How to Buy Your Second Bike
Shopping for your second motorcycle is not the same experience as buying your first. You have already gone through the process, so all those "beginner's buying tips" articles won't provide much help. You are at a different riding skill level and at a different place now, so you need to take a different approach. We rounded up the top strategies for finding that second bike below. When you are ready to look at models, visit Freedom Motorcycles. We’re in Grandview, Missouri, serving Kansas City and Lee’s Summit, Missouri, as well as Overland Park, Kansas.
Use Your Newfound Understanding
When you buy your first bike, it can be hard to know what to look for. Will you be riding on long trips, meaning you’ll need to prioritize comfort? Maybe. Will you be able to handle the power capabilities? Maybe. It’s hard to make judgment calls on what’s important for a lifestyle and activity that you are new to.
This time around, you know more about what to prioritize. You know whether you will be hitting the road for hours on end and need comfort or whether you are looking for an agile speed demon to conquer the city streets. Odds are, your second motorcycle will fit you and your lifestyle much better since you know what to shop for. Spend some time thinking about what you are missing with your current motorcycle lifestyle and how you can get that from your new bike.
Match Your New Skills
When you first buy a bike, you need something for a beginner rider. But things are different now. You've been riding for months or even years. Your skills have greatly improved and it's time for a motorcycle with a higher power capacity to match them. Otherwise, you could be held back in your riding experiences by a lower-powered engine. You may also want to consider a heavier bike. These are tough for beginners to wrangle, but now that you have more skills, you can benefit from their increased stability.
Replace Versus Supplement
There are two strategies for getting a second motorcycle: either replacing your first bike or supplementing your first bike. If you are getting rid of your old model, you will want to focus on versatile options that can perform highly at the type of riding you do. It may be as simple as getting a higher level than your current model to match your new skills. You may want some additional features, but you already know the type of model you want—it just needs to be more powerful!
If you are adding to your motorcycle collection, then you are likely looking to get a different style of bike. Maybe your first bike is a conventional, reliable touring bike that you use to commute. Maybe now you want to get a high-powered cruiser to hit the highways or a dirt bike to tackle the backwoods. The key here is trying to reduce overlapping as much as possible. Try to find a model that can offer something different than your current motorcycle does.
If you are supplementing, you can also enjoy the lack of pressure to get a versatile ride. After all, your first motorcycle is all you have. It needs to be the one you ride each time you want to ride. It's harder to justify buying a less-practical motorcycle when it'll be your only option.
But if you are adding to your collection, you can get something iconic or specialized. Get that vintage-looking motorcycle from the brand you grew up adoring. Buy that sports bike designed to deliver adrenaline thrills on the race track. If your first motorcycle is a practical choice, you can justify a more "fun" choice the second time around.
At this point, you’re ready to upgrade or expand your collection. Stop by Freedom Cycles. We proudly serve those in Grandview, Kansas City, and Lee’s Summit, Missouri, as well as Overland Park, Kansas.