so what do I gotta do, puttin 93 gas in my hooptie isnt gonna work all summer too much loot so im looking into gettin a bike. Is the test hard?
THe motorcycle permit is easy. If im not mistaken there are 20 multiple choice questions. Piece of cake.
as for the license…
http://nyspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33736&highlight=motorcycle+license
good luck
i will also be doing the same, iv been having trouble finding a bike that i think ill be comfortable on though. im 5’6" 160 lbs., i dont really want/need a big bike or too much power. from what i hear though, the test is pretty easy.
search?
now i just gotta find a nice cheap bike
go to ride with pride it was 300$ i got 10% of car and bike insurance, and the licesne test got waived through them, people were falling off their bikes and they still got their licenses, i wouldnt worry too much about passin their course, its 20 hours over 4 days
thanks for the advice bro ill look into it
tis the season
Crossposted… basic… but works
I. Need a motorcycle license? Check out your local DMV to find out more information. Also, call up 1-800-CC-RIDER or check out http://www.msf-usa.org/.
II. You are most likely NOT too tall/short/fat/skinny/ugly/good-looking/etc to ride a bike.
A. If you’re unsure if a bike will fit you, then go sit on one. That’s the easiest way to find out whether or not you should be riding it.
B. If you’ve still got your heart set on a bike, even though it’s too short, then there are always ways to shorten the ride height.
III. There are no bad beginner bikes. It all depends on how much respect you have for the bike and how much control you have over your ego. You will find that bikes with smaller engines and/or twins have throttles that are MUCH easier to modulate. Grabbing a handful of throttle won’t get you into trouble as quickly as a big 1000cc bike. That being said, look into getting an older ('80s and '90s) bike, mostly because insurance premiums are lower and there is more aftermarket support available.
IV. Buying a bike - you’re not just spending money on a motorcycle. You also have to buy insurance, PROPER gear that fits (if you’re unsure, go try on some gear!), and have a little money on the side for incidentals (new tires, battery, whatever), just in case.
A. Financing - No, you’re not going to get as good of a financing deal through a motorcycle dealership than an automobile dealership. There is less overhead for dealerships, and more people are likely to default on a motorcycle loan.
B. Try a credit union if you have access. They can usually get you lower rates.
C. If you absolutely must use a credit card, then be prepared to pay it off quickly. CC’s usually have very high interest rates.
V. You WILL drop the bike. It may be at a standstill or while moving, even at 5mph. Be prepared! A cheaper bike will be less costly to repair and proper gear will help to prevent you from getting injuries. Plenty of people on this board have the battle scars to prove it.
(added on 11/3/03)
VI. Insurance - You have basically two choices: liability or full coverage. No matter what you ask or we reply, you should ask your insurance agent for a quote. Just because I’m paying $xxx for insurance does not mean you’ll get the same rate. It depends on what bike you ride, where you live, your age, and various other factors. If you’re financing, you NEED to have full coverage! Just ask around on this board…a few members’ bikes were stolen, but they still have to make payments.
Does this answer all your questions? If not, then maybe you shouldn’t be asking it! But seriously, this should answer most of your questions. If not, please ask, but at least make an attempt at the “Search” feature.
(added on 12/27/04)
http://www.clarity.net/adam/buying-bike.html
I have a lil’ gsxr for sale… gets great gas mileage, and is capable of 9’s… so sell the hooptie and run 9s
I love how all of these how-to’s say ‘you will drop your bike.’ They were definitely all written by ex squids.
If you have respect for the bike and the road, you’re not going to drop anything. The only time my bike has ever been on it’s side is when it fell over in my friends front yard while I was inside.
A little FYI, the shit you get away with in a car; cutting people off, blowing red lights, staring at the chick on the corner and just otherwise being an asshat can get you killed on a bike.
have you seen the price of gas?
:zong: Wrong.
Ha ha, ex-squids…
I never dropped mine but came close once. Someone pulled out right in front of me, or almost right into me. Gotta love anti-dive and really good brakes. Got sideways, but saved it.
Bottom line – ride smart.
I bet when you factor in the cost of buying a bike, insurance, gear, gas and maintenance vs. how much you’ll spend on gas in your car you won’t be saving very much if any money.
I ride my bike for the enjoyment of it, not saving on gas. If I cared about gas I probably wouldn’t go for 200-300 mile rides on the weekend just for the hell of it.
Just please get some good, CE certified, protective gear…
You should plan on at least a helmet (of course), gloves (full gauntlet leather), boots, a good leather jacket with some hard padding, and a back protector that at least goes inside the jacket, the better ones strap to your back. Of course a one piece or 2 piece leather suit are the best, but not alot of people want to resemble a power ranger. Most of the time I would leave the one piece at home and just wear jeans, and all the other stuff I mentioned.
You don’t have to get the best of the best but even mid priced gear will put you at about $1000 for everything you should have. Then figure every 2-3 years you’ll have to replace some stuff, your gloves will have holes in them (one season for me). I was spending about $500 each season to update up my gear.
So figure that into your budget…
You can save some decent coin on GAS prices. Most all modern bikes get at least 30mpg. However figure in tires, a front every 4k and a rear every 2k. Extra insurance, gear, maintnence, mods. It can get pretty expensive…
The worst part is sweating your ass off in the summer commuting. When you are moving it’s fine, but when you have to stop, it can actually hurt. It’s 90 degrees, you have a leather jacket, jeans, boots, gloves, helmet, the street is probably 140 deg., and your machine you are sitting on is 200+ degrees. You just have to get USED to being HOT.
Ride safe and good luck. Read Willy’s post, good stuff.
http://buffalo.craigslist.org/mcy/604756139.html
Seems like a good starter bike. Its not mine and I know nothing other then it is cheap.
Ride with pride is awesome. I’m taking it this year as I think its time to ride the bike with a license.
http://www.ridewpride.com/Intro.htm
I was getting 54 on my XJ750RJ no matter how I drove it. Insurance was around $80/yr. Tires, yeah around 4k or so. Had a good helmet, no gear, didn’t mod it. Oil and filter, that’s about it. Had to buy one battery and the alternator failed. Otherwise no other expenses.