Everything You Need to Know Before Buying a Motorcycle

Equipment and Maintenance
This is where things can add up. Cars go a lot longer between service intervals, not to mention things like tire, spark plug, and belt replacement. Tires can be especially expensive on motorcycles, running between $400 and $600 for a set. And depending on how hard you ride, you may have to change at least the rear tire every 3,000 miles or so. Chains and drive belts need occasional replacing, and those can cost between $140 and $250. Maintenance intervals can run anywhere between 5,000 and 20,000 miles, depending on the motorcycle, but if there’s a valve adjustment involved, expect to pay anywhere between $800 and $1,500. Add in regular oil changes, chain maintenance, and various other odds and ends and, if you ride often, you can expect to drop at least $1,000 per year just on maintenance.

Gear
At the very least you will need a helmet, which can run anywhere from $150 to $900. But if a helmet is all you think you need, you should stick to four wheels. The smart rider who values his skin will also wear a motor jacket, preferably high-abrasion grade leather, gloves, and boots at all times. And while most people ride in jeans, the truth is, if you go down at any speed above 15 mph, jeans will come off like a wet paper towel; protective pants are highly recommended. Conservatively, you should plan to initially spend at least $800 to $1,200 on new gear, which, of course, will eventually have to be replaced as items wear out.

Getting Started
All right, so you’re still undaunted and have decided to take the plunge. So where to start? The best thing you can do for yourself, as well as everyone else on the road, is to sign up for the Basic RiderCourse at the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. It usually costs around $275-$350, depending on where you live, but it’s a lot cheaper than a trip to the hospital because you had no idea what you were doing. The course consists of 10 hours of riding instruction, usually stretched over a weekend, and both motorcycles and helmets are provided (although if bowling shoe rentals give you the creeps, then you’ll definitely want to bring your own helmet. Just make sure it’s DOT or Snell approved). The class is generally taught in a big parking lot or other open space, so you have the benefit of making mistakes without cars barreling down on you. And in a lot of states, passing the class will count as your DMV riding test, which is worth the price of admission alone.

And if you think classes are for sissies, consider that in 2011, there were 4,323 deaths on motorcycles. Then consider that there were 81,000 recorded injuries as well, and that per vehicle mile, motorcyclists were 30 times more likely to die in a crash than passenger car occupants. Long story short? Take the class.

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