Motorcycle Questions

[JaBlue]

I want to get a motorcycle. I would buy it used and don't need it to go much faster than 80.

How much will it cost me and what other than the bike do I need? Is there any special maintenance involved? Do I need a special license or anything?

Any info would be nice, so if you know something about bikes that a guy like me who doesn't know anything about them doesn't know, please share.

[Brainwalter]

Where do you live?

PS I want one too.

[mostsmooth]

cost depends on what you buy
you will almost certainly need to get a motorcycle endorsement on your license.
you might need a helmet, and you should wear one regardless.
start small
push right bar to turn right, pus hthe left bar to turn left

[JaBlue]

I live in the bay area and I'd really like to ride around Woodside, which is a nice mountain town with bending roads and beautiful scenery. There is one really nice road that goes to the beach and along the coastline too.

[rusty JEDI]

Almost any bike is going to get you over 80
You will need a special license
If you want to stay alive then lessons are a must

Maintenance
Bikes are expensive. Buy a manual and do the work yourself. The chain will need to be cleaned and lubed regularly.

Minimum gear
Helmet - minimum $200, but it is your head we're talking about so spend more
Leather gloves
sturdy jacket (jean at the bare minimum, but i wont ride in anything without armour)
Boots - anything that gets above your ankle will do

Have fun...They're a blast

rJ

I'm sort of a n00b to motorcycling too. A few years ago, I took a motorcycle safety course(highly suggested if you have no riding experience), bought a good helmet, jackets, gloves and boots. I ended up purchasing a Honda 750 Nighthawk with about 8500 miles on it for about $3500. Maybe a little big for a beginner my size(I weigh a little under 150) but I love it. I have liability insurance for about $100 a year. And that's with a wreck on my record. I can do most of the maintenance myself, but I let a mechanic work on the brakes.

Oh yeah, and I had a good wreck once where I went flying off my bike like superman and kind of blacked out for a second I guess because I came to sliding across the pavement with the chin of my helmet scraping. I lifted my chin up as I finished the slide to keep from scratching up my wxpensive helmet too much. My jacket, gloves and boots did their job but I was wearing bluejeans and my knees suffered horribly for it. Now I wear pants with padded knees.

[rusty JEDI]

That reminds me. Do yourself a favour and start on a 500 or less. Also odds are you're going to crash your first bike so dont be afraid to buy something not so pretty. Save the shiny one for when you're more competent.

rJ

[chuddo]

royal enfield bullet.

[MrTrik]

In our area you can get in a very inexpensive program where they teach you safety and you ride courses that are set up exactly like the one's they use in the driving test for your endorsement. You even use their bikes if you don't have one yet or bought one bigger than you'd want to test with. I think it's a 6 hour course over a month or so and costs something in the range of $110 last time I checked.

I also heard the course we have now actually tests you on the last day and if you fail you can re-take it for a minimal fee as many times as needed.

[Edge34]

[ QUOTE ]
In our area you can get in a very inexpensive program where they teach you safety and you ride courses that are set up exactly like the one's they use in the driving test for your endorsement. You even use their bikes if you don't have one yet or bought one bigger than you'd want to test with. I think it's a 6 hour course over a month or so and costs something in the range of $110 last time I checked.

I also heard the course we have now actually tests you on the last day and if you fail you can re-take it for a minimal fee as many times as needed.

[/ QUOTE ]

I just took this class. Its like $115 and its not over the course of a month, its over the course of a weekend, and they provide the bikes, so you don't have to worry about dropping your new Harley. You can take Thursday or Friday for the classroom session, which goes over the manual and teaches you some of the techniques you'll need to remember on the road, then on Saturday and Sunday, you're out on the course riding, and if you pass, you go down to the license branch and get your endorsement.

I took mine at DCTC, where are you MrTrik?