Enduro, chopper or rather sporty? If you want to buy a motorcycle, you have a huge choice. Important for your first own machine: You don’t just have to have an understanding of how it works. You also have to know your own abilities and needs on the road. Experts help with the first motorcycle purchase.
The decision to buy a motorcycle is often an emotional one and comes quickly too early, says Rainer Gurke: “Often you look at the exterior, feel, colour. But the most important thing is that you can get along with the bike,” says the driving safety trainer at Auto Club Europa (ACE).
In any case, one should not buy the first motorcycle that comes along. “And no matter which bike you are interested in, you should first take a test ride.”
With the test drive you can test whether you feel comfortable with the vehicle, agrees Michael Lenzen. “The motorcycle has to fit the stature of the driver,” says the chairman of the Federal Association of Motorcyclists (BVDM).
An example: The bike must not be so big that you can only touch the ground with your toes. And your arms must be able to grip the handlebars cleanly.
The machine shouldn’t be too heavy either: “It doesn’t make sense for beginners in particular to buy a 250 or 300-kilo motorcycle if they only weigh 50 kilos”. Michael Lenzen advises testing in an empty parking lot how well you can negotiate tight corners with your dream bike and how safely you can brake.
What do I actually want the motorcycle for?
In order to find the right motorcycle, you should also ask yourself: What do I actually want the bike for? Should it go off-road or on switchbacks in the mountains? Do I want to take my bike for racetrack training or on vacation? The answer to these questions decides whether you buy an enduro or a chopper, a super sports bike or a tourer.
However, Michael Lenzen advises against thinking too much in these categories, simply because there are now many of them and the boundaries are fluid. Makes more sense: distinguish the motorcycles according to their performance.
Because you shouldn’t overstrain yourself when it comes to performance either, says Lenzen. After all, you have to be able to handle the motorcycle safely on the road.
A 500-kilo super sports car with 200 hp is therefore not recommended for beginners. “75 hp is absolutely sufficient for beginners and is still a lot of fun. And in the end, it’s all about having fun with the machine.”
Take a close look at used motorcycles
Not everyone has the money for a new machine after driving license and safety equipment. Michael Lenzen thinks used motorcycles are a good way to try things out: “If you then find out that you can handle the bike and want to switch to something newer, the loss in value isn’t that great.”
In addition, it doesn’t hurt that much when the bike falls over and gets scratched at first. However: “Damage to certain parts can make a motorcycle very dangerous,” says Rainer Gurke, driving safety trainer at the Auto Club Europa (ACE). He therefore advises beginners to contact a dealer they trust when buying a used motorcycle.
A used two-wheeler can be a cheap entry into the hobby – but it requires a lot of expertise and experience when buying, especially with oldies
Source: dpa-tmn/Hendrik Schmidt
Because beginners are usually not very experienced when it comes to wearing parts and other technical matters, they in particular benefit from extensive technical advice. “When it comes to used motorcycles, you should ask the dealer about the history of the bike: Has it ever been in an accident? Do you know the previous owner? How carefully did he handle the bike?”
It doesn’t matter whether it’s new or used, you should always buy a motorcycle from a trustworthy dealer, is Rainer Gurke’s advice. “Because he vouches for the sale with his name.”
In contrast, according to the Stiftung Warentest, private sellers can exclude any warranty, for example. In the case of defects, you have more options when buying from a dealer in terms of repairs or exchange.
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