Returning Riders-- Welcome Back!
Sometimes life re-opens doors. It could be that you had a motorcycle years ago, and now that the bills are paid and the kids are grown, you have the opportunity to get back on two wheels. Ther is no better time to pick up the motorcycle that has been catching your eye.
BTW, the rules have changed
It is almost a certainty that the motorcycles you look at today are much faster than they were when you last turned a key. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation and other dedicated individuals and organizations have fine tuned the science of survival on the streets. Rules of the past are now old urban myths. For example, how many times did you used to hear that the other driver's perception of your presence was assured if you made eye contact? We now know that the other driver seeing you and actually perceiving you as an approaching vehicle are two entirely different, and often only marginally related, concepts.
See what's new
While you're contemplating your purchase, check out David Hough's Proficient Motorcycling, or Ken Condon's Riding in the Zone. Re-tune your brain for two wheel travel. Click on the Motorcycle Safety Foundation site and check out the tip of the day or the MSF course review. In the meantime, get on the internet and compare motorcycles. Go to the dealer and kick a few tires.
Ride before you buy
After you are re-focused and confident of your skills (and re-licensed, if applicable), try out several bikes before you buy. The bike that looks great on the street might not turn out to be comfortable under your butt. It's easy to forget that some riding positions just do not feel good for some riders after an hour or so in the saddle. Also the variations in control and steering characteristics are virtually unlimited. Your perception of what you want may change dramatically after you spend time on the bike that you thought you were dreaming of.
Do it!
You've thought about it, you've checked your budget, you've refreshed your two-wheel knowledge, and you've test-rode the bikes. You won't live forever, and if you intend to ever ride again, now is the time.
One more thing:
Car Insurance Does Not Cover the Motorcycle
Your car insurance does not cover your motorcycle. Talk to your insurance agent and consider purchasing from a separate company if your primary car insurance company cannot provide reasonable rates. Under no circumstances should you purchase insurance that provides lower coverage levels than you buy for your car or truck. Look at our section on insurance and understand that if you are injured in a motorcycle crash it will likely be your own insurance that you have to depend upon for compensation. The driver who crosses your path and causes the collision will likely have minimum or no insurance, and no assets to cover your injuries.