Dying to learn..

Alright ive always been a huge fan of motorcycles but growing up my parents would die to see me on one because a relative was a vegtable for 20 years ..she fell off the back of one helmet on and all...anyways im 19 now and i know first off your gonna think "punk kid " but no im not like that.
i was told to get a used dirt bike to learn on which im eventually gonna try to do..what are some CHEAP used older dirtbike models for someone my size ???

Also when im ready and confident enugh whats a good used decently priced sport bike for someone my size. please keep in mind honda cbr600s are to tall for me...which sucks..

im 5'5'' about 128lbs ..i hope ...

thanks any feedback would be good advice suggestions tips etc...also is it hard to learn repair on motorcycle engines?

Honestly, TAKE THE MSF SAFETY COURSE!!!!! The motorcycle safety foundation has courses all over the place, and if you hurry you should be able to find a spot before the end of the summer (yes, they are this popular). The bikes are small (125cc) and also vertically short. At 5'9" I felt like a giant on these things. They teach you all sorts of safety techniques like safe stopping, swerving, riding over small obsticles, and clutch/throttle control. It's a REALLY great place to get started.

And even if you don't pass the test at the end of the course to get your license, I believe you can take it again the next year.

Good luck, and trust me.... I know what the bug feels like ;)

Does this cost alot? and how long is it for?

Originally posted by jedi
Does this cost alot? and how long is it for?

In Pennsylvania, the program is fully supported by the DOT and is free for participants. You must have a regular motorcycle permit, though. It lasts 2 weeks for 3 night classes a week. 2 book/law classes and 4 riding classes. All of the classes were 2.5 hours long. I fully promote it to anyone I can because it helped me immensely.

In Ohio the MSF course is a weekend. 4 hours class on Friday night and all day Sat/Sun is riding on the bike they provide you. It doesn't give you a license but it will give you about $20-50 break on your bike insuurance. The cost of the class is $25.

There is another type of course where its about $100 and its 1 day of learing and 3 days of riding. It you pass then you have your license.

Oh, another thing... If you do take one of the courses that are endorsed by some insurances for a discount, I strongly recommend it. I'm almost 20 with only about 4 mos riding experience, and with only liability insurance on a 20 y/o 500cc sport bike, the insurance is still nearly $300/year. Oh, and if you really do get interested and go through with all of this, it may be a benefit to spend an extra $35 or so to join the AMA if your insurer provides discounts for members.






jedi: you have a PM