First bikes

For your first ride here are a few rules I would set out.

1) Nothing more than $2k

2) Light (less than 500lbs)

3) Medium powerband

4) able to accomplish your riding goals

5) Japanese bikes are better

6) Non-customized bikes and not sport bikes.

7) check the records

These aren't hard rules, but they are designed to help you grow into riding.

Things that will happen:

You will drop your bike. Not an accident mind you, just coming out of a parking lot or gas station or something.

You may indeed have an accident, although I hope you don't.

1) A cheaper bike will hurt less when it gets damaged.

2) If the bike is too heavy, you will hurt yourself trying to save it from falling.

The heavier the bike, the more physics will take hold of you and the bike and the worse the outcome.

3) A mid power range will allow you to have fun, but will also prevent some handling mistakes of accidentally chirping the throttle. (look for 500 to 800cc) Sportbikes that are 600cc's are super powerful, be wary.

4) Don't get a sportbike if you want to cruise and tour...vice verse. If you want to take a passenger make sure it has a comfortable perch. However, I don't recommend taking a passenger for the first 6months to a year you own a bike.

5) Japanese bikes are built with tolerances for mistreating. They'll stand up better to abuse, minor accidents and maintanence issues.

6) Non-customized bikes and not sport bikes, because chances are sportbikes were dropped and abused. customized bikes are either customized because they were dropped and abused or if the customizations were done improperly, they could be a hazzard, either electrical or mechanical. Many issues are not detectable the first time your ride the bike. Therefore, you'll only learn that after 1k miles that you need to replace the clutch, which could be $700.

7) check the maintenance records of the bike. make sure the owner changed the oil regularly, stashed the bike properly, changed the tires every 5 years. See if the clutch was ever replaced. If it's a high mileage bike 50k... it should have been done or it's getting to be due.

Overall, get a learner bike and then graduate to a nice bike.

Learner bikes don't depreciate that much ($100 a year) so you won't lose money on it. Nice bikes will depreciate as much as $1500 a year. Learner bikes are cheaper to maintain ($50 oil change vs $350 oil change).

Here's a brief list of some good starter bikes.

Suzuki SV-650

Yamaha Virago 750 or even the 1100

Kawasaki Vulcan 500 or maybe 900...

Honda Magna

Honda Nighthawk

Honda Sabre