[nogard]

My wife got her Motorcycle License this season, and has been using my hand me down starter - 1981 Kawasaki KZ LTD 550. I put brand new tires on it, and now it's just way too tall for her. She has to tippy toe on the bike, and it being an 81 the Friction Zone isn't something she is used to. She wants the bike to be lower, and more "reliable" with friction zone and easier shifting. I tell her it's a freaking classic bike, being over 30 years old... just beat it up and learn to ride.

I'm considering trading / selling this oldie, for something much lower to the ground and something a bit less power. She wants to just have fun riding to work, and the occasional back road rides to 30-40 miles away.

-

Should I sell the bike, and we start looking for something more suited for her? Or do I keep this bike around longer, so she learns more on this beat upable bike before we spend more money?

What types of bikes would you recommend? (Rebel?)

 

[Mentat Ix]

I got my wife a CBR250, and since she's only 5' I lowered it.

They're cheap, and you're not going to find anything easier to ride unless you put training wheels on it.

 

[nogard]

She likes the cruiser shape, so i'm assuming something like a Rebel or Nighthawk? meh wish she could just use my starter bike, and solve this entire problem.

 

[2670]

The 250 Rebel is really not a bad bike at all. When I bought the Stryker, they had one sitting right beside it. Good looks, basic design, smaller physical dimensions.

 

[K9Stryker]

I'd go with 650 vstar classic. Bit small but not as small as the rebel. I knew quite a few short ladies that ride them.

 

[biggtimber]

I'd go with 650 vstar classic. Bit small but not as small as the rebel. I knew quite a few short ladies that ride them.

+1

My wife, once I get her some more experience on the GS250, is getting a vStar 650. She is about 5'7" and it fits her great and is not bad for her to move around weight wise. The vStar 950 was just a bit to big and heavy for her, but she was able to reach the ground just fine on both bikes.

 

[gator8]

Have to agree with what most are saying here, the 650 vstar's a good entry point that could serve her well for many many years..low maint yada yada...something a little bigger would be a c50 suzuki..good bikes overall. Worked on both riden both..fits the bill.

 

[ronin]

Vulcan 500, great bike and very low seat.

 

[K9Stryker]

Yeah just get the 650 star an slap some V&H short shots on, windshield, and some nice saddle bags and let her go. But withe the short shots I would leave the baffles in! Then are horrendously loud out. Lmao yes I took mine out for a split second then right back in they went when I had my vstar. Lol

 

[bekohlko]

This is actually something I've been digging into as well. As much as I don't want to, I'm thinking about trading in my srtyker for a couple of used bikes... Looking at a 2000 V-Star 650 Classic for her and a 2007 Road Star for me. Both bikes are listed for $3499 and $6999 respectively. I think with my mods I should be able to talk my dealer into it. Now it's just a matter of talking myself into it... (or out of it)

 

[strykersnyder]

have you tryed looking into replacing the shocks? finding something that will fit and bring that seat height down? hate for you to spend money on another bike when you have a perfectly good learner bike now. dunno what you can do about the friction zone...

 

[nogard]

Lowering is an option, but she seems to want a bike with a better friction zone.

 

[bozzly]

I have found myself in a similar situation. My wife took the rider course last year with absolutely no experience ever riding a motorcycle. Needless to say she dropped the bike twice and they asked her to leave. I bought her an old xr100 this year and she has learned how to ride on it, so much so that when she goes outside to ride it, I cant seem to get her to stop until she runs out of gas. It is time for a road bike so that we can get rolling together. I have been looking at getting her a rebel 250. They look like they can be had fairly cheap, if she continues then I will get her something better and bigger in the next year or two. Right now her confidence is building quickly and I want to get her on the road with something very light weight since she is only 5'4" and 100 lbs soacking wet.

 

[J4patrice]

I started with a 750 Shadow, but then after a year I saw the Stryker and just had to have it. ;D
The 750 was a great starter bike but now would seem way too small.

 

[Darque_Bike636]

My dad bought my mom a C50T this spring and my mom loves it. She is 5'4" and just north of 100 lbs and she handles it well. She does have some riding exerpience from long long ago.

If she is only planning on cruising around town and occasionally hitting a backroad at 50mph or less, then a Rebel would be alright. However, I imagine she may feel she outgrows the 250 quickly, and if you do plan to do any sort of extended highway riding (50 miles or more) I think the 250 may start to feel really buzzy and strained at 70mph.

 

[bozzly]

My dad bought my mom a C50T this spring and my mom loves it. She is 5'4" and just north of 100 lbs and she handles it well. She does have some riding exerpience from long long ago.

If she is only planning on cruising around town and occasionally hitting a backroad at 50mph or less, then a Rebel would be alright. However, I imagine she may feel she outgrows the 250 quickly, and if you do plan to do any sort of extended highway riding (50 miles or more) I think the 250 may start to feel really buzzy and strained at 70mph.

Yup, I thought about that too. At this point I think she needs some road experience on something as light as i can find for her. Only looking to spend 1k and below for this dream bike. Not concerned and actually expecting sometime next year for her to say lets go get something bigger, but before that happens I need to feel comfortable that she can handle it and honestly a 650 is out of her league right now. Not because it goes fast as you control speed with your throttle but she needs to work on slow speed manuvers, which is better attained with a lighter weight bike. I put her on my 500 last year and i could see her shaking with frieght, I put her on this XR100 toy and she rides it like she is a pro, its all about her perception and confidence and we are going slow and steady.

 

[nogard]

Same Bozz. My wife passed her MC Class, but the next day i took her out on the 550 in a parking lot to test it out. She dumped it 3 times, mainly due to the friction zone being not what she expected. I mean it's freaking old bike, and it takes getting to know how a bike works to to use it properly. She rides maybe once every 2 weeks, but in that time she forgets how to redo the zone on that 550. So every time is a learning experience again and again.. and i think she just gets frustrated.

Figure i can sell the 550 for 600-900 and try to find a rebel for under 1.5k 2000+ models.

 

[bozzly]

Same Bozz. My wife passed her MC Class, but the next day i took her out on the 550 in a parking lot to test it out. She dumped it 3 times, mainly due to the friction zone being not what she expected. I mean it's freaking old bike, and it takes getting to know how a bike works to to use it properly. She rides maybe once every 2 weeks, but in that time she forgets how to redo the zone on that 550. So every time is a learning experience again and again.. and i think she just gets frustrated.

Figure i can sell the 550 for 600-900 and try to find a rebel for under 1.5k 2000+ models.

Nogard, I know you would prefer for her to just learn on that current 500 but really its all about making her feel comfortable. I would say get the bike that works for her. The more comfortable and confident she is the better the experience for her the more she will want to do it and get good at it. At least that is what i am seeing with my wife so buying a rebel for her is the current plan.

 

[nogard]

I seem to have a guy interested in a straight up trade. My 1981 kz 550 for his 1980 cm400t. If it has good friction zone, and lighter.. i may just straight up trade. I'll lose out on the deal, considering brand new tires, and all the other work done recently.. but if my wife needs it, it's worth it.

 

[2670]

I see that they make a V-Star 250. Didn't know that until I just looked. Looks nice.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2009-YAMAHA-250-V-STAR-/221079482132?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item33795d2f14

Can't hardly beat that price.