I am a woman interested in learning to ride a sport bike. What steps should I take?

Question

Hello, I am interested in learning to ride a sport bike just for fun. What do I need to do to learn how to ride and get a license? Also, I read in previous questions (asked by beginners) that it is better to get a used starter bike while learning- what are things to look for when shopping for a used bike?

Also, I am 5'3", 130 lb. woman- does that mean I need to find a bike that is sized for me, or do bikes tend to be "one-size fits all"?

Any suggestions would be great! Thanks, and I look forward to starting a new hobby!

Answer 1

get ur permit/insurance, then look for a ninja-250 that's used. they're only 3k new, but if u drop a bike that u only plunked down a grand for it, when u drop it....and u will at least once in ur first season, if u ding some parts, u wont feel too bad about it. if u pay cash for it, insurance would be cheaper if u just had liability.

its best if u can plant both feet flat while on the bike. lately tho, i'd tend to think as long as u can get 1 foot flat while the other foot is on the peg, it's passible....especially since u'd have ur right foot on the brake at a light anyway. bike weight has little bearing. all sport bikes are alot lighter than any cruiser...roughly 350 pounds for a ninja 250. even the liter bikes would be under 500 pounds; the frames are all aluminum. cruiser's are generally steel framed. my sportster is roughly 550 pounds running weight. alot heavier than a rocket.
thing is, once the bike gets going, the weight issue is moot unless ur riding a dresser...think ultra classic or gold wing. the heavier the bike, the smoother the ride. with the right technique, u'd be able to pick up a big gold wing with ease....and by urself....and they'd weigh in at 850 pounds at least.

water cooled engines are alot more powerful than an air cooled engine of the same size. a friend of mine has a 750cc honda aero that's water cooled. her bike has as much take off power as my 1200cc air-cooled, and size wise, her's is the bigger bike.
600cc and up sport bikes are not beginner friendly. they will respond instantly to any input u give to it....even if that input will put u down. u need a forgiving bike; a bike that will give u time to think about doing things first. a gsxr-750 wont allow this. at this stage, u dont need a 0-60 in 3 seconds or less type of bike.

msf course has been mentioned...i'd suggest it. what u dont know can get u hurt real bad. u only have 2 wheels standing between u and that giant strip of sandpaper of road. if u take the msf course, u use their bikes that's only 250cc's, and u'll get the endorsement after u pass it...and get a discount on insurance also.

i've been riding a cruiser for about 3 years.....if i was going to jump to a sport bike, i'd go with the ninja-250...ninja-500 at the max, or i'd go with a buell that's 500cc's at most. ride like ur invisible, cause to those cagers.....u aint there.

Answer 2

First take a class, such as the one offered by the motorcycle safety foundation. Sign up asap as classes tend to get filled up.

After you've taken the class, you'll have a better feel for your skill level. Do you feel ready to jump on something big and bad? Or do you feel you need more experience?

Obviously everyone needs more experience - what I mean is how confident are you of your skills?

It might not be a good idea, unless you can afford it, to go out and buy your dream bike right away. There is a good chance you'll drop it, and even with frame sliders on, you'll do some damage - to both of you!

So it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a throw away street bike to start on, or even a little sport bike (250ish). Yes, yes, even the little guys have lots of speed, but I really don't think you need to approach riding like you're a granny about to enter a swimsuit competition! lol

Whatever you start with, spend your time in an empty parking lot. You'll be glad you did. I did this when I got my first bike, and with my second bike, and then when I got my first sport bike. I was especially glad I did it when I got the 6 - it was soooooooo different! The extra hour or so I spent getting used to it was necessary, even though I'd been riding for 10 or whatever years by then.

I'm also 5'3, by the way. There aren't a lot of sport bikes out there that'll be low enough for you. I suspect that you ultimately will want something bigger than the 250 or 500 which you could reach the ground on - but it's not a problem. You can get most bikes lowered. I did that for my 6R and it's fine.

I'm not completely flat footed, but because it's so light it doesn't matter.

You go girl!

Answer 3

1) Learn to ride a bicycle if you haven't already. Much of the balance and steering principle is the same.

2) Take an MSF class in your area. It will teach you what you need to know to stay safe.

3) Get a bike that isn't heavy and doesn't have a ton of power to start. That will keep you out of trouble as a noobie. Your size is important, because you have to be comfortable on the bike, and be able to reach the ground when stopped.

You're going to have a problem on most sport bikes. I'm 5'8 and 160 lbs and have reach issues on many sport bikes.

A Ninja 250 is small and easy to handle. They're also cheap and easy to sell when you're done. By the time you're riding the heck out of the 250, you'll know what you want/need in a bigger bike.

Answer 4

In VT for 125.00 you can take a weekend class where they provide the bikes and test you with seat and class time and you get your motorcycle licence at the end of it if you dont fall or injure anyone. A 250-500 is good for any beginner, find a bike that fits you personally. I dont know how tall you are but some of the more well known "girls" bikes would be: Honda Rebel Honda CB250 Honda Shadow Suzuki Virago Kawasaki Ninja EX Kawasaki Vulcan Harley Sportster Buell Blast Suzuki GS500 or just about anything with a low enough seat so you can comfortably balance the bike. My first bike was a 1979 Suzuki GS550e, which was older than me, disconcertingly enough. Ride on!

Answer 5

Check on the web for motorcycle safety foundation courses near you...some community colleges offer them too, usually a 3 day course over a weekend or during the week. Local dealerships will probably have this info too.
A bike needs to fit the rider well...I am a female about 5'4" and I recently got a Kawasaki Ninja 250 and it is a good fit, I can get my feet flat on the ground and this is a big confidence booster when learning to ride, though some people are able to handle larger bikes as they progress....this would probably be a good starter sportbike for you also, light and manageable and not overly powerful to scare you away from riding. It is quite a peppy machine though, as you get into higher rpm's. They are also quite affordable, about $3k brand new...you can find good deals on used ones. I would stay away from ones that have been modified or have crazy amounts of miles on them.
I highly recommend the MSF course, though, definitely start with that.
Good luck and happy riding!

Answer 6

Your choosing a great hobby. You'll have tons of fun, just be safe.
I would recommend getting your permit and then taking an MSF course. Google it, you should be able to find something in your area. In many states you can take the MSF course instead of taking a road test... so basically, once you pass the course you have your license. MSF courses give you a discount on your motorcycle insurance as well as a ton of info that will keep you safe and prepared on the road.
As for a starter bike. I would recommend a Ninja 250r. They cost about $3000 new and after learning on it for a season you can sell it and get most of your money back (as long as you didnt drop it)
Good luck and have fun!

Answer 7

First step: take an MSF course.

Second step: buy FULL gear that fits you well, and budget $1000 for it. Anything left over will help you get...

Step 3: get a used bike. you may need to find a smaller bike that will fit your inseam, and though bikes are not "one size" they are all teh same size fo rhte same model. Sportbikes often have seat heights around 31", so unless your inseam is at least 32" you'll be tiptoeing at each stop.

Answer 8

If you are looking for a starter sport bike I would look into a 600cc bike such as a gsxr 600 by suzuki or a honda f4i. above all the bike should be comfrotable for you. these bikes are pretty compact and light and the honda is easy on the pocketbook. I would definetly recommend getting a used bike as you may wind up dropping it at some point as many novice riders do. I sell these bikes every day for turn one motorsports in plymouth indiana and if you walked into my shop I would try to sell you these bikes first.

Answer 9

Dont forget the honda vtr250 it was available from 88 thru 90 in the states, it has a low seat height as well. Again take the MSF course. Cheap used bikes come in all sorts of condition if you go real cheap it might have a little scuff, dents, dings. I would suggest you take someone with some riding experiance to go look at the bike, as sometimes you have to ride and let go of the bars to see if it will track straight. Structual damage to hard parts you dont want, cosmetic scratches cracks etc if you can live with them they shouldnt worry you too much. http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fei%3DUTF-8%26fr%3Dsfp%26p%3Dvtr250&w=222&h=150&imgurl=www.factorypro.com%2Fimages%2Fbikes%2Fbike_vtr250_Darlen_Coake_motorcycle_small.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.factorypro.com%2FProd_Pages%2Fprodh15.html&size=5.6kB&name=bike_vtr250_Darlen_Coake_motorcycle_small.jpg&p=vtr250&type=jpeg&no=13&tt=1,495&oid=26892f723081f880&ei=UTF-8 http://www.vtr250.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl
http://www.ninja250.com/home.htm
the two bottom links are the vtr 250 and the ninja 250 page there is obviously more stuff on the ninja as it is still in production, same bike 88 thru present.

Answer 10

stay away from the super sport bikes for now. give
yourself time to learn with out the added pressure
of a super sport. take your time and learn no need
for all that power now.