Hi all!

[Pokitren]

Hi all! Lately I've started thinking about getting a bike, because it feels very right to me at the moment. I love watching motorcycle races, but I have little experience with riding myself. I would ask some silly questions on your forum

 

[LordEndo]

Wr250r or klx250.

 

[DR_Ben]

Do you want to do "motorcycling" or DUAL-SPORT motorcycling? If you are here, I assume dual-sport?

How tall are you? How much money you got? How good at bicycle riding are you?

 

[Pokitren]

Hi again! I've been a little busy, so I've been missing. I'm riding my bike right now. My height is 175 cm - is that a lot or a little?
Money - let me not tell you? If there is a worthwhile option, I will consider it. And dual-sport, of course

 

[offworlder]

I'd second @LordEndo recommendations, and add a DRZ, or DR-650. All good options that are simple, reliable, and wont break the bank.

 

[DR_Ben]

I am 182cm and wouldn't have enjoyed my DR650 when I was new to riding, it is too tall. DRZ is slightly easier to get a foot down, but still not easy.
I guess you could always lower those 2 bikes.

At 5'9" (175cm) I would at least sit on the Honda CRF300L or Kawasaki KLX300 so that you can compare to the 2 options mentioned above, DR/DRZ which are cheaper and great. The 300's will probably have to be newer and more expensive, while having smaller engines and less highway ability, but they will be way easier to man-handle especially off-road.

 

[Shuswap]

The mission defines the tool, pick the bike that works best where you will actually be riding. The DRZ/DR series are simple effective tools. The DR favors road vs the DRZ, which favors dirt. Neither is light and neither is particularly low. The 300cc bikes weigh almost as much as the DR/DRZ and offer a lot less power. The KLX250 is so underpowered it was sold the year after we bought it. Nice bike to ride but offroad it couldn't climb over rocks in its path! The DRZ is well-powered, around 325# wet, ready to ride, so not a lightweight machine....but not much heavier than those 300 bikes either.

My wife's KTM 350 EXC-F is about 60# lighter than my DRZ when fueled for the same 325km mission. Neither is great for long highway rides but both do well in dirt. I do know of riders who regularly ride long distance street on their DRZs but I don't think I could on mine.
So, figure out where and what type of riding you want to do and then select the bike