Never bought a helmet? No problem, though it's worth investing a little time into the exercise. A good helmet will protect you in a tumble and feel like a second skin once you get to know it.

Avoid fins - no matter how wicked they look
Never bought a helmet? No problem, though it's worth investing a little time into the exercise. A good helmet will protect you in a tumble and feel like a second skin once you get to know it.

There's a baffling array of styles and materials out there, with price ranges to suit. No need to panic, as a little patience will ease your search.

Okay, what sort of riding are you planning on? There's two clear choices: road and off-road. Road helmets are designed to withstand sustained freeway speeds comfortably, while dirt lids are aimed at relatively low speeds and maximum ventilation - requiring a good set of goggles as part of the set. If you do a lot of both, plan on buying two lids - sorry, there's no easy way out of that one.

The good news is that you don't need to spend a million dollars. Buy something well within your budget on the basis that you update it in a few years' time. Helmets wear out. The lining gradually compresses, so it no longer fits as well; and day-to-day things like exposure to the sun's UV rays, occasional drops, the odd scratch, or doing up the strap for the effteenth time all take their toll.

Use your head......

20 Tips to buying a bike

Here are 20 top buying tips

1. Appearance:
Original paint, stickers, mufflers. Do you know what an original should look like? Custom everything is nice but not worth a pinch of the proverbial in the used market.

Bikes that are red or black will resell easily. If it has aftermarket mufflers and the like, ask if the original bits come with the bike. An original bike is always worth more when you go to sell it.

Look for cancer: rust on the frame, corroded alloy bits, faded grey switchgear, yellowed screen, cracked and dull paint. Stand at the back of the bike and sight along the centre - does the fairing line up with the steering head? If not, it's had a big shunt and hasn't been fixed properly. Do the colours along the bodywork match?

2. Fit:
This is a good time to take a breather and sit quietly on the bike. Does it fit? Can you reach the ground easily? Is your pillion happy on the back seat? Can you get it on and off the stands? Can the levers or even seat height be adjusted to fit you better?

3. Rego:
How much is left? In some cases this could be a $600 observation.

4. Provenance:
Do the engine and frame match each other? This is an issue with classic Brit bikes where the frame and engine numbers should often match. And with some Japanese classics - does that CB1100R have the real powerplant in the frame or the easily-swapped CB900 engine which looks much the same? With the former it is a desirable motorcycle; with the latter it's next to worthless.

Check the engine/chassis/rego numbers with your local registration authority before handing over the cheque - it could be stolen.

5. Service history:
If it has one, it's worth money in the bank. Look for dealer stamps, or the next-best which is a history recorded by the owner.

The bike goes where you look.... seriously.

The idea that your motorcycle will go where you're looking is merely a shorthand way of thinking about a phenomenon that virtually all drivers (of any kind of vehicle) have experienced before: that if you turn your head you tend to steer in the direction you're looking.In fact, it might be clearer to simply acknowledge that it is hard to steer in any direction other than the one you are looking at. All of your prior experience has taught you how to steer your vehicle where you want it to go. So, if you look where you want to go, you kick in all that prior experience and automatically steer in that direction.There is no magic here nor is there a hidden law of physics involved. Your bike (or automobile) tends to go in the direction you are looking because, via experience, you have taught yourself to steer, more or less subconsciously.

Active Image

To take advantage of that phenomenon you merely need to actively look in the direction you want to go - away from danger. The rest is virtually subconscious reaction. Of course it takes more than a turn of your eyes or even your head. You still need to steer away from danger. Since it is hard to steer away from what you're looking at, and easy (almost automatic) to steer in the direction you are looking, surely it makes sense to look where you want to go.

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