> So yesterday my dad came to my bedroom door as I'm typing away on the computer. He looked at me and said, in a tone of voice that sounded as if he were suggesting a trip to the grocery store, "Wanna go buy a motorcycle tomorrow?"
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> He completely floored me. I couldn't say anything for about 30 seconds. Then, of course, I said, "Sure! Yes! Who do I have to kill? Can we go tonight?"
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> I've been wanting a motorcycle for at least a year. (My dad has for decades, but that's irrelevant.) It turns out our landlord is selling his old one to get a new one. And it's in good condition, and for a great price.
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> None of us in this house (of my dad, my sister, and me) knows a thing about motorcycles, so we'll have to go take classes and stuff before we can actually ride it. I don't know many details about it, but it's uh...red and black, and it's got a windshield, and a couple storage box-like bags, and it looks insanely complicated to drive. I managed to pick up that it's a 900cc, and about 650 pounds. I think. I just hope I learn it in time to drive it a bunch before I go off to college.
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> Ayako

900 cc's? Make no mistake, that is a *big* bike.
I was out in the shop a few minutes ago looking at my 1966 Benelli. It has a four speed foot shift and a 50 cc engine. It is difficult to ride mainly because some din-a-ling failed to put a neutral light on it and you can't tell what gear you're in until you engage the clutch. The engine on that one is 1/18th the size of the 900 that you are considering. I have a couple of Hondas with 50 cc engines that are fully automatic and they are extremely easy to ride. It would be nice if you could start out on something like that and work you way up to the 900. Using too much power can easily get a novice rider into trouble. I tend to switch back and forth among the bikes (mostly scooters) in my collection and sometimes I confuse myself. I have the single-speed Cushmans and Hondas, a two-speed Cushman, a three-speed Vespa and the 4-speed Benelli. All of them are old, with the '78 Honda being the newest one I have. With cycles, accidents tend to be serious. I've heard of accidents where the rider died, but the cycle recieved so little damage it could still be ridden. Stick to back roads with slow traffic. Take it easy and learn about your own weaknesses and strengths before you go anyhwhere. Most importantly, get a good helmet and never ride without one. Avoid carrying passengers and don't even condider it for a year or two.
Howard