There is no purchase as daunting as the first few motorcycles. The styling and use extremes are so wide, and the emotional pull so strong, that it's hard to make a rational decision. Here are my thoughts, based on 45+ years of cycling:

There are two gross mistakes newbie buyers make - buying 'too much' bike, and buying 'too little' bike. If you buy over your head, you run the double risk of having an accident, and also commiting large funds to a bike you may not like after all. On the other hand, if you under-buy, you run the risk of having to trade up in a year or so. Ask yourself which of these is the more acceptable risk ...the answer should be obvious. Let's pursue the latter scenario and see how it turns out.

You buy a new or used 250 to 600cc Japanese cycle. Remember , insurance rates rise exponentially with engine size.  Your choice within this engine size range should be mostly a function of your location (city leans more toward small, good country roads leans more toward keep up with traffic 400cc or larger). Your physical size also comes into play, plus use some common sense about your prowess around machines in general.  If used, be sure to have a mechanic check it - while there are thousands of low-mileage white elephants around, there are also thousands of beaters with clattering valves, bad rings and inscrutable electrical problems. So, you keep it a year or more, learn how to control the chassis, and take a MSF course. At the end, you gain wonderful times, fond memories of a great little bike, and not a big financial hit. Nothing compels you to even consider selling, so you're not trapped.

Now lets look at the other scenario - the common 'gotta have it' scenario with reference to a sport bike (plastic covered with "R' or "Z" somewhere in the model number) or a Harley...including the smaller Harleys. You will learn the same lessons about chassis control and engine management, but in white-knuckle mode. Your insurance will be high and probably go higher, and with both these style bikes, you will not achieve peer approval because Harley and sport bike owners have a 10 second attention span and respect only the very high priced variants. So, after a year, you may be a passable rider, and will still probably have to upgrade for social reasons, and in fact may hate the whole concept of cycling without ever having had the joy of freedom that an unencumbered bike brings.

No brainer.

All right, let's say you're an informed adult and have chosen one of the above paths for your own reasons, lets proceed. What to buy ?

In the smaller bikes, your major choice is number of cylinders. A one or two cylinder cycle will sound thumpier and feel like real machinery, while a four cylinder will provide smooth, electric-motor like power with not so much mechanical feel. Your choice. Maintenance is not that different - there are some quirky 2 cylinder bikes (Ducati, Harley) which require attention, and some bulletproof 4-bangers (Most any Japanese brand). As for body style,  you could go middle-of-the-road, or opt for a fun dual-purpose bike like a Suzuki DR400...if you dont have a 50 mile pavement commute. There is also the large scooters like the Yamaha Majesty and Suzuki Burgman 400's...excellent machines. There are smaller sport bikes like the Kawasaki Ninja 650, Suzuki SV650 etc which providde much of the rocket thrill without the out-of-control factor. Real small, there are 250cc variants on these, which are a tad marginal in traffic.

Taking the other road, suppose you've decided to go for the big iron - Harley, sport bike, BMW, what have you. Here are a few tips.

1. Spend countless hours in a big empty parking lot practicing tight slow turns, dragging the rear brake as needed, until you can turn around in a lane without a broken-u-turn. If you don't do this, you will go out of control somewhere.

2. Take a MSF course to learn the amazing fact that, to make a bike go left, you turn the handlebars right. Yes its true, and if you dont believe it, you REALLY need the course.

3. For high speed turns (sweepers they're called)... if you get over your head speed wise, do not brake under any circumstances. The bike will NOT skid or slide out from under you if you just commit to the turn and execute it smoothly. If you don't, but slam on the brakes, down you go. Simple as that.

4. Your biggest threat is drivers turning in front of you, from the center lane or side streets. Do not beep at them, they will panic and floor it. Start a turn toward their rear fender. Thats all you can do. Don't believe the eye contact thing. Cell phones over ride all other senses.

5. Only 3 people in history have actually 'laid down' a moving bike on purpose, and 2 of them were Evel Kneivel. It can't be done, dont think of it as a safety reserve technique or excuse to go too fast. All cyclists brag about "the one they laid down". Its BS. Dont listen. They didnt lay it down, it went down on its own.  

6. Elementary rule: What you look at, you hit. You will steer right into whatever tree, car etc you are staring at and trying to avoid. Look at the escape route. Practice this over and over.

One last word about open-face helmets: there is a 50 per cent chance you'll land face-down.

One last word about helmets: Have a fifty dollar head ? Buy a fifty dollar helmet.