purchasing a motorcycle

In the market for a new bike? Or perhaps your looking to purchase your very own bike for the first time? When purchasing a bike there are several important factors you need to consider and the most important one we highly recommend is SAFETY! What this translates to for the first time rider is a bike under 750cc's.

Buy smart. Chances are the bike you really want should not be your first bike. It will be too large and/or too powerful for a beginning rider. Keep in mind that this is your first bike, not your ultimate dream bike. You may be able to easily handle a 250cc bike, but have you mastered it yet? Can you really dig deep into the turns? Can you quickly and smoothly cycle through all of the gears going both up and down? Mastering a bike before upgrading to a higher performance one is great practice to ensure you truly have maximized a bike's potential and will increase your riding skills emmensely.

As hinted to before, stay away from the high performance bikes (super sport, race replica, street fighter, super bike) as well as heavy cruisers (choppers, bikes over 750cc's) if this is your first bike purchase. These types of bikes require experience and smooth steady touch to the accelerator and brakes in order to ride them safely. Choppers are particularily harder to steer as the front wheel is usually smaller than the rear, providing less turning power as a result.

new or used?

A used bike without fairing may be your best investment. Your insurance costs may be lower as the bike will have a lower replacement dollar value. However, be careful when purchasing a used bike. You can never be certain of the bike's history regardless of how honest the seller seems. Here are a few things to check when looking to purchase a used bike:

purchase a bike that is 10 years old or less

A bike that is older than 10 years, unless very well maintained, is going to have some problems with it. Rubber, belts, seals, fuel tanks, seats, cables and wiring deteriorate with age. They deteriorate faster if the bike is not ridden and maintained regularly.

ideally non-sitting bikes

Motorcycle parts deteriorate faster if they are not in use. A bike that has been sitting in storage for more than a year is a bike to pass on.

Newer model bikes are safer and more enjoyable. Brakes, suspension, handling and reliability are much better on newer model bikes. If your budget warrants the cost, and/or your feel more comfortable purchasing a new bike, the following tips can help you in making your decision.