What would be a good beginner street legal bike ?

I got a 98 Suzuki Bandit. Has it for a year and a half. Wasnt too slow, fast enough and not too touchy. Also it will take a little abuse. Being air cooled its easy to learn about as well. This bike is a little taller then most crotch rockets, but i stood on it easily at 5'8". Its also known as the GSF600S. Check them out. I got mine for $1200 and had no problems at all with 45k miles on it. Good luck, and ride safe.

You can get a commuter bike like the Buell blast or go for a big size scooter. Going for a scooter will also help you keep your clothing clean and allow you to dress nicer work clothes if required.

im assuming you live within the UK and your looking for a 125cc, if so then a yamah sr125 is an absolutly great bike, good looks, incredibly reliable, not much to go wrong with this bike. it will do 60-70 mph, and will take alot of punishment from a learner and keep going. oh and not forgetting its very comforatble seat! you can get one of these for about £400-500 well whatever your choice good luck and happy riding

I'm not going to answer the first part of your question as I don't normally tell anyone what to pick. There are many available. I will answer the very last part, though. Extended miles = extended travel time. Lane splitting is the only way that a motorcycle will get you anyplace faster than a car. My understanding is that it is not illegal in California (there is no law either way). It is in all the other states. Even when allowed, lane splitting should not be recommended for a beginner.

I would choose a dual sport with street tires or a super motard. Lighter and easier to hold up/ maneuver. Plus a smaller engine will be less likley to overheat in traffic. The whole Harley loud exhaust/ lights thing makes sense but I would rather have something that handles.

I would look into a Suzuki DRZ 400S or an SM, I drive a little over half hour to work and LOVE it. I have DOT knobbies so I can ride off road too. Its the best of both worlds, the SM comes with street tires and better brakes (its more road friendly)

when splitting lanes is part of your plan, i would suggest a v twin, could be as small as a 750 shadow, i preffer a much bigger motor, but a 750 would do it... v-twin with straight pipes, that way people are more likely to be aware of you coming up, and therefore less likely to try switching lanes right as you split past em. the VTX 1800 would be a good one, but thats like 10,000 bucks, a used 1100 shadow can be bought for a low as 1,000-2,000 with no fancy mods on it, MAYBE as high as 5,000 for a perfectly flawless suped up one.

If you want a newer bike I'd say the Suzuki SV650. That is a very popular bike, easy to ride, and prices are low (new or used). It is not so gutless that you'll want to trade up right away. Handlebar width is narrow also (desirable for lane splitting). If you prefer dirt styling there is always something like the smaller V-Strom. I don't like the vibration of single cylinder bikes like BMW's 650CS or Kawi's KLR, which would otherwise be good choices.

I hate to give you the bad news, but unless you live in California then lane splitting is illegal. Now if you do live in Cali, then it depends on what skill level you are at now as far as riding a bike, and how you can dress at work. On my 360 site is how I dress every day, except for the shirt. And what I ride every day, rain or shine. (I live in Florida.) And I don't split lanes. Fast way to get killed down here with all the tourists and old farts. And a loud bike is cheap insurance, but my hog has SE II pipes, a set of SE II cams, and an S & S carb. It bellows like a moose in heat. It's also dripping with chrome, has an auxiliary light bar, (Three headlights now) a big 'ol windscreen that reflects even the smallest amount of light, and half these boogers on the road STILL can't see me! If you are just starting out, a dirt bike is not the way to go. I'll tell you why. A dirt bike sits higher than any street bike. Even if you are not just starting out riding, a good foot plant is essential in traffic. You need to put your feet down quick, and get your balance and hold the bike up. This is important with a heavy bike. (Like mine.) You need to be able to pick a safe place to put your feet, especially in the rain. No painted arrows or lines, (They get slippery when they are wet.) no puddles of oil or coolant, etc. In fact, I had progressive shocks put on my ride to lower it by two inches. And I'm over six foot tall and have a 36 inch inseam. And I still don't feel completely comfortable under some conditions when I have to stop in a hurry because some knucklehead in a cage is not paying attention. Get something that can move quickly with a minimum of fuss. On a bike you are usually better off trying to outrun trouble. Example: You are next to a putz on a cell phone. They are getting directions on it. The person they are talking to tells them to turn now or they will miss their street, exit, whatever. You happen to be using that piece piece of real estate! If you are not tailgating anyone, you can just twist the wick and be out of crunching distance in a heartbeat. (By the way, that's not gonna happen with many scooters.) Your best bet is not to get a bike to split lanes, but to save the gas money. Get up a little earlier and use the money you save for coffee. Did I leave anything out? If so, drop me a line. I do e-mail and IM.