My wife wants her own bike

[QuarterHorse]

So my wife has never ridden a motorcycle before, and has expressed interested in doing so. Since the only bike I have is the Max, I told her to go take the Motorcycle course at the local Comm College as I hear it's great and get her license that way. I was looking for a beginer bike for her, and haven't ran across anything great other than two bikes.

1st she said she wanted a crotch rocket. I told her the only rocket she would get would be a Ninja 250, but then thought about it. I had forgot about the Buell Blasts! I've found a few for right around 2G's that I think would be a good bike.

I also found a 93 Yammy Virago 535 Twin that seems to be nice for $1800.00

What are your thoughts fellas? Any other suggestions of bikes I should look for?

 

[lankeeyankee]

How tall is she?
How much does she weigh?
How cordinated is she?
Is she hyper or level headed?
How observant is she? 1-10
Is she a blonde?

 

[QuarterHorse]

She's 5'8"
She'd kill me if I said her weight, but we'll say on her way back down to modeling weight of 130 after being married (comfortable) and having a baby this winter.
I would call her average coordination
Very level headed
I would call her a 7 on the observant, probably more so on a bike than how I would normally rate her.
Not a blonde.

 

[lankeeyankee]

She's 5'8"
She'd kill me if I said her weight, but we'll say on her way back down to modeling weight of 130 after being married (comfortable) and having a baby this winter.
I would call her average coordination
Very level headed
I would call her a 7 on the observant, probably more so on a bike than how I would normally rate her.
Not a blonde.

I say the Suzuki SV650 with a throttle control for the first month.

 

[QuarterHorse]

I was almost thinking of an older 600 putting a throttle stop on it, but then probably wouldn't even need the throttle stop as she's not interested in going fast.

Reasons for older are:
Cheap, not sure if she'll stick with riding
Heaven forbid she lay it down I'm not out anything or much if she's okay
relatively down on power to the newer 600's and even less torque so she can't get the nooby wrist twitch and put the bike where it shouldn't.

I dunno, I don't want to buy another bike for her if she picks it up uber quick and needs a bigger bike, but I don't want to spend much more than 2G's for a starter bike either, and it needs to be somewhat light etc for a woman beginer.

We're going bike shopping in the next week or so I think.

 

[lankeeyankee]

The kawasaki 250 is to small for her, plus you have to wind the ever living shit out of them to get the topped out 28HP. She would get very bored after the first 2 months, and you would be bored as hell waiting for her to catch up. Waste of money and value. If your looking for gas mileage than yeah. .
I wouldnt put her on any GSXR, ZX, FZ, CBR for atleast the 2nd yr of riding since she 0 riding expierence. Shit even the new 600's are making over 100 HP. Shit happens to fast with to much HP and lack of expierence and panic attacks hurt like hell.

 

[QuarterHorse]

The kawasaki 250 is to small for her, plus you have to wind the ever living shit out of them to get the topped out 28HP. She would get very bored after the first 2 months, and you would be bored as hell waiting for her to catch up. Waste of money and value. If your looking for gas mileage than yeah. .
I wouldnt put her on any GSXR, ZX, FZ, CBR for atleast the 2nd yr of riding since she 0 riding expierence. Shit even the new 600's are making over 100 HP. Shit happens to fast with to much HP and lack of expierence and panic attacks hurt like hell.

Haha we were typing at the same time. I'm on the same page as ya.

 

[lankeeyankee]

The only problem you are risking with an older 600 sport bike is..

They have been ridden mostly by inexpierenced teenagers which means once they are used to them they beat the shit out of em HIGH RPMS! Lots of missed gears and over revved.

You may want to look at the 600 Suzuki Katana they will be in the 2K range.

 

[QuarterHorse]

I was looking into those somewhat, and a good friend of mine just got rid of his FZR600 that was a great bike and never skipped a beat for similar money.

She gets this, then next year or so I'm getting a ZX14. 3 bikes in the stable

 

[gleno]

If your wife has never ridden before then of course she should take the learner courses.

If she gets a good handling bike that has a good power to weight ratio but not huge horsepower i.e. well balanced, tracks a straight line and can accelerate with the traffic, THEN she can learn to ride.

My wife went through this about a year ago and now understands riding technique and feels comfortable enough with her first machine to consider upgrading. She's considering a Ducati 650.

She bought a Yamaha ZEAL FZX250. See pic.

These are about thirty something horsepower and the engine is unbreakable (14,000 rpm red line).

Now here's the really valuable advice. (I've been married a long time.) Whatever you do, do NOT be involved in the selection of her bike or the vendor. I stayed out of my wife's purchase choice but she learned a a lot about bikes and the stealers that otherwise would have been ignored if I had tried to tell her.

Let that choice be hers, because whatever happens, if you are involved it WILL BE YOUR FAULT. :shittystick:

 

[4gasem]

SV650N or S 1st or 2nd gen are GREAT beginner bikes that she won't out grow any time soon. The VTwin's flat torque curve is great for beginners and the 70-75HP depending on the gen is great for keeping up with traffic.

You can usually get a 1st gen pretty cheap... 2nd gen is a little more but comes with fuel injection.

Good luck,
Chris

 

[fasterlapdunn]

I say the Suzuki SV650 with a throttle control for the first month.

You can find a used sv650 for 2k. The best starter and even more bike hands down. They have lowering links for it, throttle stop etc.

 

[jfeagins]

I went through this with my wife almost two years ago. She took the course and bought a 500 Kaw something or other. She commutes 28 miles each way to work every day and realized the need for bigger CC's almost immediately. Within 4 months, she traded up to a 1300 Suzuki Boulevard with windshield, soft bags etc and put 5k moles on it without a blink.

Then this past January, she added a 2004 Honda Rune 1832cc to the garage. She trades off which she rides depending upon whether or not she needs the bag space.


I will caution you this: There is only one sure-fired way on earth to slow a V-max.............and that is to buy your wife a bike. I promise you, you will be required to slow down and wait for her occasionally.

Good luck.

:clapping:

 

[richwrench]

I'd say go with the Virago or look for a Shadow 700 - those things are bulletproof & very user friendly. Just sold mine for $1200 to a smaller young guy for a first bike & he loves it.

 

[KY_BOB]

The only problem you are risking with an older 600 sport bike is..


You may want to look at the 600 Suzuki Katana they will be in the 2K range.

That was my first thought if she wants something in a sport bike rather than a cruiser. They aren't near as powerful or high strung as a GSXR but it's also something that she wont outgrow in a month or 2.

Just my $.02

 

[dkw0417]

My wife has started out with a 150CC scooter. It works great for her because she never has to be on the freeway with it. Some of the larger scooters can handle that without a problem but not hers. They don't work for everybody but they can be a cheap way to determine if you like getting around on two wheels. She absolutly loves it, but she is also thinking about upgrading but wants something closer to a cruiser with mid controls.

I agree that staying out of the choice as much as possible is important. I just pointed out models that I thought might meet her wants from what she told me. Basically just pointed any cruiser that she can get with the controls she wants on it. She hasn't gotten serious about it yet, but when she does I might end up with a Bonneville in the garage next to my Max, that is the only one she has actually taken the time to see in person. I like Triumphs so that works for me.

 

[dkw0417]

I wish you guys had started this post sooner, The local HD dealership recently sold off all their training bikes for $800 a piece. I know they are worn to hell but for that price it would be worth the little work they might take to fix up. I am not sure what they were, but it was basically whatever the smallest buell is. I tried to get my wife interested but she don't like Buells.

 

[QuarterHorse]

Good call Gleno, I just don't want her running out and buying a 100 horse 600cc sport bike either.

DKW - I was looking at the Buell Blasts for her, and she likes the looks of 'em. I wish I would have known because 800 is a tad under half what they're going for around here.

 

[4gasem]

Good call Gleno, I just don't want her running out and buying a 100 horse 600cc sport bike either.

DKW - I was looking at the Buell Blasts for her, and she likes the looks of 'em. I wish I would have known because 800 is a tad under half what they're going for around here.

They are total SHAT!

I wouldn't spend 8 dollars on one...

 

[hederstedt]

Honda Black ... hmmm, shadow 750 or something. A friend of mine (male) has one of those. Its enuff for anybody really and still light and easy enuff for a beginner.
He acctually outruns a Yamaha 1100 Custom something at the redlights (another friend) - so its quite quick if you rev it a bit.