pelotudo

Hey guys. Whelp, everything is finally working out, and I am going to be getting my first streetbike within the next week or so. I'm starting small, since this is going to be my first bike. I have a few in mind (Around the ~2k range right now), a couple late 80's Ninja's and an early 90's Suzuki. All 500 or 600cc. I have a few questions on them before I go jumping on these though:

1. Gear. Where are some good places to get gear, new or used, for somone on a budget? I'm not going to be riding this thing but around town for a couple of months, and I want a good jacket/helmet/gloves to start off with, then pants a little down the road. I live in FL and summer is coming up, is there a mild/warm condition gear manufacturer, or just stick w/ the leather jacket?

2. The safety class. How beneficial is this? The guy I work with has been riding since he was 4, and offered to teach me. Would you guys suggest this or if I have a good instructor and take my time should I be okay? He's got a Kawasaki 750 LTD right now and I'll be learning on my bike.

3. Insurance. What's the average cost of insurance, and what would you recommend as far as coverage? Since the bike isn't going to be anything special right now, I'm thinking just the minimum coverage for the other person, and that's it.

4. License. What is required to get a license, and what kind of tests do they perform to get the license?

After I buy the bike, I'm going to have about $300-$400 left over for gear, tags, etc. Insurance I have about $200 right now (on top of that 300-400) for it. What should I invest in first to keep myself safe and happy?

Thanks,
Jon

cyrk007

1. Joe rocket gear it breaths better than leathers and has all pads...and get draggin jeans if you're not gonna get leathers, they aren't bad and they are kevlar padded on knees and ***... worth the 100 that coulda went to tommy jeans....get good padded gloves.. pavement burn on hands hurts like HELL!! even on a mountain bike... helmet full face check this out http://www.bytebrothers.org/TheAccident.htm .. nuff said.. oh yea get a back protector.. will save you from a spinal cord injury if you go down.. and let's face it nobody wants to be like timmy from south park... buy online from a major company...

2.it's good it's fun and it teaches stuff you wouldn't know without the class.. and it might give you a insurance break depending on your state

3. most people get collision and theft... prices vary greatly.. prolly up there in fl.. but they also vary on the type of bike.. the smaller cc the cheaper

4. depends on your state.. the local dmv or your fl dmv website probably has most of the information..

Invest in buying good gear and if you don;t have the money now.. save up, and take the MSF course.. don't make compromises that could cost your life.


[Modified by cyrk007, 8:15 PM 3/4/2003]

B U N M A N G O

sorry to be a jerk, but you can use the search feature here... this topic has been beaten do death. mods, can we get a "newbie" topic like this stickied? I'm sure it would be beneficial to everybody here.

now to redeem myself by being such a search ****, i'll answer your questions

1: parts411.com, kneedraggers.com, newenough.com to get you started out. fieldsheer has some good stuff, check out their forums at sportbikeworld.com.

2: take the beginners class. you won't regret it. plus, if you drop the bike, you don't have to worry about it like you would if you had a friend teach you. plus, as cyrk already mentioned, it should get you a discount on your insurance.

3:like cyrk said, depends on your state. in CA, the minimum is like 15/30/5 for liability only. I pay $165 for 6mo and I started riding last June.

4: again, depends on your state. in CA, if you take the MSF course, you just need to go to the DMV and pass the written exam. You can either take the written exam before you take the course, which will get you your permit, which allows you to ride only during daytime and w/o a passenger. then you can return to the DMV with proof that you passed the MSF course, and they'll give you your license. Or, you can take and pass the MSF course, take your slip to the DMV, take the written test, and if you pass, get your unrestricted license on the spot.

cyrk007

dude.. good call I was thinking the same thing as i typed all that....

pelotudo

Heh, thanks guys. I'm a noob, shadup . I saw 2 motopages and didn't think about archived crap.

Boughetto

Ok, here I what I learned.

1) MSF course, a definite must. Your in Fl? http://www.mtii.com see if they come in your area. They are awesome people.

2) License? Pass the MSF, take a piece of paper do the DMV, driving test waived, license granted. $10 I think

3) Gear? $400 is not enough? Some Arai helmets alone are $600. I have (1) Shoei RF-900 ($330) and an HJC CL-14 ($140) I like my HJC better. Gloves? $160 ALpinestars GP-Plus 2's. Jacket? Fieldsheer Texttile. I live in So Fl, and I sweated my *** off today in it. Leather is best, but damn hot

b18c1-ek

buy my Joe Rocket Speedmaster jacket! size 42, brand new

pelotudo

Heh, that's a little big for me. How much you looking to get for it though?

b18c1-ek

I'm 5'7" 136 lbs. Fits me perfect... i can't imagine you're any smaller than that. bought new for $399, I want $325 for it

project_mercy

Hmm. I'm thinking $400 is pushing the limit on gear. $130 for a helmet (HJC). $100 for a jacket. $50 for Gloves, and $80 for boots. And then shipping and/or taxes.

another site to look at

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/

cyrk007

another link to look at http://www.denniskirk.com

Turbogixxer

[QUOTE/]3. Insurance. What's the average cost of insurance, and what would you recommend as far as coverage? Since the bike isn't going to be anything special right now, I'm thinking just the minimum coverage for the other person, and that's it.[/QUOTE]

In FL, if u wear a helmet, u do not need insurance.

[QUOTE/]4. License. What is required to get a license, and what kind of tests do they perform to get the license? [/QUOTE]

Take the MSF course, http://www.mtii.com (i think). they will teach u a lot and u can drop as many as u want as long as it is during the riding test.


[QUOTE/]After I buy the bike, I'm going to have about $300-$400 left over for gear, tags, etc. Insurance I have about $200 right now (on top of that 300-400) for it. What should I invest in first to keep myself safe and happy?[/QUOTE]

The first thing that i would buy is gear.



[Modified by turbogixxer, 1:34 PM 3/12/2003]

tonydatyga

Noone has $325 to spend on a jacket. New speedmaster's go for around $300 on ebay. Sorry but you got ripped off paying $399.