How to Buy a Motorcycle
Riding a motorcycle is a spiritual and emotional experience for many enthusiasts. Motorcycles are not just a quick and convenient way to move around busy streets, but give you the feeling of being more in tune with the open road. Motorcycles are more maneuverable than cars on a busy street, and give you a feeling of freedom when you’re out in the highway. If you plan to buy a motorcycle for yourself, here are tips to help you buy one that’s built with you in mind.
Motorcycle Types
While some motorcycle enthusiasts and collectors focus on the brand and the heritage of a particular marque of motorcycles, a casual rider should focus on what the motorcycle is for. There are many types of motorcycles available from motorbike dealers:
Mopeds and scooters are perfect for people who just want to get around town faster and easier. Small and fuel-efficient, a moped or a scooter is sometimes a better option than a car in many big cities.
Street bikes are also called “naked bikes” or “standard bikes.” Street bikes are the most common motorcycles plying roads because they are a good mix of power and value for money.
Touring bikes are built for people who travel long distances aboard a motorcycle. Touring bikes are wider and larger than street bikes, and are built to carry luggage and to make the rider feel comfortable during cross-country biking trips.
Choppers and cruisers are popular customized bikes made by enthusiasts from old bikes, or from scratch. Choppers are custom bikes with higher handlebars and larger engines, designed to make riding comfortable as well as make the riding experience very impressive. Cruisers are modeled after popular bikes from the 1960s, and are a lot like choppers, only with lower handlebars.
Racing bikes are all about speed and performance. The engines of some racing bikes are powerful enough to power a small car, but are maneuverable enough to move through hairpin curves.
Motorcycle Engines
If there’s anything you have to pay attention to when buying a bike, it has to be the engine. The engine forms the bulk of the machine, and should take top priority on your choices for a motorcycle. Here are two important pointers you should keep in mind when buying a motorcycle:
Size. A rule of thumb to follow is that the bigger the engine, the more powerful it is. Don’t be fooled by the physical size of the engine; instead, focus on the cubic centimeter (CC) value indicated by the manufacturer. Remember that you don’t need to have a really big engine if all you’ll do for your motorcycle is travel around quickly and easily through the city streets.
Noise. Bigger engines have a bigger displacement, which means that you’ll have a lot more noise. While you may appreciate the roar of your engine, other people may find it distracting, or that the noise of the engine may disturb other people’s peace. If you drive your motorcycle in a densely populated area, you may want to buy a motorcycle with a smaller engine.
Motorcycle Frames
The next thing you have to consider is the size and the weight of the frame. Some riders may like heavy motorcycles, and still others would like light ones. Here are two things you have to remember about motorcycle frames:
Durability. Motorcycles need to stand the constant stress of engine vibrations, the weight of your body and your cargo, and the shock from driving on the road. Tubular-frame construction is proven to be a durable, lightweight solution to motorcycles, as opposed to solid steel frames.
Weight. Lightweight motorcycles are preferred for daily driving, although you may need a heavier frame for motorcycles you drive for the long haul. Remember that the frame should be light enough to cruise through the streets, but heavy enough to provide you with the stability you need for long drives.
Price
While motorcycles are cheaper than automobiles, it doesn’t mean that you should buy the cheapest one on the showroom. Go through all the models available, and pick the best value for money that best suits your needs. Customized motorcycles are the way to go for the long haul, but you have to pay big money for a quality chopper. You also need to have a good idea of how much you’re willing to pay for gasoline, maintenance, and repair jobs.
For motorcycle enthusiasts, the spirit of the open road is always best experienced not with four wheels inside a metal box, but on a motorbike. With these tips to help you choose one, the roar of your new motorcycle will unleash the beast inside of you, and make you one with the highway.