I am 5'0 roughly 125 pound female. I am looking for something I can use of the highway, ( that has enough support and handle on the highway) is easy to ride, fun, stylish and no more than 650cc. ON the lines of Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Ducati, or other. No harleys.
Any suggestions?
2006-11-30 02:53:00 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Motorcycles
a perfect beginner bike is a CBR600F3 between a 95-98 model year. as for your height you can add a lowering link in the rear and some progressive springs up front in the forks, but you should be just fine with the stock height.
2006-11-30 03:26:41 · answer #1 · answered by bcuda27 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Ok, enough of the useless "take a lesson" comments. She's smart enough to know that 650cc+ bikes aren't good for beginners. Let's assume she's not an idiot just yet.
My gf is about 5'0" like yourself. And she's short in the inseam, which is really where you don't want to be lacking because having length in the legs is what you need to be able to balance these things.
Even if you were familiar enough with riding, if your inseam is as short as hers (I can't recall, but it's somewhere around 26~27") have issues trying to get your legs around some of these bikes to keep them upright. So, with her, even though she drools over ducati monsters, she literally cannot keep one upright. Most sport bikes have a seat height around 30". And literally, sometimes the seat height isn't the only issue...it's how *wide* the seats are.
It was really frustrating for her. She got her license and passed her MSF tests on a Honda Rebel. The only other option that she fit on was a suzuki boulevard 50 (650cc), which was a bit powerful for her. I'm afraid either of those are probably going to be too cruiser-like for you.
So, maybe you have longer legs than my gf. Some models that might have short/narrow seats...Try the Honda Nighthawk 250, Suzuki GS500 or the Kawasaki Ninja 500. Particularly the Ninja 500. That's a good platform, powerful enough for highway speeds. The 250 does highway speeds just fine too, but it's breathing real hard to get to 70mph. The seat heights on these aren't all that much different than sportbikes in general. But the bikes ought to be a little narrower.
And just so you get an idea what I'm talking about...go to any motorcycle/powersport store, and hop on a bike. Take it off its kickstand and try leaning the bike over a few degrees (slowly!). You'll get a sense real quick as to whether you'll be able to learn on one of those things.
My general suggestion for beginners is to find something that won't bite your ankle off if you make a mistake, and won't cost you an arm and a leg if (when) you drop it. Sport bikes in general are pretty aggressive, with their grabby clutches, and penchant for zipping up the powerband. It's good of you to aim for the smaller engine sizes. You might also want to consider some of the older standard bikes (not sport...not cruiser...just neutral position), which would have more forgiving clutches and less grabby brakes. Other good used options would be the EX500 (old name for the ninja500) , the GS500, the yamaha seca, maybe a bandit. Just check the seat height/width of bike. Besides...older bikes are cheaper to buy, and keep their resale value longer.
G'luck!
2006-11-30 06:52:06 · answer #2 · answered by Driveshaft 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Suzuki GS/500
2006-11-30 06:06:23 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Suzuki GS 500
2006-11-30 14:23:37 · answer #4 · answered by VDUB 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would go with the Suzuki GS 500. They are small enough for someone only 5 foot, but have enough power to go down the highway.
2006-11-30 10:07:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Kawi 250 is the best, they are still plenty fast especially as a beginner, and since you are light it will be all the better. But, it isn't all that great look wise, it's meant to learn on and then buy a bigger bike.
Look up the Hyosung GT250R it's a great little bike that looks good.
2006-11-30 09:50:45 · answer #6 · answered by Vakus 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are going way to big and powerful for a beginner. Start with something slower and a little smaller, easier to handle, also USED. There is a very very good chance that you will drop it at least once, and something old and used doesn't "hurt" the pride as much.
ALSO: Take the MSF safety course, for your own good and everyone in your family
2006-11-30 08:37:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ok look i started out on a 250 ninja and it was a waste of money look just get a 750 gsxr which i have for sale and start with that. great starter bike. its fast and has a even balanced weight so it would be easy for you to decide to go up or down in size.
2006-11-30 06:38:57 · answer #8 · answered by powermove257 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Honda has the Rebel series. I believe they start at a 250 and go to 600. Easy to handle and not too heavy.
2006-11-30 03:08:43 · answer #9 · answered by golden rider 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Kawasaki makes a small Ninja.
It has been around for years. It is reliable and a great bike to learn on. Any Kawi dealer can help you. They are cheap. about 3500
2006-11-30 05:17:38 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋