Ladies - Women's first bike choice

[NJ-Pinay]

I just joined today. Hello everyone.

I just wanted to say that I've always been a passenger. I finally took the course this past March and bought my first bike after Easter. My husband was shopping with me, sat on a lot of bikes (cruisers & sportbikes) (he owns and rides the V-Star 1100). I am 38 y/o, 5-2 and 115 lbs. I like the cruisers b/c they were very comfortable but, to me, all were extremely heavy. My husband wasn't keen on me getting a sportbike but after a lot of research, I bought a blue '05 GS500F. Just like oc2only...I LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT.

Amber - I think you should also get the Ninja500 instead of the 250. I was looking at a 250 but my husband knew that I would get bored of it instantly.

Popular first sportbikes for women (I was told) would be the Ninja 250 or 500. But there's a a growing popularity with the GS500.

[Loonette]

Glad you made it to "The Lounge"! That's a great choice of bike you picked up for yourself. Have fun!

Cheers,
Loonette

[kait]

okay, so I am fairly new to TMF, but I just read this whole thread and not one person spoke about my bike. the '01 Kawasaki Vulcan 750. I am just barely 5'6" and well, my weight is no business of yours, heck, I don't even want to know. I flat foot while sitting on and I love the power this bike has and the ease with which I can turn, even tight right handers. It doesn't feel heavy to me, (only 483 lbs. dry) and though I haven't dropped it (yet) I have zero problem getting it on its center stand. Okay this wasn't my very first bike, when I was really young (nineteenish) I had a Suzuki GS250T. It was a great bike, but squirrelly when I had to ride home from college to a house on a very gravelly road. But I learned (self-taught) how to ride then. I didn't ride again for 20 years. Now it's well, like riding a bicycle, okay a motorcycle - it seems to have come back to me and the hp of the Vulcan is great for passing the big trucks and the bigger motorcycles. I love this bike and I think anyone with a 28" inseam or greater would do really well to look at this bike. cheers!

[NJ-Pinay]

I love my Suzuki GS500. I took the MSF class and it was the best thing I ever did because I have that to refer to during an emergency situation. We rode 250's in class. I'm ready for a bigger bike and I'm keeping this one. I took the GS500 on a 1500 mile ride to CO. It handled great .

+1 . I love my 05 GS500!!!!

[just hanging]

For my first bike bought a XLH 883 hugger...I stand 5"9 knees bent feet grounded...I have had alot of women tell me that they would love to ride but they can"t find a bike that they can touch the ground sitting on..I let them sit on mine and they are shocked..also their is a lowering kit for these bikes....what can I say , there's nothing like a harley for the ride of your life...I say check em out you won't be disappointed.....

[MonkeyMaw]

I just bought my first bike a week ago, a 1985 Yamaha FJ600. At 5'7'', I can sit comfortably on it. I also got a really good deal on it and think it looks super cool. After reading a lot of people's suggestions, I'm hoping I haven't gotten in over my head. I'm taking the MSF on Sept. 29, and hope to have plenty of confidence when I complete it. See my intro (Newbie From the SC) back in "Start Your Engines" for an account of my first day on her.

[jct]

I've been tooling around on my husband's Virago 250 over the past week and I've had a great time. He recently moved to a H-D XL1200 Low and was amazed at how much more stable the ride was for him -- he loved the Virago, but did not love the "blown around" feeling on the highway.

The other day he had me try his bike -- it felt great (wow was the gearbox smooth) but felt top-heavy to me. Apparently he dropped by the Harley dealership (hmmm, conveniently 5 mins from our house...) on the way to work yesterday to talk to them and then tried out one of the 2007 XL833 Low bikes and discovered (much to his surprise) that the center of gravity was much lower and felt much more like the Virago.

End result? He just surprised me with a White Gold Pearl 2007 XL833 Low -- delivery set for 2 Oct.

I'm pretty excited!

JT

[Loonette]

I just bought my first bike a week ago, a 1985 Yamaha FJ600...I'm hoping I haven't gotten in over my head...I'm taking the MSF on Sept. 29

Your class is coming up pretty soon, eh? That bike looks great, and it should be fine for you. Just take it out for lots of practice once you've completed the MSF course. Enjoy!!

Cheers,
Loonette

[Loonette]

End result? He just surprised me with a White Gold Pearl 2007 XL833 Low -- delivery set for 2 Oct.

I'm pretty excited!

You must be very excited. Congratulations - enjoy the new ride.

Cheers,
Loonette

[Candy750]

I hope I haven't posted this before...

I started with a 250 Rebel which was all wrong. I almost gave up - too small, hard to shift, my feet too big for the shifter, just wrong. Traded up to the Shadow vlx 600. Too light - I got blown around on the road from trucks, wind, etc. Traded again to the Shadow AERO 750 and I love it - with a few little bumps in the beginning... going up by 60 pounds, the chubbier frame, and from 4 gears on the vlx to 5 on the AERO.

The biggest problem is that I dropped the AERO going in and out of the garage (once on the in, once on the out). It was all about the bad arrangement in the garage, .. ANd I knew I dropped it over something DUMB, but it rattled me more than it should have.

That all being said, I never rode anything but a bicycle before the MSF. I THINK I would have been better to start on the vlx 600, but would have ended up with the 750 Aero anyway. I'm just not so sure the 750 would have been a great first. I think I would have been overwhelmed with out anything to keep me going.