What's a good motorcycle?
 

I'm a BRAND -NEW rider so I need a bike thats:a) Fairly cheap, although I'm willing to spend a bit of money to get qualityb) Easy to ridec) Easy to understand controlsAlso, I'd prefer a sports-style. Thanks for your recommendation!Just to clarify- I understand I'm undertaking risk. I'm looking for an easily controlled bike that is comfortable for beginners.

Vespa - Yamaha - Harley

I've always had good luck with Yamaha.I owned 3 of them, on active duty.(started small, traded up, as I wanted more power, then had a regular passenger)Sold the third one, when I moved back east, because 365 days a year riding was no longer possible due to weather.. unlike cali, which is great for biking through the desert, any day of the year.A friend of mine got killed riding his Ninja. Another broke his right foot, in a minor spill. I once went over the handlebars when I hit a hundai, on the freeway, that stopped in front of me. All I got from that was a ripped to hell jacket, and stunned looks from other people involved that I was not busted up.A guy on the base I was stationed at got hit in the head by a golf ball, as he rode his bike past the golf course, but the helmet saved him. It was all busted open, cracked, etc, but all he got was a sore neck.Finally a guy on my ship died when he was driving through San Diego fog, late fall, and his bike hit a parked pickup, the driver had parked it in the fast lane of the freeway.It's a good deal if you have a devil-may-care attitude, and don't care about survival, and are young, and heal fast from injury. Insurance was 14.00 a month for me in 1985. Gas was cheap, I rode all day from San Diego to La Jolla up and down I-5 on days off, when I didn't have duty at the base, or east into the desert. I also rode from Coronado to San Ysidro a lot, then walked across the border to cruise the shops on Revolucion Blvd, en Mexico.I'd advise against it if you have kids, or anyone depending on you. But if I was young again, I'd certainly do it again.Good luck, wear leathers and a helmet, drive defensively.

A kawasaki ninja 500r is a great begginners bike. They are not the best looking bike, but they are one of the cheaper bikes you can get brand new ($5,100) or used, fun to ride, and is easy to handle. The controls are normal, nothing complicated. This is a bike you spend your first 6 to 12 months on learning to be a good safe rider, then if you need more power trade it in and get a 600, 750, 1000. to suit your needs. Also I would suggest that you take a motorcycle safety course, to make your a better/safer rider, and it can lower your insurance.