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hi guys, i've decided to hang on my truck for this winter. I'm thinking about getting a bike this spring or something.
1. i'm 20 years old right now. I'd like to obtain a license. Honestly i dont want to pay for drivers ed.... Is there anything i can do here inorder to obtain a motorcycle license?
2. How high is the insurances on motorcycles here? Right now i got state farm and my insurance is around 100 - 120 for my truck. (i have to look at the billing again. i have it auto pay in my bank.)
3. I know that some motorcycles has good gas and i've heard alot about em. Is there any certain ones i should look after? I'd really like the sport bikes, not the classic harley ones....
Thanks alot!
PS: i've never had accidents in the past and yes my insurance is still pretty high. I've been driving since i was 16 yrs old. I'm not looking for anything major, just something that's good on gas and something i can use for daily commute to college/work/home. So, any help/response would be much apprecited. I'm looking at buying in spring time before summer starts.
Well you have to take the Safety course if you want the License and it teaches you to ride as well. Your insurance on a 250 would probably be around $150-200 per year.
Well, is there a way i can avoid drivers ed? Because i've been riding dirt bikes since young age. right now i have a 2003 450f Yamaha. I did ride some 1100 bikes on the road and it was hella fun. Other than that i have basic, small amount of experience. Not that i'm a pro rider or anything, just that i have a good amount of experiance of riding on and off road. And I didnt want to bother another drivers ed. I got my drivers ed at 15 years old and got my license at 16 years old and it was about 450$ for drivers ed... I dont want to pay for another drivers ed when i'm capable and know how to ride a bike on the road.
Anyways, i'm wondering is there any ways i can advoid the drivers ed part? can i just walk into dmv and take a test or something?
i know when i got my lisence 28 years ago you could get a learners permit so you could get a feel of riding on the road. there were restrictions, like you couldn't ride on main highways , no after dark and no passengers. things like that. i would check at your local dmv where as laws vary from state to state. as far as a bike , i would start out on something small and work your way up from there. i started out on an on/off road bike. it was a 350. that way you can start out on something light and easy to hold up at a stop and balance...good luck..
I can't stress enough the importance of taking a safety class for your motorcycle. Please take it. You'll probably get a discount on your insurance too.
My husband decided to get his license renewed and took the class. He was recently in an accident and the hardheaded Jarhead didn't have a helmet on. He states the one thing he remember as he rolled down the road was the instructor saying "keep your head off the pavement."
We're Harley riders so I can't help you with crotchrocket details.
It depends on what state you are in. The MSF course is available in most states, they fill up fast, you are probably looking at getting on the waiting list for classes this year, or maybe sign up for next spring. The MSF course is no where near $450 to take, at least it's not that expensive in Washington State.
It's a statistical fact that riders who take the course crash less often than those who don't, in the first year or so of riding.
In WA, you *can* get a learner's permit after passing a written test, and can ride with certain restrictions (no passengers, not at night, not on freeway, like JFR said) You then have to pass a skills test, which is mostly riding around cones in a parking lot. This test is easier to take on a standard bike, a heavy tourer or a sportbike will make it hard for you. Depending on your actual state regs, you may need to ride a bike of a certain displacement or higher to be licensed to ride the larger bikes (at least previously if you took the test on a 250 Rebel in WA, you would be licensed only for bikes up to about 350 or 450cc - don't quote me on the exact sizes involved, in any case it's the rules in your own state that matter.
Insurance will be punishingly expensive for a male under 25 on a true sport bike. That's not really fair, but, in general, life ain't fair.
One well-supported bike that's fairly sporty is the just-discontinued Kawasaki 500cc twin. It's faired like a sport bike.
It would help to know where you are, what kind of environment (urban, rural) you will be riding in.
Get used to the idea that "box jockies" (car drivers) don't see you. Books have been written on this - IMHO part of the problem is the minimum required skill level to drive a car in the "land of the free" is *way* too low. In WA they basically only require limited visual acuity in one eye, FFS - anyway they don't see you, and even if the car driver is legally in the wrong, it's the biker that gets injured.
If you insist on dodging the MSF course, at least get your hands on David Hough's books on "Proficient Motorcycling" and read thoroughly. (Although if you read Brother Dave with full understanding, you'll probably change your mind and sign up for the course...)
I used to ride when I was in my teens but college forced me to give up the hobby for a while. Since you're a beginner I wouldn't recommend a bike any bigger than 500cc-600cc. Some say a 250cc is a good starter bike but the problem with having such a small bike is:
a) It may be very uncomfortable for someover over 6 feet tall
b) If you get yourself into trouble, you just can't twist the throttle and expect it to pick up a lot of speed in a short amount of time.
Cruiser's are much easier to handle and the insurance is a LOT cheaper than a sportbike. I'd take a good look at a used Honda Shadow (they can be picked up for dirt cheap). BUT if your heart is set on a crotch-rocket, the Kawasaki Ninja's are the best bang for the buck. Used Ninja's do maintain their value well so they may or may not be in your price range.
Here in VA, drivers ed is not required, but it does save you from having to take the road test at DMV for your Class M endorsement.
But, like everyone said, it's a damn good idea to take the course. Riding motorsickle is a dangerous deal as it is, training gives you a bit of an edge.
I own classic Harleys, but the older I get the less I ride...it's just too dangerous around here.
My first bike was a Ninja 250. Yeah, it is low power but it is a great bike if you are not too tall or heavy. And they are cheap. Around 2000. And as long as you don't dork up the bike you can sell it for what you bought it.
They just get passed from one beginner to the next.
And of course take the MSF class like others have said!
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happy riding
