I'm in a similar position as you and really like what I see in the Honda Rebel 500. The ABS, the upright riding position, lower seat height and price are all things I like.

TombstoneTex said:

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I'm in a similar position as you and really like what I see in the Honda Rebel 500. The ABS, the upright riding position, lower seat height and price are all things I like.

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Agreed. I already have my eyes on the Rebel 1100 after I'm comfortable enough riding. They even have cruise control and they offer an automatic version, but I think that would kind of defeat the purpose of riding. Cruise control on long trips would be nice, I'm sure.

My first bike was the Vulcan s I bought back in 2018. Great starter bike. It's not a slouch but is easier to learn on. I sold it about 2 years later and now have a triumph bonneville t120. Between the Vulcan and triumph I rode a2009 bmw r1200 which was a great all day bike and a 2014 Harley Fat Boy. Probably get another later this year because I like them all and want to try them all. Thinking about an Indian Chieftan next.

I started on a Bolt, except I bought it new. I was warned not to get something I would "grow out of" too quickly. It served it's purpose well.
I still have it, but it's my secondary bike. You'll definitely want an upgrade before you venture out on a good road trip.

TSW2012 said:

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I bought a KLR 650 as a starter bike. I suggest a dual sport as a starter because as soon as you are ready for more bike the dual sport is still fun to ride on trails and stuff. You can keep it or not feel like you are stuck. If you ride regularly you will grow out of a 500 very very quickly.

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I started on an R6 but then got first of a few KLRs. Great cheap bikes.

Have been watching this market. A few year old KLR an be bought used at a good price,

KLRs seem to be discounted new more than similar bikes.

The DR650 and the XR650 seem to hold value more than the KLRs, and there are less for sale than the KLR.

Honda Shadow 750 is what I started on. It was a great bike.

Start on dirt bikes off road off at all possible. So much foundation to be learned there without the same risks as street riding. Transitioning to street riding will result in a big learning curve but you'll be better prepared with muscle memory and balance.

I feel like we're all just a bunch of AI versions of each other and we're all saying the same thing. My first road bike was a Shadow Spirit 750, it was a great bike. Took a few years off and bought a Honda CRF300L Rally in 2022 and I'm enjoying it much more than the cruiser, I highly recommend a dual sport/adventure bike.

AgsWin2011 said:

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For years I have been wanting to take a motorcycle course and get my type M license. When I was growing up, my dad had a Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 that I would ride on with him.

I'll keep this short. I'm wanting to get everyone's opinions on a used starter bike that I can ride until I get comfortable and upgrade to a larger/more expensive bike.

From the limited research I've done, I think I've narrowed it down to the following makes/models:

- Kawasaki Vulcan S Base
- Yamaha Bolt
- Honda Rebel 500

I'm open to hear everyone's thoughts and opinions on a smaller cruiser to learn on.

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I've got a 2020 Harley Street Bob that I am about to put up for sale. It's been a great starter bike IMO, not too small and not too big. Send me a text if interested for pics. Thinking ~$12k but will negotiate.

28one- 7two8- 7four87

How tall are you?

The Honda Rebel is an odd duck - its got a pretty weird sitting position relative to the controls and can be tight for a lot of people. I get the feeling it wasn't designed for the average American body. I didn't find it comfortable...and the seat is terrible fwiw.

My starter bike was a Ninja 400 but I didn't care for it too much - I like a more upright position.

My current (2nd) bike is a Tiger Sport 660 and I think it's a great bike and I think its great for a beginner as well. You sit upright and its not too tall. And even though iit's higher than say the Ninja I had I find it easier to hold up than the Ninja. The throttle isn't overly sensitive either - it can be very mild when you want it to be but still has enough between your legs to give you a thrill when you want it to.

Unfortunately I don't get to ride mine that often and am thinking about selling it since I bought a Spyder and end up riding that more often to run errands and take long trips in. The Triumph only gets out when I have time for fun riding which isn't often enough.

AgsWin2011 said:

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TombstoneTex said:

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I'm in a similar position as you and really like what I see in the Honda Rebel 500. The ABS, the upright riding position, lower seat height and price are all things I like.

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Agreed. I already have my eyes on the Rebel 1100 after I'm comfortable enough riding. They even have cruise control and they offer an automatic version, but I think that would kind of defeat the purpose of riding. Cruise control on long trips would be nice, I'm sure.

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LOL I've got cruise, heated grips and heated seats on my Spyder. I've driven it to Colorado and to Missouri and I'd argue I'm more comfortable on it than in my wife's Audi.

Re: auto shifting: My Spyder has clutchless up shifting and auto/manual downshifting. And my Triumph has a quickshifter that lets me up/down shift without using the clutch as well. Sometimes its fun to squeeze the clutch though and I totally get the desire to use one. I think it just really depends on what you like and why you ride (and that might change daily!).

If you don't want to do dirt, find a used Honda Nighthawk with shaft drive and self-adjusting valves. They are bulletproof.

Wood....

Got one in the garage. Blast to ride, just scary on the streets with every bumper over your head.

clobby said:

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Got one in the garage. Blast to ride, just scary on the streets with every bumper over your head.

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I want one to cruise down the lake road from my house. Slow bikes can be fun and keep you out of trouble.

I started 3 yrs ago on a Kawasaki Versys 650 then traded up to a 2023 Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer 6 months ago. About 4k miles on the Versys and 2k so far on the Tiger and planning some longer trips for this summer/fall. Get something in the 600-700 cc range that you can actually get out on the highway but not enough to get you in trouble to start with. The KLR 650 is a great suggestion.
Whatever you want, if it ever even creeps into your mind that it's cramped/uncomfortable on a short test ride, interpolate that out to 3 hrs of not really adjusting your position... it gets really old, really quick. I just did a 4 hr cruise Sunday morning on the new bike with cruise, heated grips and seat, great wind protection, great seat and ergos that was a pleasure. The versys wasn't a small bike by any means, but 4 hrs on it would have been miserable. Just food for thought.

Started on a ninja 600 when I was 19 at Camp Pendleton. Laid it over after 6 months. Next bike was a Yamaha R1 a couple years later when I was 21 and at A&M. Thankfully I never laid it over but I couldn't ride it without doing 100mph. Got it to 176 once.

Sold it my senior year after realizing I would kill myseld or someone else on it. My advice is to start small and stay small.

All good advice. I don't plan on ever doing over 100mph on a bike. I'm 35, married and have two kids. I grew up without one parent and don't want the same for my kids.

I just want something I can enjoy riding on country roads on weekends and to work occasionally as now my jobsite is about 10 miles from the house without getting on any highways.

drumboy said:

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AgsWin2011 said:

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All good advice. I don't plan on ever doing over 100mph on a bike. I'm 35, married and have two kids. I grew up without one parent and don't want the same for my kids.

I just want something I can enjoy riding on country roads on weekends and to work occasionally as now my jobsite is about 10 miles from the house without getting on any highways.

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Old man take: Stay off the road.

I went from an R6 to a few KLRs DRZ SM, GSPD and finally got my dream bike, a GSA. Sold it a couple years ago after only putting 400 miles on it in 4 years.

Lots of good trips but too worried about a crazy driver killing me.

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This is me right now. Sold my GSXR-750 a few years ago and stick to my KTM offroad now. I have two young daughters, a special needs stepdaughter, and a wife. I've known too many people that got killed by some idiot in a car pulling out in front of them. The sport bikes are especially dangerous, because banging the first two gears puts you over 100mph and their gearing, handling, and braking are all set up to operate most efficiently at those high speeds. They're not really designed to or comfortable cruising around on at 45mph. The most fun you can have with your clothes on, but not worth orphaning your children.

The best beginner bike in the whole world is the Suzuki SV650.

It's small and light enough to be completely non-threatening to beginners, yet you'll find many racers telling you how much fun they are to ride and that they have the best balance of performance for a street bike.

They don't hurt your wrists around town like sport bikes.
They don't drag hard parts in the corners like cruisers.
They have enough stank on 'em to take to the track.
They have enough endurance to tour the country.
They've been around long enough that you can pretty much buy any accessory you might ever need to make it what you want.

Pretty much the same here and is why I really like the ADV bike. I can commute to work time to time while being very upright and visible to other traffic and also being able to really see what's going on. And on the weekend I can cruise back roads and dirt roads / off-road tracka to get away from distracted idiots. Being able to haul plenty of gear to make a trip and camp is the icing on top.

I've really been liking what I've been seeing my research of the Triumph Bonneville. Would love to test drive a Speedcruiser. Anyone have good or bad experiences with Triumph?

Speedmaster maybe? I love my Triumph Tiger 1200 RE, build quality, ride, features are all great, way smoother and more refined than the BMW R1250GS which I thought I was going to buy. I test rode a Bonneville Speedmaster at a Triumph demo day (also did the full BMW demo day) before buying the Tiger and it was very comfy, lots of torque, and easy to ride.

Yes, meant Speedmaster. Guess my phone autocorrected?

I've been riding and circuit racing motorcycles for 7 years.

Do not be afraid to get a bigger motorcycle if you are disciplined enough on the throttle. You will very likely outgrow any of the mentioned motorcycles in 3 months of weekend riding.

I went from:
Kawasaki 650 - best beginner bike in my opinion. can be found for $4K, very comfortable, and is not the "super sport" ninja. it is the calm commuter version.
Yamaha XSR900 - absolutely terrifying amount of torque. had a bigger tire than my car on the rear.
Honda CBR600RR - great motorcycle but misses enhancements that its bigger brother version has
Honda CBR1000RR - my favorite. smooth, easy, comfortable. it's now outfitted for racing purposes only

If I was going to get another road motorcycle, I'd probably go with a Panigale, Indian Scout, or BMW R 9T. I've seen too many wrecks to get the itch to get back on the road. ride safe