Which type of motorcycle to choose beginning or travel?

When we search about choosing right motorcycle for beginner we can find a lot of articles for that. You find a lot of info about motorcycle type detail as well. Who write all articles most of them really expert. So, who am I? How can I write something for choosing motorcycles?

I am just a rider like you or I was looking to find a right type of motorcycle when I started like you. Just want to share my experience and opinion for that.

I bought my first motorcycle on 2006, which was Honda Naked CBF 250. After that I ride BMW 650 GS. I had a change to ride also Honda Transalp as well. I am on the world trip since 2016 and have been riding Honda CRF 250L. We can get a lot of messages about choosing motorcycle.

Let’s start some questions before tell which one is the right motorcycle for yourself :

• I don’ t know who you are. What do you like to do for your travel or weekend? Camping, hiking, sport, nature, easy weekend, push yourself sometimes….
• Why do you want to have a motorcycle? All my friends have, want to something different, I saw some shows, don’t want to stuck on the rush hours, and give a feeling to you freedom….
• Have you never ride motorcycle before? Are sure you like to do that?
• How much money do you have to spend for a motorcycle?
• If you have a motorcycle do you want to just ride or want to learn mechanic as well?
• Do you have any health problem like back, neck, heart…?

I asked them when I was beginning. I like camping and nature so much. I saw some movies and I wanted to have a motorcycle 11 years ago. I was thinking more freedom. Also, I was living in Istanbul and rush hours are crazy there and I didn’t want to sit many hours in the car for go to only 20 km.

When I started to search and ask about motorcycles to who was riding motorcycle they give their opinion and almost all of it was different type or model. 🙂 I am 169 cm tall and how I can ride a motorcycle if my feet don’t touch the ground. We had always rush hour and not good roads what I can do with race? That motorcycle how I can buy because you said best? Do you have any idea how much it is? I had an answer to almost everybody what they told to me buy.

I need to choose a model to start, first I wanted to learn what does it mean the type!

Naked (Standard): The other name is street motorcycle and upright sit position.

Touring: Long distant motorcycle. They are general more big and heavy. Can’t find small cc alternative. Like a big brother for naked. 🙂

Sport: For me, it means race. Open the gas and go fast J a forward leaning sit position.

Sport Touring: It is between touring and sport model.

Cruiser: Means Harley Davidson for me. 🙂

Dual purpose and adventure: It can vary off-road conditions from tar road to dirt. Upright sit position.

Off-road: Motocross, Enduro, Rally, Dirty bike… in the same category type. They are good for sand, gravel, mud, river and snow.

Scooter : To be honest I never search about it.

How did I choose my first motorcycle in the beginning?

Even if a dual-purpose type of motorcycle looked like right for me, after answer all my questions, I bought NAKED. I was beginner. I prefer was practice more on the tar road. So, first one can be a street motorcycle J 

I suppose a lot of new rider think same way. I could learn to ride. I can drop it easily so, nice to be light. I am beginner and I don’t need power so much. 125 CC or 250 CC could be a good start. Maybe 250 CC is better if I like and want to keep the same motorcycle for a while.

The price is important. I don’t want to pay a lot of money. If I drop it the part must be cheap. Mechanic needs to be easy to understand. Therefore, I can fix some basic things. If I don’t really like to ride I want to sell it fast and don’t loose a lot of money.

I wanted my feet touch the ground, not only my toes like a ballerina. I was sure that I would have a balance problem a lot.

I didn’t look for side bags, window, hand protection…etc. If I want to have them I could buy separate.

And I bought HONDA CBF 250. I ride 2 years and like it. I made 15.000 km. Only, long distant journeys (each day, 400 km ride with it in 5 days) killed me because it isn’t that type of motorcycle. 🙂

If you ask about Ferry He had only one motorcycle which we have been riding for our world trip journey Honda CRF 250L 🙂