I want a motorcycle, but have never driven one. I'm 5'4 and under 120 lbs. What would be a good resonsably

Question

priced one that I could drive and still have control over?

Answer 1

I am about your size so I have the same issue. My husband and I are both short and small. We have decided to get a Yamaha dual sport that is a XT225cc, around 4 thousand for the price, new. It is a good size for a short person and it doesn't weigh a whole lot. The main thing is to make sure your feet can touch the ground when you sit on it. Suzuki, Kawasaki and Honda are other popular brands to check out. Please take a motorcycle safety course if you have never riden a motorcycle before. I rode a dirt bike when I was a kid and then didn't ride one for 10 years before I took the class. But that little experience that I had really helped out in the class. It might be tough if you have never riden before but it really helps teach you skills and safety for riding on the roads. Good luck and have fun when you do get one!

Answer 2

Start with a dirt bike in an off-road environment! That way you can focus on the motorcycle and not worry about all the street hazards mentioned here. Brakes, turning, clutch/throttle coordination, shifting etc. are easy to practice on a dirt bike, plus you will learn better handling and balance skills due to rough ground. And there's much less chance of you or the bike getting hurt! There's lots of models in the 80-250 cc range. Master the dirst bike first, and then try a street bike. Or better yet, look at some of the very good dual purpose bikes, such as the Kawasaki KLR250 or Suzuki DR200, which would be a good choice for somebody your size.

And wear protective gear including a helmet, and look into a good training course. Have fun!

Answer 3

Start off with something no bigger than 250cc until you get used to riding it and comfortable being on a bike. However, a 250cc bike is really light, and will get blown off the road by larger vehicles on the highway if you are not careful. I would recommend sticking to city streets for the first couple of months and then graduate to a bigger bike after about a year. You really need a 500cc or larger to hold the road on the highway, but you don't want something that you will drop everytime you come to a stop. Yamaha used to make the Virago (they still might), which was a very low street bike that many of my shorter friends really liked. It had all the power they needed (750cc-1000cc), but sat low enough that they could plant both feet while at a complete stop. I would recommend getting a good used bike until you get comfortable riding for 2 reasons: 1. if you lay it down, you are not out nearly as much to repair it; 2. if you decide you don't like it, you are not financially strapped with a really expensive toy.

Best of luck!

Answer 4

Start small! Don't make the same mistake I did - I am exactly your size and bought the wrong bike the first time around...it was very frustrating, I made a ton of rookie mistakes, and my riding didn't improve until I bought a bike that I felt more comfortable on. Check out bikes that are 500ccs or under, with a short ride height. The bike that ended up fitting me best was a Ducati Monster. But they are a bit pricey for first bike. My friend just bought a Ninja 250 and is very happy with it. Good luck! Ride safe!

Answer 5

Take a class at your local Motorcycle Saftey Foundation location. They teach you how to ride on 125's and 250's. From there, you gain basic operating assistance. ( Turns, braking, leaning, etc... ) From there, take the advice of everyone here, and start off with something small. Although I would say nothing over 600 cc's. If you've got the spending cash, Honda has a 599 this year that's getting rave reviews. Just remember, keep the shiny side up!

Answer 6

Take the Motorcycle Safety Course! They provide a small motorcycle and a MC license when the course is completed. This will give you a feel for the lower cc bikes. Most of these bikes have a lower seat. The course my daughters took had bikes between 125cc and 400cc.

Good luck and have fun riding - be safe - pretend you are invisible to the cages (cars), because you are!!

Answer 7

First, take a MSF course (Motorcycle Safety Foundation).Not only will you learn to operate a bike safely,you may discover whether or not you want to ride one at all.Second,buy a small CC cruiser.Look for names like Eliminator, Virago and Rebel.Buy this bike used if you can because you may do some dumb things like forgetting to put the kick stand down.After about six months,then start looking for the bike you want.From looking at your specs,I would recommend a Yamaha (or Star) V-Star Silverado 650cc.It has a very low seat height (for short legs) and comes equipped with saddle bags,windshield and backrest.Plus,it looks really cool!

Answer 8

250 cc Honda Rebel is a good learning bike and the one ( or similar) that DPS uses in the Basic Rider Course. You could look for any mid-sized bike that you can sit on with your feet flat on the ground and your arms hanging loosly from the grips. Once you learn how to drive, all motorcycles work the same way.

Look at Kawasaki Vulcan 500cc and Honda Shadow 600cc

Answer 9

My wife is 5'2". We belong to a CMA Chapter where alot of women ride. Althought the Honda 250 Rebel is a great starter bike, the bike of choice is either the Honda 650 VLX or the Honda Spirit. I know that there are probably other brands to consider. These are the ones I have been exposed to. They have low seat heights and enough power that you can enjoy it for a long time without worrying about power. I ride a Harley Road King, so I prefer them, but Sportsters are way to top heavy and heavy.

Answer 10

Honda Rebel 250cc is low and light, plenty of used one's out there cheap. Buell blast is made as a beginner bike. Suzuki Savage, low with a bigger single cyl engine.

These bikes are low, which means you can hold them up easily at a standstill with your feet touching the ground. Lower power means easy to drive without intimidation. Buy used, these small bikes go cheap, and with low miles. People buy them to learn on, then move up to bigger bikes in a year or two. Plus if you should drop it, it is a used bike rather than a brand new one.

Find a Motorcycle Safety Foundation basic class and take it first. They have small bikes to learn on, and you'll have the chance to find out if you really like motorcycles, and is a must in my opinion before going out and buying a bike and learning on your own. Many states require it too, and most insurance companies discount their policies for certificate holders.