Motorcycle Oppos, I Need Your Help!

"Mercedes Streeter" (smart) 04/27/2018 at 18:01 • Filed to: Two Wheels Good, unnecessary motorcycle shopping with mercedes, unnecessary car shopping with mercedes

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Now that I’ve scratched off a goal and one bucket list item in 2018 (moving out and getting another smart, respectively), I want to scratch off another item. Since I was a kid, I’ve always wanted a motorcycle. I have no idea why I haven’t gotten into it. And now that I cannot reasonably own five cars, it’s a better time than ever!

Getting the endorsement is easy and bikes are cheap on CraigsList. I just need to...do it. So motorcycle Oppos, learn me some motorcycles!

What recommendations do you give to a new rider? What kind of bike should I ideally be looking for? I’m going to live only three minutes from work and I’ll probably ride my bicycle to work, so I sort of intend on retiring all cars from commuting duty. Theoretically, I can now put all cars on a per-mile insurance policy, cutting my costs even further.

I guess this sort of kicks off a new “ Unnecessary Motorcycle Shopping With Mercedes ” series?

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Mercedes Streeter 04/27/2018 at 18:09

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Get a Grom. It’s basically the Smart of motorcycles. Smaller than most other bikes, not many people are passionate about them, but the people that are are REALLY passionate.

AestheticsInMotion > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 04/27/2018 at 18:10

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Agreed, Grom’s are fantastic. The only problem is for the cost you could easily find a decent full sized sportbike that’s better in almost every way, but... Then you wouldn’t have a Grom 

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Mercedes Streeter 04/27/2018 at 18:11

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not going into specifics.... but as a first bike i’d recommend getting a 250 preferably an older one

the lighter weight and lack of power will make little screw ups infinitely more save able

like a superdream

(well.. thats the bike i learnt on anyway... feel free to pick whatever... but i stick too pick something light and not very powerfull)

atfsgeoff > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 04/27/2018 at 18:12

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The Grom is a fantastic first bike for a lot of reasons, as long as you’re not taking it on a highway.

If you want to go on a highway, I recommend the Honda CB300F.

benjrblant > Mercedes Streeter 04/27/2018 at 18:13

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As a (very) novice rider, I went through this thought process a few months ago. I asked Oppo to talk me out of a motorcycle and there were lots of great and constructive comments:

https://oppositelock.kinja.com/talk-me-out-of-a-moto-1793213285

If you have an endorsement, sweet. If not, I’d highly recommend taking an MSF class. The one near me included a moto for the day plus a helmet so I had to purchase nothing for the class. It’s a great way to determine if its your thing or not and if its not you’d only be out the cost of the class and two weekend days. If it is, you walk away with a cert for your endorsement.

Mercedes Streeter > benjrblant 04/27/2018 at 18:16

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The MSF is what I plan on doing! :) I’ll take a read through your thread.

cmill189 - sans Volvo > Mercedes Streeter 04/27/2018 at 18:26

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A Rebel 250, CBR250, GSX250, or similar bike. You can pick up one of these for $1,500 to $2,500 in decent shape. Ride it for a year or however long, and sell it again for what you paid. They’re the perfect beginner bike. Low seat height but properly sized. While I think Grom’s are cool, they are cramped and aren’t a good bike to transition to a full size bike. They’re also far more expensive.

Mercedes Streeter > AestheticsInMotion 04/27/2018 at 18:28

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They are so adorable and actually pretty affordable! Though with basically every road surrounding my apartment having a minimum speed limit of 45 and many at 55 with hills, I’ll probably take the used route.

Besides, if (more like when) I goof up and fall off, I wouldn’t want to hurt a beautiful new bike! :O

AestheticsInMotion > Mercedes Streeter 04/27/2018 at 18:30

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Oh totally, I was talking about used! They all seem to be in the 3500-4000 range used around here, which can get you a TON of Japanese bikes

Mercedes Streeter > cmill189 - sans Volvo 04/27/2018 at 18:30

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Thanks for the input! I noticed that about the Groms, they seem to be one-trick ponies, but with a cult following. A Ninja 250 in allegedly good condition can be had on the local CL for like $1,000!

cmill189 - sans Volvo > Mercedes Streeter 04/27/2018 at 18:37

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250 bikes are great because several manufacturers made the same bike for 10 plus years. They’re plentiful, cheap to insure, cheap to purchase, and cheap to own. With all the redesigns and 300 class bikes coming out I’m sure they’re even cheaper, as you have already noted. Money saved on a first bike can be spent on good gear!

vicali > Mercedes Streeter 04/27/2018 at 18:38

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Take a course, and get a 250 ‘beginner’ bike. That way when you drop it or scratch it up you won’t be sad.

Buy the bike you want once you’ve learned.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Mercedes Streeter 04/27/2018 at 19:08

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DRZ400(sm). Plenty of suspension for rough roads, plus some off road fun. You could get the Super Moto variant if you want some more fun. It’s also old as nails, being a carb’d 400cc single cylinder.  

victor > Mercedes Streeter 04/27/2018 at 19:18

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Whatever you get, just get one. Now that I’m married and with child, the window of opportunity has long closed. Now I’m stuck with getting a cliche car like every other dad bod middle age dude at my company (911 or Cayman or m4 or boxster).

AdverseMartyr > Mercedes Streeter 04/27/2018 at 19:42

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This is pretty much what everyone will say including the invest in gear. Maybe only add to be new enough for it to be disc brakes vs drum. Some of these bikes have been basically the same for a very long time.

benjrblant > Mercedes Streeter 04/27/2018 at 19:44

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The Grom has some really attractive new colors for this model year too!

XJDano > Mercedes Streeter 04/27/2018 at 19:48

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Get a café racer.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > Mercedes Streeter 04/27/2018 at 19:57

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A lot of people are suggesting a 250. If you will just be using it for an occasional drive then that should be ok but IMO pass on those and get a 300. With just a bit more extra pep it’ll help you out at highway speeds cuz a 250 barely struggles to get out of its own way which is a dangerous thing when you’re surrounded by mammoth SUVs.

You’re a Jalop so will probably be ok with getting on the throttle hard to keep up with traffic, revving high when taking off, etc. My girlfriend didn’t fare so well with her CBR250R because she rode it too gently and those bikes are only smooth when you’re giving it gas. After a while she gave up and now we’re selling the bike. I had a much easier time jumping onto my 2011 Ninja 400R (my first bike ever) than getting used to her 250 even after 2 years of riding.

If you feel like reading, I wrote up some recommendations here (scroll down): http://derailedblog.com/my-first-motorcycle-part-2-time-for-some-wheels .

XJDano > Mercedes Streeter 04/28/2018 at 11:26

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But for real, get something small CC, and not heavy. My motorcycle may be a bit much as a first bike, it’s a 500cc.

I rode to work the other day and it was fun. Enjoy.

stry > Mercedes Streeter 04/30/2018 at 13:05

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I’d go with a standard sportbike, or naked, like the FZ series, or SV, etc for your first bike.

It’s the jack of all trades bike. You get a bulletproof Japanese engine, it’s more comfortable than a sportsbike, and more agile/powerful than a cruiser.

One issue with starting on a small-engine sportsbike is that they are not the most confidence-building at low speeds. You have shift constantly, and turning is scary.

stry > stry 04/30/2018 at 13:06

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There are also cheap options on the market, and you can dump it in a year and know which element of motorcycling you liked the best for your next bike.

theAngryAccountant > Mercedes Streeter 04/30/2018 at 14:51

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I’m a bit late to this one, but go for something fuel injected for sure. Carburetors are nice up until you want to ride and it’s cold out.

Second, what size engine you get depends a lot on your size and weight. I’m 6'3", about 180 and my 2014 CB500 really is perfect for me (just started riding in December). Everyone that I was talking to about it was telling me that the 300 category was great for new riders up through about 150-160 pounds and that they are great for people up to 5'9"-5'10" (after that your legs stop fitting right). They were saying that one of the most important things was that your seating felt comfortable and that engine size up through the 500's was less important because the gearing on those displacements are fairly similar and (relatively) relaxed.

*Stumbled across this looking for pictures of the 4 smarts mentioned elsewhere...

Mercedes Streeter > theAngryAccountant 04/30/2018 at 18:45

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*Stumbled across this looking for pictures of the 4 smarts mentioned elsewhere...

Muahahahaha! 

Thanks for the advice! The first thing on my list is doing the MSF, then going up from there. It looks like a 250-300 will probably be what I’m looking for. :)

Mercedes Streeter > stry 04/30/2018 at 18:47

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Very good advice!! Thank you so much! I have a hankering for a sport bike (or so I think, one way to find out), so that’s about right up my alley.

stry > Mercedes Streeter 04/30/2018 at 23:09

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No problem. Good luck and welcome to the 2 wheel’d life!