beary said:
Hey megboo,
How do you get started riding a motorcycle? I continue to have fantasies about getting one. I know that some of the dealerships have classes, but in order to even take that class, you have to have a license, which it looks like you get from taking a class at a community college. Is this what you did?
Also, approximately how much does a decent motorcycle cost? Once I get a few paychecks and pay off all my moving expenses I should have a little moulah.
My parents went through an early mid-life "crisis" if you will in the mid-90's and decided to get their motorcycle licenses and buy bikes. They encouraged my brother and I to also get our licenses, too.
In Illinois, there is a Motorcycle Rider Safety Program that you can take - it's a Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday course where you learn to ride and take your test at the end, and it costs $20 for the whole thing. This is what I found for Michigan:
http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1627_29889---,00.html
Anyway, shortly after the class I got my first bike.
Depending on the engine size, a new bize can cost anywhere from $3500-$20,000+! It all depends on the make, model, etc.
If you're just looking to cruise around town and 2-lane highways and occasional interstate, you'd be ok with less than 600cc. If you are going to be on the interstate frequently, you'll need more than 600cc.
Example costs: Honda Rebel (250cc) $3099, Honda Shadow (600cc) $5400, Kawasaki Vulcan (500cc) $4900, Yamaha V-star (600cc) $5800, Yamaha Virago (250cc) $3500, Harley Sportster 883cc $6500
If you can afford to buy it up front, I would look at bikes that are a couple years old with low miles. Harley's hold their value really well, though, so if you bought one today, you'd likely be able to sell it for close to purchase price someday.