Buying motorcycles, be it your first bike or your twentieth, can be a frustrating experience. If it is your first motorcycle chances are you’re just looking at the basics and not at torque specs and fuel capacities, and if you are a more experienced rider chances are you are upgrading from a smaller bike and have a really good idea of what type of bike will suit your lifestyle and riding style.

As auto makers offer a variety of different vehicle styles to suit as many lifestyles, sports, SUV and so on motorcycle makers also offer a variety of motorcycles to fit a variety of lifestyles.  As you move up to the largest bikes you will soon notice that regardless of the style the prices are all about the same, making your decision even more frustrating.

Some of the different styles of motorcycles include cruisers, dual sport, touring and three wheelers.  New classes appear from time to time such as Super Sport and Sport Touring.  These are sometimes created to help make insurance classifications more realistic.  Your choice of motorcycle will depend on the use you intend to put your bike through and this in turn will affect insurance premiums.

The cruiser class of motorcycles (think Harley Davidson) is the oh-so-cool, chrome covered machine with the upright comfort ergonomics.  A dual sport or enduro motorcycle will transport you to off road adventures and navigate commuter traffic with equal well. Offered in a variety of engine sizes, these bikes are often times not fast or exceptionally comfortable but are extremely durable and usually finished so getting a scratch or two on it is not a big deal.  Touring bikes are the long distance haulers usually equipped with radio and luggage setups. Some offer detachable luggage for packing and travel ease as well as a host of other features from CB’s to cruise control and satellite radio. Sport motorcycles are light and fast, but not so easy to handle, especially for the new biker.
One of the first things a first time motorcycle buyer might take note of is that many of the motorcycle models end in a number. This number is commonly the size of the engine of the motorcycle in cubic centimeters, the larger the number the greater the size and power of the engine.

In a touring style motorcycle a larger engine will mean more than adequate power for traveling with a fully loaded motorcycle, while in a sports bike the larger number means more tire melting, wheelie popping power. Consequently the cost of insurance usually follows the engine numbers, higher numbers equals more potential for speed, equals greater cost to insure.

Motorcycle dealers and manufacturers do also follow the footsteps of the automobile industry by offering company financing and programs allowing trade-ins. Just as the automotive industry has highs and lows for the buying season, you can get different deals and promotions throughout the year. Individuals buying motorcycles now have similar offers and can avail themselves of financing and payment options previously reserved for the auto industry.

Savvy Guide to Motorcycles Savvy Guide to Motorcycles
List Price: $18.95
Sale Price: $37.41

The wind in your face, the feel of the open road, the sounds of nature. Motorcycling has long been a passion enjoyed, by a select few. In the minds of many, it was associated with danger, either from motorcycling itself or from some of the people the sport tended to attract...

The Encyclopedia of Motorcycles The Encyclopedia of Motorcycles
List Price: $34.98
Sale Price: $113.33

The motorcycle fuels the senses like no other form of transportation. Whether you like the romanticism of the early pioneering days, the Easy Rider lifestyle of the Harley-Davidson, the high-revving performance of the superbike, or the urban chic of the scooter, the wheeled machine has universal appeal...