So you are thinking of purchasing a motorcycle. Well I will try to walk you through some steps you should think about before heading out to your nearest dealer or looking in the classifieds. Owning a motorcycle is probably one of the most intimate relationships you will ever have with a machine. You will learn more about your bike than you will about your car. Riding a bike is a different experience that exposes you to feel and hear what your bike is doing every mile of your journey.

There is nothing better than seeing your bike parked in your garage. Just sitting there, you are totally overcome with emotions knowing it is yours. However, before it is yours, you have to decide what type of bike is right for you. Many people make the mistake of buying a motorcycle that is too big for them to learn to ride easily. It is not recommended that you buy a motorcycle that is too advanced for you if you are a beginner. Pick a motorcycle that you can learn to drive, maneuver, and enjoy more as your skills get better.

If you already know what you want to do with your motorcycle then the battle is half over. If you know that all you are going to be doing is off-road or just street touring then you can go with several bikes that will fit those criteria. Now the problem that new buyers come across is as soon as they get a specific terrain motorcycle, they want to do more than that. If you are starting off, a dual sport motorcycle is not a bad choice. These motorcycles are designed to be used as street touring bikes and as off-road bikes too. Only disadvantage is that they stand high compared to other motorcycles but allow you to see the road better.

When picking out a touring bike, the main problems that people come across are weight and price. These machines can be upwards of 800lbs fully loaded with travel gear. Some of these touring bikes can cost as much as a brand new car. For a beginner this maybe a bit too much. Several companies sell smaller sized touring bikes so just shop around and find the one that fits you.

With sport bikes, size, or price is not a big deal. They are lightweight and you can find a reasonably priced used bike on the internet. The main concern for sport bikes is their powerful engines. Even the smallest sport bikes are capable of extremely fast speeds. You need to asses your self-control before buying these types of motorcycles.

Now after you have decided what bike would be best suited for you, you need to decide if you want to buy a bike new or used. Money will be a big determining factor of buying a used motorcycle. The problem with buying a used motorcycle is that you are not aware of the motorcycles history. It might have been abused by its previous owners and not maintained right. By buying a brand new motorcycle, you know exactly what is going on with your bike since you are the only one that rides it. Used motorcycles can be a good investment for beginners though. Motorcycles nowadays are very reliable and it usually takes alot of abuse to destroy it.

There are also some hidden costs involved when purchasing a motorcycle that you might want to think about before you buy a motorcycle, especially if you are on a budget. For one, you will have to get insurance for your motorcycle. Most insurance companies charge their rates based on the engine's displacement. Now the bigger the bike you have the more its going to cost you. Depending on your record and where you live, expect to spend around upwards of 500 dollars a year on insurance alone.

After you have put some miles on your motorcycle, the other hidden cost will rear its ugly head, maintenance, and repairs. Now if you are mechanically inclined I am sure you can learn to change your own oil and perform some checks but if you are not, prepare to have a big dent in your wallet. Motorcycles are very technologically advanced. It takes alot of components to make a small engine put out so much power that is why your bike will need more regular checkups than your car would. One way to cut down on the cost of things is to take good care of your motorcycle. The less you abuse it, the less you have to spend repairing it.

Hope this gave you some insight and helped you come to a decision on what bike is best for you. Now go out get your bike and have a good time!

Ride Safe

-Team Motorhelmets