Biker Buyers Guide

You've saved up your money, or you've set your budget to finance to buy a bike. That's great news for you and your potential seller. But there are a few considerations you must ponder prior to purchasing your power plant.

Lastly, how much are you willing to spend? A brand new bike's bright colors and shiny, scratch-free appearance may attract your attention, but that may not be what you need. A well-kept used bike may be what the doctor orders. A great advantage to the used-bike brigade is the nearly limitless customized parts they offer at very low or no additional charge.

Second, how often will you really use your bike? I don't mean intend to use it - I'm sure we all intend to ride more than we actually do. Spending several thousand dollars for a bike you only use a couple times per year may be overdoing it. Sit down and really analyze how often you can use it. Consider your weekly work schedule, home life, vacations, and anything else that may impede on your riding time. A weekly rider's cost benefits are different than a monthly rider's cost benefits.

Third, what style of riding will you do most? Motocross or enduro racing, trail riding, hill climbing, and desert riding are popular styles. Each style requires a unique setup and type of bike.

For motocross racing you need to analyze your own capability. A new starter or smaller child may feel intimidated mounted on a full-size 125, 150, or 250cc motocross bike. These full-size bikes are tall and big. An adult on a 125cc may feel like they want more power. Consider your height and weight before throwing down several thousand dollars for a machine.

A trail rider may not need the stiff, complex, heavy-duty race suspension for exploring the mountain highways, whereas a racer or hill climber does. It's important to note, too, that suspension is sensitive to weight. A typical race bike straight off the showroom floor is set up for a 150-pound rider. If you're heavier than that you'll need stiffer fork springs and shock spring to utilize reach the full potential each brand offers.

To summarize these considerations, look at your budget, frequency of riding, riding style to get the best bang for the buck with you bike. You'll regret purchasing a machine that requires routine maintenance and quick fixes if you're only planning on riding during spring break and Fourth of July weekend. You know yourself better than I know you, so you need to check out these few pointers to have the most fun. That's what this sport is all about!