April 5, 2026
How to Choose Your First Motorcycle: A Beginner’s Guide
Choosing your first motorcycle is an exciting milestone, but it’s also a decision that deserves careful thought and planning. This comprehensive guide walks beginners through every critical aspect of the process, ensuring new riders select a motorcycle that matches their needs, skill level, and aspirations while prioritizing safety and enjoyment.
The guide begins by introducing the concept of a "license to learn"—the understanding that your first motorcycle is not likely to be your ultimate dream machine, but rather a stepping stone that builds your skills and confidence. New riders are encouraged to separate the emotional allure of high-powered, flashy bikes from the practical requirements of learning to ride safely and comfortably. The guide stresses that starting with a more manageable bike is not a compromise, but a strategic decision that can lead to a more rewarding and safe riding experience.
One of the key factors discussed is choosing a motorcycle that isn’t too heavy or powerful. The guide explains how large engines and excessive weight can make it harder for beginners to control the bike, especially at low speeds or in challenging situations. Instead, it suggests looking for models with moderate engine sizes—typically in the 250cc to 500cc range—that offer enough performance for learning and everyday riding without being overwhelming. The guide also highlights the importance of seat height and overall ergonomics, advising new riders to test-sit multiple models to find a comfortable fit that allows them to reach the ground easily and operate controls with confidence.
The guide outlines the main categories of motorcycles suitable for beginners, including standard/naked bikes, cruisers, sport bikes, dual-sports, and adventure bikes. For each type, the pros and cons are discussed, helping readers consider where and how they intend to ride—whether commuting, touring, or exploring off-road trails. The merits of new versus used motorcycles are also examined: new bikes offer warranties and modern features, while used bikes can be more affordable and forgiving of the inevitable beginner scratches and drops. Practical advice is given on what to look for in a used bike, including service history, signs of damage, and ease of maintenance.
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00:00 - Introduction
00:59 - License to learn
03:07 - Dream bike is not your first bike
04:09 - Goldilocks
07:37 - Category thoughts
11:19 - New vs Used
17:45 - Suggested beginner models
35:14 - Honorable mentions
37:24 - Wrap up
WEBVTT
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You do not need a therapist if you own a motorcycle, any kind of motorcycle.
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Welcome to the Throttle and Roast Podcast. I'm your host, Niels Meersschaert. In today's episode, I'll be looking at how to choose your first motorcycle.
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I'll look at finding the Goldilocks for you, look at how your dream bike doesn't need to be your first bike, explore some categories that might be right for you, cover used versus new bikes, and a few suggestions of bikes on the market today that I think are perfect for your first bike. Now, for many riders, when they get their license, or even before they get their license, they may be thinking, okay, this is the time for me to get my first bike. And that makes a lot of sense. You've now achieved a level of competency that seems to suggest that you're ready for your bike.
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But I want to share a little bit of an anecdote. So I got my pilot's license about a decade ago. when I was going through the process of learning to fly and then get through each one of the states to get to that next level, I had to have my instructor sign off on my qualifications saying that he felt I was ready to go and get my pilot's license. I then had to go with the chief instructor of my flight school, who also had to sign off on me going and getting my practical flight test.
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And then I had to pass a two and a half hour written test.
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Finally, when I get to the day of my check ride, before we even get into the plane, I had an oral exam with the evaluator looking at my risk management approach. and it just so happened that on the day that my first scheduled check ride was meant to occur, there was some bad And I told him that I made the call not to fly that He applauded me on that decision and said knowing when not to fly was as important as how to control the aircraft. And when I finally flew my check ride a couple of weeks later we techie.
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as we taxied back to the ramp after landing, he told me congratulations on getting my license. But he cautioned, "This was just the start of my learning." "I essentially had a license to learn." And while I demonstrated my ability to control the aircraft in a number of situations, experience is truly the best instructor. And I think that same mindset applies to your motorcycle jurisdictions, like the US, the road test is quite frankly, it's pretty simplistic. It involves a test in a very controlled conditions, and it doesn't have any aspect of judgment evaluation. I'd already had my motorcycle endorsement for nearly two decades before I got my pilot's license, and the stark difference in the level of evaluation between the two was eye opening. I encourage you if you've just gotten your license, is really think of your license as an opportunity to learn. And your first bike won't be your last bike, but it will be the bike that helps you learn.
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And for many of you, you've gone through the process of getting your license, you've achieved that, this is something maybe you've dreamed of for quite a while, and you have a bike in mind, you have your dream bike that you want to get.
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this is going to sound a little bit like a damper at first, but don't make your first bike be your dream bike. And the reason for this is pretty important.
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Before you've really even started to ride, and as I alluded to in that anecdote of my pilots, license license, you, yes, you have demonstrated a base capability of how to ride, but you really haven't learned truly how to ride. You haven't truly learned what it is that you like about riding or not, or what style of riding you like or not. Until you actually get some miles under your belt, it's conceptual. It's an abstract idea. It's not something that you've lived or experienced. So ideal bike to you, that dream bike is maybe not the bike that you'll actually end up really wanting in the long run.
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And I think when you're first just starting out in your riding journey, you want to try as best as you can to set yourself up for success. So if you have a bike that scares you, and thus you're afraid to ride it in certain situations, it'll actually hinder your to ride and to learn. So one of the big things is you don't want a bike that's too heavy. Remember, the heavier the bike, the harder it is for you to manage in your garage or at low speeds. And the same could be said for a bike which is too tall for you. If you can barely touch the ground while seated normally, it can affect your confidence. And if you do drop it, would you be able to lift it back up on your own? This is why it may be your dream bike. Maybe you dream of a large, heavy, touring Harley, or maybe you want to get that really tall BMW GS Adventure, and they're great bikes. I don't want to dismiss that in any way, but they're probably not the best first bike for someone.
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They're a bit too heavy, a bit too big. Another one that we'll sometimes see with beginning riders is don't get something that's too powerful. Now, ego plays a large part in a bike. We see ourselves wrangling the bike beneath us and the more power, the more thrills, is what we sort of imagine. And while this is true, having too powerful of a bike to start can lead to getting overly scared by the bike. You twist the throttle as you leave the dealership and the bike just takes off. You barely hold on to the handlebars and that movement makes the throttle dig in even more, accelerating quicker and quicker. So you've all seen the videos on YouTube of a new rider having the bike get away from them with more power than they were ready for.
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And this is why it's really critical. if you have a dream of having a very high power sport bike. I'd really discourage you from getting that as your first bike. Maybe you get a bike that is of the style of a sport bike if that's the aesthetic you prefer. But I would actually say get something that's a smaller capacity so that power doesn't overwhelm you. still getting your bearings. But you're still getting your bearings. You're still getting used to controlling the bike. And if the bike is overpowering, it can be very difficult for you to effectively control the bike.
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And it may put such a fear in you that you're actually not going to want to ride as often, which is going hinder your ability to continue to learn.
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Now, the last reason why I say don't get your dream bike as your first bike is that oftentimes your dream bike might be a really expensive bike. And if you put all of your money into your first bike, it would be ego crushing if you were to drop it and scratch it. It doesn't mean that you won't drop a bike if it's cheap. It just won't be as demoralizing to you.
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So you get this beautiful Harley or a beautiful Indian with a pristine paint job on it. And then you're moving the bike as you're pulling away from a gas station and you slip on a little bit of of grease that's on the ground and you drop the bike and scratch the paint. It's going to be incredibly embarrassing for you, but it's also going to be quite expensive. And you didn't need to have that for when you're just getting started. So the Goldilocks don't go too heavy, don't do too powerful, and don't go too expensive. So next I want to talk about which category of bike.
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Now, when we think of bikes, there's a lot of different categories into them.
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You can get a naked bike, you could get a cruiser, you can get an adventure bike, a dual sport.
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There's all these different categories of bikes. And the thing is, what's really important is, remember, as a new rider, as a beginning rider, you don't have enough experience really to truly know that which you really like. And therefore, what you might be leaning towards as the category of bike that you really think you want, and what you actually want, may not actually match. And so maybe you want that big Harley Touring bike, and you've never ridden one, so you don't actually know.
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And until you've tried a few different bikes in a few different situations, you've thought about the style of riding that you want to do. Are you mostly doing local day rides?
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Well, then do you really need a big Touring bike? Probably not.
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It's a lot of excess weight, you've got these big bags on there that you're never putting anything into if you're not going on a trip. So why would you get that bike? It's not the right bike for what your needs are. So you really need to think about what it is that you actually need when you're just getting started. Remember, when you're first getting started, you're not going to do that round the world trip. That's just not realistic. You're not going to be going to Daytona and doing, you know, laps around a track, for example, when you're just getting started. So what you really want to think of is like what is going to allow you to get a lot of practice? What is going to make it so that you don't feel overwhelmed by the bike? So you can kind of get out and do it. And you may have aspirations for the kind of riding that you're going to want to do in the future. And so maybe having something that fits towards that makes sense. So do you want to travel with a bike?
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Well, then having a bike that either comes already with bags, or is easy for you to add them on can be advantageous. Do you want to commute with the bike?
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Are you going to be going to and from work each day? So you may have a different need for that.
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Do you want to do any dirt roads?
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with your Is there a particular style of bike, not necessarily brand, but style of bike that appeals to you more? And you may not have asked yourself these type of questions yet. So your initial dream bike, which might have been a bike that you just saw, in a parking lot, maybe you saw it on a website somewhere, and it appealed to you. You thought it was a beautiful looking bike and something resonated for it with you. But until you really understand like well, what is that bike really intended for? And what do I want to do? You haven't necessarily determined if it's the right category of bike. And I really Don't focus so much on the specific brand of bike that you'd want to buy, or the specific model of bike really focus more on the category of bike. Do you want a cruiser? Is that the style? And the feeling that resonates with you? And there's a couple of other pros cruisers for if you're a shorter rider, for example, the lower seat height can make it feel more confidence Do you really like a naked bike? Think of each of these different types of bikes that are out there, and really see what it is that resonates with you and what their intended purpose is. Now, sometimes people will say, Oh, you can't go touring on a small little bike. It's like, Oh, yes, you can. In fact, most bikes that people toured on, until the past 30, 40 years, were tiny little bikes, because that was the only thing that was out there. So don't feel that you cannot do something on a particular bike just because it doesn't fit that category. But it just means that it might be easier or better suited toward that style of riding. So really understand what is the most important to you when it comes to what sort of riding you would like to do.
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Now, I do want to switch to probably one of the other big questions that new beginning riders will ask, which is, should I get a new bike or a used bike? And let me start with new bikes a little bit because I think there are some elements that we need to think of what are the characteristics of a new bike that may be in favor of or maybe against a new bike for us as a beginning rider. So the first one is that new bikes can be more expensive, because you are getting a bike right off the showroom floor, it hasn't had any depreciation onto it. And so the bike can be more expensive than an equivalent bike that has been used. This just makes logical sense.
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While that seems like a deterrent in many ways, that's not the end truth of it. Because one of the benefits that you get with a new bike is that you're going to have a full warranty.
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So any issues that are with the bike will be covered by the manufacturer. Whereas if you're getting a used bike, kind of you got whatever you got, and you have to deal with it if it's out of warranty at this point, which is pretty common with used bikes.
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The other thing is that brand new bike, there's no worn out parts that you have to worry about replacing as soon as you get the bike, you don't have to say, Oh, do I need to replace the tires now? Oh, does it need to have the clutch replaced?
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Does need to have the chain replaced? All these things that we have to do as a bike continues to age and get older.
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You don't need to worry about that as you have a brand new bike. The other thing is, and this is where I would encourage listeners to really think of it a little bit more in a pragmatic way is just because the bike is new doesn't mean it has to be expensive. But there's a lot of lower cost new bikes that are out that are great for getting started. We had an episode a few a few episodes ago where we talked about some of the new Chinese manufacturers that are out there, they're offering amazing value bikes that are actually really looking pretty good right now in terms of visually aesthetically. And they've got some really good quality compared to what they had had previously. So the net result is that you can get a lower cost bike that's still new, but let's also look at the other part of the equation. Now, a used bike, of course, one of the benefits you get with a used bike is they can be cheap. You can oftentimes get a better bike for the same amount of money as a new bike, or you could even save money versus buying a new bike. And this is one of the big things that brings a lot of appeal to a used bike. The other element, as you talked about with, hey, if you get a really expensive bike as your first bike and now you drop it and scratch it, it's going to be demoralizing because now it's got that first little imperfection to it. Well, if you're buying a used bike, they might already have those imperfections. So it's not something you need to feel as worried about for when you have that used bike of, well, my first drop is going to be horrible feeling because now I've damaged it. I've made it less than perfect. And that's absolutely a factor that a lot of riders will consider in their decision-making practice for whether they get a new or used bike. But I would say this, this is one of the things that I think some people will ignore when it comes to getting a used bike versus a new bike. Used bikes can have issues. Sometimes a bike is being sold because the rider crashed it and it could even have some hidden damage that might be very expensive to fix. Maybe the frame is a little bit bent and you can't really notice it when you're just looking and walking around the bike. Maybe it's got some major engine issue that, yeah, it'll start up and run, but it's going to throw a rod pretty soon because there's internal damage in the engine. All these types of mechanical issues that you could have with a used bike can be quite expensive to repair.
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you could have other problems that actually just even getting into working order. Maybe it doesn't have real working brakes.
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Maybe it doesn't have working signals. Maybe the tires are shot or the brakes are shot and these all need to be replaced.
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So you have to maybe spend a lot of time and money and work just to get the bike into a safe working condition. So if you are going to go for a used bike, as a beginner, I would say the most important thing is realize that for many beginners, they don't know anything about motorcycles.
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So they can't look at it and say, oh, this is mechanically sound or this is the problem. They don't know what to look for because they're a new beginning rider. So what I would say is if you are going to do this, have a friend that really knows bikes, check out the bike for you so that they can give an assessment of what to look for, what's really going on and make sure it's someone who isn't just like, oh, well, they got their bike six months before me. Like they don't yet really know anything.
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You want to have someone who's been riding for 10, 20 years more than you because then they've had bikes for a while.
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They've seen what tends to become problematic and they can look for these on that particular bike. So when you're deciding between a new and a used bike, which one do you really go for? Well, I think many people, the default recommendation is often to get a used bike. And this can be the right choice in some specific cases. But if you aren't mechanically inclined or you don't know bikes at all, which is probably fairly likely if you are a new rider, I think a used bike will sometimes have more problems than it saves. Now, if you know a friend who really knows bikes and is mechanically inclined, having them check out the bike before purchase could be a way to save a bit on your first bike. You might see this thing and the price looks too good to be true and your friend checks it out. And yeah, there's a reason why it's too good to be true because the bike needs a lot of work. And this is one of the challenges I'd say with buying a used bike. Now, a new bike, on the other hand, eliminates many of these downsides that we talked about of a used bike, but it does gain one downside that we have to be sort mindful of, I'll say. It does tend to be more expensive.
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if you're starting with a reasonable bike to start, the expense may not be quite as much as you thought.
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So I'm going to offer a few suggestions, multiple different categories of bikes of some specific models that I would suggest are probably a one to look at. And what is a good bike for you to consider as a new rider and what you are looking for to help you continue your learning journey. Remember, you have a license to learn now.
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You don't know everything about bikes just because you got your first license. Now, let me start ADV and dual sport bikes. They are the most popular category of bikes on the market today. And a reason for this is they tend to be sort of a Swiss army knife.
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They're capable of being a good touring bike. They're fun in the twisties, you're able to venture out on an off-the-beaten path.
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And if you're a tall rider, they can be some of the most comfortable options for you. But if you're on the shorter side, they probably wouldn't be my first pick as your first bike.
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That extra seat height could make the bike feel a little bit more intimidating. But if we assume for the sake of this conversation that you are maybe a middling size to a taller rider, I'm going to share a few models that I would say are a really good bikes for a beginning rider. So, the first one I want to start with is the Honda NX 500. If you love the style of an ADV bike and want a brand that is really known for reliability, the Honda NX 500 is a great option. It's less than$7, 000 brand new. It's got a 471 cc parallel twin engine.
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It's a six-speed manual transmission. It has a seat height of 32.8 inches, which is not the highest ADV seat height you'll find. So, it could work for some shorter riders. It gives a 4.7 gallon gas tank, which is going to give you a really decent amount of range, especially with a 500 cc engine, which is pretty much going to sip gas. It does have 7.1 inches of ground clearance. So, you're not going to be doing massive heavy duty trails, but it will let you get out onto those dirt roads and get a little bit off pavement every once in a while.
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has a little bit over five inches of travel front and rear.
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So, again, it's not going to be for really heavy duty off-road, but it will give you a little bit more suspension travel. Now, there's plenty of riders who like ADV bikes, even if they never go off pavement. And having more suspension travel really works well if you're in an area where the roads are maybe not the best conditions.
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They have a lot of potholes.
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They may have expansion joints, etc. Basically, I mean, when I got my first bike, which was an ADV, almost 30 years ago now, I loved it because I was riding in New York City and potholes pretty much didn't exist because of the suspension travel on that bike. It was able to absorb all of it. And that's what you'll find with, it's not the biggest suspension travel of ADVs, but the five inches will definitely make it more comfortable than a smaller three-inch that you might find on, let's say, a cruiser. The big thing, and this is why I recommend this bike for beginners, it's 47 horsepower.
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And this will work for most beginners. Even if you're in Europe and you're getting an A2 license that will fit within the A2 license engine restrictions.
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The other big thing is it's a 432 pound curb weight. This is not a very heavy bike by any means. It's easy to move it around in the garage. It's not going to be overwhelming when you're going at slow speeds. So this is an awesome, awesome ADV bike for when you're just getting started. Now, if you prefer a dual sport style of bike and you're tall enough, because in general, dual sport bikes will have taller suspension than an ADV. This is one of the bikes that I think would be a really good option for you to consider. And this is the Honda CRF 300 L. now 300 cc does not sound like a lot. But it is enough to be able to get you onto the highway and going.
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It's less than six thousand dollars brand new. It has a 286 cc single cylinder engine. And it's a six speed manual. So the six speed is really critical for allowing it to be able to still have enough get up and go for the highway. It's not going to be the quickest accelerating bike, but it will have enough in sixth gear to be able to still run comfortably on the highway.
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It has 10.2 inches of travel front and rear. This will definitely let you get much more off-road than an ADV bike like the Honda that we just talked about. But this is why I say really only consider this bike if you are a taller rider. It's a 34.7 inch seat height, which can be a bit too tall for all but the tallest riders. And the 27 horsepower that the engine provides is not going to be overwhelming.
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The other big thing is the 311 pound curb weight. It doesn't require a huge amount of strength to move around or when you're picking up the bike, if you drop it when you're riding off-road. So really, really lightweight. Now, if you want to go even lower cost and maybe your intention is not to ride so much on the highways, Look at the Honda XR150L. This is an even lower cost dual sport, good for around town So the Honda XR150L is less than $3, 400 brand new. It has 149cc single cylinder engine. It's a five speed manual and this is why I don't think it will be quite as helpful for you on the highway.
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It might get up a little bit quicker but that 150cc is going to really struggle if you're getting up to 70, 60, 70 miles an hour. It's a 32.8 inch seat height so it's a little bit more approachable than that CRF300L.
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But part of that is because it also has a shorter suspension travel. It's 7.1 inches in the front and 5.9 inches in the rear so it is still less than that 300 but still a little bit more than the NX500. And a 282 pound curb weight means this thing is really easy to pick up. So if your intention is more for riding around town and off the beaten path, the Honda XR150L is a really good option. So let's move away from the adventure and off-road or dual sport bikes into more of a maybe a naked style of bike. Maybe you look at these bikes and say, I just want something that looks like a regular old bike like they've looked at for years. And this is the beauty of naked bikes.
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They don't have a whole bunch of body cladding. They're not really having a whole bunch of luggage capability onto them.
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They're really just meant as it's a good solid all-around bike. And that's why they are a very popular option. And there's a few different models that I would suggest really encompassing this style of motorcycle but still being really good for beginners. The first one I'll talk about is the Royal Enfield Hunter 350. Royal Enfield actually has many different options in their 350cc engine capacity. But the Hunter has a style that's not that dissimilar from the Triumph Street twins. So it can be really appealing, especially to someone who likes a little bit more of a modern style. If you prefer it much more retro, you could look at some alternatives, like the Classic or the Meteor, which will have fairly similar specs and price to what I'm going to go over here with the 350. Now, this bike is less than$4, 500. Brand new. Not a used bike. Brand new. Less than $4, 500. It has a 349cc single cylinder engine, 5-speed manual transmission. But it's 20 horsepower. It's not going to be the fastest bike on the Sun. But it will still get up to highway speeds. It is a 399 pound curb weight. So it's not going to be overwhelming. And a 31.1 inch seat height will work for the vast majority of riders. So this bike fits a lot of the needs for a lot of riders. Now, I'm going to talk about another model within the Royal Enfield line, which I'd say it still will fit into an A2 license. So if you're in Europe, it's still a really good bike for this. It's not going to be super overwhelming, but it is a little bit bigger.
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And that would be the Royal Enfield or INT 650. And this is really, you could think of it like a larger size version of that Hunter 350. This time, it has a parallel twin engine in 648 cc's. The bike is less than$6, 200, brand new. It bumps from a 5-speed manual to a 6-speed manual. And from 20 horsepower, it bumps up to 47 horsepower. So you'll have a little bit more get up and go still fitting within that A2 license requirement though. So it is still going to work for a beginner. But if you want something that is a little bit more power, probably something that could last with you for a little bit longer as your first bike. The 478 pound curb weight is obviously more than what you saw with the Hunter 350. So if you're on the smaller side, I'd push you more towards the 350.
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If you're a little bit of a larger person, the INT 650, the Interceptor 650, is going to be a perfectly fine option. It's slightly taller seat height too.
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It's 31.6 instead of 31.1. But it'll still work for the vast majority of riders. Now, another great option to consider within this range would be the Triumph Speed 400. Now, Triumph has an entire lineup of 400cc bikes that are perfect for the vast majority of beginners and they really look good too. These are less than $5, 500 brand new, they have a 398cc single cylinder engine producing 39.5 horsepower, has a 6 speed manual transmission, a 31.1 inch seat height which will again work for the vast majority of riders and it's 375 pound curb weight, it's gonna be really easy to move around. Now, if you think of this bike versus that Hunter 350, it's gonna have a little bit more get up and go, a little bit more power. But it is also gonna have a little bit lighter weight, so it's a really option. It is a bit more expensive and that's why I did want to offer both of these bikes out there, Now, if you don't like the specific styling of the Speed 400, which is sort of a modern style naked bike, they do have a whole bunch of other models within their 400cc line that are gonna be fairly similar in terms of specs.
00:28:25.489 --> 00:28:42.368
Most of those will be a little bit higher price because they've got a little bit more body cladding or a little bit other features. So these include things like their Scrambler, their Tracker, the Thruxton model. But you can find something that can suit your preference of style, but it will be a little bit more expensive.
00:28:39.388 --> 00:28:53.839
But still, it's gonna be less than $7, 000 for any of those bikes. So it's not gonna be breaking the bank that excessively. what if you really, really love cruiser style bikes?
00:28:49.328 --> 00:29:12.730
Well, if that's the case, there's gonna be a couple of models here that I'm gonna recommend and I'm don't wanna keep sounding like I'm some Honda fanboy, but Honda makes really good bikes. They're a good balance of cost and value and quality. And that's why I think they're really good bikes for the vast majority of people.
00:29:12.790 --> 00:29:36.070
And the bike that I would say here, which is a really good one is the Honda Rebel 500. Now, this is a really good looking, small cruiser, it's less than $7, 000, brand new. And if you think about everything that I've had on the list thus none of the bikes that we have here are going over that $7, 000 price point, even for a brand new bike.
00:29:32.471 --> 00:29:49.663
Because I think that's the range that is reasonable for you to consider as that first bike. I don't want you spending over $7, 000 on your first bike, because it probably will not be the bike that you keep for very long. I had my first bike for four months before I traded it in.
00:29:50.972 --> 00:29:56.653
don't think of a bike as being where you're going to spend a whole bunch of money on it and then keep it for a long time.
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It's there to help you learn.
00:29:57.363 --> 00:30:29.883
That's its intention. But when we think of the Rebel 500, as I said, it's a 471cc parallel twin engine. Now, parallel twin engines sometimes don't get as much respect as I think they should. They're a really solid engine. They're a very popular engine configuration. You see them in a huge range of bikes. I have a parallel twin in my F900GS. It's a really, it's a nice motor. They can have a really cool character to them.
00:30:25.762 --> 00:30:49.486
And if they are set at a particular configuration of how the firing order is done, they can actually have a V twin style sound and feel to them. so they can be a really good engine. Now, in this particular application, the Rebel 500, it has less than 45 horsepower. Will again work completely fine for an A2 engine license. It's a six speed manual.
00:30:50.076 --> 00:31:23.875
Now, here's where it really starts to change the dynamic if you're really on the shorter stature. It's a 27.2 inch seat height. This will work for most anybody. It's not going to require a lot of long legs for you. And this can help give you more confidence as you're sitting on the bike and still able to flat foot it very, very easily. You don't need to flat foot a bike to have confidence in it, but especially when you're getting started, it can make it feel more comfortable for you. And that's why I think this is a good option for it.
00:31:24.195 --> 00:31:35.759
It's a 414 pound curb weight, pretty lightweight when it comes down to all these. None of the bikes I'm talking about here are more than 500 pounds. They're intentionally keeping it light.
00:31:36.259 --> 00:32:02.607
As I've said in the intro, a light bike is easier to manage, especially as you're getting started. Now, the three-gallon gas tank does mean that you will probably need to refill more often. But in a cruiser, you might be riding for more of a short distance, stop, admire something. So you can always stop and refill. But to me, if you've got 100, 150 miles range on your tank, that's good enough.
00:31:58.807 --> 00:32:11.991
It's gonna allow you to still get out and go. in the vast majority of places around the world, you're going to be able to find another gas station within that range. So it's okay.
00:32:08.932 --> 00:32:18.606
And especially when you're just getting started, you're going to want to take breaks more frequently. So that sort of range isn't going to be terrible.
00:32:18.699 --> 00:32:41.949
Now, another bike that I do want to point out, and this is the bike that I probably lean on as saying my overall top pick for most riders. And the reason is that it has a lot of the characteristics that we've talked about thus far. It's going to be not intimidating when it comes to a power perspective. It's not going to be overwhelming when it comes to having a high ride height. It's not going to be very heavy.
00:32:42.395 --> 00:32:44.713
that's something that's really critical, those three elements.
00:32:45.442 --> 00:32:52.113
But in this case, there's another feature of this specific bike that I think is really something to consider if you're a beginning rider.
00:32:55.883 --> 00:33:18.521
This is the Honda Rebel 300 e-clutch model. Now this is a new entry came out in the past year or so. Now, what I like about this bike is it's less than $5, 500 brand new. So, not a lot of money to be putting out into a bike. It's a 286cc single cylinder engine, putting out about 27 horsepower. It's not going to be overwhelming to you.
00:33:15.952 --> 00:33:28.125
It's going to be confidence-inducing for you And the big key thing for it this has a six-speed manual transmission with an E-clutch.
00:33:28.704 --> 00:33:54.499
And the reason why I think this is really interesting is certainly here in the United States, but becoming more prevalent around the world is there's a huge number of people who have never driven a manual transmission car. And if you're getting onto a motorcycle and it's your first time riding, and now you're not only having to learn how to ride a motorcycle, but also how to deal with a clutch, deal with a manual transmission, can feel like, oh my god, this is just too much.
00:33:54.578 --> 00:34:17.061
It's too many different things I'm trying to manage. And what's nice about this specific setup here the E-clutch kind of allows you to use the clutch or not use the clutch. So it allows you to kind of start off in almost like a CVT style where it'll automatically engage the clutch as you give it more throttle.
00:34:17.889 --> 00:34:34.748
worry about constantly switching out the clutch and getting something going. It can work really easily. But then as you become more confident, now you can start using the clutch manually and still be able to ride the bike. So it's a bike that allows you to kind of slowly grow with your confidence.
00:34:34.789 --> 00:34:51.889
And that's what I really like about the specific bike. Now, just like its larger 500cc option, it's a 27.2 inch seat height. Again, really good for shorter riders. But it is also a little bit lighter than the 500.
00:34:47.668 --> 00:34:51.889
It's 379 pounds for curb weight.
00:34:52.259 --> 00:35:01.835
So if you're a smaller rider where pushing around a much heavier bike is going to be a little bit challenging, this becomes a really good option.
00:34:58.695 --> 00:35:14.715
It's still the three-gallon tank, so it's not going to give you quite as much range as a larger tank would. But again, being a smaller CC, it's going to be fairly frugal when it comes to fuel economy. So you'll still get that 100, 150 miles of range without an issue.
00:35:15.224 --> 00:36:22.641
Now, I did want to share a few honorable mentions, specifically if you're looking at getting a bike only for urban use. And this is not an unusual use case, certainly not for in Europe. A lot of riders will consider this. The bikes that I've mentioned before, I think, work for the vast majority of riders. But if you are that urban rider and you're looking for something maybe even a little bit cheaper than some of the options that listed out thus far, then take a look at some of the mini motos from Honda. And these are bikes like the Grom, the Monkey, the Trail 125, the Dax 125. And each of these is about $4, 000 brand new with a 125cc engine. This will limit you from really using it on the highway, but it is a good way to have an even more low-cost bike to be able to get you around in an urban environment. If you are a taller rider though, I would steer clear of these. They're gonna feel like you're a circus bear riding on a tricycle.
00:36:19.096 --> 00:37:03.077
They're really, really physically small, but if you're a smaller rider, they're great, Now, the first bike I ever rode was when I was a kid. I rode a Honda Z50, which is pretty much what the monkey is meant to evoke, that image of that old Honda Z50. And so just from an aesthetic perspective, I think it's pretty cool looking. Now, if you want to go even cheaper, and really this is exclusively for urban, it won't even get you into some of the extra urban, you know, think of like 40, 50 mile an hour roads, would be the Honda Navi. Now this you can buy brand new for about $2200. It's a twist and go transmission, so it's very good for beginners.
00:37:03.137 --> 00:37:12.168
You can think of it more like a scooter style transmission. But you can see a bike that you've got to around a car using for a sedan, but it's a 110cc engine, so it's really going to limit your top speed, so it's really only for that urban environment.
00:37:12.867 --> 00:37:20.869
But if you're looking for the absolute cheapest option you can do for a brand new for urban use, the Honda Navi is definitely one to look at.
00:37:24.219 --> 00:37:43.550
So let's wrap up. We talked about how you now have a license to learn. And getting a bike that is going to help you learn is the most important thing to look for in your first bike. It's not the bike that's your dream bike. It's the bike that's going to help you learn.
00:37:40.190 --> 00:37:43.550
You want this Goldilocks bike.
00:37:43.550 --> 00:37:50.217
You don't want it too heavy. You don't want it too powerful, and you don't want it too expensive.
00:37:45.659 --> 00:38:39.516
And you want to think of what sort of category of bike is going to fit for the style of riding that think you're going to be most interested in, but also be open to that that will probably change. So whatever category bike you end up buying, you may change it at some point in the future. And that's the beauty of bikes compared to a car. They're significantly cheaper. So you can maybe even build up a garage where you have a couple different styles of bikes. That's what I have in my garage today. So I've got a cruiser. I've got an ADV bike. I had a sport bike. I've had all of these different categories because it gives you a different flavor of the day that you can try out. But until you have more miles under your belt, you don't necessarily know. So just look at the one that you think is the most likely category. We also talked about new and used, and I mentioned how I think used bikes are typically the go-to option.
00:38:36.117 --> 00:38:50.568
And I think they can make the most sense in a very specific case, but only if you have someone who really knows bikes and is mechanically inclined who can look over the bike.
00:38:47.309 --> 00:39:10.172
Otherwise, you could end up buying a bike that's going to have a lot of problems and it just creates more agita. It's something that's going to be another hindrance from you going out and riding and feeling comfortable and able to learn on the bike. And that's why I highlighted a couple of the relatively low cost bikes that you can still buy even brand new.
00:39:06.106 --> 00:39:24.626
So my question for you this week is what are you thinking of for your first motorcycle or what was your first motorcycle? Share your thoughts through the text to show link on the show notes or leave a voicemail at throttle and roast dot com slash voicemail Thanks for listening. I'll talk to you next week.
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