What kind of street bike is best for a 20 year old woman who is just starting out?

Question

I am leaning toward a honda but......
Alos any bikes that come in pink???

Answer 1

Congrats! Welcome to the world of enjoyment in Street Motorcycling .. and I've had my own motorcycle license (and am an owner of Motorcycles) for more than 3 decades now (won't say how much more .. that would definitely be a big CLUE to my true age!).

I have a Honda myself ... and it is around the half-litre size (about 500cc).

Now .. let me tell you what you need to consider when you choose your street bike:

DO NOT go for the power or flashy or anything like that -- it is far better to go for something that you know you can confidently handle by YOURSELF ...

and this means that you need to understand how you will sit in the saddle (are you comfortable?) where your legs fall when at a standing stop (can you balance successfully?), and ... if this unfortunate situation happens ... can you LIFT the motorcycle BACK UP to a standing position (in case someone hits it in the parking lot, or you forget and don't fully extend your kick stand -- hey, it happens to the best of us!).

I also look at the position of the exhaust, the position of the handlebars, and what position you will be seated in (all comfort issues .. if you are NOT comfortable now sitting in the saddle ... how in the world will you be comfortable when you have to drive it for some distance!)

I would familiarize myself with its controls too -- especially with the lighting at night -- can you read your speedometer, your fuel gauge, your temp gauge, other gauges?

Then .. ask yourself if you are going to just ride back and forth to work, school, whatever ... or are you going to want to do touring as well (and for that -- I would definitely recommend a Fairing -- it gets real uncomfortable after an hour or two at highway speeds ... the Fairing definitely helps). Same with saddlebags ...

How large is the fuel tank, and reserve fuel tank? How many mpg will you get (ask the salesperson in the Motorcycle store).


Like a car, the Motorcycle can be painted aftermarket any color you want .... as long as you pay for it yourself. That is one way that Motorcycles 'personalize' their rides ...


Now ... as far as PERSONAL Safety protections - I recommend Boots (sturdy pair -- reinforced steel around the ankle/toes), a Leather Jacket (zip up -- zip pockets (including zip identity pocket and a small pocket for spare change when going through toll booths (if you have to), leather driving gloves, a Full-Face Helmet (with both a Clear and tinted Visor (I mostly use the clear -- but do change if I am only going on a day trip). Finally, a Good, Sturdy pair of long pants (heavy Jeans at least -- I do wear riding leathers myself) is the way to complete this outfit.

Believe me -- this helps -- I've been hit by things kicked up by car tires, the fairing got damaged by a rock kicked up by a Truck passing me (at an accessive rate of speed), and the Fairing deflected some of the wind problems with that situation too.

BE VERY AWARE of the Wind Testing on the Motorcycle as well .. because when any Vehicle passes you, you WILL Feel it -- and it will require you to pay attention to WHERE you are in the road.

Make sure that you have everything that is pretty standard (because when driving ... you don't need to get stuck in podunk town with NO WAY of getting replacement parts).

This is what I would consider for your first motorcycle.

Answer 2

i would highly advise against getting a crotch rocket. they are just too powerful for a beginner to handle. my neighbor has a 600cc ninja, been riding for years, and he's told me many times that a bike like this is unsafe for a rookie.
cut ur teeth on something more manageable. a mid-size cruiser. they're 10x's more forgiving than any rice rocket. soon, u'll want to take 150+ mile rides; and a rocket wont cut it for comfort at that distance. metric's are cheaper than hd. a good 1 would be a honda aero750. has the styling of a hd heritage and it rides very nice. low center of gravity makes it easy to handle at slow speed.
the bigger the cruiser, the softer the ride; they'll soak up the bumps alot better. a bike along the lines of a sportster or low rider could be ridden aggressively in the corners no problem.

the only bike that i have seen that comes stock in pink would be ridley's. it comes in pink on white, and they're an automatic transmission bike...but the catch is, their bikes are at the price range of a harley heritage or even a road king easy. (http://www.ridleymotorcycle.com/html/Ridley_Main.htm )

if the bike isnt pink from the floor, u could always have someone paint the tins the way u want it. be careful out there, car's are our most lethal enemy.

Answer 3

Well before you run off and spend thousands on schools I'd start out slow. If you've never riden a bike before dont run off and take the MSF course and waste your money because I used to instruct a MSF and we do fail people. Most women I have seen start out on a 600. You are leaning towards a honda so Id recommend a used 600 F4. Its an easy bike to handle, maintain and fairly inexpensive. You can find them on ebay or local in the low 1000's. You can go for a 500 but if you do that I'll be saying the same thing to you as i did to my girlfriend after 2 months on her 500. You WILL out grow it and want something with alittle more rumble between your legs. The F4 would be a good beginner bike for you. And then in about 5 years when your all ready to go motogp and have alittle time behind the wheel call up keith code and tell him you wanna challenge. Newbies on the track are usually crash test dummies. Now about the pink, well nobody produces that stock, but if you got about 1k in your pocket Im sure theres someone out there that will paint it for you. But beware most bodyshops DO NOT like to paint sportbikes. To many curves, too many complaints. Well I hope this helps.

Answer 4

I'm a short female and ride a honda vlx.

Whatever you get I would recommend a used starter bike so you don't end up stuck with a fully customized pink bike that you've outgrown. Get something cheap, but reliable that you can drop, scratch up and basicly practice on. you might find a good deal on ebay or craigslist. If you haven't taken a safety course, please do so.

....It's not that expensive to custom paint your own pink bike.

Answer 5

Age really isn't that important in a non-sexual relationship. There's nothing wrong with having friends older or younger than you. The only reason people's friends tend to be around the same age as them is because usually people can usually relate better to other people their age. If you guys have a lot in common, why shouldn't you be good friends?

Answer 6

A Kawasaki Ex 500 are popular with women. Also alot of women are starting on Suzuki SV 650's. Very popular bikes. Low maintenance. Lots of spare parts on Ebay if the bike happens to crash. If I was getting a bike for my girl to learn on it would be the SV.

Also take the MSF rider safety course. Then encourage your girlfriends to ride. I know some very fast girls on the track. They can put most boys to shame!

After attaining your licence. Take a superbike school. Such as Keith Code's California Superbike. Its a good foundation for begining riders. What you learn on the track will help you on the street.

Answer 7

Look at the Honda VT-600C Shadow VLX and th Kawasaki VN 500 Vulcan.

Answer 8

take abate safety course then find a used yamaha virago 250 or a kaw ninja 250. welcome to riding, you can get rid of your shrink now,,,,,pink?? girl i have so much to teach you.........

Answer 9

Well, so far, almost everybody has recommended a sport bike (aka crotch rocket) of one model or another. For a beginning rider (of any sex), it is my firm belief that this is not the right way to go. Actually, before you even really think about buying a bike, take the MSF Basic Rider's Course - you will learn an awful lot about riding, including both how to ride a bike and, just as important, surviving on the street. For the Basic Course, MSF provides the bikes you learn on, it is conducted on a closed course (referred to as the "range"), and it is no big deal if you drop a bike (it happens quite frequently). You will gain a great deal of knowledge and develop some basic skills, and you will be able to decide if riding is right for you (my bet is you'll eat it up). In most states, taking and passing the MSF course will allow you to get your motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license without having to take a written or practical test at a state facility, just present your graduation certificate, and it is issued. Most motorcycle insurance companies will also give you a discount for having taken the course.

Now, as to your first bike, I recommend buying a used Japanese cruiser style bike in the 500 - 600cc range (or, at most, a 750). Try to get one in good mechanical shape, and have it checked out. Yes, you will probably outgrow the bike, but you are probably going to drop it a few times, and you want to be able to pick it up (these are relatively light machines, and there are techniques which will allow you to get it back up easily), and you don't want to drop a very expensive brand new machine. Also, while you need to have enough power to keep you out of trouble on the street (a 250, such as a Honda Rebel, is adequate, unless you decide to take on freeways), you should not get a bike with so much power that the temptation is always there, 'cause you will, at some point, twist that throttle and exceed your capabilities before your minde even recognizes it, which can lead to a serious crash (thus, my recommendation to stay away from sport bikes, even relatively small cc ones, for your first bike). Ride your first bike for 6 months, a year, two, or whatever, all the while gaining experience, confidence, and increasing your abilities on a motorcycle. After that, you can sell your "beginner bike," probably for nearly what you paid for it, and move to a sport bike (should that be your area of interest), a larger cruiser, or whatever, and you will be much more capable of riding it, managing it, and staying safe on it (and you will be far less likely to drop it).

Several suggestions: Honda Rebel 250 (it can cruise at freeway speeds, you just don't have much reserve performance, so you have to really avoid situations in which speeding away is your only defense). Great around-town or country highway bike, excellent mileage (often 60-70 MPG), light, and it handles well. Also, it is, in my opinion, one of the best looking little bikes around. They have a tremendous reputation for high reliabity, and enjoy excellent support by the manufacturer, both for parts and service. Its only drawback is that it is a bit small for tall people (I'm 6'2", and have put in a fair number of miles on a Rebel, it is a bit cramped for me, but not horribly uncomfortable, most women find it to be a very comfortable ride, with a low seat height (easy to reach the ground with your feet, and a low center of gravity for easier handling), and well-proportioned for most female (or under 6' tall male) riders. Pretty plentiful on the market, and a good late-model used Rebel can be purchased in the range of $2,000 - $2,500. If you desire a bigger bike, a Honda VLX (600cc) is also recommended. Again, very reliable, more power than the Rebel, excellent around town, definitely able to hold its own on the highway, and a low seat height with good handling. Prices are a bit higher than the Rebel, but they are readily available, and readily salable. Both these bikes are cruisers. If you start out with a VLX, you will probably keep it longer than the Rebel, as it offers more performance, without being excessive. I know several ladies who went from a Rebel to a VLX, expecting to move to an even larger bike later, who have simply kept the VLX, as it is a lot of fun to ride and does everything they want. A third choice would be a Honda 750 American Classic Edition or its offspring, the 750 Aero. These bikes, still cruisers, offer more power and performance, with modifications available that can really wake them up, yet have exceptional reliability and are easy and fun to ride.

You will note that I have discussed only cruisers. They are probably the best bikes for a beginner, as they are far less likely to tempt a new rider into exceeding his or her level of ability, whereas the sport bikes practically beg you to open them up, a siren's call which is almost impossible to resist. Insurance will be both easier to obtain, and much less costly, for a cruiser than for a sport bike, no matter what the displacement, especially for a 20 year old rider. Best to get some experience in the saddle, then go for the sport bike, big cruiser, touring bike, or whatever else may tickle your fancy, you'll probably live longer, and be able to enjoy motorcycles for a long time if you do. Most of the truly serious accidents I have seen have involved young people on sport bikes, again, those bikes are capable of performance levels which even seasoned racers sometimes can have difficulty with, and it doesn't take much for a beginner to put him or herself into a situation far beyond his or her abilities, with predictably bad results. I do appreciate the engineering and incredible performance offered by sport bikes, but they really aren't suitable as beginner bikes, as they can get out of hand in the blink of an eye. Also, they are far from comfortable to ride, as their design requires the rider's posture to be "bent forward" over the tank, an unnatural posture for the human body, which creates a lot of stress on the back, and which can become painful if you take any relativel long rides. This can be distracting to a new rider, and the cruiser's more "sitting upright" position is far more comfortable, offering fewer distractions to a new rider.

I have referenced only Hondas, not because other brands are inferior, but I am most familiar with them (at least in late model light and medium-weight cruisers), and have had excellent experience with them. I returned to riding (after a lengthy lay-off) about 3-4 years ago, bought a Honda 750 A.C.E., made myself stay off it until I took the MSF Basic Rider's Course (even though I knew how to ride a m/c, I was not current, and learned a lot from the course). I rode the 750 extensively since then, and never had any problems with it (I have modified it a bit, as well, increasing the rear wheel horsepower by about 50% shortly after purchasing it, never any reliability problems). I bought a new '06 Harley Electra Glide on Valentine's Day of '06 and have been riding that machine ever since. It really makes one want to get on the highways and ride, I have done quite a few 400-500 mile days, as well as a few 700 mile days on it, and felt refreshed and relaxed at the end of each. I still have the Honda, and plan to let my brother ride it, as I rarely ride it anymore (though it is still a really fun bike). In prior years, I had several Hondas, BSAs, Nortons, Triumphs and Harleys (most of which we chopped, this was back in the '60s and '70s, and there just weren't any custom or aftermarket parts available, you had to build everything yourself). I only include that info so you know I am not a newcomer to the sport.

As to color, you probably won't find a pink bike. I recommend you look for a bike in good condition, with color not being a significant item of consideration. Frankly, if you decide to keep your first bike for an extended period, a new paint job is not a huge problem. Remember, the things to be painted will, basically, be the front and rear fenders, the tank, and side covers (below the rider's seat). All those parts can be removed fairly easily for painting. The frame is usually black, and it is best to let it remain so, just repainting the "tins." Also a considertion for your next, and/or "ultimate" bike.

Whatever your choice, welcome to the world of two wheels. You will find it both an exhiliariting and satisfying pursuit. Perhaps we'll share a road one day.