How to choose your first motorcycle or scooter?

Key factors when choosing your first motorcycle

Buying your first motorcycle is not an easy decision that requires serious consideration and consideration of all the pros and cons of each machine you are interested in. This is not a decision that is made at the moment, but rather the result of several important factors such as the preferred class of the motorcycle, its appearance, performance, advantages and disadvantages, and of course - the price.

All these factors should be tailored to your own capabilities and skills, so before buying, you must first of all honestly answer the questions: what do you want, what do you need, what can you expect from yourself and how do you assess your skills. Only then can you move on to the stage of looking for a machine for yourself?

Just like when moving around the city, the "principle of limited trust" applies here too, i.e. do not evaluate your skills too optimistically. You are at the beginning of your "motorcycling career", so your skills are not high, even if you feel good and confident behind the wheel of a two-wheeler. Your skills will grow with each passing mile, it will become easier for you to make quick and right decisions and perform manoeuvres that come easier with experience. That is why it is so important to choose the right motorcycle to start with.

Recommendation - choose a machine that is light and easy to drive

A motorcycle that is too big and heavy will make it difficult for an inexperienced motorcyclist to manoeuvre at low speeds or when stopping. The heavyweight is also not conducive to cornering and requires more practice, so your first motorcycle should be relatively light to make it easier to manoeuvre.

Buying your first motorcycle is not the moment that will determine your future motorcycling path, but rather it will prepare you to choose the right motorcycle in the future.

Performance

The situation is similar in the case of engine parameters. Your first motorcycle should be relatively smooth and easy to control. Don't think about the super-fast 1000 class sports machines, which have parameters reserved for more experienced riders, and can cause you trouble and discourage you from further riding.

In the case of motorcycles with sports characteristics, a good proposition could be the Honda CBR 500 R or the slightly larger and more powerful Honda CBR 650 R. If you prefer motorcycles in a more classic edition, your expectations may be met by the Honda CB 650 R maintained in the neo-sports cafe style. All of these bikes combine features that are tailored to the novice motorcyclist – relatively low weight, moderate but thrilling performance, a comfortable riding position for full control of the bike, and a basic package of electronic assistants that support safe and controlled driving.

If you dream of a touring machine with a slight enduro twist, you may be interested in the BMW F 850 GS, which combines the features of a true traveller with the features of a universal everyday machine that likes to go off the beaten track from time to time. The F 850 GS is much lighter and more balanced in terms of engine performance, and the electronic systems are not as complex as the larger R 1250 GS or KTM 1290 Super Adventure.

Scooter in town

However, if you want to use the two-wheeler primarily for riding around the city, quick commuting to the office or university, and the most important things for you are the comfort of use in the city and practical solutions useful daily, then you can look for a practical maxi-scooter such as the Yamaha X -Max 300, Suzuki Burgman 400 or Honda Forza 750.

These types of machines provide excellent performance in the city, a large luggage space under the seat, good protection against weather conditions, and are economical and comfortable. And more importantly, they make the daily rush hour traffic jams virtually unimportant to you.

If, on the other hand, you do not have a category A driving license, and you have been moving around the city by car, a great alternative is class 125 scooters, which you can use after passing a few hours of the CBT course.