Starter bike for the wife

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Calimus

Calimus

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So, I've let my wife move the Max in/out of the garage a few times and now she's thinking she might like a bike of her own.

I'll be putting her through a MSF course sometime this summber, but I'm trying to think of a good starter bike for her.

She's no weakling as she can move the Max around and even get it up on the center stand (granted, it's a fair ammount of effort for her). She's also not super short, I'd say around the 5' 7" range.

I was thnking maybe a Rebel 450, Intruder 750, older 750 shadow or something of the like. Was looking at a bulle blast but some research turned up horror stories of lots of repairs needed at low miles. Having 5 Volkswagens to repair is enough, don't need a bike thats just as needy. Oh, and while she loves the looks of sports bikes, she doesn't like the riding position, so the defacto Ninja 250 starter bike is outta the question.

So, any thoughts?
 
How about a Honda Shadow 750? A lady I know rode it up to Sturgis with us and had no problems keeping up. Smooth engine and the whole bike is very reliable. Her's had a chain drive, no biggie.
 
Calimus said:
So, I've let my wife move the Max in/out of the garage a few times and now she's thinking she might like a bike of her own.

I'll be putting her through a MSF course sometime this summber, but I'm trying to think of a good starter bike for her.

She's no weakling as she can move the Max around and even get it up on the center stand (granted, it's a fair ammount of effort for her). She's also not super short, I'd say around the 5' 7" range.

I was thnking maybe a Rebel 450, Intruder 750, older 750 shadow or something of the like. Was looking at a bulle blast but some research turned up horror stories of lots of repairs needed at low miles. Having 5 Volkswagens to repair is enough, don't need a bike thats just as needy. Oh, and while she loves the looks of sports bikes, she doesn't like the riding position, so the defacto Ninja 250 starter bike is outta the question.

So, any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Wow, wish I could convert my wife that easily to get her own bike. If she likes sportbikes but not the riding position, how about something more sport touring like a Katana?
 
I wanted to get my wife a radian 600.I had one back in 86.I ended up getting her a fazer 700 20 valve.She should be able to keep up on it.She also at first wanted to get a 250 ninja.I told her no way they only do 80 mph.I am nearing completion on restoring the fazer.I also knew I had to have a yamaha to get parts from university motors. Shawn
 
Buster Hymen said:
Wow, wish I could convert my wife that easily to get her own bike. If she likes sportbikes but not the riding position, how about something more sport touring like a Katana?
Click to expand...
Buster,Do more wheelies,burn outs and high speed runs(130mph or so) and she'll want off of the back like mine does.She never even thought about having her own bike a few years ago. :th_biggun:
 
Yea, Shadow is where I'm leaning a bit. I'd prefer she has something water cooled since while she's learning, she'll be sitting still alot. Also, the main highway is about the best route to anything around us, so she's gotta pull enough speed without straining the nutz off the bike.

Buster, not sure about the Katana, I think a local shop has one, I'll have her sit on it and see what she thinks. She's very picky and just about everything with her has to have the right mix of "looking good" and "functionality". I could care about looks sometimes, but I got lucky with the Max. Looks great, moves like a rocket.

Maybe someday I'll get her on a Max of her own.
 
I'd suggest a Suzuki SV650. It's light with a fairly low seat, and the 90 degree V-twin has decent power with a flat torque curve with no surprises. I had one and it was a great all around bike.
 
"Maybe someday I'll get her on a Max of her own."

Get her the new Max when it comes out. She will love it and wait for you at the next light. :)
 
LOL, somehow I don't think she'd go for that much of a monster. Then again, who knows. She doesn't mind taking the cars over 100, but we'll see about the bikes.
 
ViciousCycle said:
I'd suggest a Suzuki SV650. It's light with a fairly low seat, and the 90 degree V-twin has decent power with a flat torque curve with no surprises. I had one and it was a great all around bike.
Click to expand...

I was thinking of suggesting the SV also, but thought the riding position was too sport like.
 
As a note: There are two models of SV650. The sporting version and a slightly more upright version with regular bars, slightly forward pegs and no fairing. It's pretty cool. Get an aftermarket windscreen on it and I think that's the one I'd want.
 
Suzuki SV650S has a fairing and more aggressive riding position. SV650 is more upright and with no fairing.
 
Calimus said:
I was thnking maybe a Rebel 450, Intruder 750, older 750 shadow or something of the like.
Click to expand...

From the bikes that you listed, it looks like you are looking for something a little less expensive than brand new. I think that is a super-wise choice! Find a 10ish year old, clean specimen and let her try out the hobby. If she likes it, then she learns (and possibily tips over)on an inexpensive bike. When she outgrows it, sell it for more money...

As to which bike? I'd get her involved from the start. My buddy picked his wife's bike 3 times. He finally found one she liked. They were all brandnew rides. She settled on a YZF600R, BTW.

There have been several good choices listed. My extra idea is a Zuki GS500. Bulletproof, made forever, cheap, has semi-sporting style with sit up straight ergos, light, decent power....etc, etc....A great beginner bike. IF "SHE" likes it. Good luck.
 
I'd second the Katana. Its a sporty looking bike, but its a tourer so its seating is comfortable. And they are penty fast for a newbie. I had one and I could keep pace with my buddies Vmax's
 
Well, I had a line on a 750 Shadow, but I haven't heard anything back on it. So now I'm waiting to her back about an 83' Magna 45 (v-4 750). I have access to spare parts for the Magna as my father used to have two V65's and much of the switches and such are interchangeable.

Also, I've made very sure to have her involved in the bike selection as god forbid I pick a bike thats exactly what she needs, but she thinks it's butt-ugly.

So we'll see what happens.
 
[Oh, and while she loves the looks of sports bikes, she doesn't like the riding position, so the defacto Ninja 250 starter bike is outta the question.

So, any thoughts?[/QUOTE]
Keep in mind...My wife rides a 250 Ninja and the riding position is NOT the same as the bigger sport bikes.The bars are up higher and its almost an upright position.She doesnt like the bigger ones herself because ther is to much leaning over and the 250 doesnt have that.Just a thought.
 
I definitly did keep the 250 ninja in mind. Took her to a few local shops and let her try out as many as she wanted.

She didn't care for the ninja unfortunatly since I could have picked one up for a song, but thats alright as she needs something a bit larger anyway.

I did however have a problem keeping her ass (literally) off any Vmax's that we cam acrossed. She's always hopping on mine at home and I do let her ride it into the garage every time I take it out. One day I fully believe she'll be on a Max. It doesn't scare her at all and I'm amazed that she can move the bike under her own power.

We did have a line on a few bikes, but it's just the wrong time of the year to go after one. Anything in the area is way over priced (save for some of the 250's). So she's currently content with waiting till next year to take the MSF and get a bike of her own. The trade off is that I have to continue letting her play with the Max in the driveway.
 
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