Motorcycle Reviews Archives - BestBeginnerMotorcycles

KTM 390 Duke Beginner Bike Profile + Owner Reviews

Jared Northcott — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 00:46:49 +0000

Excellent For New Riders; Loved By Experienced Motorcyclists The KTM 390 Duke is lightweight and simple to drive; it provides the necessary torque to make driving on city streets enjoyable and safe. Yes, it is an aggressive-looking naked bike, and you will hear over and over at BBM that 600cc Super Sport bikes are not good beginner bikes, but this is the kind of choice to check out if performance is your jam. Simply put, riding this machine is a […]

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Honda CB300R: Guide + Owner Reviews

Jared Northcott — Sun, 20 Dec 2020 00:39:04 +0000

A Small Displacement Naked That Doesn’t Feel Small Honda has been producing the various displacement CB motorcycles since the ‘60s. The CB platform has garnered worldwide popularity, due to the friendly, reliable, and comfortable machines Honda has engineered them to be. I learned on a 1971 CB350. I enjoyed the bike so much I still own it. My own boys are learning to ride on it. The modern variation carries forth that blueprint of being friendly, reliable, and comfortable, for […]

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Honda CBR300R Beginner Bike Profile + Owner Reviews

Cameron Martel — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 23:32:35 +0000

A Sub-$5,000 Thrill Ride Purpose-Built for Beginner Riders Ahh yes, the CBR300R – a lightweight, easy to maneuver, easy to maintain, fuel-sipping, beginner bike prodigy. That may sound like a lofty description, but the CBR300R has been that since its introduction in 2013 (on sale since in 2015). The CBR300R has successfully cemented itself in the hearts and minds of the entry-level faithful. The 2020 CBR300R is no different. I have a love affair with good entry-level bikes, and not […]

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Suzuki GS500F: Beginner Bike Profile + Owner Reviews

Cameron Martel — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 23:18:19 +0000

Too Many New Riders Overlook the GS500 My first motorcycle was a ’99 Kawasaki Ninja 500R, a 500cc sportbike that came with around 45 horsepower, timeless good looks, and fuel-sipping fuel economy. It was an excellent first bike and one that I flicked from corner to corner with glee. But do you know what bike I often wish I had opted for instead? That’s right: a GS500F. It wasn’t until I upgraded to a “bigger” starter bike (I bought an […]

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Kawasaki Ninja 650R: Beginner Bike Profile + Owner Reviews

Cameron Martel — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 22:18:38 +0000

Kawasaki’s Ninja 650R Has Been an Entry-Level Staple Since 2006 Bikes like the Ninja 650R, FZ6R, and SV650 are ideal for new riders that either needs something larger due to their height, or are confident in their ability to manage a bit more power than what the typical “beginner bike” ships with. With an estimated 71 horsepower on tap, the 650R is significantly more powerful than the entry-level cruisers, sportbikes (such as the R3 or the old-school 500R), and sport-touring […]

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Suzuki SV650: Beginner Bike Profile + Owner Reviews

Cameron Martel — Sat, 14 Sep 2019 22:24:44 +0000

The Suzuki SV650 is Not Your Typical Beginner Motorcycle The SV650 defies the common convention that a beginner rider piloting a bike with 600cc’s or more is setting themselves up for failure. In most cases, the reality is that 600cc’s is simply too much for a new rider. The Suzuki SV650 respectfully disagrees with that assessment, providing bigger bike riding experience compared to a 500cc or 400cc bike (or even 300cc like the Yamaha R3). Its 645cc v-twin is both […]

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Yamaha FZ6 Fazer: Beginner Bike Profile + Owner Reviews

Cameron Martel — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 01:24:57 +0000

Naked or Faired, the FZ6 is a Great Platform that New Riders Won’t Quickly Outgrow I might be biased, given that I’m currently rocking the 2007 Fazer in Yamaha 50th Anniversary Colors you see above, but the FZ6 is probably the perfect bike for the confident beginner rider that wants a bit of power without the hunched-over riding position, or insane power, of a supersport bike. Featuring a retuned version of the 2003 R6 600cc engine, the middleweight FZ6 was […]

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2019 CB300R Review: A Neo-Nimble Naked Bike

Greg Phillips — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 19:42:28 +0000

First Impressions The Honda CB300R is beautiful to look at and it feels like a more expensive machine than its sticker price would suggest. I notice right away it’s missing a gear indicator in the dash and the seat could be a little more comfortable but this is still a bike that I’d personally love to own. It sounds nice, has a reasonable seat height and enough power to strongly pull onto the highway. Check out the walkaround and startup […]

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2019 Yamaha YZF-R3 Hands-On Review

Brittany Morrow — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 15:57:30 +0000

First Impressions I got my first look at the new 2019 YZF-R3 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the AIMExpo in October of 2018. It was love at first sight. I immediately noticed the aggressively placed clip-ons, MotoGP-esque front faring, and more angular gas tank. The new styling so closely resembles it’s “big brothers” (the YZFR1M, YZFR1, and YZFR6) that it makes the R3 a true “younger sibling” as far as looks are concerned. In my opinion, barring the R3 logo, […]

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2016 Honda CB500X ABS: Another Perfect Beginner Motorcycle

Jim Pruner — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 16:56:30 +0000

My wife wants to join me out on motorcycle rides, but not as a passenger anymore. She wants her own wheels. No problem since there are plenty of excellent options out there. She Wants To Write Too She wrote an introduction about what criteria were most important and why she picked the Honda CB500X in the end after combing the field of applicants closely. See her beginner rider perspective below. “Is there anything more exciting than shopping for your first […]

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2018 Kawasaki 400 Ninja Review: It Lives Up To The Hype

Jim Pruner — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 18:58:27 +0000

I’ve been eagerly waiting for an opportunity to test ride the brand new 2018 Ninja 400. Finally last week I did just that at a Demo Day put on by the local dealership in Calgary: BlackFoot Motosports! The new 400 Ninja is lightweight, equipped with an all new trellis frame and has noticeably more horsepower and torque than the 300 Ninja. I knew it would be good after reading the press release from Kawasaki about it, but riding is the […]

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The Honda NC700X and 750X: Great Bikes for New Riders

Jim Pruner — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 19:20:58 +0000

A friend of mine happened to glance at my computer screen while I was researching the Honda NC700X today. He spotted its picture on the laptop screen and after a moment of admiring it exclaimed: “That’s a pretty sharp looking bike! I like the “beak” on it. Yeah it’s nice! Is that a good one?” His hunch was right on the money. It is what it appears to be, but it’s also a lot more. The Numbers Firstly, here are […]

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The Kawasaki Ninja 500R: The Perfect First Bike?

Jim Pruner — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 16:43:55 +0000

That takes me back… Recently while driving home I came across a sight that I never pass without stopping to offer help: a motorcyclist in distress due to some kind of mechanical failure. There are two tell tale signs of this situation; Someone standing beside their bike on the side of the road –looking panicked– with their helmet lying on the ground about 4 feet behind the bike’s rear wheel. This is a popular signal bikers use to request assistance, […]

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2018 Kawasaki Z650: First Ride/Review

Cameron Martel — Mon, 25 Sep 2017 15:24:41 +0000

Summary Introduced for the 2017 model year, the 2018 Z650 offers thrilling performance, easy handling, and lightweight maneuverability. New riders won’t have to worry about outgrowing the power too soon, but they should be careful: this “small” Z has more than enough power to be daring… and dangerous. Highly recommended for fans of naked bikes everywhere, and definitely enjoyed by this fan in particular. This might just be my next bike. A Warm Introduction to the Kawasaki Z650 It’s hotter […]

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Kawasaki Z125 Pro: a Lightweight Streetfighter for New Riders

Cameron Martel — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 16:24:32 +0000

The media hub at AIMExpo 2018 – America’s largest and most significant motorcycle show – is electric. Media, vendors, and major brands from all over North America – and the world – have come in droves to showcase what’s new for 2018. Among them, perfect for new riders (and BestBeginnerMotorcycles.com), is the 2018 Kawasaki Z125 Pro. There are a lot of reasons to love the 2018 Z125 Pro, and the ultra-affordable $3,199 MSRP is certainly one of them. For the […]

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Triumph T100 Bonneville Review

Jim Pruner — Mon, 28 Aug 2017 20:11:43 +0000

What’s Old is New Again In 1959 the Bonneville T120 was brand new on the motorcycle scene. The 650cc engine producing 46 hp was considered a monster at the time and the bike was one of the fastest in production. The T120 monicker implied a top speed of 120 mph, but when actually tested by several magazines it was reported only to have hit 108 mph. Still, it was an impressive machine all the same. Although not a T100 per […]

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Ural Gear Up Review: From Russia With Sidecar

Jim Pruner — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 21:32:08 +0000

What… IS that?! An old BMW with a sidecar? It looks like it came right off a World War II battlefield based on the styling, heavy steel frame, ammo cans, military paint scheme and fox hole spade strapped to the sidecar. How old is it? WOW! What a cool looking rig. A restored antique maybe? No, the tag says it’s brand new! That can’t be right… can it? U-R-A-L. How do you pronounce that? YOUR-AWL? YOO-RAWL?, OO-RAAHLLLL? Some Ural History […]

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Suzuki DRZ 400 SM Review

Jim Pruner — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 19:28:38 +0000

Suzuki DRZ-400SM Review Words by Jim Pruner, photos by Nathan Guinn A bulletproof, fun, and approachable bike, the DRZ-400SM is the epitome of the “Jack of all trades”, where it does all things well but no things exceptionally well. Should that deter you? Absolutely not. The DRZ is an example of a timeless and well-considered design that exceeds owners expectations and sets the standard for its class. For new and experienced riders alike, Suzuki’s DRZ-400SM is the go-to recommendation whenever […]

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Suzuki DR200SE Review

Motorcycle Guy — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 19:26:12 +0000

Suzuki DR200SE Review The Suzuki DR200SE is a smaller displacement dual-sport that would make a great beginner motorcycle. It feels at home on the surface streets, or in the dirt with a robust engine with enough torque to get you over the hills or out of dangerous traffic! Suzuki DR200SE Has the Ideal Engine and Transmission The DR200SE is packing a 200cc, single-cylinder, 4-stroke engine that is ideal for tearing around surface streets or forest trails. The transmission is geared […]

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KTM Duke 390 Review

Motorcycle Guy — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 17:17:25 +0000

KTM Duke 390 Review The KTM Duke 390 is a beast of a motorcycle. It’s lightweight, easy to handle, yet it has the torque you need to make it fun on the streets and safe on the freeway. It might just be in the top 5 best beginner motorcycles out there. Duke 390 Is a Lot of Fun for the streets The Duke 390 is the ultimate wolf in sheep’s clothing. It’s single cylinder engine comes in at a respectable […]

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