I got my first motorcycle when I was 16, one year before legal driving age in NJ. Being illegal didn't stop me from pulling wheelstands and riding around in the neighborhood (small town). I crashed it when I hit an oil patch, then a high curb and flew over the handlebars like Superman for about 50'. No helmet, just shorts and sunglasses.
It was then that I realized that I didn't have the mental discipline to ride a street bike, so I sold mine. Three years ago,(almost 30 years since my first bike) my son bought an old Suzuki 100 and we started riding dirtbikes. We picked up a brand new 2001 Suzuki RM125 and I was blown away by its power. I found that I stll have that "go fast gene" so I won't get a street bike. I satisfy the speed craving by drag racing in a cage.

 

Hey Tetchy101, Sonny Barger has a nice motorcycle shop in Phoenix, and he could get you into a real nice Harley with no trouble at all. Might even take your girlfriend in trade, who knows? No, seriously, you have to live with her, and as Dr. Phil McGraw says - If momma ain't happy - ain't nobody happy. If she has put her foot down, you will need a lot more than our ideas to get by that one. Women mostly think emotionally, and the practicallity of better fuel mileage don't cut it.

Thom

 

it all depends on what you want someone said that small bikes get boring fast. not true for everone im 6'4' and fit on my Yamaha 225 with no problem its really fast too and you can zip around town at a high rate of speed. i learned to ride about a year ago and just got one and tried it out and learned by expiernce im darn good to and in a year ive laid it down about 4 times but that was because the terrain i was in was not sutiable for bikes, atvs or 4WD's. anyway bikes are awesome always wear your helmet though if that time comes you MIGHT survive with a helmet.its also quieter with a helmet on.

 

Tetchy101,

The ultimate decision to buy a bike is yours. Alot of people here have given you some valuable information that you will use & need. Do a search on the internet, they have valuable info for you also if your a beginning.

You say you have alot of trust in yourself for riding safely? That is good to have but, do you trust for others to be able to see you & judge your speed & distances?

I will dido what everyone else has said. Go to the safty training classes. When I went to them their was a man there that bought a brand new bike thinking he was going to pass the coarse. Unfortunatly he didn't because he was not cordinated & couldn't control that brand new bike. But this was along time ago, apparently they supply the bikes now.
Check your local laws also, some states used to require a safety training certificate before they would issue a Motorcycle endorsment.

Motorcycling is fun & rewarding if you are trained correctly. Experience will come in time. Buy a bike that you will feel comfortable riding. A cheap used one will be fine until you get some good experience.

Now to deal with the girl friend.....

She should not be able to control your ultimate decision to get a bike. She should not be using scare tactics to keep you from getting it either. If she is truely committed you you and your relationship with each other then use one of the most important tool in a commited relationship COMPROMISE.

As for bad experiences for some people, it all come down to the training, experience, & common sense. I had a ladie I was seeing tell me to get rid of my Bikes because she knew someone who killed on a motorcycle. This was in the second week of the relationship so I made a decision to get rid of her. I also knew the person she knew who was killed, apparently she didn't know he was so damn drunk that he could barely walk let along ride.

 

Geez....Leave for a day and you have all sorts of comments. I know that all things concerning a motorcycle can ignite a firestorm in an unwanting girlfriend. But, I am using baby steps with this. I am taking the safety course at the end of April....so I expect to learn more then I ever thought possible. I certainly dont expect to know 10% of what I should from the start. Used motorcycle is for sure the way to go. No sense buying new if I lay it down.....or for some odd reason hate it. I appreciate all comments and have learned......this question is more about realtionships then bikes......of course they kinda go together too. By the way, in reference to Dr Phil......I think hes coat-tailing on Oprah and cant stand him....I read guests sign waviers to not say his advice is therapy or taken as it.


Trax

 

So, aside from not liking Dr Phil (who by the way, I think is a manipulator and I don't agree with half his stuff) do you think you will be happy if your girlfriend isn't happy? Not liking someone is no reason to disbelieve something intelligent that they might say. There are lots of people that I don't like. I still watch to see if they might be able to teach me something, as I believe everyone has a purpose - some might be just to be a BAD example, but it was a purpose, right?

 

Buy her a bike too Really she might like riding one Herself.
If you dont mind a little work you can pick up a Honda CB 500, 550, 750 For a few hundred bucks. Great bikes to start with and plenty of support at www.SOHC4.net Its just like the FTE for overhead cam handa bikes. Check it out.

 

pushing right to go left was not an easy thing to learn[/QUOTE]
i thought it was push into the direction you want to go? push right/go right

 

You are correct. It is an experience to do the old push/pull at 80 mph between the dashed yellow line. The goal is to cleanly move between the yellow marks without crossing them with your tire. You use body weight and a lot of muscle doing this.

 

That is one thing I DO NOT understand, the whole physics behind pushing the opposite direction to turn, and what do you mean by pushing? I know you lean into the turn, and you turn the wheel slightly the other way? is this to prevent you from flipping or something?

 

It's called counter steering. Instead of turning into a turn, which moves you slowly, if you push on the right handlebar (not enough to flip the bike) the bike falls to the right rather quickly. Then with the lean already happening, a right hand corner either happens or you are in trouble. <chuckle> But if there ain't no corner - you maybe shouldn't be countersteering, right? It makes the bike more maneuverable and corners quicker and easier.

 

If you turned into it you would crash the bike. By pushing in the direction you want to go you have a ton of traction available from the side of the tire. Look at a motorcycle tire straight on. Then look at it when the bike is laid over. The contact patch is nearly double or triple in size. It is hard to understand but try it at speeds above 30 mph and you will be amazed.

One of the biggest killers of bike riders is when they attempt to swerve away from a car cutting them off and they instead drive straight into it. Why? Because they jerked their handlebars AWAY from the oncoming car. If they had jerked them towards the car, the bike would have driven away from the threat.

That is why you practice, practice, and practice some more. You have to experience it

 

I have had tons of motorcycles and never an accident. I got rid of my 1996 Harley softail because My girlfriend at the time would not ride with me because she was scared of bikes. I used the money from selling it to put braces on her daughters teeth and counseling for her severely disturbed son. Guess what, hard to believe but she is no longer around (infidelity on her part), nor my bike or nor any of my money . Hold your ground just because she dosen't enjoy bikes, doesn;t mean she has to ride with you. Get a japanese bike if your staying on the low cc side, remember the heavier the bike ususally the better it rides down the highway. Have fun..

 

Good for you. I still suggest taking her to the class as well. If nothing else it will show HER that you are trying to be responsible.

Have fun, ride safe.

Jim

 

Ohhh JP, I can't believe how much alike we are.

I've steadfastly refused myself a crotch rocket since I was 16. I know I'd probably kill myself in a week. I can't help it

I keep it to the dirt and snow, but even snow hurts at 80mph.

As for the bike vs. girlfriend, if you let here "win" this one, it's all over. You'll never "win" another one again. If it's something you REALLY want, she should be able to understand and accept it. If she isn't willing to do that, I'd be giving the relationship a long hard think.

Waxy