I live in Taiwan so I dont know what can I suggest. but, since I have been a biker for 14 years, all I can tell you is not to buy a uesd bike. If you think you are not good in riding, buy a small bike for beginner like a 250cc street bike (SUZUKI TU250 Single) They are easy to learn and easy to repair. A used bike is sometimes dangerous for u dont know the condition of the bike.

Try craigslist. I agree with jack blackmania, start with a smaller bike that is easy to work on. 250, 350 or 500 is a good size. If you are in the U.S. you should also look into taking a class thru the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. It will save you money on insurance, and save you from learning bad habits.

Get a smaller bike (< 600 cc) from a large MC dealership. Most deal in used bikes as well as new ones. You should be able to negotiate some type of warranty, even on a used bike and even if it’s only for 3 months or so. This can help keep you from getting completely screwed on the purchase.

I can not recommend craigslist or e-bay for a first-time bike purchase, unless you’re real mechanical-minded and a bit patient. There are good bikes out there, but it’s easy to get into something that you can not maintain and will sour your taste for motorcycling.

Take the MSF beginner’s course. This is a huge deal – very important. It’s well worth the cost. They provide the bike AND most insurers have reduced rates for completing the course AND some states do not require a riding test if you have completed the course successfully. Some states even require the course to get a full MC license.

-hs

Depends where you’re based I guess, but I’d do as I did & get a Honda CB500. They’re pretty excellent reliability-wise, though beware – they’re very popular with couriers if you’re in the UK, for the basic reason that you’ll get 250,000 miles out of them before they go seriously wonky. Mine’s only let me down once – knackered clutch cable, my fault really – should have checked it, 15UKP to fix. I’m in the mood for something a bit meatier nowadays so I’ll probably get a CBR600 or some description, but the CB500 is an excellent learner’s bike, and peppier than any other 500 too. You can get your knee down on these if you want to, or you can tootle round sedately, they’re a jack of all trades.

I’m glad you’re asking this question.

First, the best way to get started is by taking a course with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. I’m all about enjoying the freedom and speed of a motorcycle, but I’m not going to be stupid about it. These are dangerous machines – you may only fully realize how dangerous when you start riding one. So invest a weekend taking the course. As a bonus, you’ll learn a little bit about the different types of bikes.

As for your first bike, don’t buy a new one. Go to a few dealers of used bikes and let them help you pick out a bike. That’s a good chance to get a good idea of what’s available, and you can sit on a bunch to see how you like them. I did that, but ended up buying one off of craigslist—cheaper, but more work shopping for it and more risk. Try to find someone who knows a little about bikes to help you shop. I’d avoid any method of buying a bike other than face-to-face (e.g. ebay).

Please don’t get a bike over 500cc or maybe 600cc. If you lose traction on your bike, as a new rider you’re almost certainly going down. This can happen at 10mph with no one around, or at 50 with cars going in both directions. If you make a small mistake on the throttle while in a turn with a 250cc, your bike will accellerate more than you expected. You make the same small mistake on a 600+ bike, your wheel loses traction and your bike will slide out. 250cc if you’re conservative. 500-600cc is ok, but please be careful. 900+, not an option for your first bike.

I can really only make bike suggestions for sport bikes because that’s all I shopped for. If you’re patient, I recommend spending your first 6 months on a Kawasaki Ninja 250. It’s also smaller than most other sport bikes so it’s an even better choice if you’re not very tall. In the 500-600 range (in order of recommendation): Yamaha YZF-600R or YZF-R6, Kawasaki Ninjas, Honda CBR, or Suzuki Katana.

Good luck with your adventure. Please be safe!

Absolutely get a small (displacement) street legal dirt bike (like a Yamaha XT 350 or something). That’s a light-weight, inexpensive, hard to damage in an expensive way bike.

Forget Harleys until you’re more experienced. They’re heavy and expensive for a beginner.

Take the drive safety course.

Dress for the wreck, not for the ride.

Have fun!