Get Your Motor Running....A Guide To Buying A New Motorcycle

The Bottom Line There are a lot of factors that go into picking a new motorcycle. Take the time and do it right!

This article is part 1 in a series focusing on the total motorcycle ownership experience. Feel free to check out the other articles in the series as well:

Part 2 - Keep Your Motor Running - Tips For Maintaining Your Motorcycle

Having purchased several new and used motorcycles, I thought it might be a good idea to pass along some tips that I have learned over the years. keep in mind that purchasing a motorcycle is a uniquely personal experience. Listen to what your mind, heart, body, and pocketbook tell you. DON'T let anyone else tell you what to buy. With that said...let's jump into it.

Picking the Bike

Several different factors effect what bike you choose. First, what style of bike are you looking for? Maybe you want a cruiser that turns heads as you cruise the boulevard. Maybe you want a tourer complete with cupholders and cd player that will get you around on cross-country trips. Maybe your a dirt rider that wants the newest four-stroke 250 that'll burn dirtmounds and send you flying high. Or maybe it's a superbike with more power and torque than any piece of machinery should legally have. Whatever your style, it's yours.

Once you know what style you want, it's time to pick a make and model. When you pick a make, don't go with whatever everyone else tells you to buy. For instance, if you mention that you want a cruiser to your work colleagues, they'll likely ask you "what kind of Harley you're buying". Likewise, those that mention they are buying a tourer often get the couch on wheels, Goldwing remarks.

Forget them...go to the dealerships. Look at the bikes. SIT on the bikes (you'd be surprised how reluctant people are to hop on a bike at the dealership -- that's what they're there for). Get a feel for the balance or different models, determine whether the controls are comfortable and within reach. See if you can place your feet flat on the ground safely.

There are several factors that you should pay attention to during this shopping phase:

1) Seat Height -- Let's face it. Shorter people need shorter bikes. Long-legged people look like grasshoppers on short bikes. Get the bike with the right seat height for your inseam.

2) Dry Weight -- How heavy is the bike?? Could you pick it up if you dropped it and you were all alone? Is the bike too heavy for you to balance at a stop light?

3) Balance -- All makes and models are balanced differently. Find the one that has a center of gravity which allows you to balance it easily. Although others will probably disagree, I think that you should be able to straddle a bike with your feet flat on the floor and be able to take your hands off the bars and balance it with only your thighs. Trust me...you can do this with a well balanced bike (don't do this alone, though)

4) Reliability -- DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Read up on bikes and their maintenance histories. Ask you friends. Read Epinions. Do whatever it takes to find out if this bike will suit you. If the reviews say that it rattles like a sumbitch, then maybe you ought to avoid it. If the reviews say that the bikes are notorious for shifter rattles and leaks, then maybe you ought to avoid it. You get my point...do your homework.

5) Features -- Engine size, gas tank size, styling, looks, etc... Unfortunately, too many people skip the previous four steps and just jump to this one. Doing that may get you a great looking bike that doesn't suit your needs and sits in the garage waiting for repairs. Once you have done the legwork, then see what models are left and which ones strike your fancy.

Picking The Dealership

Picking your dealership should deserve just as much attention as picking your bike. Trust me, I've bought from some real "stealerships" in my time and really regreted it. The lesson I have learned, however, is to shop for the right dealership and the right salesperson.

Some things to consider when picking a dealership are:

1) Are the looking to earn your business? Will they take the time to make sure that this bike is right for you or would they sell a Goldwing to a 100 lb, 4' tall one-legged person? They should be concerned about your safety more than just the sale.

2) Do their sales staff know squat about motorcycles? You'd be surprised. Many salespersons just want to talk color and features. They know very little about torque, feel, balance, wind buffeting, or maneuverability. I even had a guy try to sell me a bike once WHO DIDN'T EVEN RIDE! Ask the technical questions, see if they know the answers.

3) Do they provide excellent service? You're going to drop a bunch of change on this purchase. Make sure they're going to care as much about servicing your bike as you do. Don't let some hack monkey with your new ride. If you find a place that has great sales, but cruddy service then buy the bike there and have it serviced elsewhere. There's no rule (unless you buy a service plan from the dealer) that says you have to get service from the place you bought it from.

Think About The Ownership Costs

The total cost of ownership of a motorcycle will depend on what type of bike you buy.

Is it a cruiser, sport bike, or dirt bike? Obviously, the physical stress of riding a dirt bike over bumps and washboards will demand more maintenance. Street bikes that are ridden hard may need more mechanical work. Cruisers tend to require the scheduled maintenance.

Is it chain driven, belt driven, or shaft driven?
Chain drive bikes require the most maintenance, with oiling at each 500 mile interval and replacement of the chain when necessary. Belt drives do not need to be oiled, but still must be adjusted and replaced at the appropriate intervals. Shaft driven bikes need the periodic replacement of the final drive oil, but that tends to be recommended around every 10,000 miles.

How Much Will Insurance Cost?
Motorcycle insurance is cheap, when compared to car insurance. As a result, most people skip right over this step and don't check with their insurance agent prior to buying a bike. Keep in mind that insurance rates will vary from company to company, so definitely check around. Case in point, my 2000 Honda VTR 1000 Super Hawk would have cost me $1,600 per year from State Farm, but American Family was able to offer me the exact same policy for $300 per year. Since it is a sport bike, some companies want to insure them, others don't.

What accessories will you need to make the bike comfortable for you?
Let's face it, you might find the bike you love, but it may need a few tweaks. For instance, if you can't get your feet flat on the ground, you might consider lowered shocks or a lowered seat. Maybe the bars aren't as comfortable as another set might be. Or maybe it doesn't have a windshield and you will be doing a lot of highway riding.

Whatever your accessory needs are, here is a little tip for you. The dealership you buy from wants you to keep coming back to them. When you are negotiating for a price, tell the dealer that you want 10% off all your accessories for a year. Almost every dealership I have dealt with has agreed to this. On a couple of bikes, I even asked them to throw in $200 of store credit toward accessories and that was agreed on.

Buying The Bike

So you found it. That bike you've been looking for. And now you're ready to whip out the pocketbook and pay with cash, right??? Yeah...right! New motorcycles can range from $5,000 to $50,000 and most of us just don't have that much cash laying around. So the other option is to finance. DON'T just take the financing that is offered at the dealership. Sometimes they have great deals at low interest, but often you can get a better interest rate from your local bank or credit union. Once again, do the homework.

With some bikes, you also have room to maneuver on the price. If you are buying a Harley, you're pretty much at the mercy of the dealer. Some Harley dealers are great and sell at MSRP, some are real $*@!s and will charge you $3,000 - $5,000 over MSRP just because they can. If you're buying a metric bike (the polite term for Japanese or European), you often have more room to negotiate. Buying during the winter is often the best time because sales are slow and dealers are trying to get rid of last year's stock.

Riding The Bike

Now that you own your new pride and joy, there are some things you should do:

1) If you are a new rider, take a motorcycle safety course. You'd be surprised how much you will learn and how inexpensive they are. Sometimes dealerships will even foot the bill if you sign up when you buy your bike.

2) GET YOUR LICENSE! You'd be surprised how many people there are out there riding around without their M class license. Get comfortable with your bike and then go take the test.

3) Get insurance -- Again...don't be stupid. Insurance is not something you should ride without. Since most of us finance, the banks make us carry it anyway.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY...

4) Enjoy your new ride. There are tons of great places to ride and great people to ride with out there. Join local motorcycle groups that offer great group riding for ALL brands of bikes. In addition, check out the many forums for motorcycles that abound on the net. Delphi forums at http://forums.delphiforums.com offer plenty of places to talk bikes as does UnitedBikers at http://www.unitedbikers.com .

Ride safe and enjoy!

If you'd like to read some of my other reviews about motorcycles, check these out:

Honda Rebel 250 - Good Starter Bike, But Easily Outgrown

Honda Shadow VLX 600 - A Great V-Twin Starter Bike

Shake, Rattle, and Roll - My Harley Sportster Experience

Suzuki Savage 650 - Excellent Starter Bike For Small Riders

VTR1000 Honda SuperHawk Is An Excellent V-Twin Sport Bike...For A Niche Market

2000 Yamaha Virago - A Great First Bike!

Honda Shadow ACE 750 - A High Quality Mid-Range Cruiser

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