After riding as passenger on my 6th gen, my wife has caught the bug. She now wants a bike of her own but can't decide which one she should get. I've tried to get her to consider a VFR but she thinks they're just too big (size wise not power) for her.
My question is, what would be a good bike for a first time female rider? She's been passenger many times but never the operator. She knows how to drive a standard very well and how it all works. She does have good balance. And she is far from timid. I have complete confidence in her abilities to learn how to operate a motorcycle. And we will be getting her into the safety classes, both beginner and advanced, as well. (Before you suggest it)
She doesn't want a 250cc. She wants to start around 600cc. And a cruiser type is WAY out of the question. We all know of the obvious CBR's, gixxers, Ninja's and R6's. But is there any other bikes that would be a good start? Maybe something more comfortable?
Any pics or vids to compare would be most appreciated.
My wife started on my '89 CBR600 as her first bike. I never dropped it, but she did while practising. Ouch*. In hindsight a bike with that much plastic was not a good idea. My first bike, a Kawasaki EX500 (which I had traded in on the CBR) would have been much better - lighter and less plastic. She did become a very proficient rider, but in slow, tricky situations with sloped ground she had difficulty because of the weight.
My wife has ridden my VFR, and while she appreciated it for the more refined ride, the extra weight was intimidating at slow speed. Maybe you should let her try your VFR? But personally, I think a smaller/lighter bike (as your wife suggests) would be better, e.g. Ninja 500 (formerly the EX500), Suzuki SV650, Triumph Street Triple :wub:
*To be fair, I've dropped my VFR a couple of times. :rolleyes:
If you can find one, a Honda Hawk (NT-650)! They became the rage backing their day, guys would trick them out and "canyon race" them. In stock form it might suit the wife quite nicely, soup it up a bit and you'll probably catch yourself taking a spin every now and then. From time to time I peek at the Internet to see if I can score one.
Ninja 650 or Yamaha FZ6 or Suzuki Galdius or SV650. Good for the beginer rider and still enough power to grow into.
Good luck, make sure she takes the MSF course. Money very well spent.
My wife and I got her a old '82 Kawasaki KZ440 that we restored together and she learned on that. Reason for it was because it was her first bike and everyones first bike gets dropped, dumped, etc. She dumped that thing time and time again but it kept rolling just fine.
If you wanted to keep the family all V-4, a long shot might be a VFR400. They come up occasionally. There's one on ebay now, though it has no title and needs some work. They have GDC's and sound as sweet as any other V-4.
If she wants something that handles well and would be a good intermediate step to the Viffer - The 650 Vstrom is very forgiving, comfortable, and handles well. Admittedly it's not a "sport bike".... if I were to get a bike to help my wife make the step into street riding I would want her to succeed and with confidence, fun, and safety. Ernie
Kawasaki 650R. Linear, controllable power, relatively light and low seat height, EFI, pretty cheap used. Looks like a sport bike but more upright riding position, steering is really light.
I know they are hard to find, but I'd like to nominate a Yamaha SRX-6. Its a 650 single, lots of torque, and probably most importantly very slender. It has a low saddle height, and I think they are very attractive. Then again, I like odd ball bikes.
To me, an old bike you can drop without having to pay much to fix. They're cheap too! You can upgrade later. Start with a 250, 400 or domething forgiving if you get the balance wrong.
C
400 Ninja, more power than the old EX500 and enought power to keep up with the VFR the look and feel of a super sport, but more comfortable on the long haul and not as big or heavy as a V-Strom, great first bike above the 250 class.
I can't tell where you're located at the moment, but my younger sister is trying to sell her old Nighthawk 650 here in NY. It's an 83 in decent shape and runs great, new tires, etc. Would make a great beginner bike.
Gunna have to say either Suzuki GS500F or SV650. Both are terrific bikes. Ninja 650R, Yamaha FZ6R, and Suzuki GS650F are another couple of options. All in all, get her something with comfortable and not too aggressive riding position, easier to learn on and helps develop better technique. Just my .02
My first question is if the VFR is "too big (size wise)", then is the problem perceived weight, or seat height? I like the suggestions offered so far. I don't know how to tell her that a Ninja 250 holds it's own in most street situations. It's a weak choice on longer rides, but those may be a year or two out. I am inseam challenged, and needed to lower my VFR to make it work. After reviewing 25 or 30 other potential upgrades, I would have had that problem with most of them. There were a few options that I didn't pursue, Triumph Bonneville and Thruxton, and the EX500 previously mentioned. Again, the solution has to fit her, not anyone else.
If she wants a sport bike, look to those 500s. VF500F, GS500, EX500. Even the Yamaha Seca 600. Nimble and relatively light. No side fairings. Of course I'm partial to the '86 VF500F. Probably real cheap if you can find a decent specimen.
WOW! So many options! Now I want them! As asked before, her issue with the VFR being too big is both weight and definitely seat height. She's only 5'3" 120lbs. so we'll most likely have to lower just about any bike we get her. It will definitely need to be light. I think if she sat on a lowered VFR she would be a little less concerned with being able to hold it up. It does seem that VFR's are moderately expensive to lower though. She seems to love the "wrapped look". (Lots of plastics) Every bike without full fairings seem to get the "it's ok" response.
Thanks again for all the suggestions! Keep em' coming!
A VFR 750/800 could be in her future, but for now while she's learning it's better to get a smaller, lighter bike.
Since you've opened it up for more suggestions, how about a "grey" bike like this VFR400: http://www.simonevan...four/vfr400.htm. A mini-RC30 would be uber-cool!
5food3 and 120, new rider. Something like the GS500, EX500 would fit like a glove. And lots out there cheap. Anything else is going to be too big and last thing you want is to scare her away.
I agree with Dave Keep it light and low, 4 to 600cc will be plenty. (Maybe some stunt cage bars, I don't know why more beginners don't go with a stunt cage....... They look cool too, ppl don't have to know you're NOT a stunter.
Two Bike Theory: The first bike is a learner's bike to practice on. When she is confident of her skills, then a REAL bike is in order. Consider it a two step process and she has much less risk to the bike she loves and not much invested in the machine she learns on. The big plus is she gets to shop for a bike twice. And she'll be "shopping" all the time she's learning/riding. (We really need to have a name for her and a avatar and a profile.)
The new Honda street single 250,Ninja 250 (any one) if she is new and on the short side. Start small and work up to more power and size. Anybody remember Rupp minibikes and Hodaka rats?
Mr.Maxswell has got it nailed.
[image: View Post]TomP, on 17 April 2012 - 09:09 AM, said:
That CB599 sold a few years ago was a nice standard. Typical Honda quality, decent performance and good-looking to boot.
^ This. Owned one. Very VERY forgiving, stone-cold reliable, agile as a cat, sips fuel, good brakes. It's a do-all without the thousand dollar plastic. Then, it was my first REAL street-bike and will always kinda be on a pedestal....
Though it does shimmy a bit at 138mph indicated... I hear.
Oh, and they were an odd import... only in '04 (traditional forks) and '06 (inverted forks) IIRC. Not much for the aftermarket in the STATES anyway...
Something unusual to consider when looking for the perfect bike:
For an interesting read on why some become addicted to riding, and why certain people like certain types of motorcycles, check out "Bodies In Motion" by Steven L. Thompson. The subtitle is "Evolution and Experience in Motorcycling". Bottom line: for people who truly like it, it is in our genes. I bought it on a recommendation from the owner of Aerostich. He wrote the forward to the book. They sell it on their website if you cannot find it in your library.
Here is some copy from the back cover:
"Steve Thompson is a record-setting motorcycle racer with a strong interest in evolution and the biology of emotions and a background in the history of technology". It goes on from there.
Of particular relevance to this thread, Thompson theorizes every motorcycle has a particular set of vibrations. If those vibrations are in sympathy with the riders bodies, that will be the bike they love; if not in sympathy, the'll keep looking until they find the machine that is (assuming they can afford to) . And many riders are not aware of why they keep looking. This theory rings true for me and my VFR. I just got lucky in finding the perfect machine on the first attempt. (I had not read this book before I bought my viffer.)
And to top it all off, one of the bikes he details vibrations for is an older version VFR.
Ninja 650...great beginners bike provided she can reach the ground and manage the weight. For something a bit lighter, and simpler, a GS 500 or a Ninja 500 is about as good as it gets...in the US that is. If she wants something a bit different a Moto Guzzi Breva 750 is a GREAT bike to learn on and very reliable too. My room mate bought one for her first bike...
The problem with an SV 650, good as they are is racier ergonomics (= less comfort) and a taller seat.
Woman's opinion here... You want something with a low center of gravity and that doesn't have a throttle that goes from Zero to "HOLY CRAP!" in 30 feet. She needs to learn on something she won't mind dropping 8 or 10 times,,, a month. The learning bike is an interim solution and should be considered disposable and should not have oodles of plastic.
Tell her it's like growing her hair out after that horrible hair cut she got once and is too ashamed of it to even look at the pictures. Every woman I know had one of "those" cuts and there were some interim styles she had to live through to get back to where she wanted to be. The learning bike are those interim styles.
She may change her mind about the 250's after she takes the class. Or she may have a better idea why she needs one without a lot of breakable, scrapable plastic parts.
Once she finds one that is comfortable, I would suggest you test ride it to evaluate the 'Holy Crap' factor. I also know women that got totally turned off to riding after they plowed into a fence or some other object because the throttle went from idle to wide open and they weren't ready for it. You'll also know if the brakes are sticky, or the bike just feels wrong and it's because the forks are twisted. You will notice things a newbie won't because newbies don't know how things should feel...
Another thing to seriously consider is the overall length of the bike. I've also seen women on bikes where they had to let go of one handgrip while turning corners. Their arms were just not long enough and couple that with a shorter torso, and the "reeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaacccccccchhhhhhh" across the tank while turning was too much. Letting go of handgrips is a dangerous solution. So the bike needs to be a bit shorter overall.
Then there's the hip action... Or more specifically pelvic width. (Stop drooling, you pervs)... Narrow hips need narrow seats, otherwise it's difficult to get your feet down. The seat gets in the way. Manuvering through parking lots becomes a chore.
If you're a tall woman rider, you don't notice this stuff as much. I'm sort of average, 5'4" with 33 inch inseams, and there are bikes that I've found to be extremely uncomfortable because of the width of the seat, the reach for the handlebars, the center of gravity. All these things can be modified on your dream bike but why spend that kind of money when you're learning? Best to buy something that fits reasonably well even if you hate the color and then mod the heck out of the "keeper".
Yamaha FZ6R - it's perfect for what you're talking about. If you can find one they even came it Pearl White with pink and black graphics the first year. A bit over 70hp and very linear. Full fairing, but upright seating position and quite comfortable.
Plenty of bike for a beginner and handles like a champ (I've had quite a hoot playing on my wife's). Easy and cheap to lower if need-be..
The 600 Bandit would be an excellent choice. Plenty of power and not too much plastic, IIRC. And if you are in the mood for an inexpensive project bike I have an 86 VFR 700 and a bunch of extra parts that I would make you a real good deal on.And I am not very far away!
[image: View Post]vfrurknee, on 29 April 2012 - 03:56 AM, said:
And if you are in the mood for an inexpensive project bike I have an 86 VFR 700 and a bunch of extra parts that I would make you a real good deal on.And I am not very far away!
Ernie
Hey! How's the riding over there in Mannford?
I wish I had the time and space for a project bike! I still have a project truck I've been neglecting!
On a side note, since you're in the area, there's a poker run for autism awareness in Cushing. June 16 I believe. Facebook search "Peyton's Warriors 3rd Annual Poker Run" if you'd be interested.
I'm guessing she has a 27" inseam or less. Until she becomes comfortable, a rebel 250 is an excellent choice. I read the part that she doesn't want a 250. Does she want to learn and become a safe rider or does she have no fear about joining the statistics of first time riders that have dropped a bike and possibly become seriously injured. It's your choice but some restraint may prevent a bad experience. If she doesn't learn the basics, she will not enjoy the sport on a level that some do. If you buy a used 250 and she rides it for 6 months and gets something else, what is wrong with that situation? The majority of learning to ride is familiarity of the controls and adjusting speed to distance judgement to traffic and road conditions. Good luck with the choices.
If she were to start on a 250 it would be a Ninja. I think a lot will change after a few safety courses. (her preference on size of motor, opinion of bike size, opinion of riding position desired) But definitely not her opinion of a sports bike vs. a cruiser. After the classes she may find herself to be perfectly capable of handling a 600cc. (most likely) Or maybe she'll decide to start at 250cc. We're going to start there before making any decisions. Whatever is decided will be completely HER decision. She knows that riding a motorcycle means taking a risk everytime you get on it. And of course I'll worry every time she does. (even though I know she is perfectly capable) But getting her into every available safety course (maybe even a track lesson or two) and making sure she has ALL the gear is something that will help ease my worries and help to ensure her safety.
End of thread · 43 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 16 Jun 2012
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