My wife just learned to ride this year. The first thing I did was to take her to every dealership and let her sit on the bikes. It was a matter of her learning a little about where the center of gravity was and for her to find out what she felt comfortable with. As fate would have it, I found a deal on a bike she felt comfortable with (Yamaha 650) and bought it before she took a riding class. I took her down to an empty parking lot and taught her the basics of riding in about one day. It helped that she rides a bicycle daily (balance) and she knew how to drive a straight shift (she at least knew how to change gears). A couple of days of that and then she took a motorcycle course. She got her licence within a month and now, three months later, she is comfortable enough to take it out by herself. I would say the key is to not buy into more than you can handle and not to over estimate your skills.

The only way you will gain more skill is to ride. Just don't get stupid.

 Ok now that the Family has kick butt and demonstrated how they feel about the ride and how to begin let me say that I started on a 250 Suzuki road bike and a 185 Suzuki dirt bike in 1966. Didn't see classes until 98. Learned a lot about what I was doing right and wrong. Was hit by a car in 04 with minor injuries. You will go down so protection is money well spent. If there are questions we're here to help. If an education is first on your mind then save your money for later. Used and 350 to 650 cc will run at highway speed for many miles and there are a lot out and around. Most College Students wont cut you because you ride used or old. Your ride will save money for the transportation it will give and some parking lots are now offering cut rate for bikes in seperate spots. I commuted for two years over 20 miles one way on the 250 at highway speeds and saved a bundle by no parking fees and gas mileage. Keep in touch and be wise and smart.

www.msf-usa.org will also list good information to read..
Try www.americanmotorcyclist .com  for class scheduals offered and laws that you need to be aware of..
They also offer a "Getting Started"  subject that is good to read for advise from the pro riders. 

Hi Pat,

And let me also Welcome you to CycleFish!!!

Glad to hear you are taking up riding, and since you asked for advice I am assuming you are the kind to take it. I have to agree with just about everything above, and please don't assume we are all just picking on you for your "showing off" statement. I can almost guarantee you that 9 out of 10 of the people who responded (including myself) were just like you if they started riding as a teen or young adult. But years of riding experience and seeing a whole bunch of people getting hurt or killed has given us some wisdom to share with you to ensure your riding experience is a safe one.

Yeah, I can try to justify the stupid shit I did on bikes with the roads were less crowded back then, and the bikes today are much more powerful - and true as that may be, it was still just dumb stuff that shouldn't have been done by a new rider and I am lucky to be here today.

To me, and most everyone here, riding is one of the greatest experiences in the world, and I am sure you will feel the same when you start. I'm not going to tell you to go out and get a little scooter that you don't want just to learn to ride. Go out and get a bike you want and can be proud of... just be sure to do everything you can to limit the dangers that are inherant to motorcycling. Take a course, practice in areas where there are no cars, and ALWAYS ride within your limits. As you spend more time in the saddle, your limits will continually advance and you can fully enjoy riding!!!

Now to answer your original question... What should you look for in a used bike?

First of all use simple common sense as you would in any major purchase... make sure the individual you purchase from is someone you can trust.

Look for a bike that has been well kept. Typically if the owner took pride in their bike and kept the appearance up, they also took the time to maintain their bike.

Ask for service records or service history, Today's motorcycles when well kept will run for a long time. However a bike that has had the maintenance neglected will give you nothing but problems in its later years.

If possible take it to a local mechanic for a quick once over. You may want to call around in advance and find a local shop willing to do that.

You may also consider purchasing an extended warranty once you have purchased the bike. You can check with your local dealer on that, or there are a number of independent companies that offer them.

And most importantly - don't be in a hurry to get a bike and take something you are not 100% happy with or comfortable about the condition or price.  There are more used bikes on the market today then I have ever seen - some great deals and some real dogs (no offense to my K-9 friends).  Take you time and keep looking until you can go home without feeling like you compomised.

Again, Welcome and we hope you find a bike you love and have many years of positive riding experiences!

Thanks for the help you'll!

going couse shopping and right now!

haha so having a bike is like having another girl eh? my girl now is a pain in the ass hope this new one isn't! hahaha

Hi Pat;
Please don’t take this the wrong way, because I am not trying to Diss you. It is just my take on things.
Being a biker has very little to do with just owning a bike. It is an attitude.
If you like to show off, fine, but do it for yourself, not for others.
If you require input from your peers to feel good about yourself, you are not there.
When you can laugh at peer pressure and go “been there, done that. Got the scars to prove it” you are getting close. Have fun, but on your terms, not others.
Good luck with whatever bike you choose, and have fun…

Hey Pat
Welcome!! These guys and gals know there stuff. I have gotten nothing but good advice and i agree with everyone else take the motorcycle course first. I was thrown into the fire. The first motorcycle school i went to was an advanced Harley Davidson Police school and it was hard but the riding technics i learned have saved my ass countless times. My two cents if your going with a sports bike as a first and you dont want to out grow it in a couple of years it is hard to beat a older SV 650 they dont have much plastic (your going to drop it) they are fast,light,inexpensive and if you buy some leathers and tape up the lights they are awsome on a track. First rule where you look is where you go. Good luck!!!

So i pulled up to the Harley shop yesterday to get infro on courses around richmond and thsi random old guy, Big white beard, Cigar in his mouth haha me if i could ride i said i didnt know nothing about it. he taught me how to drive his 2011 FATBOY ENGINE was 1120......i brely had to move the throttle to get that sucker goin...it was the perfect size i reeeaaly like the long tire base and i forgot what he said....the pedals were far away for a relaxed ride.....fav part about the bike ?????which means im not gunna get a crothch rocket cuz im more comfortable on a crusier?I did not realize their were so many dif. types of bikes!, dif seats, length, tires,passenger seats, models,etc..... ANYWAYS, it was fun learning how to drive.
Next month- Jumpstart safety course-
2.5 days later- Basic Riders Course-
next morning- license

I'm a newbie to the forum, but I'll add in a few bits. Good to see that you have a better sense for the risks that go along with the rewards of riding than it first appeared! Here are a couple of practical thoughts. The numbers 250, 500 etc being used refer to the size of the engine measured in cubic centimeters. The bigger, the more powerful. The bigger, the more expensive. A major factor to consider --other than how safe it would be for a new rider to get on a big powerful bike--is also where you will be riding it. VCU is in Richmond -- a big city with big city traffic and parking issues. Trust me, you don't want to be knocking around town in a big expensive powerful cruiser. You want a small nimble quick bike, like a honda, yamaha etc in the 250 to 500 range MAXIMUM! You can ride it anywhere and park it anywhere.
As for the motorcycle safety classes --they're a no brainer. Number one, you'll learn important stuff about riding; number two, in most states I am familiar with, passing the safety course gets you a certificate that means you don't have to take the state riding exam (you usually have to still take the written exam). This can be a BIG advantage. You dont' need a bike --they provide. And you probably will want to get some actual experience in before purchasing your first bike. Have fun and enjoy. And keep in mind that it is actually somewhat hard to find a bike that the seller admits has been "dropped;" on the other hand, I've never met a motorcycle rider who HASN"T gone down. (We must be trading the same "to be dropped" bike around.) You will fall. Several times. Be better to do it at slow speeds on a bike that you don't care a lot about. As you don't know a lot about buying bikes, think seriously about finding a yamaha or honda dealer and getting a used bike from that source. They're likely to have gone over the bike.

Hi Pat!
So glad you're not the person we all thought you were from the first post! I rode backseat years ago and only decided to sit up front in 2009. A friend screened bikes for me, gave me great advice, and above all insisted that I take the Rider's Edge course at a HD dealership. Best money I ever spent. Still, when I have a bike decision to make, I consult him by phone or email. The course taught me stuff that I have used over and over and stuff that pops into my head at just the right time.
First thing - percy is absolutely correct - WHERE YOU LOOK IS WHERE YOU GO !!! Sounds silly, but OMG it's so true. I know me and I learn by making mistakes, so in taking the course I figured better to drop someone else's bike than mine. (Some of the courses thru local community colleges supply the bike, but most don't - you bring your own.) I'm still finding cosmetic stuff on my bike that the previous owner of this "never dropped" bike, should have replaced. I've decided that he might have been telling the truth that he never dropped it - - but he damn sure laid it down! Big difference!!!! Folks here have been wonderful to help me and give great advice. Pretend you're a sponge and soak it all up..
Here is the best piece of advice that I was given (and it took a while to fully understand this one):
RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE.
Good luck, ride safe!

Look for a Honda Shadow 750 or VStar 650. I started out on a Rebel 250 when I was a teenager and I thought it was the most perfect bike in the world. But I also weighed 200 lbs. Kinda looked like Grape Ape on it and eventually moved up to a 500. I was glad I started off small because I did lay it down a few times. But I have a Shadow Spirit that I keep for riding around town and I refuse to get rid of it. It handles great and looks bigger than it really is. My wife rides it from time to time around the neighborhood and loves it too. It's powerful enough to get you out of trouble but refined enough to keep you from doing something too silly.

Been reading through here and for my two cents the saftey course will be the way to start and understand!Same sh*t as everyone else says lol!We all say it cause it is true and hard learned.If you want a sport bike like a crotch rocket I would say stay at 500cc or less.250s are cheap and easy to find...and forgiving to ride.500 hold you over longer before you want something bigger but will cost more and require you to have bit more skill so take ur time making a choice.As stated above there are tons of choices,options and riding styles...sit on a lot of bikes and see what will work for you as soon as you have taken the course so you can make a better informed decision.You have been given some great guidance from all here and we all hope it helps!Welcome to CF and ride safe!

Just a note from a newbie here that has been riding since 1972 ... I learned a lot from listening to the advice, help, and encouragement that you ALL gave to "feaerless99". I found that there are little if any egos here ... that every bit of advice that I heard I had either given or received over the last 40 years and it ALL helped me or someone else ... and I learned that this is really a great place to be, hang out, put your feet up, and enjoy the the overall biking lifestyle.

Thank you and keep the rubber side DOWN!!