Want to ride ,never have before, where to start?

[Scott Brady]

Some good advice here. If you have the coin, look at the previous generation F650GS. It is perfect for your inseam and a very reliable moto. It handles well and get 60+ mpg. Brian on this forum rode one through all of the tough bits of the Trans-America Trail. It will also hold its resale value quite well, allowing you to upgrade later.

Where do you want to take it?

 

[goodtimes]

Plenty of reasonable advice that reflects the riding styles of those offering it . . . I'll add mine.

Don't be scared of 650cc bikes - but be respectful of them. If you are the type to push everything to the limit or can't get your body to do what your mind tells it to do (target fixation, etc), you probably want to start smaller - but if you don't have the urge to run wide-open all the time, have a firm mental control of your body and the ability to quickly process information and get your body to react to it, you are probably all right with a bigger bike on your first go-round. Only you can answer those questions, and you need to be honest with yourself, otherwise you can end up in lots of trouble (and pain).

Bikes are dirt cheap right now. You can pick up any number of small dual sports for under a grand. If you don't like it, sell it. You're going to end up doing that anyway, so just get used to it now. Unless you're like me - then you just buy them and stack them up in the back yard. Word of caution though: avoid bikes that don't have clean titles. It's just another hassle to deal with.

The MSF course was mentioned. Good place to start, but remember, it's only a start. Practice the drills every now and then, it will help you stay on top of your game. When the time comes, take a course from someone like Jim Hyde. It isn't cheap, but it's a great value if you want to really learn how to handle a big bike in the dirt.

Gear: Buy it, use it. Riding gear does no good when it is hanging in the closet. It's expensive, but not nearly as expensive as skin grafts. Helmets are *really* expensive - but not as expensive as a funeral. Remember, it's not just your actions that will kill you - it is the actions of all those cell-phone using drivers that are surrounding you.

Riding a motorcycle is kinda like traveling in Mexico - it's fun, it's relaxing, and not nearly as dangerous as everyone around you would like you to believe -- IF you go in with your eyes open & take the proper precautions.

 

[JackW]

I'm a bit older and started riding many, many years ago - learned to ride on bikes that were tiny by today's standards (50cc Suzuki, 65cc Honda, 160cc Honda and the BIG 305cc Honda). We had a lot of fun riding these small bikes with horsepower numbers well under 30 HP. For dirt riding you really want something light and easy to get both feet down on when your straddling the bike on a steep side sloping hill. For today's beginning rider I think the perfect size bike is around 250cc - a Yamaha XT225 or Honda 230 will entertain you for at least a year and you'll have enough power to commute and take nice rides up country roads. A friend of mine rode the eastern portion of the TAT last year on an XT225 and never had a problem keeping up with the bigger bikes in the group (dirt is a great equalizer and weight is not your friend). These size bikes are great for learning the basics and even might be enough to satisfy you for a very long time.

To me the pefect displacement for pure off road riding is around 300cc - I have lust in my heart for a Husqvarna TE310 - even a 450 can have too much punch in many situations. The Suzuki DR400 is a great all around ADV style bike - read some of the trip reports on www.advrider.com - probably would be my choice for a cross country mount and I really like the F650GS BMW but I wouldn't get one as a first bike.

Go get an XT225, good riding gear (and wear it EVERY time) and take the MSF course - you'll love how easily you'll get through the course while watching other new riders struggle with their Harleys and over powered crotch rockets. Once you get some experience you'll figure out which bike is best for you.

 

[Wander]

Where do I want to go....great question. I want to take the quiet roads and stop at tiny BBQ shacks, I want to ride the desert and attempt to capture the Alpenlight on film that Galen Rowell blew me away with, I want to take the cross county trip that I passed on when I was 18 for a summer job (dumb choice!), pretty similar to those here and on ADV just getting a late start. I see an ADV bike as similar to the 64 Land Rover Series IIa I had in that when you slowed down and travel for the journey and not the destination the result was so much better.

Speaking of courses, I see BMW offers some at the SC facility, how is the feedback? It looks like it would be a good "advanced" course to take after taking the MSF course and getting some miles in.

 

[mutt550]

I've been riding since I was 8, started on a good ol Honda Z50. Anyway I too suffer from short legs, I'm about 5'6-7" (depending on the day) I have about a 29" inseam. I've had several big thumpers and with some getting used to can be comfortable to ride, you just gotta get used to scooting the ol butt check off the side when putting a foot down. Yeah I said a foot not both...lol But anyway you can alway work over the seats, lower the suspension etc. I do suggest if you do get a big thumper get one with e start. When your short it really suck kick starting the big monsters:Wow1: I just sold a KLR 650 last year was a great bike and I wish I had it back. But when gas got high I panic bought a friends wife's KLR 250 to ride back and forth to work on. Altho the little KLR is kick start only it is one of the most fun bikes I've ever owned, easy to kick start, fun to ride, and very easy to work on, hell it will even start and run with a dead battery. So after my rattling around this post I say get out and test ride and don't count out some of the small cc bikes, some have shorter seat height the KLX250sf has a seat height the same as my little KLR which is around 33". Yeah I know it's a supermoto but put some good tires on it you have a very nice e start bike with lot of goodies on the aftermarket. I love the looks of the WR250X but it has a seat height of 35" as does the DRZ supermotto. Yeah I kinda digg the fat tires of the sm's. I say search around find a KLR250 (cheap and used) ride the crap out of it and then decide from there. Hell I change my mind weekly what bike I want next....that's part of the motorcycle illness you are about to catch. Enjoy life and ride hard!!!!!

 

[SEREvince]

Haven't been on here in a while, but this thread is me a few months ago.

I'm 36 5'9" with a 31"ish inseam 200lbs. Never rode before and decided to give it a shot.

I ended up with a WR250R and have been having an absolute blast! I get a laugh from my friends every now and then, cuase I go ALL OUT with my safety gear. Pressure suit, MC specific boots, and pants, etc. I look like Mad Max climbing on a 250. lol I've talked to several new riders lately and the universal response has been " I wish I had bought a 250!". All of them have been somewhat intimidated by the larger bikes. My bike is small, light, and well armored. When I drop it I can pick it up and it's unlikely that anything vital or expensive will be damaged.

I had about a hour of seat time before I took the MSF BRC. I managed not to drop the bike and pass the first time through! Lol Actually had a great time.

Hope you find the right bike and enjoy it as much as I have!

Cheers

Vince

 

[Wander]

Haven't been on here in a while, but this thread is me a few months ago.

I'm 36 5'9" with a 31"ish inseam 200lbs. Never rode before and decided to give it a shot.

I ended up with a WR250R and have been having an absolute blast! I get a laugh from my friends every now and then, cuase I go ALL OUT with my safety gear. Pressure suit, MC specific boots, and pants, etc. I look like Mad Max climbing on a 250. lol I've talked to several new riders lately and the universal response has been " I wish I had bought a 250!". All of them have been somewhat intimidated by the larger bikes. My bike is small, light, and well armored. When I drop it I can pick it up and it's unlikely that anything vital or expensive will be damaged.

I had about a hour of seat time before I took the MSF BRC. I managed not to drop the bike and pass the first time through! Lol Actually had a great time.

Hope you find the right bike and enjoy it as much as I have!

Cheers

Vince

Thanks Vince, what else did you look at and how did you decide on the WR?

 

[Scott Brady]

KLR650 would also be a great bike

 

[Cabrito]

As the title says I'm a total newb to motorcycles but I'd love to do an adventure ride in 5 or so years. Where do you start as a 40 year old father to learn to ride and eventually get to the point that you can handle a big ADV type bike.

Five years gives you a nice long time to learn how to ride pretty much any bike. I'd also recommend taking a rider course. Another thing to consider is to get some long term health insurance so your family isn't burdened with your care if you end up in a bad accident.

all of the ADV type bikes I see look really tall and I see there are several saddle heights listed on the sites but the shortest I see is about 33 inches, what does someone with a 30 inch inseam do to be able to put down their feet at a light?

I'm only 5'6 with about a 29" inseam and I've been riding bikes that are too big for me for 30 years now. It's something you get used to. You pretty much just count on only having one solid foot down at a time. Or you tippy-toe it with both feet. Boots help, and some bikes have a few lowering options. Seat heights can be lowered to help a bit. Mostly you just get used to it. I have a lowered seat on my KLR and that helps quite a bit, but I can still only tippy-toe it with both feet.

Get some good riding gear too.

Good luck with whatever you decide, and be careful!

 

[dhackney]

I've ridden or owned most of the bikes mentioned here. I've ridden an unknowable number of street miles, at least 20,000 miles off-road and have ridden on six continents, from single track to freeways, through all conditions, solo and two-up.

There's been a lot of great advice in this thread. I won't repeat it, but I will point out a few comments that I have found to not be true in those >40 years of riding.

- 2 Up on dirt: My wife and I have ridden many miles off-road two-up on medium size (DRZ400) and big (GS1150A) bikes. To ride off-road two-up, you both need to be able to stand up on the pegs together. (I know your wife doesn't plan to ride, but others will find this thread)

- ABS on 1st bike: You need to learn to ride the bike without artificial aids. Our GS has ABS, but I would never put one of our kids, or anybody else, on an ABS bike as their learning experience.

- Big early: Big, heavy, high center of gravity, large capacity, high seat height, lots of complexity, expensive to repair, etc. are all the enemy of learning to ride and having a good time doing it.



General goodness that I will reinforce and add to:

• Do not get on a bike without excellent riding gear. Buy it all and wear it all. Every time.
• Take an MSF course.
• Street riding is about the other vehicles.
• Cars turning left in front of you will kill you. They kill most of the motorcyclists killed in two vehicle accidents.
• Assume that no one driving any other vehicle on the street sees you. You are invisible to them.
• Get a high beam headlight flasher for your street licensed bike(s). Put one on every bike you ride on the street.
• Being conspicuous is a Very Good Thing. You will increase your life span significantly by wearing brightly colored gear on the street.
• Learn to ride wherever you can. But, you will learn to ride on the dirt. Learning to ride in the dirt will make you a much better street rider.

Starting out:

• Start with a bike that is small enough to stand up and let go. Literally. You'll have a lot more fun and it will be a lot easier to pick up.
• Definitely buy a used bike. Buy something that is already scratched and dented so you don't go through the trauma of putting those on a pristine bike.
• Buy an electric start bike. It will make you a *much* better rider on the dirt. (Make sure any electric start dual sport or dirt bike you buy has a kick start kit on it.)
• Start small. Think 200 or 250. A 350/400 class dual sport bike can be intimidatingly tall and top heavy. Get something small, light and low. While you're learning, being able to put both feet down, especially in rocks, is a Very Good Thing.
• Concentrate on having fun. When you are learning, you will be overloaded with thinking about what you are doing, what you need to do next and what you don't know how to do. The fun starts when you don't have to think so much. The more you add on top of the early learning experience (weight, high center of gravity, high seat height, big trips, intermediate or expert trails, deep sand, silt, luggage, farkles, gear, electronics, cameras, passengers, etc.) you will delay the fun factor. Start with very little. Start with very small rides. Get to the point of fun, fast. Then add little bits, a little at a time.
• Ride with some experienced riders who are patient and who remember what it was like to be a beginner. Guys who roost you and disappear into a cloud of dust are of no help to you. You'll learn more from a patient, experienced rider who puts in some miles and long days with you than any book, video, posts, blogs or ego-challenged hotshot can ever teach you.

Next steps:

• Stand up. Riding off-road is about riding up on the pegs. When you stand up, you lower the center of gravity of the bike dramatically.
• Loosen up. Loosen your grip on the bars. If you feel your arms pumping up or your shoulders and neck getting tight then you are death-gripping the bars. Holding on tighter will not avoid going down. Loosen your grip and let the bars float around in sand, silt and soft surfaces.
• Find some mud (no problem in your area) and some sand (look for sand bars in the rivers) and go ride there. This is why you got a small, light bike, because you are going to pick it up a lot. Stay up on the pegs. In the sand, attack every corner, meaning stick your front wheel in and then whack the throttle to rock the weight of the bike back onto the rear wheel and pivot the bike around the corner. Crash. Pick up. Ponder. Repeat.
• Learn to steer the bike with your hips and the throttle. You'll understand what I mean when it happens.
• Get comfortable with both ends of the bike sliding in a corner. (This is one of the many ways learning to ride the dirt makes you a better street rider.)

Always:

• Remember there are two types of riders: Those who have been down and those who will go down.
• Pavement is very hard and it hurts.
• It's not the crash that hurts, it's the sudden stop at the end.
• Look where you want to go. If you focus on that rock/pothole/wet manhole cover you want to avoid, you will hit it. Look where you want to go and you will go there.
• All the important controls are in your right hand.

And, most importantly:

• It's not about the bike; it's about the experiences.

I look forward to riding with you someday.

Doug

 

[goodtimes]

Those are some good points Doug.

I don't agree with all of them 100% - but that's what keeps the world interesting, right? :ylsmoke:

(see my earlier post for my thoughts).


I do want to add emphasis to the last point you made though: it really is all about the experience. The bike is just the means to an end. People can sit around and argue about big vs small, thumper vs boxer vs parallel twin vs triple till the cows come home, and they would all still lose to the guy on the $100 rat-bike that actually goes somewhere cool.

 

[M1Jeep]

Well put, Doug!

 

[Deleted member 9101]

I suggest something in the 250-400 area.

Best advice ever.. stare small.. work your way up.. in the end you will be a much better rider.

As for my favorite motto: I would much rather sweat all day than bleed for a second... ie please wear your gear.

 

[SEREvince]

Thanks Vince, what else did you look at and how did you decide on the WR?

I really wanted a BMW 650 :drool:. I also looked at the KLR. It came down to the style of riding I planned on. I don't intend on hours of highway riding. I plan on spending the majority of time off road.

I also looked hard at cost of repairs, reliability etc. Having never rode offroad before, I planned on dropping the bike (often actually) :bike_rider: How expensive are the plastics, or bits and pieces likely to be damaged when it goes down. My bike is well armored. I can go down in the dirt with little fear of any damage. The service intervals on the WR are epic. There is no carb to futz with, no doohicky (KLR) achiles heel. It just goes.

I commute on my bike, I cruise 65mph GPS indicated no problem with stock gearing. At that speed it still has plenty left. I'll never be able to cruise forever at 75+ with the bigger bikes, but I'm ok with that. If you want that the WR is NOT the bike you are lookig for.

Lastly I really looked hard at seat height. I wanted to feel secure on my first bike. All of the more capable offroad bikes are just plain TALL in stock form. I came to realize that height for most bikes is a very adjustable metric. First, once you adjust the suspension it may sag out enough under your weight to make you happy. If you need lower there are lower seats, lowering links and probably a couple other tricks out there to get it to where you want it. There are several short ladies flat footing the WR with lowering links and aftermarket seats.

Cheers

Vince

 

[goodtimes]

Lastly I really looked hard at seat height. I wanted to feel secure on my first bike. All of the more capable offroad bikes are just plain TALL in stock form. I came to realize that height for most bikes is a very adjustable metric. First, once you adjust the suspension it may sag out enough under your weight to make you happy. If you need lower there are lower seats, lowering links and probably a couple other tricks out there to get it to where you want it. There are several short ladies flat footing the WR with lowering links and aftermarket seats.

Cheers

Vince

A note on seat height:

Comparing seat heights by looking at the advertised number won't give you an accurate picture of how tall the bike will *feel*.

My 800GS has a seat height of just under 34", and my Husaberg is just shy of 38" - but I can get just as much foot on the ground with the 'berg as I can with the BMW. Why? The Husaberg seat is about 1/3 the width of the BMW seat.

On the Husaberg, I'm straddling a 2x4 that is 38" off the ground, on the BMW, I'm straddling a barcalounger that is 34" off the ground . . . so don't go off of the seat height alone - look at how wide the seat is, too.