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      05-30-2019, 02:02 PM   #4
omega2733
Second Lieutenant
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Drives: '17 F80 MGM
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Central FL

iTrader: (1)

The KTM Duke 390 is a little small for everyday riding (comfort) unless you're short, get something small for splitting but big enough to be comfortable. Sv650, CB500F CBR650F are all good bikes that fit this category - there are many others too. You'll want to start on something smaller (500F would be fine though) to really get comfortable with riding and probably move up later, a 500F/SV650 would probably last you a while and can be a starter bike. Don't buy anything new for a starter bike, buy it used, you WILL drop it at some point. After a few thousand miles get rid of the starter scratch and dent special to something else you want, usually by then you have enough skill not to drop it.

If you want to stay with something smaller Ninja 400 is best in it's class if you want something more sporty like the KTM. Before you decide anything or buy anything, take a class first they generally have multiple types of bikes you can try to figure out what you want. It'll also help you find out if riding is for you or not without investing (losing) anything.

I probably rode about 15,000miles last year in a fairly small city compared to LA. It's not worrying about yourself, but other people which are completely unpredictable and pay zero attention to the road. Someone else will ALWAYS do something stupid on a ride generally that you will need to avoid. Motorcycle riding is 100% not for someone who's head isn't on a swivel and hyper alert these days. I had a driver attempt to literally squash me (merging sideways into me several times) for telling them to put their phone down when they were swerving lanes almost hitting me and multiple cars... Although a truck can't keep up with a bike...

If you don't do it for fun now there's a 100% probability you will. Be ready for wanting to have fun and realize that it gets expensive quick down the road.

If you value your skin getting good gear will cost you at least $1k-$2k don't forget this in the budget. You'll probably want a Sena and a decent helmet cam too, I wouldn't go anywhere without a helmet cam nowadays, usually if you don't have one you'll be blamed regardless of what the driver did.