If you’re interested in wrenching, there is not much better than a motorcycle to start you off. Motorcycles offer something to learn for anyone who wants to further their mechanical skill set, from a basic carburetted engine and cradle frame, to a hideously complicated engine-as-part-of-the-frame assembly that needs to be taken apart for its hydraulic valve adjustments every so often. Cars, even old ones, don’t offer the simplicity of motorcycles, and if you want to start out gaining knowledge and experience as a mechanic, motorcycles are where you should begin. Here we will list the ten best motorcycles you should choose if you intend to turn yourself into a screwdriver-toting grease monkey. The requirements are simple: the machine should be from a manufacturer with a reputation for quality: you don’t want to jump in the deep end with something that requires big repairs a lot of the time. It should have had a decent enough production run and sales so that Haynes manuals and spares should be reasonably available, and the latter priced reasonably as well. Of course, remember to look at the previous ownership and the purpose of the motorcycle before you choose – if you pick a race bike, you’re going to have quite a few headaches!
10 Kawasaki KLR650
What can we say about the KLR650 that we haven't already said before? It has been in production since 1987 and there has been only one major update to it in 2007. That update included water cooling for the engine, and the most recent update a few years ago included fuel injection and ABS. It still runs a five speed gearbox and the suspension adjustment includes just rear preload. This means that its simplicity will make it very easy for aspiring mechanics to build confidence. Everything about the KLR650 is rugged and simple which means that very rarely does it break and even if it does, it is dead simple to replace. We can't think of many other motorcycles that are well suited to someone who is beginning their mechanic career.
9 Royal Enfield Classic 350
Anything with the Royal Enfield badge is going to be a simple motorcycle; any Royal Enfield with a single cylinder, doubly so. The Classic 350 boasts a simple air-cooled fuel injected engine, and there isn’t much else to add to the learning curve. A five speed gearbox, floating disc brakes front and rear, twin rear shock absorbers, and no real bodywork to get in the way of access to the engine. The beauty of naked motorcycles is that there are only a few panels that hinder access to certain points of the motorcycle, and the Classic 350 is a classic example of this (if you’ll excuse the pun.)
8 Royal Enfield INT650
The INT650 ("Interceptor" is owned by Honda in the US and Canada) is a bigger, better version of the Classic 350 in that it has two cylinders, displaces nearly twice the amount of cubes, and it has a radiator for the oil. It still retains all the simplicity of the Classic in all other areas – it still has a cradle frame, it has twin rear shock absorbers, it has front forks that aren't inverted, and it runs no electronics other than the fuel injection and ABS. Even the instrumentation is almost all analog so for a beginner mechanic, the INT650 would be one of the best mid capacity motorcycles to work on.
7 Yamaha TW200
The Trailway is a spiritual cousin to the KLR650. It is also air cooled, it has been in production just as long, and it has no electronics on it. When we say no electronics, we mean no electronics – it does not have fuel injection, ABS, or anything electronic even in the instrument cluster. It doesn't even have a fuel gauge; all it has is a fuel tap that you need to switch to reserve should you run out of gas. This means that should you want to take the tank off there isn't even an electric connector for the fuel gauge in the tank because there isn't one! The TW200 is also extremely reliable, so you can cut your teeth on regular maintenance and build yourself up to bigger things once you have enough confidence.
6 Honda Elsinore MT 250
If you are interested in restoring old motorcycles the Honda Elsinore Mt 250 is a great place to start. It will give you an education in 6 volt electrical wiring for one. It also has a two-stroke engine which is something that is hard to come by outside the off-road segment these days. A two-stroke engine is near-unbreakable, and restoring it is much easier than a four stroke one thanks to the fewer moving parts. The Elsinore sold in really big numbers for the few years that it was in production, and it is made out of materials that are not exotic. The CR250 of the time was made out of aluminum, chrome-molybdenum and other exotic materials, whereas the Elsinore was made of mostly steel. As a result, finding someone to restore parts or getting new ones will not be difficult at all.
5 Kawasaki Ninja 250/Z250
The Kawasaki Ninja 250R has been in production since 1986 and has had four generations since its launch. It is not to be confused with the Ninja 300, Ninja 400, or even the Ninja 250 Mono which is a single cylinder version that was sold in certain markets around the world. In the US market the ninja 250 was sold with a dual carburetor setup right until the end of production. However, in other markets it did get an FI system for its final generation, so if you are interested in a project where you swap out a carburetted system for FI at low cost, the Ninja 250R might be a good choice. If you don't want to deal with the bodywork of a fully faired motorcycle then the Z250, its naked sibling, is an option. The only difference between the two is essentially the bodywork or lack thereof.
4 Honda Super Cub
In keeping with the theme of most of the motorcycles chosen for this list, the Cub (or Passport in the US market) has been in continuous production, with the exception of a few years, since 1958. It has a few different engine options range from 50cc to 125cc. They are mostly two-stroke engines and because it has been in production for such a long time you can also find four stroke examples that have gone on sale recently. Just like the Elsinore, the older versions will have older electrical systems like 6 volt systems. So once again, if you would like to explore a project where you upgrade the electrical system to a 12 volt one then a Cub would the best pick for you. Another reason to pick a Super Cub is the centrifugal clutch it possesses, which is not a common feature of most motorcycles.
3 BMW R60
It might be a little surprising to see a BMW in this list but the R60 is a deserving member of this list. This is the star of the book ‘Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance’! This is an air-cooled boxer motor which means that adjusting the valves will be exceedingly easy, and if you pick a model from before 1969 you will have the opportunity to work on the Earle’s front forks. The R60 was designed to pull along a sidecar and therefore was over-engineered in most aspects, especially the frame. It is also a shaft drive model which should provide a new experience. Parts for the R60 are surprisingly relatively easily available and are not as expensive as you would believe of a European model. However, some expectations need to be realigned when you compare it with the other motorcycles on this list.
2 Suzuki DR-Z400S/SM
We mentioned reliable manufacturer, longevity of the model, and a trouble-free experience for the owner and there are few other motorcycles that will match up to these ideals as well as the DR-Z400 will. So far this list has not included a motorcycle that has relatively light weight, small displacement, and a genuine ability to travel off-road while delivering bucket loads of fun. The DR-Z400 offers all of this, and then some. It has been produced in four different variants since 2000 and as a beginner mechanic it would be an exciting project and good learning to swap parts between those different variants. For example, the DR-Z400SM supermoto has 17-inch wheels and inverted front forks, which should make for a very interesting project, since it will make one think about overall gear ratios as well.
1 Honda CRF230F/L/M
We have already taken a look at the Elsinore which was the dual sport version of the CR series dirt bikes in the 1970s. The CRF230F is a dirt bike but much more in the vein of the Elsinore. The CRF230L is the version with lights and mirrors so pick that one if you are interested in a CRF230 that is street legal, or even the supermoto version called CRF230M. It was originally designed to be a beginner's dirt bike and as such runs very little electronics other than ignition and the fuel injection in certain versions. Like the DR-Z, it has been introduction for a couple of decades now and the reliability means that good examples are available used at fair prices, and spares are affordable and easily available. This would be one of our top picks since it still is in production today with minimal changes since its launch, like a few of the others on this list.