In article <1993Apr20.131800.16136@alw.nih.gov> gregh@niagara.dcrt.nih.gov (Gregory Humphreys) writes: >Hello everyone.  I'm new to motorcycles so no flames please.  I don't >have my bike yet so I need a few pieces of information: > >[...]  Any stories on how you all learned?  I'll tell you my story as an example of what *not* to do.  Early in 1984 I took some riding lessons from my college roommate on his old Honda CB360T.  He had taken the MSF beginner's course, so I actually learned *some* of what I needed to know to ride.  I proceeded to buy a beat-up Honda CL350 for $400 and a $12 helmet and rode around wearing this and a cotton windbreaker.  Then I decided to invest in a full-face helmet (first smart move).  Sometime around then I also passed my road test.  On May 4, 1984, I got caught in a rainstorm on my way home from a 4-mile trip.  Entering the town where I lived (a rather urban suburb), I had to stop suddenly for a red light that I noticed too late, skidded the rear tire out, and was ejected face upward into the oncoming lane of traffic.  Fortunately for me the oncoming traffic was also stopped for the same red light, otherwise I might have slid under a car and been killed.  Now this is anecdotal evidence, to be sure, but I later took the Experienced Rider Course from the MSF and saw that earlier training could have helped me greatly.  In your case the need is even greater since you have nobody to help you practice even the most basic stuff as I did.  So my advice is to take the MSF beginner's course first thing.  I wouldn't even buy a bike until you've taken the course, unless you happen to pick up a real good deal and can store it someplace until you're ready to use it.  >1)  I only have about $1200-1300 to work with, so that would have  >to cover everything (bike, helmet, anything else that I'm too  >ignorant to know I need to buy)  While you're waiting to take the course (it might take a few weeks in DC, as I recall there were always waiting lists in Boston), could you save up some more money to start out right?  Say $300 for riding gear, plus the cost bike, plus maybe $100 (guess) to a mechanic to make sure the machine is safe (assuming you economize by buying some old beat-up machine from a private individual), plus insurance, plus registration and licensing fees, plus the course, you're looking at maybe $600 not including the bike itself and a reserve for ongoing maintenance.  >2)  What is buying a bike going to do to my insurance?  I turn 18 in  >about a month so my parents have been taking care of my insurance up >till now, and I need a comprehensive list of costs that buying a  >motorcycle is going to insure (I live in Washington DC if that makes >a difference)  I pay about $100 insurance now (upstate NY) but it was closer to $200 in Boston (more urban) for decent insurance including substantial coverage for liability, which you want unless you plan always to be poor.  I'd guess DC is more like Boston than like a rural area, ergo more expensive.  >3)  Any recommendations on what I should buy/where I should look for it?  There used to be annual buyer's guides in the usual motorcycle magazines; I found those helpful in getting an idea of what new or recent models might be available.  You could probably look through past issues to size up what used bikes might be available.  (My first bike was 13 years old when I bought it so I went on my friend's advice instead.)  Also look at the bikes that you see people riding or that are parked on the street.  I basically settled on my present bike by noticing that there were a lot of high-mileage BMW's running around and they were generally set up the way I wanted.  Nothing wrong with talking to various dealers in your area or visiting showrooms.  Dealers in the Boston area, at least when I was shopping, were very nice about letting you look around their showrooms and quoting prices for bikes that weren't the latest models (hence cheaper), although I ended up buying both bikes in private sales.