Bad guy Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 Hi,I'm just got my Ohio DMV motorcycle manual and will soon test for the temporary permit. I would welcome some opinions on a couple of things.- Should I go ahead and take the Basic Riding Course, having never operated a motorcycle, as Ohio seems to suggest, or would it be better to ride a little bit in order to have a basic skill level shifting gears and braking properly, before taking the course?- I've read many places that a 250cc bike is a good beginner bike. I have an opportunity to buy a Honda Shadow 750 at a good price, but I'm concerned that this might be too much bike for a beginner. I'm only 5'7" and 170 lbs.Any thoughts would be welcome.Bad guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magley64 Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 welcome!MSF is a great idea, even before buying a bike...Shadow 750 is probably okay, but you might want to try out the bikes they offer at the MSF before you buy, you might find you like the sport riding position better than the cruiser riding position...either way welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 the course is designed for people who have never operated a motorcycle, so you will be fine if you have never ridden at all before.the shadow is a pretty heavy bike. as a beginner you would hone your skills much better on something a little lighter.your first bike is not something you "grow into". you develop your skills on it. the first bike is to master basic riding skills, develop confidence and street survival strategies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jst2fst Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 Welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad guy Posted August 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 Thanks for the quick replies and the welcome messages. Looks like this will be an informative forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
namtugeoj Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 Welcome Bad Guy. I took the course and it gave me a fair amount of confidence to ride. I was looking at a 750 after the course being on a 250 but ended up getting a 1100 shadow. Took a bit to get use to weight wise/ power wise, but if your unsure then start slow and low and go up from there. Hone your skills as John suggested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad guy Posted August 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 Thanks. I'm a causious person, and I think that I'd like to start small and I can always upgrade in a couple years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grapesmuggler27 Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 Thanks. I'm a causious person, and I think that I'd like to start small and I can always upgrade in a couple years.NINJA 250 FTW, best selling bike would sell fast and great bike to hone your skills on. Take the MSF like others have stated its geared towards people who have never ridden before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snot Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 Welcome+1 on taking the MSF with no experiance (thats what I did)+1 for the Ninja 250 (i believe ther is one forsale on here too). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBBaron Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 (edited) Hi,I'm just got my Ohio DMV motorcycle manual and will soon test for the temporary permit. I would welcome some opinions on a couple of things.- Should I go ahead and take the Basic Riding Course, having never operated a motorcycle, as Ohio seems to suggest, or would it be better to ride a little bit in order to have a basic skill level shifting gears and braking properly, before taking the course?- I've read many places that a 250cc bike is a good beginner bike. I have an opportunity to buy a Honda Shadow 750 at a good price, but I'm concerned that this might be too much bike for a beginner. I'm only 5'7" and 170 lbs.Any thoughts would be welcome.Bad guyIf you are a confident bicycle rider and have driven a machine with a clutch (manual auto, tractor, etc) then the Basic Rider Course is a good place to learn to ride a motorcycle. Thats how I did it. A Shadow 750 is probably a good starting bike if you like cruisers. Its much lighter than the average cruiser and has reasonable power. Most of the 250cc cruisers are pretty limiting once you get comfortable riding though they are easier to learn on. Most of them do not have enough power if you want to get on the freeway. The 250cc sport bikes (CBR250R and Ninja 250) and dual sports (WR250r, klx250s, etc) are great bikes to start on. These have a little more power and speed for the size than the cruisers. If you buy used you can usually resell your first bike in a year or 2 for nearly what you paid for it. This is a great investment for starting out. I see so many new riders say they dont want to out grow their first bike to fast and have to upgrade. I dont get that. The small bikes are usually much cheaper than the larger models and if you get a used model you can resell when you are ready and then move up. By that point you are much more likely to have a better feel for what is important to you in a bike and be more confident and less likely to drop either of them.Welcome to OR.Craig Edited August 6, 2012 by CBBaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmanlyst Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 Like so many have said the MSF Basic Rider Course is a great way to go. I had no knowledge of how to ride a motorcycle other than it's manual like a car. I did my course September of 2011 and passed. The instructors are great not once did I feel like they were just rushing me through,and a big plus to taking the BRC if you pass you don't need to take the test unlike getting your permit and trying to learn on your own in empty parking lots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 ^ beat me to it. I was just about to add that experience with a clutch seems to be the single largest asset for new riders.My brother and I both learned to ride motorcycles in a parking lot in about 10 minutes, but we'd also had manual transmission cars as our daily drivers for 4+ years by then... It's not an apples-to-apples transition, but the vocabulary and theory are all the same. My wife had very minimal experience driving a manual transmission car and struggled during the MSF course. She did eventually pass, but she also wanted to quit halfway through the day on Saturday. If you're motivated to learn though, the MSF course is a very approachable means, and you don't have to worry about dropping their bikes...After that, buy the cheapest and smallest bike your ego will allow. Anything that runs is a good candidate for your first year. After that, buy the bike you really wanted. There is always a deal to be had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 II see so many new riders say they dont want to out grow their first bike to fast and have to upgrade. I dont get that. The small bikes are usually much cheaper than the larger models and if you get a used model you can resell when you are ready and then move up.yup. its important to remember, its your FIRST bike, not your last one.motorcyclists go through lots of bikes too... i mean hell, i have three in my garage right now, and ive owned about 5 more than that... i bet if you took a poll on here the majority of people have owned more than one motorcycle in their life... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drew95gt Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 Yes, take the rider course asap...you will learn a lot of basic skills to help you become a safe rider. As far as bikes, the 750 Shadow is not too powerful of a bike, but it is heavy. I would suggest finding a VLX600 Shadow or even a Rebel 250 (if you really want a cruiser) or something like that. I started on a Ninja 250 and it was a very forgiving bike. Keep in mind that you will more than likely drop your first bike at least once, so it is better to buy something used as a starter bike that way you don't feel as bad if something gets damaged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmutt Posted August 7, 2012 Report Share Posted August 7, 2012 +1 for the basic riding course+1 on getting an inexpensive, small caliber bike to learn onI was self-taught on dirtbikes as a kid, so my 1st street bike was easily adapted to as a teen. I'm only on my 3rd street bike in the last 20 years, but went thru 6 dirtbikes as a kid/teen. Its best to start on something you feel you can manage. 250 sportbikes are simpler to operate in my opinion due to better handling, lower center of gravity, and superior braking over cruiser style bikes. You can always change riding position with bar risers and drop pegs to encourage comfort if you find they dont suit your knees/shoulders/back. I think Ninja 500's or GS500F's are as good to learn on as 250 class bikes, but with some extra power and fuel capacity. Check out several bikes before you commit to be sure its the right bike for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad guy Posted August 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2012 Thanks to you all. Good advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted August 10, 2012 Report Share Posted August 10, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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