Alright so folks kept askin’ what’s a good starter motorcycle CC size, right? Wanted that safe engine for newbies like me. Thought I’d just grab somethin’ cheap n’ small. Went online first obviously, drowned in forum fights – “250cc is baby stuff!” vs “Don’t kill yourself on a 650!”
Decided screw it, dragged my buddy Dave who rides to a used bike lot. Salesman shoved some shiny 600cc sport bike at me. Felt like tryin’ to lift a fridge. Could barely touch the ground! Dave just chuckled n’ shook his head.
Still didn’t give up. Tested three junkers that week:
- Tiny 125cc thing: Felt like a scooter tryin’ to be cool. Struggled uphill past a grocery cart.
- Brand new 300cc: Nice n’ light. Forgot I was in gear at a light, gave it gas, almost kissed a minivan.
- Beaten-up 500cc cruiser: Thought it looked chill. Thing weighed a ton! Feet wobblin’ stop signs got real sweaty real fast.
Realized somethin’ stupid simple then: It ain’t just CC numbers. Was ignorin’ weight and what I’d actually ride. My knees didn’t care about cubic centimeters – they cared about heavin’ 400+ pounds upright when I stalled.
So I sat my butt on every used 300-500cc bike in town. Found one crusty Yamaha MT-03. Lighter than that cruiser, felt wider under me than the sporty junk. First week? Dropped it twice in a parkin’ lot – slow speed nonsense, clutch fumbles. Scuffed that cheap plastic fairing good, but got back up easy ’cause the damn thing was manageable.
Took months not to panic on the freeway. That MT-03 wasn’t fast, but it didn’t try to murder me when I flinched. Learned throttle control without launchin’ into orbit. Stopped focusin’ on “is 300cc too little?” Real question was: “Can I pick this pig up after I tip it?”
Now? Glad I skipped the big boys. Saved my skin. You want safe? Forget the CC wars. Go sit on bikes. If you can’t flat-foot it n’ lift it off your leg when it falls? Don’t even buy it. Go small, go used, go ugly. Survive first. Show off later.
