Yamaha Motorcycle Accessory

First Motorcycle

What bike to buy if you are starting or returning to motorcycling

Introduction

This is a typical question I get: I'm getting my first motorcycle. Is the Honda VLX a good choice?

The short answer is that Yes, the VLX is a great first bike!

Because I have a Honda VLX web site, I get emails from quite a few women who, generally being shorter, are concerned about being able to get both feet flat on the ground. The "cruiser" style bikes have low seats. Some are only 26 inches from the ground. Seat height was a factor when I chose the VLX as my first bike.

Other cruisers from Suzuki and Yamaha are good alternatives. As of 2008, Honda has dropped the VLX from their line. I hear good things about the Yamaha V-Star line of bikes. I don't know much about the Harley Davidson Sportster, but given what little I do know, it is not my top recommendation. Factors that I weigh include: price and used bike availability, weight of the bike, clutch pull effort, smoothness of the transmission, reliability, and ride comfort.

Take the MSF

Everyone should take the MSF course. Learn to counter steer. I give the same advice to people who rode years ago and are returning to motorcycling. The motorcycling community has learned a lot about riding in the past 10 or 20 years. Some of the old assumptions are incorrect and dangerous. Better to take the MSF and learn (or re-learn) good habits.

Dropping your bike (and picking it up)

A major concern to most new riders is dropping your bike. This is going to happen, and for most of us, it can happen a few times in the first year. The amazing Carol "Skert" Youorski has a great web site including the recommended way to pick up a bike:

http://www.pinkribbonrides.com/dropped.html

There are many other good sites out there for women riders.

One big problem we all face is the dropped bike aka "the parking lot drop" or "low speed tip over". One thing you can do to avoid some problems is to point the bike straight before stopping. Even at walking speed, stopping while turning often causes a drop. Secure footing is another issue. Wearing good boots with lugged soles helps your footing. Gravel parking lots with pot holes are tricky. If one foot goes into a hole, you can drop the bike. Practice using the clutch in the friction zone. This will help you apply power smoothly which is important at low speeds. You might also practice using the rear brake at low speeds. I've heard that using the rear brake is less likely to cause a tip at low speeds. One problem with this practice is that your right foot won't be near the ground. Develop good stopping habits. At stop lights, always put your left foot down first. Downshift to first right before stopping, then left foot down. If you want to get into neutral, get stopped and balanced, then lift your left foot to shift the bike into neutral. Be aware of grease and oil in the street. There is always a greasy spot at interections, so you need to make sure that your left foot isn't going to slide.

When you have a drop, hit the kill switch to stop the engine, then follow Carol's advice. If you are in traffic, watch out for cars. People might come to help, and that can be a mixed blessing. Stay calm. Once you get the bike back up, it doesn't hurt to pull into a parking lot and give the bike a quick check. Some bikes might leak a little fuel when tipped over. Adjust mirrors, etc.

Is a used bike ok?

When buying a bike, used is good, and it is fine if the previous owner put a few dings in the bike. If the bike has a dent or two already, you won't feel so bad when you drop it. However, you want a mechanically sound bike that you can depend on in every situation. Loss of power or braking that might be inconvenient in a car can be very bad on a bike. If you have any doubts about your ability to get a good used bike, then go to your motorcycle dealer and get a new bike, or a pre-owned, mechanically perfect bike.

Get a well maintained bike, and if you aren't mechanical, get a friend or a bike shop to check out the bike. Key items are: tires, brakes (pads, shoes and fluid), chain, throttle and clutch cables, electrics, oil and filter, air filter. Bikes stored outside, even under a cover may have a small amount of water in the bottom of the fuel tank. There's no harm in having the tank drained (a siphon is easiest), refilling the tank, and adding some Chevron Techron fuel additive (absorbs some water, and helps clean varnish deposits in the fuel system). (Do not siphon gasoline with your mouth. Avoid sparks. Clean up any spills immediately. Don't breath gasoline vapor, and don't get gasoline on your skin.)

The VLX and similar cruisers in the 600 to 750 range have good power, decent brakes and low seats. Aftermarket accessories are somewhat lacking for the VLX, but you are likely to move on to another bike after a year or so. Resale values are good for the VLX, and that is important.

I recommend the VLX (and similar bikes) over a 250cc cruiser like the Honda Rebel because you'll be able to better choose your lane position on the VLX. In a bike like the VLX, horsepower is about moving smoothly with traffic.

What if I don't want a cruiser-style bike?

Not everyone wants a cruiser. Summer of 2008 I rode a friend's 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250. It was an impressive bike. The seat was low enough that I easily reached the ground (I'm 5' 8"). The power is good for a beginner. Brakes and handling are excellent. The Ninja 250 is good beginner bike. In fact, my friend bought it as his first bike.

In November of 2008 I rode the Suzuki V-Strom 650 (DL650). This bike is very, very nice. Great riding position (ergonomics), smooth engine (almost no vibration), decent power, good brakes. I wasn't able to flat-foot with both feet, but I was close. The V-Strom 650 is probably a little tall for most beginners. I am able to push the bike backwards without getting off. Being able to back a bike out of parking spaces is a key test for me. I only rode the V-Strom 650 about 10 miles, but I was very impressed.

Suzuki uses the same engine in the SV650, and the SV has a lower seat height than the V-Strom. I haven't ridden an SV, but people rave (in the good way) about this bike.

Yamaha has the FZ6. The FZ6 is 650cc, transverse 4 cylinder engine. Seating is upright and comfortable. Reviewers complain about the clutch grabbing a little bit, and comment that the engine is slightly buzzy.

BMW has the F650 series of bikes. These are comfortable, sophisticated, and well suited to beginners. Low seat and low suspension options are available. Price is a little higher than some brands, although good used bikes are available. Many BMW dealers are happy to let you take a test ride. BMW bikes are available with nice options such as ABS, heated hand grips, hard luggage, electric sockets, and even tire pressure monitors. Most manufacturers' factory options cost more than after market, but quality is generally higher.

What size bike should I get?

Many people wonder: How big is too big? "Big" means several things in a motorcycle. First is sheer weight. Cruisers can easily top 700 pounds. That's a lot of bulk. Normally the bike is balanced, but in some parking situations the bike can tip. However, when you are moving, weight is much less of an issue. Even the smallest person can manuever a moving bike. This is the skill known as "counter steering" and is vital. Big also means tall or a long reach to the handle bars. Most of us like to have both feet on the ground when we stop. Long reach to the bars is a problem due to fatigue.

The other meaning of "big" is horsepower. This is more a matter of control and restraint. Until you develop your riding skills, it is best to be on a less powerful bike. Less power means you are less likely to use too much throttle. Mostly this is a concern in curves. You don't want to go faster than your skills and the bike's ability allow. Both are possible, although most single-vehicle bike accidents are caused by rider error. Often the bike was more than capable of getting through a turn, but the rider panicked, or made a mistake and crashed.

In theory, a 90 HP or 150 HP bike will be fine, but in practice you are better off on a bike with 40 HP or 60 HP. The Honda VLX has 40 HP. That is still plenty of power to get you in trouble. In a straight line start from a stop light, the VLX is faster than most cars on the road (up to about 60 mph). The same is true of the Kawasaki Ninja 250 (which is closer to 25 HP).

Gear you need

When you start riding, you'll discover you need more than a motorcycle. You'll need helmet, gloves, riding pants, jacket, and boots. Helmet is obvious. Get a helmet that fits. Especially try on the helmet and be aware of "hot spots" where the helmet puts pressure on a small area of your skull. After a few minutes a pressure point can create a painful headache. Don't worry about safety. "Motorcyclist" magazine tested helmets and the winner was a $75 helmet. Snell ratings are apparently over rated, so any Snell and/or DOT helmet is probably fine. Read the Motorcyclist review. Your pick should be related to comfort, fit, and build quality. Sadly, the only helmet I can wear is Arai. It sounds crazy, but nothing else comes close to fitting. I'm on my second Arai, and it is easily the most comfortable thing I own. Also the most expensive piece of clothing or gear I own. Lots of people go with HJC, Fulmer, KBC as well as the premium brands like Arai and Shoei. I've heard great reviews of other brands too.

Jacket, pants and boots protect you in case of a spill. Your first year of riding is your most dangerous, so the first year is when you should wear All The Gear All The Time (ATGATT). A small slide in full gear can leave you with nothing but bruises. The same slide in jeans (or heaven forbid: shorts) could send you to the local Prompt Care or ER for treatment of some very painful and messy road rash. ATGATT is good.

Ditto gloves. Especially gloves. Get good ones. Also check the fit by squeezing handle bars for a few minutes. I have found that squeezing the grips pushes my fingers and thumb into the glove cots. That gets to be really uncomfortable after 45 minutes on the bike.

Ankle injuries are very common from even a minor spill or drop. Always wear boots that are above the ankle. You also want good, solid footing. If you bike starts tipping over in a parking lot, you need solid footwear to brace and prevent a drop.

You'll need earplugs. Wind noise is both loud and high frequency and will quickly cause hearing damage. Don't end up like me with constant tinnitus. (My original damage was from power tools). I've got fairly loud ringing in my ears all day and all night. It was preventable. There are a wide variety of ear plugs, so something will work for you. Aerostitch (and others I'm sure) have a "variety pack" of ear plugs.

http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/index.html

Commuting and groceries

Once you've got a two wheeled ride it makes sense to ride to work and run errands around town. For many trips a backpack is fine, but if you commute much you'll want luggage. There are leather and leather-look-alike side cases for most cruisers. Soft luggage is available for nearly every bike. Larger, removable hard cases are nice. Givi and factory options are generally water tight. Between two of the larger BMW side cases and a 50 liter Givi top case, I could get 3 or 4 bags of groceries on my bike.

Accessory availablity varies from bike to bike. BMW generally has the best availablilty of hard luggage and many used BMWs already have cases. Givi makes racks and cases for many popular bikes. Sadly, it can be tricky to put cases on my beloved Honda VLX. A visit to the web site of online suppliers like Twisted Throttle will give you a good idea what is available for your bike.



Ride safe and have fun!