Fun And Legal?

There is no shame in the question, as some magazine editors and salespersons would have you believe. Increasingly, the newest, hippest motorcycles require speeds of at least 80 mph simply to take weight off your aching wrists (windblast at high speed does just that) and to keep their engines singing and happy. Under 80 mph, these bikes define discomfort.

Mind you, there is nothing wrong with such motorcycles. To the contrary, they represent the brilliant end-result of decades of research and engineering. Likewise, there is certainly nothing wrong with an experienced rider pushing a sportbike to the limit, provided no danger to others is involved. But more and more beginning riders are purchasing what for them are outrageously overpowered bikes--bikes that require extreme speeds to get any enjoyment at all out of them. The result? More and more accidents.

It doesn't help when (as happened recently) one of the major motorcycle publications reviews four exemplary beginner bikes (Honda's Rebel, Kawasaki's Ninja 250R, Suzuki's GZ250 and Yamaha's Virago 250) and remarks, "I think these are bikes meant for people who don't much like bikes.... As for the beginner aspect of the thing, even the most timid novice will outgrow any of these almost immediately and in fact, some beginners might decide to take up a more stimulating sport after riding these puppies." Not only is the editor in question dead wrong about the bikes (a Ninja 250R will usher you to a hardly-unstimulating 110 mph); he is woefully short-sighted to imply that the only way to enjoy motorcycling is in pursuit of outright speed.

We at Beginner Bikes approach motorcycling in a different way. We believe you don't need to choose between fun and sub-racetrack speeds. One of the many beauties of beginner bikes is that, after learning the ropes on them, you can actually use much of the performance they offer, explore their limits as well as your own, and learn how motorcycles respond when pushed. These bikes are designed with the real world in mind. They work on the roads that get you to work and the grocery store as well as to the countryside on weekends. And they're a blast to ride at all points in between.

On a trip to North Carolina recently, I ran across a scooter club taking its weekly ride. The group consisted of about 15 scooterists, most of whom rode beautifully-restored, vintage Vespas. The road rolled through a pine forest outside Chapel Hill; the group traveled at about 45 mph. From the smiles on their faces there was no doubt they were enjoying themselves as much as would a group of sportbikers traveling the same road at twice their speed.

The popularity of cruisers illustrates the point that riders of all skill levels are looking to have a good time at legal (or at least sub-racetrack) speeds. It's no surprise that we feature more cruisers in our Buyer's Guide than any other type of bike. In the culture of motorcycling, cruisers have been given permission to, well, cruise rather than race. But not all riders are attracted to cruisers or are comfortable with their ergonomics (the body posture created by a bike's seat, handlebars and footpegs). And those riders shouldn't be made to feel deficient in some way for choosing something other than a 150-mph missile.

That's the point. It's your choice. Cruisers, sportbikes, standards, dual-sport bikes, scooters: there's no reason to feel anything but pride in owning and riding a beginner bike.