[lcwilkes]

Hi everyone,

I'm a novice female rider looking to buy a starter bike, and looking for a bit of advice from experienced riders. I'm a small female (5'2", 28" inseam, 115lbs), not too aggressive, and I want to be sure I buy a bike I can handle. I'm pretty set on a Honda, but somewhat open to other brands.

I really like the look and size of the CBs (300 and under) from the 70's and I'm comfortable buying a bike with high mileage (under 15,000, say), but I don't have a good sense of how these bikes handle.

If I don't get an older CB, I plan to get a Rebel 250 since everyone says those are great starter bikes for small people.

I can't get those older CBs out of my head, though, so I was wondering if anyone has thoughts or advice about how those CBs handle.

(I realize a thirty+ year old bike could quit on me any time and could be a hassle to fix--I'm okay with that.)

Thanks for your help.

[rokitt51]

, glad to have you. I really cant think of a bike that will fit you right off hand, but you will get alotta advice on the site. Look for Loopy to chime in.

[Teasha]

Why not just rock the rebel for a bit since you're a novice rider and in a bit, look into getting an older bike as you mentioned? I think after riding for a bit, you'll get to know your likes and dislikes of bikes in general, and not just what it looks like?

But for reference for you, I ride an 02 CBR600 F4i and I'm 5'4"-ish and I'm comfortable on my bike, would like to be a tad more flat footed, but eh. I <3 my bike! Whatever you decide, have a great time and ride safe!

[HondaGalToo]

They probably handle ok, but technology has really advanced and a more modern bike has better components such as brakes, handling, etc.

Are you interested in a cruiser style bike? Or more of a standard? If a cruiser, the Honda Rebel makes a good starter bike, assuming you have no prior riding experience. A good standard would be a Honda Nighthawk 250. Start small and used, you can sell it after a year or so and not lose much money. Other good starter bikes are the Ninja 250 or 500, or Suzuki GS500.

Did you take an MSF course? Highly recommended.

Welcome!

[breimers]

I have had over 25 motorcycles all kinds and makes. I would suggest the 250 honda rebel. It is low and actually will get great fuel mileage. If you spend 2000 in a couple years it will still be worth at least 1500. Please take the rider course it will help you tremendously. Good luck and I hope you enjoy the freedom of riding a motorcycle.

[curt248]

on the MSF course. It will give you all of the skills that you'll eventually need.

[LoopyLee]

Originally Posted by rokitt51

, glad to have you. I really cant think of a bike that will fit you right off hand, but you will get alotta advice on the site. Look for Loopy to chime in.

Who me???

[ghbzorro]

I started riding only 4-5 years ago, so I have less knowledge and riding ability than many members, but the novice's experience is still pretty fresh in my mind.

In my opinion your first step should be to decide on how much money you are willing to spend, including full safety gear (picked that up from a recent thread) and what kind of rider you want to eventually be.

The money aspect is inescapable. Cruising through some local bike shops, looking at classified advertisements in the newspaper and surfing through Ebay and Craigslist is a good start to figure out the cost of the bike. Others may disagree, but I think you will also need at least $500 to be properly dressed, and that is with some careful shopping and looking for pre-owned fashions (plus new helmet, new boots, new gloves)

Do you envision yourself on a laid-back cruiser, as a standard/upright-sitting rider or as a hunched-over sports bike person. Learning on something that somewhat resembles your eventual ride will stop you from learning inappropriate habits, so aim for a bike that is not too far away in type but is lower in displacement.

From a safety point of view, the technology improvements in bikes makes anything earlier than very late 80s a poor choice, and you should preferably be aiming at the 90s. You have no need for nostalgia, you want reasonable handling, good brakes and good tires.

So in direct answer to your question, I would suggest a VTR 250 like this one eBay Motors: Honda : VTR250 (item 350067259153 end time Jun-11-08 14:35:15 PDT)&

Or why not a bike worth keeping, like a NT650 Hawk GT.

Both bikes are v-twins, which makes them easier to learn to ride because they give easily recognized feedback into your body when you are starting from a standstill. That and their rpm vs torque characteristic makes it less likely that you will stall. They also have the benefit of being narrow, which makes them much less intimidating when you first start riding.

But whatever you do, make sure you take the course.

Have fun and be safe.

[GypsyRebel]

Hi so have you got a motorcycle yet? As a new rider myself I thought I would offer my point of view. I won a 2005 honda rebel I bought from dealer May this year, paid $2,500.00 with less than 1000 miles on it and it came with a warranty. When I was looking around for a m/c I went to a few events held at dealers usually, meet really great people and they usually have a demo were you can sit on the mc get idea of what style you like cruiser verus sportbike look. I knew I wanted a cruiser look so I looked at few of the cruiser models, sat on the honda 600 but felt as a begginer rider that it was to heavy and to powerful, when I sat on the Honda rebel I could reach the ground flat footed, the controls were easy reach and I could balance the mc which is a major plus in new rider. I just felt it would be a better fit for me.
I took the MSC in August this year I learned a lot from the class, which you can take before you "buy" a motorcycle, which you might want to do. Now just this short time later I know I made a great choice I "love" my Honda Rebel it may seem like a started m/c but you could never know you might just want to keep it around for a while. I would like to hear back on what you got.

[breimers]

Hey GypsyRebel
You made me look pretty smart in my above post recommending a Rebel.
Thanks little woman

[red-donkey]

Consider a Suzuki SV-650 - great starter bike but a step up in weight/power from a Rebel.

If you prefer a cruiser, lots of gals start on the small V-Stars and Shadows as well.