Sweet beginner bike

[max_caper]

Not sure if this is the right category but here goes.

My "wife" bought a Honda Rebel 2 years ago. She did not like the lack of acceleration and she didn't like feet-forward position of the pegs on the Rebel. She used to say, "I wish the Rebel pegs were placed the same as the VMax pegs. That way I could stand on the pegs when my butt gets tired".

So, she decides to upgrade. She thinks the 500 Vulcan looks sweet and visits Kahuna Powersports. She sits on the Vulcan and again, she does not like that feet-forward footpeg position. I suggested she sit on the 500 Ninja. She thought I was joking b/c she's always favoured cruisers for their looks. She gave it a try...she loved the seating position, the footpegs, the balance, and the price (marked down from 7400 to 5500).

She bought the Ninja and now she loves the performance as well. She comments to me that she should have bought the 500 Ninja from the get-go instead of the Rebel. The power delivery of the Ninja is smooth, the bike is well-balanced, and there's definately room to grow on this bike (120 mph top end and 12.9 in the 1/4 mile according to one review I read). On days when we get along, she lets me take it for a spin. My back was starting to give me grief on longer rides on my Max but I've had the Ninja out for hours on end with no discomfort.

If any of you know someone looking for a decent beginner bike, the 500 Ninja may be a way to go.

Cheers!

Blaine

 

[mattness]

the 500 ninja is the 2 cylinder isnt it?

 

[max_caper]

the 500 ninja is the 2 cylinder isnt it?

Yep, this is the inline twin. Pretty smooth engine and easy on fuel too. Likes to be revved!

Blaine

 

[yukonerdave]

I owned a GSXR750 as a teenager after having owned a couple of older Yamaha cruisers (Maxim and something else). I remember being quite impressed with the comfort of the crotch rocket style. Rode from Whitehorse, Yukon to Vancouver, BC (about 1500 miles) on both the Gixxer and the windshield-less Maxim, and the Gixxer was a more comfortable ride by far.

 

[marecki]

must admit, the Savage SL650 is a decent bike to own, has some balls but wont grab you by them

 

[naughtyG]

I used to have a 454LTD before the Max. Same motor as the Ninja 500 - it actually was half of a Ninja 908cc inline four - Kawasaki simply lobbed off the two outside cylinders to make it a twin and stuck it in a cruiser.
The 500 twin is just an evolution of that motor. Sure like to be revved, and my 454 made surprising power for a 450cc engine, and could actually eat most Harleys!

 

[Bawls]

so will a burgman scooter... i saw about a 70 year old man on one last year give a guy on a twin cam 88 fatboy a smack on the pee pee stoplight to stoplight lol. The new ninja 650 and versys are great beginner bikes as well but they're a little tall.

 

[DenniSM]

Another great starter bike/ wife bike. I the Ducati Monster. You get the riding position of the Ninja, but the more custom look. And the air cooled Ducati's are pretty bullet proof and make nice smooth power. A clean used Monster can run from $2000 to $5000 depending on the year and displacement. They made them from 600CC air cooled to 999 4 vavle water cooled.
I had a 2004 S4R. Made about 120 hp. But was light and handled. But I did not like the power delivery. It was all up top. I thought the monster would be the perfect bike for me. I was really missing my VMax, but now roadraced and wanted something more nimble. I test drove a 750 dark and loved it. I think if I bought the 750 dark (2vavle Air Cooled) instead of the S4R, I would still own it today. I had great smooth power down low.

My S4R, DRZ400SM and my poor Jeep

750 Dark Flat paint and super smooth 750. A perfect around town/standard. Fun to ride slow and fast. Easy for beginners.

 

[marecki]

see the problem with ducati is if something goes wrong, you're fixing it yourself which is VERY hard... or it'll cost you up the anu$

I've always liked the monster, naked bikes are cool... I was thinking of getting a SV1k (or 650 havnt decided) and make it naked

 

[gamorg02]

the 2003 sv1000 had an N version. beautiful bike. not sure why this shows 2k5, but oh well:

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/suzu/suzuki_sv1000n 05.htm

 

[marecki]

Yea I know they do, I dont like the naked version i like the s made naked there are a couple faring differences and lights

YUUM

 

[zippo6]

My wife has a 1998 Ninja ZX6r for a starter bike. It's a very fun bike to ride, but a total different feel from my Max.

 

[98Redlne]

The Ninja 500 is a great beginners bike. I owned one back is about 88' when they were called the EX-500. It version on the Kaw site looks nearly identical to the way it looked back in 88.

Great little bike. Pretty nimble and fun to ride without having the "scare factor" of something more ballsy like the V-Max.

 

[RaWarrior]

I know somebody up here with an EX500...it's a peppy little bike, but it won't do any 120. If he lets it really wind out maybe 105 at the absolute max.

My 500cc Magna V4 was quite the screamer...redline at 11,500 and tons of power up past 8k or so, it really came alive when you let it wind through the gears. Still, the V4 had lots of torque at low speeds, I could ride around town in 6th at 2500 RPM and still have plenty of pull. It ate a 96" Fatboy up to about 80mph, then he started to slowly catch up and pull away. Considering the Hardly had over 3x the displacement, I'd say that's pretty damn good. That Magna got me hooked on having another V4. Thought about moving up to a V65 Magna, but I was really looking for something a bit newer, and had heard a lot of issues about poor oil flow on the big Magna---not many choices, so Vmax it was.

Even before that I had a Zooky GS450-A, the "Suzukimatic" edition. Two-speed auto clutch with shaft drive. That was my first bike, and I learned to ride on it. The left hand lever on it was a second rear brake- it still had the right foot pedal. Strange. Off the line it wasn't bad so long as you started in low and then shifted to "drive".
The manual for it said to leave it in "Drive" at all times unless you were in city stop-and-go, or going up a very steep hill. I always shifted it, since it was a DOG off the line starting in drive.
Motor ran like a clock, and it would maintain 75 on the highway(would be WOT on some grades, but did okay). Returned 47mpg no matter how I rode it. Really easy to learn on since there was no clutch.

There's a few automatic bikes still around(other than the Spyder), they have decent followings from what I've heard.