l have NEVER owned or driven a motorcyle, but l have the fever. l will enroll in a Motorcycle safety course, and l was wondering what the differences were in cruiser style bikes and choppers. l wanna get a good riding bike that wo not cost me everything to own, so l would like to stay around $6,000 to $7,000 and still be able to take long trips. l looked at several bikes and a friend says a chopper is the best, but l dont know...He even suggested a Johnny Pag Spyder with a 300cc engine to start on. How do choppers ride with the rake out so far? Better for highways? l will be using mine for commuting to work (80 miles round trip) and MAYBE some travelling. Any suggestions?

Thanks

first, do not take your friends recommondation! second a cruiser is more comfortable. try a honda vt650.

u need the personality to ride a chopper. just get a sport bike, girls dig them, around a 250 and quick enuf, good to learn on.

Zephyr

Where u live and weather conditions would help. Forget choppers. That kind of money gets u a 750 honda shadow. Super good bike for the distrance. Get the windshield and saddlebags. (extra).

If u r going to be doing a lot of traveling & commuting u do not want a chopper or crotch rocket ninja like bike. You need to be set up for touring with saddle bags, a windshield, & a backrest. If u can get a Gold Wing that would be best in my opinion but u need to learn to ride well before getting on that monster. You can always afford a Honda Shadow with a touring package in ur price range & u can get the 650 cc model which would b e big enough for a few years. Maybe try renting a motorcycle one weekend & trying out the different styles but keep in mind cruising around town is not like riding on the highway for 40 miles. Good luck & be safe. Loud pipes save lives!

if you want to take long trips stay away from crotch rockets and choppers they will make you sore on long trips just make sure what ever bike you get you are comfortable on test ride some different styles do not just get something for looks that all can be customized

l know of someone that is selling a chopper because it is so uncomfortable to ride where you have to stretch to reach the handle bars and your in an odd position. They have a Harley now.

What you really need to do is test drive some and see what feels comfortable to you and go from there. There are sooo many models and sizes to choose from.just pick what is best for you.

u could pick up a chopped shovelhead or iron sportster for that much.GET SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THESE BIKES TO LOOK IT OVER FIRST! And be prepared to have to do some wrenching from time to time. With a solid mount motor & ridgid frame things VIBRATE! Im used to it been building & riding chops forever. Handling depends on how much rake & how much extention there is on the forks. Most chops handle just fine on the highway & in a straight line.You wont be doing any high speed corners. Doesnt matter not a bike to be riding in a hurry.Steering gets a little heavy at low speeds.No big deal once u get used to it. You could get an old 750 Honda chop at a decent price.Not much wrenching there.They run great to

Ask u buddy what is the farthest he has ever ridden a chopper.
For ur use, a chopper is the worse choice u could possibly make.
l would look at a sport touring machines.
Look far a machine that has a fairing, windshield, at least saddlebags, upright seating position, & at least a 600cc engine.
l have heard & seen good reports on the Suzuki DL-650 or 1000 V-Stroms. Bullet proof engines, lots of usable accessories, & on the DL-650, available ABS brakes. The 650 gets good gas mileage.
Many riders ride insanely long distances on these machines.
Another machine to check out is the Honda ST-1100. There r many riders that prefer the ST-1100 to the current ST-1300.
Take a look at the forum shown below.

Do not get the chopper. The long rake makes them very difficult to ride around town. Very hard to turn. If u want a good all around bike that is also good for long trips, try a Yamaha V-star, Honda Shadow or VTX, Kawasaki Nomad, or other bikes like that. All r cruisers & r good for what u want. If u get a V-star consider getting an aftermarket seat before u take any long trips. The stock seats r terrible! l know, l have one! Good luck with ur search & VERY good choice opting to take the safety course!

Sorry so long, but it has some good point in it..So keep reading it will help u ..
You have some good , but do not go with a chopper it will cost way more than six grand & it is hard on the body when on long rides. Go with a cruiser it is better on the body & it will also get better gas mileage than a chopper depending on the type of bike & it is carburator. Every motor cycle maker has a few good cruiser bikes to choose from as well as different engine sizes, but u should know the bigger the motor the bigger & heavier the bike becomes.
There r a few things to think about when choosing a motor cycle for ur self go with the basics first, how heavy is the bike going to be for me if it falls down? ( Now u should also know this every one & l mean every one will drop their motor cycle, whether they r riding it or moving it, sooner or later it hits the ground.) can l lift if by my self? will l be able to turn it with out trouble when moving at a slow paece? when riding on the highway, is a fast moving truck going to cause it move from one lane to another by its self? is it going to be big enough for me to pack someone with out any trouble? These r just some of the things that u have to have in mind when u buy a motor cycle, u can not pack someone on a chopper, the turning radious on a chopper is poor compared to a regular motor cycle, most choppers have ridget frames, no springs or shock which makes the ride hard & stiff. You have to worry about where u park it, is someone going to steal it or hit it when trying to park their car next to it & so on. As for a sport bike, well they to have some issues as well, although a lot of young girls like them because they r fast & exciting, but with all that speed & power comes some serious responsibilities, it is easy to take a sport bike from 0 to 150 mph in no time, even with someone else on the back, & girls r fameous for asking the driver to speed up. When u crash on a motor cycle the driver is almost always killed when traveling at a high rate of speed, so can u imagine what would happen to ur passanger when u lose it in the turns or on the straight at a high rate of speed, it does not matter how good of a rider u r it is always those things that u do not see that cause u to crash, someone else not paying attention to the road, some thing on the road or even an animal that runs right out on to the road, even kids & their toys.
All of these things should be thought about when buying a motor cycle, only an idiot that thinks they r to good & nothing bad will ever happen to them would not think about the what if's, but some thing always happens to bike riders it depends on what u r doing that will dictate how bad the outcome will be.
If u r a average height & weight kind of person, go with a Yamaha V star or Honda Shadow Suzuki Rebel, but not a Harley that one is a good motor cycle but a lot more costly.
Just remember, try it out first, ask the sales men to put the bike on the ground & see if u can pick it up by ur self, sit on it & make sure u can reach the ground with out having to stretch ur toes to stand up, because if u have to reach for the ground if slip u will hit the ground hard, so make sure standing is not a problem while still sitting on the seat. Make sure u can reach all of the levers & buttons, switches & signals, all of these things will help u choose the bike that best fits u & will be a better bike than the one that looks nice but u have to reach out for everything making it uncomfortable to ride as well as making it unsafe for u & the people around you.
So many bikers r killed every year because of unforseen occurrances as well not being able to handle their motor cycles & the power that they can produce. There r many stories of how someone was killed riding a motor cycle, let not have u become one of those stories.
Start small & work ur way up to a bigger bike & always keep up right & on two wheels.
Good luck & take care..Keep the Faith..Peace..cya..

You need to get your permit and shop around with different motorcycle.

l know BMW will let you test ride their bike, if you have a permit or license. l would settle for the BMW or the Yamaha V-star.

You dont want a chopper plus you could not afford one for 7000 l have a harley road king and a 59 chopper pan head choppers are usually rigged so you feel every bump in the road plus the father out the rake hard to handle get yourself a honda shadow