MSF Instructor & Bike Advice

So, a co-worker recently took the MSF bike. Yeah!, that is a great start! He is in his mid-50s, tall (6'2-6'4"). He stays active with Karate and such. Anyhow, he's on the prowel for a new bike, and I was somewhat gobsmacked when he told me his MSF instructor told him to "get a big (e.g. 1200cc+) bike and grow into it (grow in the sense of ability). " His riding experience to date is a grand total of 50-100 miles in a parking lot.

I, however, think he should buy the bike for the rider he is today. For example, get something that fits his build and something that will forgive his throttle hand mistakes. In a few years, if he is still at it, sell it and move onto the "dream" bike.

What's your take on the buy the "right" bike? Any bike thoughts for someone who is going to be communting on it (in h.e.a.v.y traffic)?

[FONT=&quot]First Bike Recommendations[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Street Bikes[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Honda CM250 Rebel (Good for Shorter Riders) any year[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Honda CM450 Rebel (Good for Shorter Riders) any year[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Honda CB450 Nighthawk (Good for Taller Riders) any year[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Honda VF500 Magna any year[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Honda VT500 Shadow any year[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Honda VT500 Ascot any year[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Honda VF500F Interceptor (Sport Bike style) any year[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yamaha XV250 Virago (Good for Shorter Riders) any year[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yamaha XV535 Virago (Good for Shorter Riders) any year[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Suzuki GS500E 1990 and newer[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Suzuki GS500F any year (Sport Bike Style)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Suzuki GS450L, 1983 and newer[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Kawasaki EX500 Ninja and year (Sport Bike Style)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Kawasaki EX250 Ninja, 1988 and newer (Sport Bike Style)(Shorter riders can handle this)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Kawasaki LTD500 1990 and newer[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Kawasaki EL250 Eliminator any year (Good for shorter riders)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Dual Sport Bikes[/FONT] [FONT=&quot] (on-road / off-road)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Suzuki DR200[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Suzuki DR250[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yamaha XT225[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Yamaha XT250[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Honda CRF230F[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Honda XR250L (Does not have electric Start)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Kawasaki[/FONT][FONT=&quot] KLX250[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]This list is based on bikes that hold a decent retail value and are a good used bike value. Current recommendations do not include any of the Chinese motorcycles as most of them are copies of some bikes on the list and do not have the reliability of the name brands. Parts can also be hard to obtain and much more expensive as well. Pay special attention to the title to make sure you are buying the real thing and not a Chinese copy. There are also many other bikes not listed that make good first bikes, and any bike should be looked at on a case by case basis to ensure that you are getting a bike that is right for you. Make sure the bike fits you without modifications. If a bike is not the correct height, style etc. you will not be comfortable, so make an informed decision and get help if needed to make sure that the choice you make will be one you will not regret. Some bikes on this list were only produced for limited years such as the CM450 Rebel with a three year production, or the VT500 Ascot with a two year production. This does not affect the quality or parts availability of these popular bikes. And parts for most of the bikes listed are still readily available.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Most bikes on this list can be purchased relatively inexpensively and will hold a good value for later resale sometimes allowing your first bike to be a very inexpensive riding proposition. Insurance on one of these bikes will normally be $150 per year or less depending on your age, driving record etc. How much might I have to spend to get a bike that is listed? Well that will depend on year, condition and which model. Bikes listed above could range from a low of $800 to $2000 (Newer Models might be much more) but you can usually expect to find a good bike in decent mechanical shape for about $1500 or less and sell it for a similar amount when it is time to upgrade.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]As with any used bike be certain to take into consideration the following:[/FONT]

• [FONT=&quot]Condition of wear items, Chain Sprockets etc.[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Age and Condition of Tires. (Age is as important as condition)[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Brakes, cables and controls.[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]How long has the bike been out of service (In Storage)? Can lead to needed work such as Carb. rebuilds etc.[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Regular maintenance? Oil changes? Fork oil? Brake Fluids? etc.[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Rust in the gas tank?[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Has the bike been dropped or crashed? [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The parts and repairs that might be needed for a used unit can add up very fast so be sure to take the time and expense to have the bike looked over by a trained technician BEFORE you make a purchase.[/FONT]

based on the list above, depending on what style of bike and budget this person has I would recommend many of the 450cc and 500cc bikes you can get used cheap as a first bike. Many of them are well suited for the larger riders and make a great entry level bikes that do many things well.

I'm 6'2 and an SV650 fit me fine and it was a recommend beginner bike.

Riding in traffic on any bike is a bad idea until he has ridden a LOT off road on a smallish bike.

When asked in a class, the closest I will come to a recommendation is "Find a bike you are comfortable learning to ride on as well as one you are not afraid to drop, because you most likely will drop your bike at some point in the learning process.
Hell, I still drop mine occasionally."

The class is all about choices and consequences. Bike selection is one of those choices. I don't want to get blamed for the consequences.

if your first bike costs more than your first armor, you're doing it wrong.

and a 360cc UJM from the mid-seventies is fully capable of making you go faster than you want to go, even when you're 6'3 and 200 pounds.

I like the list posted above but for someone 6'2" I would probably add some taller dualsport bikes as well. DRZ400 springs to mind as a good choice but F650GS would be ideal too, especially if he wanted to do some longer rides right from the start. Both would also hold their value well. There are others of course...

Dirt riding will help with basic bike handling, but it does nothing for teaching someone how to deal with traffic situations. Pavement riding's a lot different and more hazardous.

I'd probably not recommend a liter bike for a beginner, although my first bike was a brand new 79 KZ1000 - an extreme crotch rocket at the time. I never owned a bike smaller than a 750, until a couple years ago, when I finally bought a TW200.

Your friend is a big guy. Assuming he's not a total klutz, and can restrain his throttle hand a bit, I see no reason whatsoever why he couldn't go with a 650. There are a number of nice bikes out in that displacement. My wife hadn't ridden in 20 years, went out and bought a new BMW F650GS, and loves it - she has no issues at all on it.

I think the dogma on starting on a beater 250, riding it for a few years, and then moving up makes sense in a few cases. If you're a teen or young 20-something; if you have difficulties with balance; or if you're smaller of stature. For a mature adult, you might want to stay away from R6s or other rocket bikes for the first bike, but there are plenty of more sedate, larger displacement bikes that won't rip your arms out of their sockets, pitch you off at the first corner, or turn you into a ticket/wheelie magnet. A Beemer R1200R comes to mind - nice bike, handles well, plenty of controllable power.

In contrast, sending someone out into a heavy commute on a 250 is kind of homicidal. Granted, a person shouldn't necessarily be in heavy traffic until he has a few miles under his belt, but any kind of commute (particularly if a freeway is involved) will be a lot more uncomfortable, and less safe, on a 250 rather than a bike that has great brakes and can actually get out of its own way if need be.

First- try 15-20 miles, if he took a BRC.

Thumper dualsport. DR, KLR, F650. Maybe up to a Wee or Versys- might be able to find a used Wee for a reasonable price. (you didn't mention budget?)

It's probably more like.... she is a 5'1" tall female what could she possibly teach me.

What he was probably getting at is that even with a BRC course under their belt, and even practicing some more lot drills after that, most new riders are nowhere near ready to handle a moto well in traffic. Taking a BRC course, practicing the learned drills, and ALSO riding dirt for a while will better prepare most new riders for being able to handle a moto safely in traffic later. They will learn to control the moto without having to consciously think about every little input they make to the bike, and every little input the moto is making to them. They will learn to control the moto in widely-varying traction conditions, when the moto really may not want to be controlled. They can learn to do this before having to take the hazards of traffic into consideration.

Since they'll already be familiar with operating a motorcycle, they can then focus more of their conscious attention on safely navigating traffic, instead of conciously worrying about how to operate the clutch, throttle, shifter, brakes, and bar inputs properly, with regards to available traction and space, too. Bike operation can be a LOT more intuitive, as they can already have a GOOD and VARIED foundation with controlling the bike under even the poorest of traction conditions.

Have you ridden a modern 250?

At 6'4" a 650 thumper would likely be the best first bike.

After a few thousand miles move up then if he feels the need. Me? I moved down. Smaller bikes are more fun.

I was in your friends situation this spring. I took my riding course and researched the hell out of bikes. I love the adventure bike, so I was looking at all the top end bikes in the class. I love the the KTM 690 and 990, and of course the R1200GSA. I am 6'2" and 230, so a bigger bike fits me better.

After my course I realized that a smaller bike (displacement not stature) would work just fine to start. I ended up with an XR650l that I bought from from a coworker. It is a great bike. First, I didn't pay alot for it (got the good guy discount cause I work with the seller), second, it will, and has survived being dropped without issue. Third, I can learn to ride a big bike in all conditions I will see, without being worried about damaging an expensive brand new bike. Plus if I realized I don't like riding(I know, crazy!) I am not out a bunch of cash, and I can sell the "L" for almost what I paid for it.

Now after a season of riding, I know I love it and am looking to add to the stable, with a big adventure bike. Nothing wrong with a "starter bike".

Just make sure it is comfortable and then ride the crap out of it.

Simple:
It's tall, like him.
It's single cylinder that can run hard as he learns and soft in the slower development of skills.
It has a track record that is hard to beet.
Easy maintenance, getting his hands dirty makes it easier all the way around.
Pricing, easy ti find price ranges he might need to stay in.
Just my $.02.
Ride Safe all, and please, ATGATT.
Greg

For a big strong guy I think at v-strom 650 can be a decent 1st bike. I wouldn't go any bigger or more powerful than that. A smaller bike would also be good if he feels comfortable on it.

I would not worry too much about the size of the engine being too big. Bigger (more cc) bikes are under-represented in accidents (according to the Hurt study. I know it is old, but I'm not sure we have anything more comprehensive). Big engines are usually tuned for torque over peak hp, which makes them easier to drive. Starting off with a small bike is way overrated. Having said that, learning the crazy stuff, like doing endless wheelies, was much easier to learn on the little bikes than the big ones!

"They will learn to control the moto without having to consciously think about every little input they make to the bike, and every little input the moto is making to them. They will learn to control the moto in widely-varying traction conditions, when the moto really may not want to be controlled. They can learn to do this before having to take the hazards of traffic into consideration.

Since they'll already be familiar with operating a motorcycle, they can then focus more of their conscious attention on safely navigating traffic, instead of conciously worrying about how to operate the clutch, throttle, shifter, brakes, and bar inputs properly, with regards to available traction and space, too. Bike operation can be a LOT more intuitive, as they can already have a GOOD and VARIED foundation with controlling the bike under even the poorest of traction conditions."

Mark these words as those spoken by a man of great perception and wisdom!