Motorcycle license.

[Sunk]

I ride a 125 scooter around time and the insurance is only 45 dollars a year.

But a good starter bike that you can find that probably doesnt need any work is a 2008 ninja 250. I have seen them around here all the way down to 2000 bucks. And the 2008 is the new body style compared to old ninjas.

Here is a quick example of the bike im talking about in columbus ohio.
http://columbus.craigslist.org/mcy/2610741574.html

you can find a 2005 or so for under $2000

I paid $300 for a 82 Nighthawk 450. It didn't run, but I changed the oil, plugs, gas, cleaned the carbs and had a key made. All of that was about $50 and I was rolling. As already stated, buy something cheap so you won't be pissed when it slides across the pavement.

 

[det107]

I ride a 125 scooter.......

I took the road test on a Honda scooter & passed w/ flying colors-

 

[TheTopher]

I just got my license this year, I took the MSF course at the DMV. Definitely worth the money to get that first bit of riding out of the way on somebody else's bike. It was only $50 and I got my license at the end and 10% off my bike insurance.

I chose a Ninja250 for my first bike. I'm honestly VERY glad that I did. It's providing me the opportunity to learn a lot of techniques, mostly different types of shifting, that you couldn't do on a bigger bike while staying within the speed limit.

Truth be told, it's really not all that often that I need to open the throttle on this thing all the way, it goes 0-60 just as fast as a WRX STi. I don't really see the point in a 600cc bike that you can almost never use more than 1/3rd of the throttle. Those 600s are definitely cooler looking though

Which brings me to my next point, check your insurance before you buy anything. I have very good insurance on my bike and it's $1700 a year. I got a quote on a 2011 FZ6 (600CC yamaha) and they wanted $7000 to cover it, that's as much as the bike costs!

One last note about the Ninja250. Mine is a 2007 model. They're very light and have lots of top end power, resulting in the 0-60 time of 5.7 seconds and a quarter mile time of 14.6 seconds. On the 2008 and newer models they redesigned it to look like the 600 bikes, and while it is an awesome looking machine it added a lot of weight and they also shifted the power band on the engine from top end to low/midrange to make it easier for newer riders. The end result is a bike that is a full second slower in the quarter mile. I've been told that the suspension on it is a fair bit firmer and sportier than the model I have, but I can't tell you for certain.

Not saying which one is better, just putting the info out there.

Good luck, mate and ride safe!

 

[Original_Ranger84]

I got my Licence this year as well, Took the test at the DMV up here in AK no courses yet but I'll get around to them next summer. We only really get like 3 months to ride up here.



The bike I have been driving is an 04 KLR 650, I love that bike! Its only a single cylinder so its kind of a pain to pass the driving test when your bouncing up and down not to mention you have to do the 500cc+ course. But its a rugged dual sport with plenty of power i think. Reliable as heck cause its the same engine they have been putting in since the 80's so parts are cheap and its simple to rebuild or repair with nothing really to go wrong.

Its not a fast or slow bike, Mine maxes around 95 or so and thats pushing it but I rocketed it up to 60 in about 4 seconds one time.

This isn't my bike but its almost exactly the same.

Why do you want a Bike for college? They are great for picking up chicks yeah but it doesn't seem very practical at all.

EDIT: Oh yeah and I also drove around for a month or so to get used to it before I did the test, started off with a parking lot then back roads then everywhere so I was used to it.

 

[Xandor]

250 Ninja. The best bike to learn on IMO. Very very light. You have to pop the cluch at 7k to get off the ground so your not going to hurt your self on it, still does 90MPH and there super cheap. 60MPG

I have 2 bikes now, GSXR 600 $340 a year for insurance. FZ6 (600cc) and its only $120 per year. Same CC and HP its just one is know as a "sport bike".