What would be a good street bike to start with?

I want to start riding street bikes. what's a good starter bike, and what do i need to know?

• I'm 145 lbs. and 5'9" if it helps.

• Answer:

  The best place to get what you need to know is at a motorcycle school. These typically take a weekend, and you'll learn how the controls work on a school-supplied bike. The local office that issues your driver's license will probably have a list of approved schools. It's the easiest way to learn how to ride. Next thing is to gear up. I wouldn't even think of riding without a helmet. Sturdy boots and gloves are also important. I own a riding jacket and set of riding pants that are comfortable even in hot weather. They're not quite as important as the helmet, boots, and gloves, but they can save your skin - literally. As a general rule, any Japanese built 250 is a good first bike if it fits you, but any of them but the Kawasaki Ninja 250 will struggle to keep up with highway traffic. Any sport bike in the 500 cc and under class, and other types of one or two cylinder bikes in the 750 cc and under range, will probably fit you. Pick one you're comfortable with. The 600 cc four cylinder bikes are generally over 100 hp and something you're best off picking up a year or more of experience before riding one.