10 Things to Check Before Buying Your First Motorcycle

Motorcycles are great versatile vehicles for transport and recreation. It’s easier to navigate through traffic using a motorcycle than a car. It’s also more exciting to ride a motorcycle through the countryside and on rough terrains.These are some of the many reasons why people prefer having a motorcycle.

If you’re planning to buy your first motorcycle, it’s important to perform some research. There are a lot of websites available for different motorcycle models and brands. Websites designed for lead generation for car salesman provide a lot of useful information often customized according to preferences you are entering into the website.

On the other hand, here are 10 important things you need to check before buying your first bike.

Budget

One of the primary considerations of selecting the first motorcycle is a person’s budget. No matter how much you want that Ducati 959 Panigale if that’s not within your budget then you’ll have to find a better option within your budget range. Keep in mind that you’re not only going to be spending money on purchasing the motorcycle alone.

You will also have to think about motorcycle maintenance and other operating expenses. Ultimately, your first motorcycle should be something that fits your budget.

Weight of bike

One of the most important things to consider is the motorcycle’s weight. You have to make sure that the weight of the vehicle is manageable for you. You will be pushing the motorcycle forward or backward from your garage or a parking lot all the time. There won’t always be someone who can help you do the heavy lifting.

Height of the seat

It is practically important to mount yourself on the motorcycle to check the seat height. Some motorcycles, such as off-road bikes and adventure bikes require longer legs for better balancing. The key reason why you must check the motorcycle’s seat height is to assess if you’re able to put your feet on the ground while seated. This crucial because you will be doing a lot of tip-toe and one-foot balancing while in traffic.

Handlebars

Handlebars are tricky but easier to assess. Since these are your main controls, it is best to think about your capacity to put force and effort into it as well as your ability to sustain that over long periods of time. Keep in mind that you’ll be navigating through traffic and/or long roads. Wide handlebars are likely to cause back pains if the driver is not young and athletic.

Clutch and brake lever

Those who have owned motorcycles can attest that the grip often presents a challenge to long drives. If you’re going to buy your first motorcycle then you should check the motorcycle’s brake and clutch levers if they are soft and smooth to operate. There are motorcycles with levers that are spaced farther apart from the handle grips. The spacing and grip feel play a significant role in terms of comfort and control.

Foot peg position

Foot pegs are designed differently depending on the motorcycle’s classification. Some are designed slightly forward, some are positioned rearward and others positioned in the middle. For instance, racing motorcycles have foot pegs positioned rearward. On the other hand, touring or cruising motorcycles have foot pegs positioned forward.

When you’re buying your first motorcycle, you should need to take the foot peg position into consideration. This is because you will be required to adapt your riding style based on the foot peg position and it’s practically for safety and comfort purposes.

Engine vibration

Some motorcycle owners prefer more vibration. They’re considered purists due to their love for boxer or single-piston engines. These are fundamental characteristics of old-school motorcycles. Some move away from motorcycles producing too much vibration because they feel irritating during long rides.

This is more of a preference and can be a little bit tricky when it’s the first time you’re buying a motorcycle. However, there are a lot of useful websites that provide in-depth reviews of a model or a brand’s overall vibration and its effect on the ride. This is also a key item for auto leads websites because it helps narrow down a motorcycle buyer’s preference.

Temperature of engine

Motorcycle’s with big engines produce a considerable amount of engine heat. This is a little bit difficult to spot on just by mounting your motorcycle at the dealer’s store. You will need to perform some research online and read reviews about the motorcycle’s engine temperature. Unbearable heat engine can give discomfort during the whole ride. Some accidentally get slightly burned for inadvertently touching the motorcycle engine at top heat.

Seat cushion

There are different purposes for the seat cushion. For example, standard or adventure motorcycles have wider and thicker seat cushions to provide adequate padding. This offers longer endurance and better comfort. On the other hand, sports bikes have thinner cushions to give the rider a better feel of the motorcycle.

Size of tank

Some people are okay with big-sized fuel tanks while others abhor the idea. This is mostly true with women riders. The most important reason why this is huge a consideration is the fact that you’ll be locking your legs in between the fuel-tank the whole. In addition, locking your legs tightly helps you better control the motorcycle when doing sharp turns and maneuvering on corners.

 

Conclusion

Your first motorcycle is important and memorable. It should be one that provides you with a comfortable and safe ride. It should also be one that is fairly affordable to buy and maintain. Knowing these 10 important things should equip in making a learned decision on which motorcycle to buy.

 

 

Subscribe to Motor Trade Insider by Email