How to Choose Your First Motorcycle

!±8± How to Choose Your First Motorcycle

Ok, so you have fallen in love with motorcycle riding, taken all safety
courses, practiced your skills, and now you need to do the most
important task of them all. Now you have to buy your first motorcycle.
But how do you choose? Simple, follow the checklist below before you
make your purchase:

1. The first rule of motorcycling is
graduating from a lighter bike to a heavier one. Do not attempt to buy
a 600 cc bike at the very outset. Begin with a smaller bike, and over
time it will make you a better rider, and give you enough experience to
handle a bigger bike. Begin with a bike with a lesser performance
standard, hone your skills at it, and then go for a bigger performance
bike. A 600 cc bike that pumps out 70+ ponies at the real wheel can be
quite unforgiving. Remember you may jump from a 600 cc bike to a 750 cc
or even a 1000 cc bike, but you cannot begin with a 600 cc bike. It
will be difficult for any new biker to handle that kind of engine
performance at the very beginning.

2. Recognize your need for a motorcycle.
There are cruisers, street bikes, custom made bikes and sports bikes,
and each of them cater to different kind of functional requirements. A
bike that may be ideal for heavy traffic conditions may not be ideal
for long distances, or for using as a weekend thrill toy. Ask yourself-
do you love the torque, or does a 0 to 60 rush excite you? Be realistic
in identifying where and how much you will ride your motorcycle before
you make the purchase.

3. Know what is available. Spend time to
identify the different variants available based on your requirement,
and study each carefully. Each bike, each brand has its own
characteristics. While some have excellent handling abilities, others
blast away on a straight line. Be realistic in your assessments.
Visiting dealerships to check out a final shortlist may help you
identify distinct preferences and dislikes, which will help you make an
informed choice at the time of purchase.

4. Choose a bike that suits your body
type. Since bikes come in different shapes and sizes it is important
that your bike is ergonomically suited to you. Try having test rides on
the bikes you have shortlisted. You will be amazed at how different
each riding experience is (Honda
Motorcycle Seats are notoriously difficult for having
different feels from bike to bike). Some may require you to sit in
uncomfortable postures, some may have a more manageable center of
gravity, some may have a higher seat, and some may have uncomfortable
handlebars. You need to take a spin on the bikes to determine which
bike fits you most so that riding can be a great experience in the long
term.

5. Decide if you want a new or used bike.
While a used bike will give you less guilt when you dent or scratch it,
consider that the long-term operational costs of the bike may be higher
than a new bike. Conversely new bikes will come with a warranty that
costs higher but will also depreciate quickly. If you are not
absolutely sure of your riding skills, you may buy a used bike, master
the art of motorcycling and the graduate to a new and heavier bike.

6. Consider long-term finances when you
are purchasing a bike. You may have to pay a heavy insurance premium
for the bike so make sure you look around for the best rates available.
Also you will have to invest in safety gears like a helmet and gloves,
which will incur additional expenditure. There may be routine costs
involved for the bike's servicing depending upon how you have
maintained the bike post purchase. So make sure you have a
checklist ready of all these things before you invest in a motorcycle.

7. Make an informed decision. Do not buy
a bike you saw outside the café and fell in love with,
tempting as it might be. See if it will suit you after the first rush
of adrenalin dies down. Get a qualified mechanic to check if you are
buying a used bike. Take a test ride, consider all economic, and
physical factors and you will have moved away from making any rash
decision.

8. Make sure you also choose
passionately. Discretion is the key word here. You may follow the
checklist word for word and end up buying a bike that is merely
functional and does not actually excite you. In the long run it may
take the passion of riding out of you. So even while you make a logical
decision take care to let it slip once in a while and choose with
passion too. Get a bike that will excite you every minute you are on
it.

Follow this checklist and be the proud owner of a bike that fulfills all
your needs and yet is a joy to ride.