A good bike for learners:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1323053225.jpg

N!

Thank you everyone for your comments.
I'm taking notes here.. proper gear for the fall not for the season is critical I agree and helmet with full protection..


I'll look for a SV on the local classifieds but will hope I find a Monster that I like..

BTW when you say maintenance costs, how much is that? (I mean compared to a SC or Carrera or a 964) is that in the thousands, hundreds? (I have no clue)

thanks

Low hundreds.

For a Ducati, mid- to upper-hundreds. OK, maybe only upper-hundreds if you've got a 4-valve motor, so you're safe(r) with your Monster. Of course, the problem with any Ducati (even an "entry-level" Monster) is that you're going to want to start modding it. It's a disease.

I learned on a Ninja 250. Light, nimble, and zero maintenance required.

no way....crappy handling, heavy, and not as reliable as a modern bike.

If you like the style of the Monster but don't want the headaches of maintenance, try to find a clean Suzuki Bandit 400. These were built in the early 1990's and were a good seller thanks to easy handling and a potent 400cc inline 4 with 4 carbs. Basically the engine was the same as the JDM GSX-R400 and put out almost 60hp stock.

http://www.leanangle.com/Albums/Vehi...ndit040607.jpg

To be honest, any bike smaller than a 400 is going to bore you to tears, and even some 500s like the GS500F will only light your fire for a short period. This is especially true if you're a bigger guy.

I'm a fan of the Suzuki but have the 650 version of the V-strom. May be a bit taller than ideal for a beginner but a very capable bike and easy to ride. I'm 6'1" and love the riding position.

I also love my older Honda VFR750. These are very nice bikes for the money. I'd ridden a bit on dirt and an older CB400 before I bought my VFR but was not super experienced. Very capable bike for longer term if it feels ok early on. Nice older versions can be had all day for under $3,000.

My husband had a VFR 750 - beautiful pearl white bike (like a one year color). That bike had a jet kit and two-brothers exhaust on it. That engine sounded absolutely WONDERFUL! Not obnoxious harley loud, but deep rich tone. Love that engine (carbed V4). I started out with a CBR 600. The thing is, that I really preferred his VFR even during my learning curve. That engine made good torque even down low and was a really easy bike to learn low speed control with. My CBR needed some revs to start packing the heat. For a beginner, this meant I had to grab more throttle in my learning curve that I was comfortable with. The VFR made much substantially more power, but was easier for me to ride. The seating position was great and it was a much nicer bike on the highway.

I've only ridden a few motorbikes and can't comment on any that I haven't ridden. But a VFR, especially an older 750, or a slightly newer 800, is dead nuts reliable and would really be on my radar for a semi-beginner. Along with as mentioned many times, the motorcycle safety courses. Take the beginner and at least the intermediate.

Whatever you get, enjoy the ride!

angela

i say buy whatever you want..and dont get crazy on it.

i know a man who bought a Hayabusa as his first bike. he was very very tame on it, and managed to keep it out of orbit for the first year.

nobody ever buys a "starter" car..not really.

Bandit is a good choice if you can find one. I've ridden them. Perhpas a FZ 6 naked sport-touring that is 3-4 yrs old would be good and easy to find.