You may find yourself making revving noises in front of a fan, imagining the feel of a hot and grumbling exhaust pipe next to your leg. You may have been wearing a leather jacket around the house, even on hot summer days. Inexplicable behavior to some, but to those in the know, these are signs that you’re saving up to buy your first 2000cc motorcycle.
Before you purchase that dream motorcycle, be it a Suzuki, Honda, or Harley, make sure you do your homework. You’ll need to know how to ride it for a start, and many states will require you to have a license. So, you’ll need to go through the rigmarole of Driver’s Ed again, learning the basics from arm signals to braking, as well as how to avoid a major crash.
Being able to ace that simulated arcade game does not a Hell’s Angel make. You’ll need to ride around on a closed course in the real world to even start out as a beginner. No need to worry though. Motorcycle courses are available at local colleges and community centers. These can be of a few days’ or weeks’ duration – generally the longer the course the better rider you will be before you head out onto the real road.
If you think you are a quick learner, you could consider taking a riding course run by one of the bike manufacturers. Many of the big name companies run their own courses. These are effective at teaching a lot in a short space of time. The manufacturers are of course keen to get you on the road to add to their customer base. Don’t, however, be unduly influenced by this. If you want another few lessons after you’ve completed the manufacturer’s course it’s not a problem. An added bonus is that many college/community center courses will provide their own bikes, so you don’t have to wreck yours.
An important investment before you step on your motorcycle is your equipment. Items such as gloves, boots, clothing and helmets are not just accessories. These will help protect you if you’re unlucky enough to have an accident. Not having the proper attire can lead to you having a very bad case of road rash (best case scenario) or being fed through a tube in your stomach (one of the worst case scenarios). And while some states don’t absolutely require you to wear a helmet, it’s a wise decision to wear one anyway. The argument that helmets look dumb is really rather an immature one and modern helmets come in a huge variety of cool styles and colors. It’s best to get equipped before you set out.
If you’re getting ready to join the roadster club you’ll also need to accept the risks that go with biking. It’s a fact that life expectancy for motorcycle riders drops considerably. Unfortunately, many automobile drivers are not paying an awful lot of attention to the road in front of them. Consider yourself rather a moving target while on the road. It’s also the case that injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident tend towards the life-threatening kind. Talk over your decision to bike with your loved ones, and make sure your will and life insurance are up to date.
Taking all this into account, motorcycles are still a great way to travel. Bikes are fun and cheap to run. They are usually very fuel-efficient and some are capable of achieving 65 miles to the gallon. Usually, there is only you on the back of the bike, so the engine is carrying a lot less weight than a car does.
Of course, fuel-efficiency, among other aspects, depends on the bike. For those hotheads out there hoping to sit themselves down on a 2000+ CC beast, take a breath. Speed bike or cruiser, make sure you can handle the weight and height of your bike. Also be sure you don’t have a lead wrist when it comes to twisting that throttle. Ask around at the local dealers and get a sense of what type will be the best fit. For a first bike you may want to start out small, engine-wise, in order to gain some experience.
Once you’ve got your family and friends behind you, got the right equipment, completed the training, purchased your bike and agreed to be a conscientious biker, there’s only one thing left to do. Turn the key, step on the clutch and hit the road.
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