Newb to Motorcycles...need opinions

Cherokeekid88

Cherokeekid88

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2007
Location
High Point, NC
So, for years, I have been interested in getting a bike to ride during the summer...I just think it would be so awesome to get up early one Saturday/Sunday morning and just ride.
My problem is...I have never driven a bike...I tried to ride a dirt bike years ago and that didn't end well. I would love to get something smaller and light like a Ninja 250 or something similar and learn....

How hard is it to learn? I know about the classes to take...but Id like to learn more before I even go to that....

Reminds me of the people who were in my conceal carry class and had no idea what the differences in calibers or even how to rack the slide.... just wanna know a bit before doing any classes.
 
The best learning you can possibly do will come on a dirtbike. If you can deal with quick decisions when there is very little traction available and get a feeling of when a tire breaks loose/how to correct you will be 10x better off than someone who has only ever driven a recreational cruiser--IMO. Not to mention you and the bike both take much less damage on dirt. You will wreck, better to it on a dirtbike first. Other than that, take the class. People that always harp on other drivers being the most dangerous thing for a bike rider are the same people that drive around clueless in cars and/or drive like assholes. Not saying other drivers aren't dangerous but your situational awareness needs to be extra on point.
 
Braxton is on point. Find an older 125 or something cheap to bomb around the woods with and spend a few months riding local trails. Brushy Mtn, Brown Mtn etc. There are a lot of good places in NC and SC to go ride for a day. Take the riders class at your local community college. I have yet to meet someone that rides who didn't say it was one of the best decisions they have made. I had about 1400 in my old CR125R after a full engine rebuild and spent a LOT of time on it and know someone used it before he got a streetbike. Literally he rode figure 8's in the yard for like 45 minutes then started riding up and down the road and progressed from there.

The newer Ninja 250-300's are pretty sweet. They look like the bigger Ninjas, are fuel injected, don't break the bank, don't feel as wound out on the highway as some of the older ones and still get 65+mpg. I've met a few people who ride bigger bikes on the weekend but commute on the new 300 during the week.
 
yall have hit the nail on the head,dirt bike is best way to learn. it teaches you how to man handle and throw the bike around,whitch is the skills you need in an emergency situation. as far as starting out with smaller bike,don't settle into some false security that it will be any safer.yes the smaller bikes have less power but they still have plenty to get away from you. i grew up riding dirt bikes and have rode all my life. i use to watch evil kenivel who was a dare devil.these days just going on a normal ride you have to be a dare devil.
 
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Man I learned on a dirtbike and moved up to a CBR600 and the CBR was crap out in the field!! So after I totalled it I started practicing in parking lots with no plastics on it and got a lot better but, I reccomend one of the classes they will start you out rite and then you can get a decent Buell Blast for 12 or 1400 and be in the game!!
 
I have rode street bikes for years now and I agree with what everything was said before me. I learned some on a dirt bike but went thru the course at the local college. It also helps for your license . Dirt bike is easier to learn maneuver . And more forgiving . There are 2 types of riders. Those that have been down and those that will go down.
 
I got a dirt bike from my cousin for $100 and learned the basics on that, I think it was 100cc iirc. Now I have a harley and it is nice just to be able to head up to the mtns at the drop of a hat
 
I've ridden on two wheels for a good portion of my life all kinds of dirt bikes from a pw80 to the crf450r I have now. I've also had a few sportbikes and even with that experience I still lay them down. Before you even swing your leg over buy all the correct gear. I've hit the ground hard and wadded up bikes and walked away thanks to gear
 
Cherokeekid88 said:
My problem is...I have never driven a bike...I tried to ride a dirt bike years ago and that didn't end well. I would love to get something smaller and light like a Ninja 250 or something similar and learn....
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What do you mean it didn't end well? I rode dirtbikes the majority of my childhood and actively up until about 3 years ago, I have wrecked more times than I can count, it is inevitable. If you wrecked a dirtbike and gave up on it, then a motorcycle probably isn't for you because chances are if you wreck a street bike its going to be a worse accident than a dirtbike, as was said above, the dirt is much more forgiving. Common sense is the most important thing and avoid dangerous situations, be twice as careful as you would in a vehicle because if you hit a tree in a car going 10 mph, no big deal, but you hit a tree on a bike going 10 mph? Its going to hurt.
 
Buy a convertible and enjoy the outdoors without a helmet or full leather. I grew up riding dirt bikes, raced them and street bikes and had my share of street legal bikes to. You aren't missing much and unless you have a buddy to ride with it loses some of the fun.
 
Witht he dirt bike...I just couldn't get the clutch/foot gear things down pat....although this was probably 6-7 years ago and at that point...I had no idea on what to do and I had been drinking a little.

A dirt bike is not a bad idea...I have a bunch of trails behind my house and would be easy to get off work and practice everyday....wonder how much I could get an older dirt bike for just to ride around on?
 
How big are you (height and weight)?
 
I have to disagree with the dirtbike theory. While they do have some similar handling points it is vastly different on a street bike. I would suggest looking on craigslist for a cheap street bike that you wouldnt mind laying down. Nothing larger than a 500. After you do that then your next purchase needs to be riding gear. A good jacket and gloves at the bare minium. Enroll in a motorcycle course and learn all you can. After that find a large open parking lot and practice what you have learned. Always ride at your skill level. Never let another person influence you.

Also dont give into the idea that a bigger bike is what you need. Nothing is more embarrassing than seeing someone on a liter bike that has no idea on how to handle it. Remember any fool can get on a bike and go fast in a straight line. It takes talent to make that bike an extension of.you
 
or buy one of them can-am 3 wheeler things. all the niceties of riding a bike but like driving a car

canam.png
 
drkelly said:
Take the training class at GTCC.

http://www.gtcc.edu/personal-enrichment/driving-programs/motorcycle-safety-program.aspx
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The idea of those courses seems a little odd.

So say I'm wanting to see if owning a motorcycle is something I want to do... makes sense to take a safety training class such as this prior to making a decision to buy a several thousand dollar motorcycle, but with the class, you have to provide your own motorcycle... but you can't ride it there since you don't have your cert yet...because you didn't take the class so you didn't buy the bike yet...so you can't take the class...to decide if you want to buy a bike that you have to transport to the class...because you can't ride your motorcycle yet...because you don't have the cert yet....

See the circle?!?!?
 
Echs332000 said:
I have to disagree with the dirtbike theory. While they do have some similar handling points it is vastly different on a street bike. I would suggest looking on craigslist for a cheap street bike that you wouldnt mind laying down. Nothing larger than a 500. After you do that then your next purchase needs to be riding gear. A good jacket and gloves at the bare minium. Enroll in a motorcycle course and learn all you can. After that find a large open parking lot and practice what you have learned. Always ride at your skill level. Never let another person influence you.

Also dont give into the idea that a bigger bike is what you need. Nothing is more embarrassing than seeing someone on a liter bike that has no idea on how to handle it. Remember any fool can get on a bike and go fast in a straight line. It takes talent to make that bike an extension of.you
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you have misunderstood the point of a dirtbike. the point of dirt bike is not because of the size (small) but because of what can be done on a dirtbike. those classes don't do very much in the way of how to handle a bike during evasive manuvers. how to handle a bike when it is doing shit it aint suppose to do. riding on dirt tracks will give you those skills,putting around a parking lot wont. and the statement that riding dirt bikes and street bikes is different tells me you don't have a lot of experence on both.
 
witchdoctor said:
you have misunderstood the point of a dirtbike. the point of dirt bike is not because of the size (small) but because of what can be done on a dirtbike. those classes don't do very much in the way of how to handle a bike during evasive manuvers. how to handle a bike when it is doing shit it aint suppose to do. riding on dirt tracks will give you those skills,putting around a parking lot wont. and the statement that riding dirt bikes and street bikes is different tells me you don't have a lot of experence on both.
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I have owned and raced both dirt and street bikes and they are different. On a street bike, if I want to go left I push right. Won't work in the woods on a dirt bike.
 
Echs332000 said:
I have to disagree with the dirtbike theory. While they do have some similar handling points it is vastly different on a street bike. I would suggest looking on craigslist for a cheap street bike that you wouldnt mind laying down. Nothing larger than a 500. After you do that then your next purchase needs to be riding gear. A good jacket and gloves at the bare minium. Enroll in a motorcycle course and learn all you can. After that find a large open parking lot and practice what you have learned. Always ride at your skill level. Never let another person influence you.

Also dont give into the idea that a bigger bike is what you need. Nothing is more embarrassing than seeing someone on a liter bike that has no idea on how to handle it. Remember any fool can get on a bike and go fast in a straight line. It takes talent to make that bike an extension of.you
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Shawn NEEDS a bigger bike but would rather look funny than end up dead... so while I pick on him for his choice, I respect his decision and am glad he's still around...
This is what he looks like on his 600.
shawn moore.jpg
 
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