Rider education course. Motorcycle Safety Foundation has excellent instruction by people who really know what they’re teaching and want to share it with you.
Between insurance, maintenance, registration, helmet, clothing, boots, gloves, and shelter for the bike, it’s a LOT more expensive than you think. It’s not the cheap mode of transportation I’d envisioned.
In addition to all the good safety recommendations given here, if you are riding in a buggy area,
KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!
How much does this apply to the size of the Rider? I’m well versed in high power to weight ratio cars, had an automatic trailbike in highschool, and have spent a TON of time on bicycles.
I’m also 6’5" and 270 lbs. The itty bitty 250cc bikes they recommend for training have me looking like I’m on my kid’s bike…and the wife* sitting on back has it bottoming out the suspension.
- = yeah, I know, having a rider is WAAAY Out there, but still. I’m pushing about 75% of it’s load bearing capacity all by myself.
I think a new rider is best to get a frame that fits, but with not so much power that a loss of control can occur accidentally.
There are bikes out there that are insanely fast. I could not imagine trying to get used to slow speed/tight turns when a hair too much throttle could have you staring straight up at the sky.
One option would be something like the Suzuki V-Strom 650. The bike frame is large, but the engine doesn’t overpower it at all (though there is more than enough power for the experienced rider, even two up with luggage).
I ride a V-Strom 1000 and love the power the engine puts out. It can be (no, it is) addicting to roll the throttle out and accelerate like mad. Woo, my heart went all a-flutter just writing that.
The worse thing a new rider can do is get a bike with too much power that intimidates them after a few rides.
Here’s another good tip I only realized last year.
Tolls are a gigantic pain when riding a motorcycle (stop bike, take off gloves, fish into jacket for money, pay, put gloves back on…).
If you have an EZ Pass account tied to your motorcycle license plate, don’t worry if the booth doesn’t register your EZ Pass tag. Keep your license plate clean and easily visible and your account will be debited for the pass via photo. I know it sounds wrong (and may be) but I have gone through plenty of tolls after realizing I forgot to take the tag with me, and every time a transaction is shown on my account. Just recently I went through and set off the buzzers with a State Trooper sitting by the toll and he did nothing.
The best thing, of course, is to get a Weather proof tag and remember to adhere it to the bike where it will be registered by the toll booth, but even then it doesn’t always register (hard to position it correctly on a bike).
Also, when you pull away, make sure said item is up. I’ve never fallen foul of this, but have seen someone have a good go at it.
When you pull up by a grass verge, it is important to distinguish between short grass at road height, and a foot-deep ditch concealed by long grass. Not me, again, but one of the funnier sights I’ve seen.
The most tell-it-like-it-is advice I ever saw was on a photo of a poster from a famous bike-friendly pub called the Cat & Fiddle: