Kawasaki Ninja 300
Let’s face it, some want a sport bike instead of a cruiser. Kawasaki makes a small-displacement crotch rocket in the Ninja platform. It’s a fun bike to ride still, even though it’s just a 296cc engine in it. But you don’t have to worry about popping a wheelie unexpectedly. You’ll just look like you can.
The Kawasaki Ninja 300 is available with or without ABS brakes, and a new rider should choose the safer option – ABS. It rides a little higher at 30.9 inches, but that’s more about the type of riding than anything. And at 383 pounds, it’s not too heavy for a beginner to handle.
Suzuki TU250X
For someone who likes retro styles, Suzuki makes it brand new. The Suzuki TU250X is built for the 1980s, from the teardrop gas tank and old-school muffler to the not-so-modern plastics. They even use a round headlight for posterity sake.
It’s just 326 pounds, and has an average seat height of 30.3 inches, which works for most riders needing a beginner bike. The Suzuki TU250X is one of the only ones with a passenger seat, although you wouldn’t expect much in the way of performance with two people aboard. You’ll look good in a sparkly visorless bucket when you’re riding this one.
Triumph Scrambler
Maybe you want a little more power – you might be a bigger, stronger guy or gal. Triumph has a bunch of awesome bikes, and the Scrambler is one of the ultimate entry-level motorcycles around anywhere. It has the classic sixties look, calf-burning exhaust routed along the side, and classic accents and paint.
But what matters for the best beginner motorcycles is the ability to control the bike. It’s a big 865cc engine, which makes the overall weight 472 pounds. The seat height is 32.8 inches, which could rule it out as a beginner bike for anyone under five and a half feet tall. But it’s also a motorcycle that would be enjoyable for the novice or experienced rider for years down the road.
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