Choosing a bike is quite a decision - not only will you be parting with a significant chunk of cash, but you also want the bike to be right for you in as many ways as possible. This blog will cover some of the the factors you'll need to consider when choosing a bike, be it your first, second or fiftieth!
Bike Stop's friend and artist Stephen Hill can illustrate your bike history, and it makes a great gift!
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The first thing you need to get straight is being realistic. This especially applies for when buying your first bike - be realistic in your budget and what type of bike you should be getting. You may have lofty ideals for what you want but you may be brought back to earth when reality strikes.
You need to determine your level of experience - whether you're a beginner or experienced rider, not all bikes are going to be suitable for you. A beginner rider, depending on licence level, should stick with easy to ride bikes to get used to riding, while experienced riders need to decide just how much they can really actually handle - a litre supersport bike is quite the beast for example, especially older models with no electronic intervention. Bravado is a dangerous thing on a bike.
Once you've been realistic with yourself about your experience, you can then determine your needs. You may want to go off road, or commute, or take the bike on a track day, or even combine this. Some bikes are better at some things than others, and multi task more effectively. This indecision on consumers' part has led to the development of bikes that can be used in multiple situations with very few compromises - the BMW R1200GS is the perfect example of this, it's a do it all machine.
Next up you need to see whether you're comfortable with the candidates you're now presented with. You need to see whether your body size matches with the bike, or whether it can be adjusted. You may have fallen in love with a Yamaha R6, but find it's just too cramped and compact. Once you've sat on some bikes you should then go about test riding them to see what feels right. Different geometries, engines, brakes, suspension, etc. will make some bikes unappealing to you straight away. Some people will deal with flaws better than others, be they vibrations, poor fuelling or dodgy brakes. Cruisers are a common example of this - they're inherently flawed in terms of handling and refinement, but people work around this to get the style and noise for example.
At this point you should have narrowed down exactly what it is that you want, and can handle, and it's at this point that you have to set yourself a budget, which can sometimes scupper your dreams. There are ways around this - you can go for used motorcycles, or look at finance options. Used motorcycles will take off a significant chunk of the price, but you won't necessarily get the latest and greatest, or the exact specifications you want - there's also more risk involved due to the bike's history. Financial options on new bikes are exceptional at the moment, but you have to be comfortable with not owning the bike, and handing the bike back after a time or pay a hefty lump sum with a PCP deal. There is something to be said for fully owning a bike - it's a good feeling, but for some it simply isn't practical. Make sure you also budget for gear too - this should be accounted for before the bike itself - check out Bike Stop's gear her.
You're now at the final stage, and you may have had to change your ideas once you hit the budgeting stage, but this is possibly the most important factor of all. Have you chosen a bike with that 'je ne sais quoi'? If the bike is going to be used as a transports tool it's maybe not so important, but if the bike is going to be used for pleasure, you'll need to be able to love it. A sure sign is when you look back at it when walking away - both the looks and the feeling you've just had riding it should make you do this without thought.
There is, however, one caveat with this guide - you. Some people simply won't follow a logical process when it comes to choosing a motorcycle - and that is part of the charm of bikes. They can move you in such a way that all the flaws and costs can be overlooked.
