Sport bikes aren't a good look for guys our age. Also, not the most practical, even for casual riding. You might want to consider a hybrid style, or even something leaning in the cruiser direction.

I came across this the other day, and if I were in the market again it would probably be my first stop. Available next month, price point $12k-ish.

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The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W

If you're good on a bike I think it will go a long way to helping you make that transition, but if you haven't been on a motorcycle before, riding lessons and a rider safety course are probably an excellent idea.

I grew up on BMX bikes and rode an 80cc dirt bike for a few years, then picked up triathlon at age 30. My bike handling skills were excellent because of my familiarity with bikes as a kid. When I bought my first motorcycle (1200cc) at age 40, it was the first time I'd ridden in over 30 years. It felt like I'd never stopped riding, and after a day, I was totally comfortable in the basic mechanics and dynamics of operation. That muscle memory goes a long way, though there's no way to know for you without climbing on.

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The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W

I have good road bike and mtb skills, am a very good downhill skier and i had never been on a bike till my late twenties early 30's

First day was on a 125 and i was all over the place. The whole clutch and gears left side. Brakes right side had me all messed up

Day 2 on a 125 it improved

Day 3 on to a 500

Day 4 on 500 and day before test (uk test is 45-60 minute ride on all road types plus theory)

Following my test i did an advanced rider course under police supervision. About 18-24 hours all about; information, position, speed, gear and acceleration

I have spent the last 6-7 years riding off road

Just back on the road on a f800gs

I have about 2k miles on it since i bought it in early june

I ride it primarily on mountain roads

I am still a bit freaked out by cornering. See my post on trusting your rubber

That said. The bike has twin front discs. ABS. Traction control (off a fashion) and really really shit suspension

I have not found that being willing to descend in the alps on a road bike on 25mm tires at 60mph translates to descending round corners on a motorbike with large tires. They are very different beasts

I have found that (i literally found the videos at the same time someone on here recommended them) that the moto gymkhana videos - especially the police ones are really informative because low speed brake / gas / clutch control is the key

I still lack confidence in corners but given two of the top 5 causes of bike accidents are running out of road in to left and right handers being overly cautious may not be such a bad thing



I love the TT but i lack the balls to engage in this kind of late braking

I just found an old copy of roleur (as i moved house and at the risk of being told to take this to the other forum). Robert millar had a column at the back. Paraphrasing it. He wpuld see a neighbour mtb'ing once a week. One week he see's the neighbour get a new road bike and out on the road passes him on a descent. He waits and waits but the bloke doesnt show up. Eventually he sees him in his garage at his house and pops in to ask him how the road biking is going. The guy says he is selling it. He is to scared of being on thin tires on the road

Millar notices pictures from the TT and asks about it. The bloke says he raced it solo for 10 years and clocked a 100mph lap.

Thats the diffeence in viewpoints on risk. Riding the TT on a motorbike at 100 is lesa scary to some than descending on a road bike whereas on a mtb, skis or a roadbike i am happier going faster than on the moto.

Partly its a confidence thing and i've set myself the goal of 5k miles this summer on local roads.

Riding a bike was the best thing i've done as an adult for leisure. My parents still hate it and i am 43 but the freedom is exhilarating

I love it

Speak for yourself! Just got my Ninja 300 last year and I look bad ass on it. 46 years young and all. Love that Indian though.
I did find being able to balance on the motorcycle was easier for me than the rest of the class I was with. I attribute that to my biking. What I found really interesting though was the cornering and turning on the motorcycle. People always said to steer left to go right and I never quite understood how that worked. After being on a motorcycle and really feeling how that works, I am much better on my bicycle in corners now.
If I had to do it again, I wouldn't have bought the Ninja as I only use it for commuting.

I'm with sphere - as much as I love the sound, looks and performance of sport bikes, I was fairly certain that I'd feel like a doofus on one (I'm 50). Besides, the thought of having my boys jammed up against the tank wasn't all that appealing. I opted for a sport/touring bike - sporty enough looking & sounding, but with a more upright riding position (much more comfortable for my neck & back, and most definitely for the boys). Also has removable hard cases, so I can load it up when the need arises. I can't for the life of me get a pic to post, but here's a link (that may or may not work)

http://s107.photobucket.com/...588f01c.jpg.html?o=3


I got my first bike, a late-80's Suzuki GS850, in grad school and just loved to go out and ride around the quiet roads of central PA. Had no way to move it when I graduated, so I had to sell, but maintained my M class license because I knew I'd get another someday. While I'll admit to being mostly a fair-weather rider, it's a real treat to hop on and head out for a nice hour or two on the weekend and it can make my commute to/from work a ton more enjoyable.


I wouldn't say that cycling skills will help a ton on a motorcycle, but being used to handling a 2-wheeled vehicle is at least something. Also, being able to drive a manual trans car does help somewhat, in that you 'get' how the clutch/shift/gas interaction works - it's just that things are in different places on a motorcycle. Once you get comfortable with the location & function of the controls it becomes alot more enjoyable. Taking the safety class is a fantastic idea - and as a bonus, you might get a discount on insurance as well as learning some skills. And don't forget to invest in decent gear - I can't imagine going out on the road without gearing up - too many bad and distracted drivers out there.

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"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare" - Juma Ikangaa

http://www.litespeed.com

I ride a '95 Honda American Classic. I told my wife I was thinking of changing to a Kawasaki Concours. She called me grandpa. Though I don't think I care any more what people think.

To the OP. I had ridden bikes my whole life and a moped into the ground in my teens. I've driven a lot of different things with manual transmission. It took me less than an hour to get comfortable. My wife nearly killed herself coming out of the driveway the first time, then got comfortable in a couple hours

My wife's story is actually why I really recommend starting on an easy to ride bike. I bought a Rebel 125 for $1000. I rode it for a few weeks, she rode it for a few weeks, then I sold it for $1000. Now I want two to throw in the back of the pickup to take on vacation.

First time out, she tried to brake, rolled the throttle fully open, went careening down the shoulder almost into the ditch, full on superman position. Got to the corner, she was busting up laughing. On a bigger bike she would have been in the field, dropped the bike and gotten hurt.

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

Like others have said, start with something small. Crotch rockets are a bad idea. If you want something sporty, but still be able to go places and take your SO along, check into an older Honda ST1100 or current ST1300.

Newer bikes have linked front/rear brake; even if you're holding just the front brake lever it balances the brake between F/R.

Here I am on my current ride, Harley Road Glide Ultra, leaving for 3000 mile round trip to Key West back in March (when it was cold, hence being all bundled up)....

Came out sideways but you get the gist...[/img]

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I miss YaHey

Definitely recommend starting off smaller sized so you can get some experience without 1) scaring yourself and 2) binning an expensive bike. It only takes a small twist of the throttle by mistake and dumping the clutch and any sports bike can have you either on your backside watching your new toy flip over or have you heading straight for something hard and immovable! Gain experience and skills on something you don't mind scratching up - you will put the bike down at some point - then when you are ready move up to something you really want. Riding motorbikes was some of the most fun times I have had (at least in the UK and Europe) - unfortunately it's been awhile for me as I believe the life expectancy for a motorcyclist in Houston is measured in hours not years!

Also sometimes the biggest bike is not the most fun, my bike history (CB360, CX500, CBR400, CBR900, VFR800, R6) and to be honest maybe some of the most fun times where on the CBR400 because you could really use all the power while on the CBR900 and R6 unless on the track you had to hold back, or go to jail.

Oh - and invest in good gear, helmets, gloves, boots, and leathers - see the first part of my post - you will go down even if slowly and good gear will mean you get back up.

Appreciating the advice guys.
My girlfriend is interested in one as well, so if I do it I'll pass my starter bike in to her once I get comfortable.
I definitely want a sport bike like a CBR though. My buddy is my age and he has a Yamaha R6 that's all modded for the track. He had an R1 before it but he said it was way too much bike and he is damn good at riding.

Im 42 been riding / racing motocross for 25 years but lways liked street bikes . Rode many but never owned. Yamaha vmax was one of my faves. The roads in my area are just boring and dangerous for riding (straight , lots of lights,traffic). That being said , A client offered me his 05 ninja 250 for a small job on his property, I basically ended up with it for around $300 bucks. The bike literally looked like it did at the show room, just needed a battery. I gotta tell ya , This bike is an absolute blast. Its not fast enough to be dangerous, its super nimbal , quiet and doesn't feel like a crotch rocket. Riding position is pretty neutral. In the past I would chuckle at guys on small displacment machines and would have never pictured my self on one . Now I could care less . I love my ninja 250! I can handle any size bike but I'll probably never sell this thing.

That's the exact bike I want to get.

The Concours makes you a grandpa? That's a sharp bike. It's not like you're looking at a Gold Wing - or, dare I say...a trike.

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"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare" - Juma Ikangaa

http://www.litespeed.com

Just started riding after being away for forty years. In my case I wanted something retro British so picked up a 535cc Royal Enfield Continental GT. My next bike will probably be a Triumph Thruxton.

I think small crotch rockets are actually better choices than big cruisers for a first bike. An 800 lb 1400cc Harley is a pig to park or in tight spaces. I shake my head at inexperienced older riders buying big Harley's as a first bike because they want to look the part and play weekend 1%er. If you want a cruiser style as a first bike purchase something like a Yamaha 650 Vstar. My wife purchased one and its a very nice first bike as she had no previous experience.

My other advice is don't ride like a squid. This is a term for people who ride with no protection. Bubble wrap yourself will a full face helmet, gloves. armored riding jacket and pants as well as riding boots. If you're in an accident, you won't regret it. Plus the ventilated clothing is actually comfortable on hot days.

Like you are already thinking, start with a smaller bike and work up. Take one of those group classes. You probably don't "need" it, but it will be worth it. Myself, I don't put much stock into bicycle skills carrying over to motorcycles.

My first motorcycle was a Suzuki JR50... then a Honda 125... and so on. My current "old man" ride is a Yamaha 650 V-Star with over 50,000 miles. That's a lot of saddle-time. I've never gotten into the street/sport bikes. I like the looks of them and have rode a few. I've also had friends get severely injured and even killed on them because they didn't respect the power of the bike, or got hit by car drivers who didn't pay attention, or stupid deer run right into them. These things can happen with smaller bikes and cruisers too of course. But the street bikes just beg to be revved and ridden hard. (or street bike riders are bigger risk-takers)

Riding is a blast. But respect the bike. I've seen way too many good bike handlers push the limits. I've attended some funerals for friends that thought they knew their shit. Ride like an old man and keep your family in mind. :)

I got a 2000 Suzuki SV-650 that I had for about 6 months in 2015. Had never owned/ridden a motorcycle before but have been a competitive cyclist since 2003 or so. I do think a lot of things transferred over: increased situational awareness (everyone not you is trying to kill you), and maybe a better understanding of the physics of 2 wheeled riding (although a 500lb motorcycle is very different than a 20lb push bike). The clutch was pretty easy to figure out, although I messed up gear selection a few times (neutral was sort of hard to find at first). That being said, it was boat loads of fun. I never used it for anything too crazy, I would sometimes go cruise the local bike routes but I usually just commuted a day or two a week. Never got into carving roads, I saved that for my bicycle. The risk reward was not a good ratio in my mind.

A 650cc didn't feel like "too much" although it was hella fast. Crazy that my $2500 moto could stomp on basically any car up to about a GTR ($120k).

You'd have to be into bobbers the same way that I think cafe racers are the coolest bikes. They're both cult areas in the bike world, along with choppers and probably none are a good recommendation as a first bike for most people. I sat on a Triumph Bonneville bobber a couple of weeks ago in the showroom. Would give this bike good competition, but I'd be more into a Triumph Thruxton or Street Cup since I'm a cafe racer wannabe guy. But this Indian really does look cool.

Get a rocket if you want one. I had a CBR 1000 RR I sold when I was getting divorced. Lawyer bills add up! Have to give the bike respect. That's what will keep you upright. Don't be stupid, or the bike will lay you down.

You could start with a 600 I think. Just take a motorcycle safety course first. It's worth it.