Any advice on what kind of bike I should be looking at, or shopping for?

So as the subject says: I'm a motorcycle newbie, and I am seeking advice. Ok, so as my sig says, I drive a '70 cruiser- what the sig doesn't say, is that I get 10 miles per gallon. And it sucks, big time. The thought of a motorcycle that got 40-50 mpg is quite alluring to me... For driving to work, or school... And still having the cruiser for fun- but not my primary transportation.

My friend had a suzuki gs1200(???), and a kawasaki klr650 enduro... I thought the enduro was really cool... I've just been recently looking through the papers at bikes- mainly, the cheap ones... (I'm a student with limited resources... mainly money.)

So yeah, that's about it. If anyone out there has any advice to offer me, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks in advance-
Brandon Zipp.

Think small. Easy to learn on, cheap to insure,not as likely to get tickets.

Honda's are good....there are bullet proof.

If you want cheap look for a Honda 90. We have 2 and they are a good bike. My Dad used to ride them to work every day. Of course they don't have tons of power but are fine for in town stuff...good MPG, and cheap. You can get them here for around 500 bucks. They are also fun for riding in the mountains.

I agree about keeping it small to start out, you might check into an old honda 250 rebel or something too they are dirt cheap probably, and would get good mileage I would think. From your post it sounded like you were thinking of an enduro type bike, if it were me, I would get a cheap bike for transportation, and then get a dirtbike later on, I think most enduro bikes are pretty big compromises, they are usually pretty heavy to be used on the dirt, and since the tires are DOT approved, they are going to blow chunks offroad pretty much. Find ya an old two stroke mx bike for the dirt!

You can pick up an older bike, 80's, for pretty cheap. I'd get something with some power to it. You will get tired of a small bore bike, I have a honda 650L. electric start, street legal, good off road trail bike- not great for extreme stuff.
For a street bike, get at least a 600 or bigger, I got my wife a gs500e, pretty slow, I've pushed it to 90 mph. I ride a GSX1300R, and pushed that to max out the speedo at 185 mph. that is a rush. get something you can grow into, not out of.

http://cetrov.com/motorcyclespictures/all_bikes_1.jpg
here are some of my rides.

http://cetrov.com/motorcyclespictures/Dsc02750.jpg

this is my wifes- real easy to ride but lacks in power.

dual sports are great for lane spliting. and comfortable for lower speed riding. they suck on the freeways though. i had a xr650l it was 20 feet tall. i hated it. i also had an older xt 600 yamaha. it was pretty good. keeping it small for your first is a good idea too. i would recomend the ex 250 or ex 500. they are two cylinder kawasaki nijas. they also get realy good milage. and are inexpensive.

take your local MSF course, it's worth its weight in gold. All you have to bring is long pants, long shirt and some gloves. They supply everything else. As for the bike, I'd suggest an 80's 550 or 600, as they're cheap, plentiful and easy to ride. They have enough power to keep you with traffic and interested, while being mild enough not to hurt too much if you screw up.

Originally posted by Minehunter
http://cetrov.com/motorcyclespictures/Dsc02750.jpg

this is my wifes- real easy to ride but lacks in power.

Ahhhm, does she know you talk like this? Jus kiddin, had to say it!
(edit: after looking at the picture closer, I guess she does!!!)

Oh yeah, back to the thread, I've been a pro racer for 11 years on the dirt. In my opinion, the XR 600 can't be beat for highway power and trail abilities. It is heavy, but managable. They are plentiful and can be found cheap. They are also bulletproof, it's a Honda! The XR 650 is really good as well, but it has radiators that are costly to replace, and the bikes are pretty new and pricey. If the wieght is draggin you down, try out the XR 400. It can manage on the highway, but rocks on the trail. Whatever you decide, TEST RIDE BEFORE YOU BUY! This is not a Honda commercial. It's just like buying a Toyota, best bang for the buck!

Thank you, I'll be here all week!

I am a bit of a newbie compared to a lot of riders out there (and here), but I have bought three bikes in the last two years. I have an antique 2 stroke dual, which is pretty good for buzzing around dirt roads (it is a 76 hodaka road Toad 100), but over 50 it is not real comfy. And it is LOUD.
I have an enduro hodaka 2 stroke (thunderdog 250) that is not great at all on road, and then i bought a honda.
I have to agree with what has been said here about the honda. It is a 1980 500 single on/off, and it starts first or second kick EVERY time. Great bike.
Personally, as a commuter tyke bike, I would go find a mid 80's CB500 or so Honda for $500 or so and run it. They are in the paper all the time for 400-800. It is a bike that you can actually work on, parts are accessable and cheap,and will be a great first bike. Get a dual (my 500 is a single) so it is a little more comfortable at speed.

I agree with a lot of this. Definitely take the MSF course. Look for an early to mid 80's Japanese standard bike. Don't get something with plastic body work on it cause you WILL drop it at some point.
One of the more fun bikes I had was a Yamaha Radian 600. Nice power. My roommate dropped it at least half a dozen times and got hit by a car that changed lanes into him. Bought it for $1K, rode it for about 4 years, then sold it for $1K.