Choosing A Motorcycle
So you are thinking of purchasing a motorcycle. Well I will try to
walk you through some steps you should think about before heading
out to your nearest dealer or looking in the classifieds. Owning a
motorcycle is probably one of the most intimate relationships you
will ever have with a machine. You will learn more about your bike
than you will about your car. Riding a bike is a different
experience that exposes you to feel and hear what your bike is doing
every mile of your journey.
There is nothing better than seeing your bike parked in your garage.
Just sitting there, you are totally overcome with emotions knowing
it is yours. However, before it is yours, you have to decide what
type of bike is right for you. Many people make the mistake of
buying a motorcycle that is too big for them to learn to ride
easily. It is not recommended that you buy a motorcycle that is too
advanced for you if you are a beginner. Pick a motorcycle that you
can learn to drive, maneuver, and enjoy more as your skills get
better.
If you already know what you want to do with your motorcycle then
the battle is half over. If you know that all you are going to be
doing is off-road or just street touring then you can go with
several bikes that will fit those criteria. Now the problem that new
buyers come across is as soon as they get a specific terrain
motorcycle, they want to do more than that. If you are starting off,
a dual sport motorcycle is not a bad choice. These motorcycles are
designed to be used as street touring bikes and as off-road bikes
too. Only disadvantage is that they stand high compared to other
motorcycles but allow you to see the road better.
When picking out a touring bike, the main problems that people come
across are weight and price. These machines can be upwards of 800lbs
fully loaded with travel gear. Some of these touring bikes can cost
as much as a brand new car. For a beginner this maybe a bit too
much. Several companies sell smaller sized touring bikes so just
shop around and find the one that fits you.
With sport bikes, size, or price is not a big deal. They are
lightweight and you can find a reasonably priced used bike on the
internet. The main concern for sport bikes is their powerful
engines. Even the smallest sport bikes are capable of extremely fast
speeds. You need to asses your self-control before buying these
types of motorcycles.
Now after you have decided what bike would be best suited for you,
you need to decide if you want to buy a bike new or used. Money will
be a big determining factor of buying a used motorcycle. The problem
with buying a used motorcycle is that you are not aware of the
motorcycles history. It might have been abused by its previous
owners and not maintained right. By buying a brand new motorcycle,
you know exactly what is going on with your bike since you are the
only one that rides it. Used motorcycles can be a good investment
for beginners though. Motorcycles nowadays are very reliable and it
usually takes alot of abuse to destroy it.
There are also some hidden costs involved when purchasing a
motorcycle that you might want to think about before you buy a
motorcycle, especially if you are on a budget. For one, you will
have to get insurance for your motorcycle. Most insurance companies
charge their rates based on the engine's displacement. Now the
bigger the bike you have the more its going to cost you. Depending
on your record and where you live, expect to spend around upwards of
500 dollars a year on insurance alone.
After you have put some miles on your motorcycle, the other hidden
cost will rear its ugly head, maintenance, and repairs. Now if you
are mechanically inclined I am sure you can learn to change your own
oil and perform some checks but if you are not, prepare to have a
big dent in your wallet. Motorcycles are very technologically
advanced. It takes alot of components to make a small engine put out
so much power that is why your bike will need more regular checkups
than your car would. One way to cut down on the cost of things is to
take good care of your motorcycle. The less you abuse it, the less
you have to spend repairing it.
Hope this gave you some insight and helped you come to a decision on
what bike is best for you. Now go out get your bike and have a good
time!
Ride Safe
- Team Mxdirtrider
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