When beginning the deep dive into the world of motorcycling, most people have one question that overrides all others: "What motorcycle should I buy?" It's a good question, albeit a very loaded one. Like so many other things in life, there is no absolute and correct answer, since there are a number of factors to consider when purchasing a motorcycle.

Let's first take a look at the most important things to consider, then we can break down a number of general types of bike you should consider as a novice rider. There are a lot, and I mean a lot, of motorcycles you can buy, and the recommendations below are just the tip of the iceberg of the excellent selection of machines beginners can safely enjoy.

There are four main things to consider when buying a bike:

1. How and for what purpose are you going to use the bike?
Are you planning on using it for day-to-day commuting? Do you want to get away for the weekend and tour from state to state? Are you passionate and do you idolize Valentino Rossi or Marc Marquez and want to drop a knee on a racetrack or zoom around your local canyon road? Did you get the travel bug after watching Long Way Round and now want to ride around the globe? These questions should serve as your ultimate barometer because there are many bikes out there designed to suit a particular riding style and function.

2. How much bike can you honestly handle?
While you're still learning to operate a motorcycle well, it's important to not be hindered by a bike that is too big, too heavy, or too powerful. Knowing what you can manage not just physically, but mentally, is very important. Ensuring you can place both feet firmly on the ground and reach the controls is a good start, but also think about how good your hand-eye coordination is. If you buy a bike that is powerful and fast, do you have the discipline to refrain from doing stupid, stupid things with that power?

3. How much money do you really want to spend on your first bike?
"Dropping" a motorcycle when you are new to riding is a reality. Damage to a bike means having to fix it, which costs money, and smaller, less expensive bikes are easier and cheaper to fix compared to their larger counterparts. Also, larger engines typically mean higher insurance payments for the first three years you have your license.

4. Do you love it?
The last, but in many ways, most important factor to consider, is this: When you look at the bike you have chosen, does it speak to you? Does it motivate you to get out and ride and experience the world around you? When you walk up to the bike, or walk away from it after a ride, do you have a hard time looking away? Do you think to yourself, "Damn, that's one beautiful and amazing motorcycle, and whoever gets to ride it is one lucky SOB?"

If so, you've chosen well, my friend.

What they are: A lot of manufacturers are throwing around the term "scrambler" now, because it's "hip" and "cool." A true scrambler gets its name from relatively small dirt bikes built for racing on off-road courses with low jumps. Scramblers today are more of a throwback to those bikes, identifiable by their high tailpipe, semi-knobby or knobby tires, slightly longer travel suspension than a road bike, and wide-set tracker bars.

You should consider one if: You want to channel your inner Steve McQueen, but only on weekends. Scramblers do a good job at bridging the gap between working well on paved roads and dirt roads, but don't expect to become an off-road god(dess) on one.

What they are: Adventure motorcycles are essentially your go-anywhere, do-(almost)-anything bikes. They're capable of eating up highway miles, tackling off-road sections, daily commuting, or carrying tons of gear. Most of the best bikes in this category have tall seat heights, so they're not very accommodating to beginner riders who are vertically challenged. The dominant bikes here are the BMW R1200 GS (shown above) and the KTM 1290 Super Adventure, but you can save yourself some cash by springing for an excellent alternative.

You should consider one if: You're relatively tall and want a good all-around bike that you can take to work or school every day.

What they are: They're the supercars of the two-wheeled world. The thrill of speed combines with aggressive lean angles to provide an adrenaline rush that can rarely be matched. It's imperative on sport bikes to be ultra-smooth in the application of throttle, clutch, and brakes, so for beginners, powerful sport bikes can often result in expensive medical bills, not to mention a broken bike. Smaller sport bikes, meanwhile, allow for just as much fun and can be ultimately forgiving when riders make mistakes.

You should consider one if: You love the idea of riding fast, can check your ego at the door, and deep down, you know the 1980s peaked with the Top Gun chase scene.

What they are: Born from a bit of a snide comment about sport bike riders in the 1960s who would "race" from one coffee shop to the next, today cafe racers, aka modern classics, are hugely popular because they look great and are highly customizable to match your own personal aesthetic. Naturally, that means they also have a budding hipster community to boot.

You should consider one if: You think of a motorcycle as a fashion accessory as much as a riding machine. Cafe Racers make for excellent everyday commuting motorcycles and are often customized to be a tad sporty. These are some of the prettiest motorcycles on the road today.

What they are: When you think about cruisers, Harley-Davidson instantly comes to mind. The pride of Milwaukee has spent well over a century solidifying itself at the head of this class. That's not to say there aren't amazing alternatives, though. Bear in mind that by most objective measures, cruisers are not fantastic motorcycles: They don't really do anything better than other genres of bike... except for looking good, both while sitting still and cruising down the road. As a result, they remain the most popular motorcycle class in America

You should consider one if: You want to emulate Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Jack Nicholson on a multi-state journey. Or you need a day-to-day bike.

What they are: Dual-sport motorcycles are essentially dirt bikes that have been adapted to ride on the street and come with headlamps, turn signals, and everything in between to make them road legal. They are incredibly fun to ride around town and can handle themselves in dirt on the weekends.

You should consider one if: You're looking for a fun weekend bike to get you started down the two-wheeled path.

There's always the used option, too

Once you factor in some of your personal criteria and shop around, you will have a better idea as to what bike is best for you. Sometimes a brand-new bike just isn't in the cards financially, but a lot of these bikes have been around long enough to have a solid secondhand market. Aim for one with less than 20,000 miles and you should be good.