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Starter bike??

5K views 27 replies 23 participants last post by  4 inch pistons 
#1 ·
Wiil Ma Vic build a smaller bike that my wife could start out on, if she decided she wants her own. I sure as hell ain't putting her on an 883
 
#2 ·
IMHO, I ride the best, so should she if she chooses to do so.
 
#5 ·
What is wrong with an 883? Probably one of the best bikes that HD makes or has ever made. Who cares if it is a HD or a Yamaha, Honda, etc. When she learns on one of those bikes then move her up to a Vic. I like my victory but I don't think it is the best motorcycle out there, just the best one for me.
 
#6 ·
V-star 650 or 900 is a great choice, same with Kawasaki 500 or 900 if you are dead set away from HD. As stated an 883 is a good starter as well and if needed you can get it in low as well. I just can't see anyone starting on a 106 and being comfortable, IMO.
 
#7 ·
Vegas Low. Smoking deal on one in Tucson. It's on Craigslist. All tricked out even has LEDs plus great price. It's been sale for a couple of months so price may even be better. Off white color
 
#8 ·
Enjoyed Sportsters for a lot of years .. Lot of good miles and smiles with it .. Although V Star, Shadow, are also good choices .. If she has never rode at all might want to start with a used Honda Rebel surprising power for it's size, and could move up without taking a big loss if she wants a bigger Bike, but the Rebel is the best starter bike there is, especially if small framed .. IMHO
 
#10 ·
Some excellent advice in this thread from the Rebel to the Sporty. It just depends on the lady and what size she would feel comfortable with. Some take a year to get it down to the point of wanting to go bigger and others take just a few months. Then there are others who find it just isn't for them but they didn't know until they tried.

Sometimes I wish we could just rent a small bike by the month to learn on.

Does she have any dirt bike riding experience or even quad riding? Do they have any motorcycle riding classes in your area that will supply a bike?
 
#11 ·
I started with a Kaw 440LTD back in the early 80's. Sold it (for a profit!) after 2 years and didn't have another bike until last March. I got a Hyosung GV250 (the cruiser model). A few months later (after a MSF course and a lot a riding), I got a Cross Country Tour. I used the CCT for long trips and the Hyosung for commuting. I wanted a bigger bike for commuting (the Hyosung just wasn't quite big enough, lacked power on the highway, but was almost perfect for in-city driving). I just got a Vegas 8-Ball (traded the Hyosung). I wasn't planning on doing that until next summer, but stumbled into a great deal.

A good Vic starter bike would be the Vegas or Kingpin. Any of the Jap 650 - 900 bikes (used) would be great starter bikes. You won't outgrow them as quickly as you would a 250 or 500. Get used and you won't take such a big hit when you do get a larger one. The Hyosung 250's can be had brand new for $3K which is why I got it.
 
#12 ·
The Vegas Low could be an option, but I always am in favor starting on something "easier" for a season or two for a multitude of reasons. Namely being riding is different than driving and starting in a Corolla or Camry is better than a Corvette.

I'd say get her out to a big store and just have her sit on everything to see what she's comfortable with. Everyone's different. My wife rides a Vulcan 900 and loves how it fits her and will be upgrading to a Kingpin eventually here. Her mother who's pretty similar in height/build rides a Honda Shadow 650. Mom-in-law says Crysti's is too big and Crysti says her mom's is too small! lol It's all a matter of preference. And when starting out as a new rider, comfort is very important.
 
#13 ·
I like the Yamaha 650 or the Honda 750, because the seats are lower and wide enough to be comfortable; and they have enough weight and power to keep up on the highway. The Kawasaki 900 is great too, but it has too much of a "big bike" feel for a starter bike. I think the sportsters are just too narrow in the seat to be comfortable for longer rides.

my $.02
 
#14 ·
if she hasn't had any experience at all i would put her in a field on a small dirt bike till she was comfortable with it. i had a friends wife try to learn on an 883 and he put her in a big parking lot , she fell over twice and never would try to ride again. just something we take for granted, putting your foot down when you stop was foreign to her. she sold the new 883 with a few dents for a big loss. i really think if he had put her on a SMALL street trail in a field and let her go at it she would have learned to ride
 
#18 · (Edited)
I'd suggest starting off with whatever bike they provide in the MSF begginers course. Don't buy it, just have her ride the one they assign to her. Go from there depending on comfort level and ambition - she might jump right to a Vegas? This is the best experience that money can buy for a new rider.

I ALWAYS recommend taking that course before investing in your first bike. Who knows, she might decide she'd rather ride behind you than on her own....then you won't be out $$$$$$.

My wife ended up wanting the Buell Blast she took the course on. It really was a fun little bike! After two seasons I got her a 'forever' bike. That's the C50 she rides now. Also a dandy.

Be safe!
 
#19 ·
Japanese V-Twin

I'd look at a Japanese V-Twin. The Suzuki Intruder/S50 is an excellent starter bike. A Sportster Clone with liquid cooling and thousands cheaper.

I bought one for my wife as her first bike after a scooter because I wanted to make sure that she really wanted to ride rather than thinking it is a good idea. You can get one for a really low price used, and new they are pretty cheap. They are narrow, low and have great engines.

She now has a Vulcan 900 with Corbin Beetle bags, and I'm trying to convince her to pick up Victory Cross Roads.
 
#20 ·
I'm with Emack, have her take the MSF course.

I bought a Shadow 750 to teach my wife, bad move. To me it felt like a scooter, to her it felt like a truck. Not only that, she ended up not wanting to ride at all either. That's cool though because she just wants to stay on the back of mine which is why I sold the Honda and my V Star to buy my Victory :D

Personally, I started on a Vulcan 750. The reason is that it fit me and it was cheap. I still felt bad when I dropped it, but not nearly as bad as if I had spent thousands more ;) I sold it 6 months later to buy my V Star so I could ride two up.
 
#21 ·
I'm with most of the guys on here take the safety course then decide. My wife wants to get her own and I told her I would go through the course with her. I took the course and had a blast taking it. Offer to go with her I know in PA the course is free to take and our instructors told us we could take it again.
 
#22 ·
Wow thats cool that its free were you live, its about $150 for the course here. I agree the course is a great idea, especially if she decides she would rather be a passenger after all.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Motorcycle.com Free App
 
#23 ·
I just bought my 15 year old daughter a 150cc scooter, she wants a motorcycle and I can't wait to get her one but I think I'll give her a year on the scooter first.
 
#24 ·
Having your wife/gf/so take the course is an excellent idea. It makes insuring her a bit cheaper too. Also borrowing or renting a smaller bike for her to try. In Alberta, the rider safety course is about $550, so she'll be doing it herself!

my gf wants her own bike, but I think I'll suggest that she ride a month or two on a rented bike to see how she likes it before we get her one of her own.
 
#25 ·
Same experience as others here. When deciding to get back on the road with a bike, after a 20 year absence, I decided to take the MSF coarse to get my license. I asked my wife if she was interested and to my surprise she was so we took it together. We found out during that coarse that she needed to start out slow. She passed, but barely. She aced the written of coarse, but on the ridding test she made the maximum allowable number of mistakes and still pass. I bought her a GZ250 to start on and on her very first solo ride she dropped it on her self when she pulled back in the yard to park it, and broke her toe. She is now healed from that but having neck issues not related to the bike but she will need to get that healed up before she can ride again. She says she will but I am not sure I really want her to now. Some people are just not cut out for it. We will see.

Anyway, the point being, taking the coarse is a good idea as you can get a good sense how someone can handle riding. You can also get a good sense of what type bike they can handle to start.
 
#26 ·
In TN if you take the weekend course (and pass) then you do not have to take the written or ridden test at the DMV.
 
#27 ·
Same in GA, you get a 90 day temporary license. So you have 90 days to get to DMV and get your permanent endorsement. You do have to pay full price again, however. $250 apparently doesn't cover it.
 
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