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Question:

I wanna get a motorcycle, but I've never ridden before. Where should I start?

I'm 22 years old, and recently decided with the gas crunch and the fact that I don't really need a full size car, that a motorcycle would be the best bet for me. Problem is, I've never ridden before, and know next to nothing. Where should I start? I was thinking that I should just buy a cheap bike and learn, but I'm not sure. Any advice is welcome. :)

Answer:

start out with a class , they usually will provide a bike to learn on to get you rolling. from there you could spend the money on a smaller bike while you're still in the learning phase, just tool around in an open area and practice your turning and stopping so you get used to how the bike responds to your own movement. once you get comfortable riding in that controled atmosphere, go ahead and hit some streets, (with light traffic and at least a permit for obvious reasons.)
Start with a local motorcycle safety course. They are offered throughout the country and provide the bike to teach you the basics. You don't need to know anything, they will start from scratch and provide very good instruction. In many states, successful completion of the course allows you to skip the riding portion of getting your endorsement. After that, buy a smaller used bike, good (SAFE) protective gear and spend A LOT of time in a parking lot of a local school or vacant parking lot where you can rehearse what you've learned in the class. When I got my first bike, I would ride a 1/2 mile to an rarely used industrial park to practice. I'd ride all afternoon, practicing starting, stopping, right left turns from a stop, emergency braking (scary at first), and making full-lock figure eights without putting my foot down. After a few days, I felt comfortable enough to challenge some secondary roads. Boy, that was the time. I remember the first time I got up to 40mph and felt like I was going 100mph and was gonna get pulled off the back of the bike!!! Now, that's about my 1-2 shift, but I still go back to the parking lot to practice slow speed manuevers every so often. Good luck and welcome to motorcycling.
I did the same thing last year. I didn't know how to ride either. I went through my local Abate group and found a beginners rider course. I also got my learners permit from my state. The course pretty much teaches you most of the steps to get you going.

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