Selecting Your New Motorcycle

For the seasoned motorcyclist, getting around feelings and emotions and making an objective, informed decision may not be an issue. This, however, is not the same for a newbie rider. Before dashing off to buy a motorcycle, take time to reflect on the reasons and motivations for wanting to buy a new motorcycle. Motorcycles are mostly an emotional matter so dont be afraid to admit that there are feelings attached to your decision. However, are those feelings strong enough and can they be sustained in the long run? This is important because many people see a great bike, dash off to buy one and three months later, it is out of use and gathering dust in the garage.

After wading through your feelings, take time to consider your personal comfort. Body features are an important factor when choosing a motorcycle because different body types require different motorcycle features. Motorcycles come with different dimensions and features such as handlebar length and positioning, length of the chassis, positioning of the seat, height from the ground and so on. Due to the necessity of free body coordination, this part of the decision making process is of utmost importance. Test many bikes and get a feel for the different features until you arrive at a set of dimensions that suit you.

The next step is to consider the class or type of motorcycle you want to purchase. Motorcycles have the following main classes: touring, sport-touring, sport, standard, cruiser, enduro, dual-purpose, and dirt. All these types serve different purposes so deciding on the purpose you want to buy a motorcycle will assist in deciding which type to take up. In addition to this, each of these classes or types has different engine capacities and configurations. Ranging from 50cc scooters to 1500cc superbikes, the range of engines is varied. This again is an important issue to consider for safety purposes as well as pragmatism.

Insurance and safety are the final and most important issue when selecting your new motorcycle. As a new motorcycle rider, getting a low engine-capacity motorcycle and all the necessary safety gear will ensure you get low insurance. In addition to this, getting adequate experience will lower those costs further. Taking up a 600cc, or higher, motorcycle as a beginner will only attract high insurance premiums. This is also important for safety reasons as a powerful motorcycle does not treat new riders kindly and is best left to the seasoned motorcyclists.

Purchasing your new motorcycle should be an exciting and passionate event and as such, dont just go for functionality. Find something that makes your heart race with exhilaration and which will keep your enthusiasm at a peak for the duration you will own and ride it because after all, motorcycling is not just a hobby, its a lifestyle.