I am 5-10 and 175 lbs.  I checked into a few different motorcycles but when I found this one for the price I couldnt resist.  

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1347300947  

I just bought my bike, a 1995.  I had to take a friend with me to buy it because I didn't have my license yet and I have never ridden a motorcycle, not even a dirt bike.  This bike has been great easy to get used to for me.  I decided not to get a 250 after speakign with friends who said I would be just wanting something bigger very soon.  After all you can always go easy on the throttle but if you have a situation you need to get out of in a hurry and there is no throttle left, like with a 250, Then what do you do?

 
Take the MSF.  I took mine about 3 weeks back now it was alot of fun.
The MSF class was excelent it gives a great foundation and teaches you the correct way to do things from the start so you don't start off with bad habbits.

Both my daughters took the MSF course at 16.  I bought a 250 scooter for the oldest and told her she could have it and after a year I'd let her buy whatever she wanted.  I figured if she spent a year riding without the pressure of using clutch and gears and instead concentrated on just the driving in traffic and all the people out to get her then she'd be ready for anything.  Turned out true and she never had an accident and went on to buy a Ninja.
Second daughter the same though she didn't buy another bike because she just joined the Army as a combat medic.  Hopefully I can get her back on a bike when she comes home.

As the forum's resident "outlaw"...

I learned on a 1200cc. With a foot clutch and a tank mounted shifter. And no front brake (spool wheel in an extended springer). Rode on the street for 6 or 7 years w/o bothering to get an endorsement. Never took the class, passed the riding test on a borrowed CB350F (1973 Honda).

Rode nothing but antique American/Brit for years. Still have a soft spot for them. But would never tell a newb to go get one, good way to wind up dead, many had left brake/right shift prior to 1975 models.

The Savage can be a good learner bike. I've got a 250 here that is the same length but weighs more and goes faster (10,500 rpm redline) and handles a lot better than a stock Savage/S40. A Savage CAN pull the front wheel off the ground pretty handily if the drive belt is too tight and you dump the clutch. The brakes are pathetic, you really need to quickly develop a feel for when they are going to lock up. But the bike will ride a rear wheel slide with pretty good results. Usually.

Most Savages are decent bikes, some (like mine) are not. Take somebody experienced with you to look over even a brand new, the dealers don't set them up right and many subsequent owners don't know the difference. Or care.

Take the course. Don't even go window shopping until you have done so. With a couple hours saddle time it can save you a lot of money/grief. Under no circumstances try to learn from somebody who's been in the saddle for decades, we ALL have bad habits that you will invariably  pick up on (humans are natural mimics).

I've had way too many motorcycles to list. Have kept my bought new and worked the crap out of it 1998 Savage the longest.

I just started riding a couple months ago and the Savage is my first bike.  Great choice too.  I had played with my brothers enduro some and I drive a stick shift car, so that helped, but go take the MSF course.  It is a huge help and they'll teach you the practical stuff that will save your @ss.

As a side note, I rode a GZ250 in the class and my GF has a Rebel.  I found both of those harder to ride than the Savage.  It has a little more weight, about 350lbs dry compared to the Rebel's 307lbs, but to me it feels more stable.  I also find the power easier to manage with the lower RPMs as compared to the Rebel.  

Take the course, get good gear and take it slow.

misterbbq wrote on 09/16/12 at 10:03:59:




Never fail to acknowledge the danger of riding in a parking lot. Thats a very scary place to me.

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 09/16/12 at 10:08:26:


absolutely true!  we didn't have cars in our parking lot and it was still a bit nerve wracking at first with all the other beginners out there.

Bill wether you realize it or not you countersteer, it is part of the physics of a two wheeled vehicle once it gets over a certain speed (12 Mph I believe).