Top 7 Affordable Beginner Motorcycles

Recommended *Beginner* Motorcycle Gear:

*The Gear I Personally Wear and Trust*

FAQ:

What should my first bike be? A Turbo Hayabusa.

Very funny, no seriously. What should I get? Anything except a Versys 650.

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CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:34 Kawasaki Ninja 300
2:47 Honda CRF250L
4:53 Honda Shadow
6:49 Suzuki V-Strom 650
9:27 KTM Duke 390 & RC390
10:56 Triumph Bonneville
12:35 Kawasaki Versys 300

[Heroickittens]

LOL Meanwhile nobody is selling a Ninja 300 for less than 4k.

[jjstuartonwriting]

In my army days, a guy in my unit bought a dual-purpose on/off-road bike and drove it for several years. Then one day he bought an R1 and crashed it on the way home, taking a bend too fast, wrote the bike off and luckily only broke bones landing in the trees. He could have died. After he recovered he drove a truck. Lesson here, is start small but also move up small. Nothing can replace actual miles on the bike and lessons learned while developing good habits.

[gregdroid]

Just passed the 1000 mile mark on my Royal Enfield Hunter 350. I am an older beginner (55)

Perfect size, weight, not too much power. Safe, reliable, rackin' up the miles. Under $4k brand new from the dealer.

Reliable and awesome. Highly recommend

[ek]

used market is crazy. might as well buy new for $2-3k more.

[Ashes]

Just picked up a MT-03 for $4, 000 as my beginner bike a couple days ago. Only 436 miles on it and not having to pay dealer fee's on a brand new one was just too good to pass up. As someone who was very, very nervous about riding this bike has been very confidence inspiring in a way that the MSF course bikes didn't give me.

[otarsulava]

2015 Ninja 300 abs, bought it new, it's August 2024 still own it, 41.000 miles on ODO, did some mods - K&N performance filter, 2bros carbon fiber exhaust, actual sports tires, always fresh oil - mostly ride on a mountain twisty roads - I love this bike, gave me a zero issues whatever, replacement parts are available like M&M candy, chain / sprockets, brake pads, takes 2.2 qt oil. Easy to maintain, will keep this bike until wheels fall off... If you found one for sale, go ahead and get before it's gone, highly recommend 👍✌️

[LetoPartizan]

Got myself a 22 CB500F as my first bike and damn that thing is forgiving and easy to ride. Under 3k miles used and it was only 6k after taxes. Dropped it once and only bent the brake pedal, but overall the thing is a straight up tank. Definitely happy with it!

[brentmatheson]

My first bike was a KLR 650. Probably not the best choice. But, I still have it more then 18 years later.

[tdizzle]

Even though i have a gixxer 600 now, I still have my ninja 300! Love that bike!

[GLHS]

I have a Versys-x 300 and it has been a great beginner motorcycle for me since I started riding in March of last year. It has adequate horsepower, a low seat height (easy to flat foot), simple controls, easy clutch, and is simple to service. It is also easy to ride and maneuver, which I think helps you learn to ride better faster. I contend that it might be the greatest beginner motorcycle in existence. I put a pair of knobby tires on it and it can keep up with most dual sports on gravel and dirt roads. In fact, I've surprised some people with how capable it is off road. It can't hang with my DR-Z 400 in the rough stuff, but it can make it through. It does great on the highway, but the high rpms drive me crazy over 65 mph.

The funny thing about it is I get more "nice motorcycle" comments than I did on my Sportster 1200 and my DR-Z 400. I have outgrown the bike pretty quick, however, I could see it being the only motorcycle some people will ever need. I've moved up to a Suzuki DR-Z 400. So, about the only time I ride the Versys-x is when I need to make a quick run to the grocery or hardware store since it has a fake Pelican case mounted on the tail. I'm thinking about selling it or trading it in for a Honda Transalp/Suzuki Vstrom 800 DE. Regardless what happens, I will always appreciate my little Kawasaki.

[camdenpotter]

Picked up a BMW G310R as my first bike this weekend! Brand new for $5, 900. It ain’t the fastest thing out there but as a student who just bought a bike to commute, I love it!

[josephfarley]

I get to pick my first bike up Monday!! I got a KLR 650s ABS, I’m so excited to pick her up and ride!

[drewellis]

3 weeks ago, I bought my 2023 duke 390 new from a dealership for $4200. Couldn't be happier

[MrVegiroth]

Just to put it out there, I got a 2015 Ninja 650 in great condition last year for $4k for my first bike. Super glad I did. My friends 400 is definitely lighter, but my bike is happier at highway speed. No issues with commuting or around town either. 👍

Edit: Super reliable and bullet proof. It does everything I need it to, and not too much power, which helps keep me in my skill level. Purchased off FB Marketplace in Florida btw.

[MrJKD]

Got a used gz250 3 weeks ago for 1200 bucks. I already have 1500 miles and love not having any payments, but I was already shopping for something bigger after only 6 days.... It's great for in town errands but not a good option for any distances.
I'm probably gonna hang on to it because the smiles to miles ratio is still the best.

[MexicanSanta]

bought my DRZ400 for my first bike, I can say it was so great as a first choice. Its let me develop both my street and commuting skills, as well as getting into offroad riding. Giving myself such a great base of skills that I can transfer to my next bike.

[dgolddg]

I’ve recently been introduced to the biking community & love watching these vids. I will be doing my course soon & aiming for a sport/ cruise style bike as a beginner. Thanks for sharing Yammie Noob.🏍️🌴

[cantfindneutral]

I love my cbr300r and I have made so many memories with it, made so many good friends, I can never part ways with it now to be honest.

[rileyzummack]

Impeccable timing for this video as I'm just looking into getting a motorcycle

[Cthooligan]

Best beginner bike: used gen 1Turbo Busa with a salvage title and extended swingarm. It's cheap, powerful, plenty of issues to learn to wrench on, and great in a straight line so you don't have to learn how to lean or countersteer