reaching highway speeds.

My first bike is my current bike, the f650 on my thread about a trip across country.

When I was deciding what to get, I first thought I'd get a small used Japanese bike for about $2500. But then I was concerned about the cost in time and money of repair and afraid of breaking down in the rain (an irrational fear maybe).

Then I thought of getting a new Japanese bike for about 4-5,000, like a Suzuki SV650 (I think they made a 500 version at the time). For kicks, since I thought they were beautiful during my time in Germany, I took a look at the BMWs and test-rode a couple. The used f650's were good, but expensive -- a 5 yr old one was $6,000 while a new one was $8,000.

The new f650 began had many advantages:
1) Incredible handling since the fuel tank was below the seat. I thought the new f650 handled as well as the old 250's the MSF class lets you use.

2) Fuel injection for cold Boston winters. A friend in NYC said he had trouble starting his Suzuki in the cold.

3) Incredible mileage (55-65 in city or on highway w/ bags at 75-85 mph or up to 90-95 mpg if you're cruizing at 50-55 on back roads)

4) anti-lock brakes. The MSF safety instructor raved about this feature. More bikes have it now, but at the time it was pretty much exclusive to BMWs and HOnda Goldwings, iirc. It's saved me from going down a few times.

5) Slightly knobby tires for iffy conditions. Perfect for gravel roads while camping, helpful in the city for light snow and for the gravel/sand that remains after the snow melts and accumulates on street corners.

6) increased reliability (though BMWs, even used ones, are legendary for reliability. New Honda service intervals were at 4,500 miles while BMW was at 6,000)

7) great resale value (as shown by the fact that the used one lost only 25% value after 5 yrs.

8) increased peace of mind. I had owned a few used cars, but the thought of breaking down at highway speeds on a bike scared me. I figured a new bike would be safer and that I could treat it well so that as it aged I would be comfortable about its history.

9) cheaper in the long run. I tend to buy better things but have them for a long time. Of course I didn't know I'd have this bike for 6 years and ride it across country, but I planned to. And I plan to keep it another 6. Didn't want the hassle of buying another bike after 6 months to 2 years.

I also considered a Harley for a while, but they were more expensive than BMWs and there was a year or two wait for the model I wanted. Loved the looks of older Italian and British bikes, but poor reliability, high costs, and rare repair shops nixed that for me.

6 yrs later, I'm very happy w/ my bike. I'm tempted sometimes to get something bigger. It could use a bit more power, but it's been great for travel w/ bags, w/ a girlfriend on the back, etc. I don't have enough low end torque to beat the occasional sportscar on a green light, but I don't need or want it. And as gas prices rise, I'm really happy to have the mileage I get. It only cost about $250 in gas to go across country. Also, the couple times I've laid it down, I've been glad it only weighs 400 lbs (dry) and not 500. I think the only thing that could tempt me away from this is when someone, preferably a US company but not nec, makes a version of this w/ old school looks.

Btw, I paid for it w/ money I'd saved getting free room and board for walking a family's dogs and driving their son for a year while in grad school.


This is nice, Yachtie. I agree that a used 350 or 500 is better than a new 250.

+1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9... I'll just add that in choosing my first bike, I really let my instincts take over. Instincts, NOT testosterone! I knew I wanted a cruiser and a cruiser that I was going to ride a lot. If I would have had the money, I'd have gotten a Harley but I settled on a Honda VTX 1300 C. It's a nice bike, very reliable, and since it wasn't nearly as expensive as a Harley, I wasn't so scared to practice on it and get a couple of scratches on it here and there. This bike just "felt" right. It felt comfortable to sit on, the pedals felt good, it looked really cool, got somewhat decent reviews... My tastes have changed quite a bit since getting this bike and I'd now like to get something along the lines of a BMW or Sport Tourer (ST 1300) but I didn't know (and couldn't have known at the time) that I wanted something a little different than what I got. I didn't realize what my riding style was going to be initially but I'm not sure anyone does at first. Tastes can change or one can grow with more motorcycling experience. I wouldn't start out 'small' and then trade up. I wouldn't start out too big, either. Get a bike that feels comfortable, has enough power, and just 'fits', and you'll get several years of great fun until you get your next bike.