[eddiethekid]

howdy everyone,
i have searched the web, and this forum, near and far looking for some answers. This is now the 3rd session i have spent about an hour reading over countless posts for newbies like me. All questions i originally had morphed into new questions. Maybe, just maybe if i make this post i can start actually making progress. sorry in advance if what i ask has been answered already, but i feel i am going in circles.

I moved out to Portland, OR awhile ago now and the roads surrounding this city look like they were paved by god himself compared to the the hellish roads in Metro Detroit.

i still need to get my endorsement but trying to find a class i can take is difficult. i work a graveyard shift full time and am going to school full time. i was a little over ambitious when i landed here lets just say. i do not care about how much i end up paying for the class. i do care about the quality of the information that i will receive. i feel seat time is important(duh), but understanding concepts and basic knowledge is important(er). if anyone on here is from the Portland area i would really appreciate any leads to places.

it being winter, i know off season is the best time to buy, but i am not looking to rush into a purchase. i seek input on what are good recommended USED starter bikes. i will by no means start on a sport bike. i feel the words beginner and sport should not coexist in the same sentence. i feel a universal Japanese bike would do me well. i am 6'4" 185 soaking wet. i am slowly getting heavier, but 200lb will be my max. i'm looking for a cruiser to just enjoy the road on, nothing fancy. No Harley or crotch rockets.

i am not looking for a "dream bike" because this is my first bike. My good friends in Michigan started with a fricken 20 grand Vrod and CBR600R love my mates to death but i feel both are not starter bikes. The guy my pops sold his old shovel head to gave me his word i would have first grabs if he ever wanted to sell it. that's my dream bike. a 800 pound Harley is not my idea of a starter bike.

last but not least i would like to have something i can tinker with and do most work on myself. because knowledge. i would like to have a clue about what my bike is and how it works. i would like to shy away from anything with four carbs, to start. i know that limits me, so options are xs400 and 650s anddd???? if you feel this is to picky, call my out by all means.

longer than i anticipated, but i feel anyone on this forum now has a general scope of me and what i am looking for.

cheat sheet:

recommendations for quality endorsement classes?

options for motorcycles that are easy to work on and or maintain

any other recommended things for a new rider to look into?

thank you

 

[Dodsfall]

The only training program I know of in the state is Team Oregon. The classes run Saturday and Sunday mornings.

 

[Rebeldog1]

Check with community colleges in the area, most of the time they will have a class or two that satisfy the license requirements for your state. Most of the time they will provide bikes in the 250cc range that are simple and easy to ride. That would be a good starting point to help you choose a bike, you can find out if that size is too small or may not have enough power for your skills. I would recommend looking for used Japanese street/trail bikes that even in the 650 class are not overpowered and are easily handled by someone your height. The advantage to them is you sit higher so that vision down the road is better so you can anticipate the need to brake, get into another lane and what traffic might do in front of you. Those types of bikes also go off-road easily if you are interested, and they are mostly single cylinder which are easier to maintain.

 

[Critter]

Here is a good place to start your search for courses:

https://www.google.com/#q=portland+or+basic+riders+training

 

[Unkle Krusty]

Riding

I do not know of any riding classes. But wanted to say, I like the Portland area.
You can go East to the desert like area, or West to the ocean, and lots of places in between. Used to be a lot of good bike shops in Portland.
There are a couple of bike races each year at the nearby track. The organizers or some racers, might know about riding schools and such.

Unkle Krusty*