Finding the Right First Bike

Since you are on a budget and the concept of buying a starter bike and trading it in or selling it in 6 months probably isn't in you budget/time I will go with bigger bikes but not large. Kind of an acceptable larger bike that a beginner can still manage.

Sportster: $6700
You could do new and get an 883 or search for used and get the 1200.

Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom/Classic: $7399
More go-power than the sportster but still useable for a newbie. Not much in used options as it is only in it's second year of existence.

Yamaha V-Star 650: $5800-6300
Less power than the HD or the Vulcan. You can get the 1100 version used for under $7500

Kawasaki 500R: $5000
New or used, well within budget. Seems to last forever.

Kawasaki 650R: $6400
Not many used bikes out there due to it being a newer model

Kawasaki Versys: $6900
First year in production.

Suzuki SV650 and SV650S: $6000-$6500
Used can be much cheaper. Just be sure it hasn't been beaten on by the previous owner.

Suzuki V-Strom 650: $6,699.00
Used model runs a bit cheaper, though they seem to retain their value pretty well from what I've seen. Not sure why. Just make sure the previous owner wasn't too adventurous with the bike.

Kawasaki KLR650: $5350
Recent redesign got great reviews. Older models can be had for a song and dance. Just be cautious of abuse. Tons of online community support.

Well, I left Kentucky back in '49
An' went to Detroit workin' on a 'sembly line
The first year they had me puttin' wheels on cadillacs

Every day I'd watch them beauties roll by
And sometimes I'd hang my head and cry
'Cause I always wanted me one that was long and black.

One day I devised myself a plan
That should be the envy of most any man
I'd sneak it out of there in a lunchbox in my hand
Now gettin' caught meant gettin' fired
But I figured I'd have it all by the time I retired
I'd have me a car worth at least a hundred grand.

[CHORUS]
I'd get it one piece at a time
And it wouldn't cost me a dime
You'll know it's me when I come through your town
I'm gonna ride around in style
I'm gonna drive everybody wild
'Cause I'll have the only one there is a round.

So the very next day when I punched in
With my big lunchbox and with help from my friends
I left that day with a lunch box full of gears
Now, I never considered myself a thief
GM wouldn't miss just one little piece
Especially if I strung it out over several years.

The first day I got me a fuel pump
And the next day I got me an engine and a trunk
Then I got me a transmission and all of the chrome
The little things I could get in my big lunchbox
Like nuts, an' bolts, and all four shocks
But the big stuff we snuck out in my buddy's mobile home.

Now, up to now my plan went all right
'Til we tried to put it all together one night
And that's when we noticed that something was definitely wrong.

The transmission was a '53
And the motor turned out to be a '73
And when we tried to put in the bolts all the holes were gone.

So we drilled it out so that it would fit
And with a little bit of help with an A-daptor kit
We had that engine runnin' just like a song
Now the headlight' was another sight
We had two on the left and one on the right
But when we pulled out the switch all three of 'em come on.

The back end looked kinda funny too
But we put it together and when we got thru
Well, that's when we noticed that we only had one tail-fin
About that time my wife walked out
And I could see in her eyes that she had her doubts
But she opened the door and said "Honey, take me for a spin."

So we drove up town just to get the tags
And I headed her right on down main drag
I could hear everybody laughin' for blocks around
But up there at the court house they didn't laugh
'Cause to type it up it took the whole staff
And when they got through the title weighed sixty pounds.

[CHORUS]
I got it one piece at a time
And it didn't cost me a dime
You'll know it's me when I come through your town
I'm gonna ride around in style
I'm gonna drive everybody wild
'Cause I'll have the only one there is around.

[Spoken] Ugh! Yow, RED RYDER
This is the COTTON MOUTH
In the PSYCHO-BILLY CADILLAC Come on

Huh, This is the COTTON MOUTH
And negatory on the cost of this mow-chine there RED RYDER
You might say I went right up to the factory
And picked it up, it's cheaper that way
Ugh!, what model is it?

Well, It's a '49, '50, '51, '52, '53, '54, '55, '56
'57, '58' 59' automobile
It's a '60, '61, '62, '63, '64, '65, '66, '67
'68, '69, '70 automobile.

god love johnny..



i just started riding a few weeks ago.. my weapon of circumstance? a $3,500 98 sportster 1200 custom. I have found these truths to be self evident.

1: no matter what, no matter how you seem to trade up bigger in the first year.. my first was a 125cc sundiro roadrunner.. i still haven't gotten it to start.. the harley is my second bike.. technically..

2: It's not "fun" to learn how to ride on a bike this heavy with roads as steep/twisty/off-camber/narrow/pot-hole(y?)/debris-covered as the ones I'm learning on. I often wonder what they would be like on a dirt bike.

3: Anyone that doesn't likes Harley's simply hasn't owned one yet.. I don't know why i love my bike.. I'm not even sure I'm comfortable with admitting my feelings for my bike.. it is after all a *squirms* Harley..

4: It doesn't like to climb hills at all when you forget to push the choke back in.. go figure..

5: a good timing light is arguably more useful then a good towel..

6: a sporty IS a chick bike.. it's roughly equivelent to 9 and a half cute puppy's. if you don't like random chicks constantly coming up to you and asking silly questions about your bike and how they can score a ride on it then this may not be the bike for you.

7: it takes a steady hand indeed to keep that much engine under control. practice is key.


in summery. i don't recommend a sportster as anyone's first bike. they're loud, heavy and can be difficult to control at low speeds.

but i don't regret buying mine one bit. i just wish it didn't look so hokey..

>1: no matter what, no matter how you seem to trade up bigger in the >first year..

You haven't been riding long enough.

>2: It's not "fun" to learn how to ride on a bike this heavy with roads as steep/twisty/off-camber/narrow/pot-hole(y?)/debris-covered as the ones I'm learning on. I often wonder what they would be like on a dirt bike.

Shoulda got a DRZ!

>3: Anyone that doesn't likes Harley's simply hasn't owned one yet

Been there. Done that. More than once.

Oh, does Buell count? Buell is the bike Harley shoulda built. Well, I gues they did, eh? Love my Buell.

>4: It doesn't like to climb hills at all when you forget to push the choke back in.. go figure..

No EFI?

>in summery. i don't recommend a sportster as anyone's first bike. they're loud, heavy and can be difficult to control at low speeds.

I thought you LIKED it?


>but i don't regret buying mine one bit. i just wish it didn't look so hokey.

Huh? Just trying to figure your post out.