Recommend me a first bike.

SV650.

Not a finer starter bike out here.

Tons to choose from.

V twin is great.

I'd be happy to have one now.

Suzuki Sv650s Motorcycles - CycleTrader.com

 

the ultimate ME urban assault bike.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTPjWrDmsZ0]The delta force dirtbike. - YouTube[/ame]

 

Uro hit it right on the head.

 

SV650

Monster 620 or 600. In the US early 900 Monsters are in that price range too.

Kawasaki made a 750 standard bike (ZR750?) not sure what it is called over there.

You could find an early Triumph Speed Triple in that price range, but it might be too much for a first bike.

 

Zero Motorcycles S??

Kai

 

Very first bike? Like, essentially no experience with riding? If so, I'd suggest something expendable since low speed drops can be expected. That way, if it does happen your pride and ego won't hurt as much.

 

Ducati Monster is a great choice. That was my first bike.

Don't listen to everyone who says you'll drop it-- be careful, and you won't. I never dropped my Monster in 3+ years of riding it. Also, the Monster is an easy bike to handle when pushing it around.

 

I am also in the same position and have a few questions that would help with the advice from here.

Do you have any motorcycle license now (i.e grading structure in Canada) or will you be going for that in the summer?

Have you ever or do you ride bikes now? (Dirt Bike? Scooters? Mountain Bike? Road Bike?)

I am going for my full license in the summer as well but will be looking at a Ninja or Honda 250cc bike. This would be my first bike and insurance is insane for a younger male with no experience. The 250 is a good start which will help reduce future insurance costs. I don't own a bike but have ridden a variety of dirt bikes and smaller bikes in addition to actively riding bicycles (comfortable on two wheels).

Have you looked into what insurance would cost with a small sample of bikes? I called around for quotes on the 250cc Ninja, 600cc CBR and the SV650 only to find the 250 was far cheaper. That was mainly because of my new license status.

I have heard from many people that you will be craving more power fairly quickly. I have also heard that movies I found hilarious were boring for some. Not to mention the time someone told me the peppers in the wrap are "not to bad" to spicy and I couldn't bare the heat from them. It's all about perspective and what makes you comfortable. It also helps that the Ninja 250 has a fairly powerful resale (buy used and sell). To put it in a car perspective you hear on the forums all the time that a young driver should not learn in a Ferrari because of the power.

Safe to say that applies in bikes considering you sound like a young, bike, driver?

 

+1

It's not to say you will not but I know lots of people who have never got into an accident while driving with a car. Therefore no reason to assume that you will drop a bike.

 

SV650's are great bikes but require more coordination than most bikes because the throttle response is huge right from idle, and the clutch is a bit abrupt. Same thing with the Ducati Monsters, though less so for the 620's, since power-wise they're on par with the Ninja 500.

I'd check out the Honda 599, also known as the Honda Hornet. Here in San Francisco, they're worth a lot. We didn't get that many of them here. They may be easier to come by elsewhere. See if you can find a Kawasaki W650 (basically a Japanese Bonneville).

I would definitely stay away from anything from the 70's or 80's unless you're more interested in wrenching than riding. They're neat bikes, but not really transportation anymore.

 

Yeah but with a beater bike there's one less thing to think about, damage. Instead, learning how to ride is 100%.

Besides, Monsters are pretty heavy and top loaded when compared to many other "beginner" bikes.

 

BINGO , not a good first bike for that reason plus the heavy weight and higher COG.

I would suggest a kawasaki ninja 300. Learn how to handle it and become a good rider, then after a few years, go up. Maybe bikes get a bad safety rep because so many are in the deep end too soon w/o skills.

 

I would recommend a used Yamaha FZ6......
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My first bike was a 2001 Honda CBR 600 F4i. It is no where near as hardcore as the newer sport bikes. I found it to be a great first bike since it was forgiving enough when I first started riding, but I didn't get bored of it after I had some more experience. Also, it was fuel injected which was a big thing on my list. I bought it for $4k, rode if for 3 years and sold it for $4K.

 

BMW S1000RR

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkFMFEYIu4I]BMW S1000RR vs SUZUKI GSXR 1300 Hayabusa - YouTube[/ame]

 

I always recommend that a first bike should be as lightweight as possible. And for city riding I think that a light bike is always the right choice. You should buy something like a Kawasaki Ninja 250, Suzuki DR-Z400SM, or KTM's new 390 Duke.

The Ninja is extremely popular, at least here in the US. There are lots of them for sale every year and it they sell quickly. That means you can ride one for a year and gain a lot of experience for the cost of maintenance and typically very little depreciation. It's a cheap, reliable, and available means to an end. It's my default recommendation for a new rider.

My other big recommendation: spend the money on high quality safety gear. Regardless of the brand, buy comfortable gear. You'll find yourself a lot happier if you're wearing it when you have a crash.

Good luck! Ride safe.

 

Imagine the 14 year olds in driver's ed, day one... now throw them your 355 keys.

 

Lots of people want more power before they are really ready for it. Bigger bikes are fun to point straight on the highway and accelerate hard. Learn how to ride a small bike well and you will be able to ride a big bike well too.

I am by no means a "fast" guy, especially compared to some of the guys here. But, there were 3 buddies that I rode with on back roads and tracks. They were on 1GSXR 1000 and 2 R1s. I was on a Ducati 748. I was the second fastest everywhere we went because I rode my bike everywhere and I got instruction even though I gave up a ton of HP and I weighed 40+ pounds more than any of them.

My point is start small and learn as much as you can. Read books, take classes, become a smart rider.

 

+1

Had a 99 900....basically bulletproof for 15,000 NYC miles over 4 years or so. Power management with a twin is much easier...won't spool up rapidly like a 4 will and leave you hanging on for dear life. Last year of the carbed version. I can't speak to reliability of fuel injection, but I'm not aware of any issues.

They've been building the Monster forever...lots of aftermarket parts, and a lotta guys know how to fix em

(I think they totally screwed the design in the last few years....I liked em much better before Ducati started to compete with MV Agusta and felt the need to "update" an iconic design.)

Good luck. Get some training. Enjoy.

 

The Kawasaki is a great choice from what I've read. I miss the 748 every day. It was my 2nd of 3 Ducs (900ss sp was 1st) and the one I did the most miles on. 500 mile days were a twice a month occurrence for me but it took 3 days to stand up straight and walk properly afterward. I traded it to a club member for a Monster 750. I liked the Monster but it just wasn't as pretty as the 748.

 

My first streetbike was a Monster 620. It was great in the city and around town, not so much on the highway though.

I did really like it.