Quote:
Originally Posted by gargamel
If you've never ridden before, seriously consider something with ABS. In a few years of riding, I've only had it kick in once, but being saved from even one motorcycle accident is easily worth the investment. A Suzuki sv650abs would be my recommendation for a bike that you could handle as a beginner but wouldn't outgrow, although it may not be easy to find a used one.
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HEED THIS MAN'S ADVICE!
The SV650s is (imo) the perfect starter bike for a *responsible* rider. It's forgiving enough that it won't kill you by accident, but certainly entertained me (an experienced rider) for several years. I REALLY regret selling mine. Relatively maintenance free, but it you need/want to get greasy, they're SUPER easy to work on and parts are reasonably plentiful. Seriously, the bike is a 9.9/10. I put around 45,000km on one in 3 years.....perfect, perfect, perfect.
That said, finding 'The One' used is a real challenge. It's one of the few bikes that a beginner could almost justify buying new. They can be had in $7000 range (rebates, bit o haggling) and carry a strong resale value. Still recommend a used bike for new riders, but a new SV wouldn't be that unreasonable.