new to motorcycles... help...

I no pretty much nothing about motorcycles and I am contemplating them as an option for me rather than a car.
I was just wondering...
if they are dependable,
how much repairs can cost in the worst scenario,
what are good beginner bikes in general,
if they are wise for commuting...

any other info for a beginner would be helpful...

Well this is a complicated question.

Where do you live that you want to use a motorcycle as daily transporatation?


Are they dependable? Hell yeah. Although they do require more mainteice then a car they are very dependable. In fact i've made less repairs to my bikes than my cars.

Worst case scenario? That would be death! Riding a motorclycle is a daily risking of your life. Take it from someone who almost lost theirs. Bikes are no joke. Its a more responsibilty than you can imagine. You have to over compensate for others bad judgement and irresponsiblility. But you said repairs. That honsestly would depend on the cycle and the damage. I suppose a trashed bike would cost around $450 for a tune up in a worst case, but damage would depend.

Good begineer bike would be anything under 600cc is what we usually recomend. It depends on what kind of cycle you want. Sport, tourer, cruiser?

Good advice for beginner? Listen to your elders and read my stickey at the top of this forum! Take the motorcylcle safty course as well.

Any other questions please post or PM me

I concur with everything already said. That is a very complex question. If you need more information, please come back and ask! I appreciate your interest in some of the more specific facets of motorcycling! :)

'K. I also agree with everything said already.
Having ridden nothing but a motorcycle for about 11 years straight (New England winters and all)-I can say that I sure wished I had a car sometimes.
Let me just say something Xv7VX already touched upon.
If you ride a bike, you instantly become:
A.) The invisible man-everybody will either hit or almost hit you because they aren't looking for you-they're looking for other cars/trucks, etc.
B.)A target-for every asshole out on the road with a bad attitude and a full beer can or a brick in his hand.
C.)A very free(if not wet/cold/hot)individual, depending on your riding environment-and last I checked-it rains just about everywhere.
I suppose conditions for full time riding are more favorable in the west/southwest where it's usually warmer and drier than, say, my stomping grounds-but if yer in the north/east-be prepared to have icewater in yer veins and a cast-iron butt.
Far as maintenance differences go?
It depends on how much respect you have for the machine. Car or bike-it makes no difference.
Bike'll let you down even quicker and more catastrophically than a car will if you treat it like crap/don't maintain it religiously/beat on it.
Car will too, except when you disrespect a car-it'll just coast to a stop and that's it.
You disrespect a bike and gravity/centrifugal force'll take over for you and set your ass on the pavement at speed.
A buike with bad brakes/tires is just as hard to stop as an 18-wheeler in the same condition.
Only difference is there's no crunch and ya walk away.
It'll be more like (BOOM-BOOM) out go the lights. El Permanente, dig? You're just a bloody rag flopping down the roadway till ya hit something that doesn't move. Then you turn into a pink cloud. They clean you up with a fire hose.

So I reckon it's not so much the maintenance costs, because some bike parts can be way more expensive than car parts.
I'd hafta say the maintenance MEANS MORE on a bike.
Bikes, like cars are only as dependable as they have been maintained.
Learn to ride safely and defensively and it'll be one of the most exhilarating experiences of your life.

Treat your machine with respect and take care of it when it needs it and it'll seldom let you down.
Some cost comparisons (roughly):
Car alternator=$80-$200 +$65-$75/hr. labor
Bike generator=2-300.00 + roughly the same labor rates.
Car tire=$40.00 for an el cheapo good enuf tire +5-10.00 mount and balance with carcass charge.
Bike rear tire=100.00-several hundred depending on the type and specific application + labor rates.
There are plus sides to the equation, tho.
'Specially if ya can learn enough to do your own work.
Car head gasket/repaired in shop where I'm at=$500.00 with new head bolts, gasket and labor.
Bike head gasket/do it yourself=depending on how many cylinders//=1 cyl=1 flat, clean Pepsi can and 1/2 hour time, 2 cyl (twin or such)=2 flat, clean Pepsi cans and a couple hours time(to trace and cut out the water jacket and bolt holes if it's a water buffalo like most bikes are nowadays.
4 cyl=well, ya might need to get the gasket for this one-but I've seen guys use thin sheetmetal, but the hole cutting would drive you bonzo..better to get the real one.

To get any of that work done in a bike shop would cost you PLENTY.

It all balances out one way or the other between cars and bikes. The only difference being you can drive a car in bad weather more comfortably and when you get hit in a car it doesn't hurt so much or usually for so long.

Good beginner bikes are small-displacement-low-profile bikes (preferably used and relatively inexpensive 'cause yer gonna dump it at least once-it's a given.
Better to drop a lightweight 250 or 450 than a big bucks Goldwing.
General rule I've always gone by is:
If you can't pick it up from when it's lying on it's side by yourself or if you can't put it on the centerstand by yourself, it's prolly too big for ya.
Start small, but not TOO small. Learn safe riding techniques and then graduate to larger/faster stuff as you get more comfortable with riding.

All this stuff you hear about a bike being an extension of the rider is mostly crap.
When you are on a bike-you are an accessory that's not bolted down that just happens to be in charge.

First time M/C...Stick with four stroke engines. Less maintenance and more reliable.
Also a bit less 'crisp' on the throttle response for a new rider.
2-strokes pretty much have two throttle positions regardless of the twist grip.
"Off" and "Goin' like hell". Not a good choice for a new rider.

You'll make your own decision. I'm just speaking my 2c from 30 years of riding.

Good luck! Ride safe and you'll always have fun!