3 Tips To Help You Choose Your First Motorcycle

Posted on

You've been learning to drive a motorcycle and preparing to take the test for your motorcycle license. You are entering into a different type of freedom. But you should consider this beginner's guide before you choose your first motorcycle. 

1. Tires Matter

Before you set your eyes on a husky motorcycle with wide tires, you should know that wide tires do not give you much control. Most experts advise beginners to get a motorcycle that is lightweight with skinny to medium tires. The reason is the speed of your motorcycle determines how your tires will bounce off the ground.

Skinny tires have to carry more weight and do not need to touch the ground as much to gain traction because of their width. This gives you more control. Wide tires bounce more than thin tires and require a lot more space to gather enough traction, giving you less control over your bike.

Wide tires also make it harder for you to steer, so consider narrow tires if you are a beginner. 

2. Good Balance Makes a Safer Bike

You need to consider your motorcycle's center of gravity when you look for your first motorcycle. The key to buying your first motorcycle is balance. 

Talk to your motorcycle salesperson about making sure your bike's tires are equal distance to the center of your motorcycle. This will ensure that the traction between both tires is equal, because unequal traction means less control.

You also need to make sure the seat of your motorcycle sits right in the middle of the bike. In essence, the top of your head and your bike's tires should make a perfect triangle when you sit on it. 

3. Make Sure Your Bike Is the Perfect Fit

Your bike should not be too tall or too short. If your bike is too short, your bike will have poor ground clearance, which means a pothole can make you lose control of your motorcycle. A tall motorcycle takes care of the pothole issue, but also makes it easy for your bike to tip over, like when you turn a corner. 

You should also make sure you are able to lift your bike should it ever tip over. Try to lightly rock the motorcycle you are considering and see if you can handle the weight. Be sure to ask your motorcycle salesperson to help you with this step, because you do not want to drop the bike on the ground. 

Sit down on the motorcycle you are considering, and make sure you can reach the handles comfortably. You have to remember you will be holding on to those handles for a long time as you ride. And your wrist may strain if you can't reach the handles comfortably.

As you can see, choosing your first motorcycle does take a little forethought, and hopefully this guide helps you choose the right bike. For more information, contact Canyon Honda or a similar location.


Share