stevcoll said:
7) Do YOU have a preferance to a brand/ motor choice (2 or 4 stroke)?
no clue, but good MPG would be nice
Don't worry too much about the mpg. Four strokes will definitely do better, but even a small tank 2 stroke will give you a couple hours riding time at the pace you are likely to be going as a beginner. At least when you start riding I bet you will run out of gas before the bike does.
If it is the cost of the gas you are concerned about, don't be. I doubt that you could burn 5 gallons of gas in a day unless you were a really serious rider.
stevcoll said:
-something that's comfortable for my tall height
-quiet as possible. don't want to annoy neighbors (advice?)
-would prefer something that's good quality but isn't overpriced. I don't need bells and whistles but i don't want something that will fall apart either.
If you buy a bike from any of the big manufacturers (Yamaha, Honda, KTM, Kawasaki, Suzuki, etc.) then you will get a machine that is rugged and capable of taking an incredible amount of abuse.
The major manufacturers offer bikes in two basic categories: MX and "off road". The MX bikes are built for racing and will have high performance engines and typically longer suspension travel. The high compression engines require a premium grade of gas and are a bit harder to start. They also cost a lot more.
The "off road" series of bikes are geared more for the recreational rider. Many models come equipped with electric start and a kickstand is fairly standard (there are a lot of times I wish I had a kickstand!). Pay attention to the seat height, some models are made lower for shorter people, you will want one with a seat height of 35 inches or more.
I would recommend a four stroke model for you. They can be a little harder to kickstart but they are much more forgiving to a novice rider and the noise they make is not nearly as objectionable.
There are a lot of good used bikes out there. In many cases the bikes wear the riders out instead of the other way around. It is not hard to find a bike that has been well maintained and will still have years of service left in it.
stevcoll said:
Any if anyone thinks there's a better vehicle than a dirtbike out there for my purposes let me know!
A quad comes to mind. I am not sure what the terrain is like on this farm you want to explore but an inexperienced rider will do a lot better on a quad than on a bike in many situations. The bike will be superior in rough, narrow trails, but the quad will be easier in soft terrain (sand, mud) or going up really gnarly hills.
I highly recommend riding with a friend. Only being a mile from the house is can be quite a problem if you are lying in a ditch with a broken leg.
Rod