[Sangetsu]

Get the Ninja 250. It is the ultimate beginner's sportbike, a blast to ride, easy to handle, and a good place to develop your riding reflexes.

I've had a few Ninjas over the years. My first was a 600, then I moved up to the ZX-7. My last bike was a Yamaha R1

Remember always to be careful, and don't do anything stupid. When you are riding, assume that everyone driving a car is deaf, dumb, and blind, it's the only way to be safe. Motorcycles are hard to see, and the faster they move, the less visible they become.

My R1 was tricked out from top to bottom, almost every single part was upgraded or tweaked. My top speed on that bike was 187 mph (300 kph) recorded on my GPS.

I'm lucky to be alive. I've had more close calls that you can imagine (everyone who rides a motorcycle for a long time will tell you that), but I've never been in a wreck or hurt myself.

Others I know were not so lucky. The mechanic who worked on my bike was killed in a wreck, a friend of mine killed himself and his girlfriend in another wreck, and my own brother also died in an accident while riding.

Don't be a squid, riding around wearing nothing but a t shirt, shorts, and running shoes. Road rash hurts, and skin grafts are not pretty. Wear a helmet, jeans (or other heavy pants), a jacket, gloves, and boots which cover your ankles. It's never too hot (or cold) to wear these things, it's better to sweat than having to have skin removed from one part of your body to replace whatever got burned off another part.

Most accidents happen near home (my brother died while riding to the nearby convenience store), so don't leave behind your riding gear just because you aren't riding far.

Learn how to maneuver in an emergency. Knowing how to do a left or right flick is the most important, and should be practiced. It takes muscle, but it comes in handy to move around obstacles or stupid drivers. To do a right flick, you push the right bar forward while pushing on the left foot peg with your foot. This will lean the bike sharply to the right very quickly, and allow you to make a quick turn. To go left, you do the opposite, push with your left hand on the left bar, and on the right foot peg with your foot. You should practice flicks routinely, until you can do them quickly. They are good practice for racing, where they are necessary for making quick turns.

If you ever have to drop your bike (which is sometimes better than simply hitting something and going for a long head-over-heels flight), you do a left hand flick while pushing on the rear brake. This will cause the rear wheel to lock up, and the bike should quickly fall on it's left side and slide more or less in a straight line. Keep in mind that a bike sliding on it's bodywork will travel for a lot longer than a bike that is still on it's wheels with the brakes fully applied. Dropping your bike is a last second panic move, saved for when there is no other option.

Once again, be careful!