What's a good sport bike for a new rider? ?

[TheLonelyBlueBird]

I know motorcycles aren't safe no matter what but what's an affordable bike for a new rider. I really want something as light as possible. How much is insurance? I don't know anything about bikes but I've always wanted one. Never even rode or drove one.

 

[MartinP]

you need to start off with a moped
then i think a Honda CBR600 will do. its a pretty well small bike. i got one

 

[It'sThatGuy]

You want something used, medium sized, 'general purpose'.

You don't want to go out and buy a shiny new bike. You're going to be hard on your first bike. You might drop it once or twice before you get the hang of it, and almost certainly you're going to abuse the clutch. You want something with a few miles on it, maybe even with a few bruises and scrapes. After six months or a year you can sell it for about what you paid for it, and by then you'll have a much better idea of what you want. Any Japanese mfgr is good. They all make very good bikes, reasonably priced, reliable, long-lived if properly cared for. I'm a Honda man myself but they are all good.

You don't want too big or heavy a bike. I'd say 250 is ideal if you don't plan to do much long-distance high-speed riding. If you have to commute 10 mi. on the freeway, a 500 would be better. 600 is not too big.

All the Japanese mfgrs make serious sport bikes. The Honda CBR, Yamaha R1 and R6, Suzuki GSX-R. These are really racing bikes for the street. If you see yourself on a hot sport bike, well that's fine, but see it as something you'll work up to. They are wonderful bikes marvels of engineering, but they are not for beginners. They are not forgiving, they are twitchy like thoroughbred racehorses. And if you drop one you could spend $1500-2000 in replacement 'tupperware'.

What you want is a 'sporty' bike. Honda 599 (aka 'Hornet'), Suzuki SV650, Kawasaki Ninja. Believe me, you will have just as much fun, plus they are more comfortable, especially on a long ride.

Insurance is a lot for beginners. If you buy the bike outright, not with a loan, you don't need full insurance. Assuming you already have medical insurance for yourself, you can take a calculated risk on the bike and get liability only, which is the only legally required insurance. That's fairly cheap. A motorcycle is a -toy-, and you should not spend more on it than you are able to lose, though the chance is very low.

I would also highly recommend taking the MSF course (Motorcycle Safety Foundation). Money well spent. They will break you in with the right habits. But years ago, we used to just jump on our first bike and ride it home. So I know that's possible, at least if you can drive a car with a shift so you understand how clutches and gearshifts work.

It's really just a matter of riding around a quiet residential neighborhood in 1st and 2nd gear until you have the controls all sorted out, so you don't have to think 'Which one of these doodads is the brake and which is the gearshift?' You want that to be automatic before you venture out into traffic.

Good luck! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!