Having trouble finding the right 1st bike for my GF and me

[Thumper]

There is a great local deal on an '01 Suzuki Savage LS650. I sat on a Suzuki Boulevard S40 (pretty much the same bike, right?) and it felt pretty comfortable. The seat is certainly bit low, but I am reading that the bike should be pretty comfortable to ride on the highway, but also be something that my girlfriend could control.

I also wanted to see if I could pick everyone's brain a bit more about the Honda Rebel. The girl is really comfortable and a fan of one. Is it really going to be out of my range as someone who is 6 foot / 170 lbs? I seem to be reading a lot of mixed stuff on this online. And unfortunately none of the local shops will let me test ride one.

I started out on a Rebel...how well you'll fit on it is going to depend on your inseam. My son rode mine quite a bit and he's 6'2" with a 34" inseam. He could do it, just looked funny. His dad started out on the Honda shadow VLX--pretty much the next step up from the Rebel--and the boy would have fit better on it. It's also a good starter bike, though a bit buzzy for my taste.

You can get the Rebel up to comfortable highway speeds...you just need to learn how to wind it up. The engine doesn't mind being revved...to get it to hit 80 and stay there you just let it rev to higher RPMs before shifting from 2nd to 3rd then to 4th and then to 5th. It's doable...I rode mine for a year and a half before moving up to something with more power. At that point it wasn't a need for more power, I just wanted it.

The Savage (yes, it is the same bike as the S40) is also a good bike but it tends to run a little lean and is prone to backfiring. That can be fixed...you get get it rejetted to make it run a little richer. Some people don't mind the occasional pop, but it's something to know before you ride off and are startled by it. It's a good bike, pretty reliable, too.

Really...if you like cruisers, stick to something 800cc or under, as long as you're comfortable with the weight and how you fit on it. You could even squeak up a bit higher...I'm riding a Triumph Bonneville right now, 865cc, and it would be a decent first bike (could have been an only bike, too...)

For the most part, though, if it's a cruiser under 800cc, it's a bike to consider. Does not apply to sports bikes, however

[DMV Messiah]

I just wanted to thank everyone for the guidance.

After testing out a few bikes we picked up a 2001 Suzuki Savage LS 650 in great mechanical shape for $1600. I am really happy with the bike and so is my girlfriend, who had no problem controlling the bike in the test-ride.

Very glad I found this forum, and I look forward to participating as I learn more about riding motorcycles.

Thanks!

[totalmotorcycle]

!!!!

Great choice and that's a GREAT price!! Now, we need photos! And don't forget to start up a blog in the TMW Motorcycle Blogs forum: viewforum.php?f=32 to keep us up to date on your progress.

Glad we could help you out as well, don't forget to keep asking questions and share what you learn here so others can learn from you now.

Mike