I always hear people saying that you will drop or crash your first bike, it's inevidable. I started off on an 800cc with no formal instruction and never dropped my bike once unless you count comming to a stop and losing balance and falling over but the fall happenned at a stand still and I was able to catch my bike so no real damage done.
I know everyone gets a bike and is gearing to hit the road but honestly you shouldn't even think about stepping into traffic until riding becomes a reactoin as opposed to a thought process. I'm not saying you have to ride in parking lots for a year but I spent a good couple weeks on backroads, parking lots, office parks getting comfortable with everything before I stepped into traffic. If you have to slam your breaks or swerve if its reaction you probably just saved your life, if you have to think about what your going to do ie let off the clutch, brake, etc your gonna be in an accident. Take your time learning to ride before trying to ride and you should be pretty safe.
Again, I don't see any reason for anyone let alone a new rider to go get a brand new shiny bike, there's just no reason for it. There's so many bikes that people buy, sit in a garage for a year or two and then lose their ass selling may as well pickup a deal on something as well as not be crying if you drop it, although I definatley disagree with the sentiment that everyone will drop their first bike.
You didn't mention if you were leaning towards sportbike or cruiser but one thing I'd recommend DO NOT buy a sportbike unless you try to ride one first. I wanted a sportbike for my first bike and actually went to the dealership to buy one, fortunately they had just sold it but had a good deal on a cruiser so picked that one up and never looked back. I didn't get a chance to ride a sportbike until years later but man did I hate it. partly because I was not used to it but a sportbike with me being shorter typically has a higher seat hieght, some have a really extreme lean and I don't really like the foot peg position on a lot of them, I felt totally out of control and not at all comfortable.
I love my cruiser, hope on sit comfortably kicked back, enjoy a ride. Sportbike don't get me wrong is fun, I'm actually thinking about picking up a cheap 250cc ninja just to tool around town but for any distance riding or even just going for a relaxing cruise to me its not at all comfortable.
the wierd thing about getting into motoryccles is you cant test drive a bike without a license but you oftentimes cant get a license without having a bike so where do you go? lol. Also even if you just got your license alot of dealerships may not let you go for a test ride if they see you just got your license days ago.
I know everyone gets a bike and is gearing to hit the road but honestly you shouldn't even think about stepping into traffic until riding becomes a reactoin as opposed to a thought process. I'm not saying you have to ride in parking lots for a year but I spent a good couple weeks on backroads, parking lots, office parks getting comfortable with everything before I stepped into traffic. If you have to slam your breaks or swerve if its reaction you probably just saved your life, if you have to think about what your going to do ie let off the clutch, brake, etc your gonna be in an accident. Take your time learning to ride before trying to ride and you should be pretty safe.
Again, I don't see any reason for anyone let alone a new rider to go get a brand new shiny bike, there's just no reason for it. There's so many bikes that people buy, sit in a garage for a year or two and then lose their ass selling may as well pickup a deal on something as well as not be crying if you drop it, although I definatley disagree with the sentiment that everyone will drop their first bike.
You didn't mention if you were leaning towards sportbike or cruiser but one thing I'd recommend DO NOT buy a sportbike unless you try to ride one first. I wanted a sportbike for my first bike and actually went to the dealership to buy one, fortunately they had just sold it but had a good deal on a cruiser so picked that one up and never looked back. I didn't get a chance to ride a sportbike until years later but man did I hate it. partly because I was not used to it but a sportbike with me being shorter typically has a higher seat hieght, some have a really extreme lean and I don't really like the foot peg position on a lot of them, I felt totally out of control and not at all comfortable.
I love my cruiser, hope on sit comfortably kicked back, enjoy a ride. Sportbike don't get me wrong is fun, I'm actually thinking about picking up a cheap 250cc ninja just to tool around town but for any distance riding or even just going for a relaxing cruise to me its not at all comfortable.
the wierd thing about getting into motoryccles is you cant test drive a bike without a license but you oftentimes cant get a license without having a bike so where do you go? lol. Also even if you just got your license alot of dealerships may not let you go for a test ride if they see you just got your license days ago.