Purchasing your first motorcycle is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in life. For most, it represents a significant investment and the pleasure you get on it will most likely determine the path your biking ‘career’ takes.

Buying a motorbike can be a bewildering experience and, depending on how you choose to pay for your bike, you may find yourself locked into you’re your purchase for many years. Whether you want a long term keeper, a short term steed or a machine on which you can develop your skills as you progress onto bigger tackle, there’s a lot to take into account before putting your money down on the table.

What should you consider?

Well, these are the things we think matter most when choosing a new steed…

What size of motorbike do you want?

Bigger is not always better in the world of motorcycling, with a recent trend towards smaller, more affordable and more manageable bikes confirming many riders are feeling this way.

The engine capacity of the bike you ride may be dictated to by the licence you have. If you’re a learner, riding on L plates and a CBT, you’ll be limited to a 125cc by law, while if you’re an A2 licence holder you will need a bike which complies with those regulations. That means a bike of no more than 47bhp, and with an appropriate power-to-weight ration. Usually that equates to a bike of between 400 and 500cc, although it is possible to take some bigger engined bikes and restrict them.

If you have a full licence then you can ride any road legal bike. Tempting as it is to go for a big, fast, machine we would urge some caution. Powerful bikes can be intimidating, and they are often physically big and heavy. Add in a higher purchase price and running costs (things like insurance, fuel and consumables like tyres and brake pads will generally be more) and there’s a good reason to think hard about the size of bike you want. Many experienced riders are downsizing and having more fun (and a more carefree) experience with smaller bikes like the new models from Royal Enfield and Triumph. Being the boss of a simple iron horse is often more fun than being taken for a ride on a high-tech rocket ship…

What style of bike do you want?

You might have heard lots of different styles of bike mentioned, and this will massively affect your riding experience.

Manufacturers usually build lots of different bikes around a single engine design (or platform as they often call it). Honda, for example, offers its A2 compatible ‘500’ range in five different styles, built around the same 471cc engine. They have a sporty roadster (Hornet), adventure tourer (NX), sports bike (CBR), cruiser (Rebel) and retro (CL) to cater for all tastes, and this is something most manufacturers do. For example, a Yamaha MT-07, Tracer 7, Tenere 700, XSR700 and R7 all share the same engine but offer very different riding experiences thanks to their different styles and chassis specifications.

Unfortunately it can be hard to get test rides at motorcycle dealerships these days, especially for newly qualified riders, so doing your research is important. Specialist magazines are a great source of information, and you’ll find loads and loads of info online. At Carole Nash we have a comprehensive motorcycle review section on our website, as well as a YouTube channel, where we bring you the lowdown on all kinds of bikes – with independent reviews from experienced testers.

While dealers aren’t always able to offer demos, they are usually more than happy for you to sit on all the bikes and to get a feel what works for you. A good motorcycle dealer is worth its weight in gold and can play a vital role in helping you get the most out of your motorcycling journey. It’s very rare for staff not to ride themselves, and the value of their professional advice (and anecdotal stories) should not be underestimated.

While there are arguments for and against buying privately or from a dealer, if you’re new to the game there is a lot to be said for building a relationship with your local bike shop. They’re a great font of knowledge and often provide a meeting point for like-minded souls.

What’s the best you can afford?

Motorcycling can be a cheap form of commuting or an expensive hobby, but whatever your reasons for riding we recommend you make a budget and buy the best bike you can afford.

Cheap motorbikes can soon become very expensive motorbikes if things start to go wrong. If you want peace of mind, you can’t beat buying from a reputable dealer. New bikes come with comprehensive warranties, while everything being brand new means that you won’t have to be raiding your bank account to replace consumables (parts that naturally wear out over time, like tyres, chains and brake pads and discs) any time soon.

Even a second hand bike purchased from a dealer will have some kind of warranty (although you do need to check how long that’s for, and what it covers) and most reputable shops will perform some kind of health check on their stock, meaning you should have some reassurance that you’re buying good ‘un.

Bargains can be had on the private market, but it is very much a case of buyer beware. You don’t have the protections you have when purchasing from a proper trader and you’ll be on your own if things go wrong.

When buying your bike, we recommend checking up front how much your motorcycle insurance will cost, as this is a legal requirement and the cost may vary from bike to bike, and look at the other running costs, like servicing and the cost of replacing those consumables. A 200bhp superbike will cost a lot more to run than a 47bhp A2 bike. It will rip through consumables at an alarming rate and while a cheap to buy but expensive to run bargain may look attractive, it’s not for the feint hearted and might well put you off motorcycling if it turns out to be a lemon.

Don’t just take our word for it. We met up with Chris Walker, the legendary ex-racer who now runs a successful Ducati and Kawasaki dealership in Grantham, Lincolnshire. He took us around his showroom to impart some of his wisdom and to share his tips for new riders looking to buy their first motorcycle.