In my quest for a motorcycle license and a motorcycle I have looked at a few bikes. Here’s the list so far. Feel free to weigh-in or suggest something I haven’t looked at yet.
Here are a few bikes I’ve looked at! Opinions welcomed.
Don’t forget I live in Minnesota so I’ve got time before I’ll need a motorcycle!
My name is Pam and I am so glad you stopped by today! I started this blog to document my journey into motorcycling and along the way I met so many other lady riders with inspiring stories to tell I began to share theirs as well.
About the same time I started this blog I joined Twitter (@helmetorheels) and began to meet other female motorcycle riders. These ladies were so inspiring to me because I found other newbies like me to life-long experienced riders who were willing to share encouragement, tips, and their friendship. I was welcomed where I was on my journey. What an incredible community I found online to fuel my desire to ride.
Catch us on Instagram @helmetorheels and Pinterest @helmetorheels – we are just getting started!
4 Responses
I have to tell you that picking one bike is an impossibility for me. I always want them all. However, it is an important choice that boils down to what you can comfortably ride. The good news is that you can always trade up later but, to find out that the bike is too much for you can sure ruin the ride and keep you from really getting out there. You have to ride em to find out. When the bike is right, it will feel right and you will know!
For the record, that Suzuki is really pretty!! Watch for weight distribution. Some can be a little top heavy. One more thing…you drop it, you gotta pick the beast up!
Sounds like you are on your way to some real fun this riding season. The best of luck to ya, sweetie!! Judy LaParne
Man, mtajudy nailed this one. You may have to pick that sucker up at some point. I dumped a top heavy crotch rocket in light gravel once. Could barely get enough foot traction to lift it.
More recently, my baby sister dumped her Dyna Wide Glide when she changed her mind about pulling into traffic at the last minute. Her husband came back to help, but Angi insisted on doing it herself. She’s pretty tough though. I’m pretty sure she could take me if she ever need to.
I’m partial to the styling of the Suzuki. I like cruisers better than sport bikes, but I reeeeally like the looks of the more modern-looking cruisers like that Suzuki. Sweet.
I will warn you about bike size. My sister is 5′ 10″ and she originally bought a Sportster because it felt “manageable.” Not long after, she realized that it wasn’t just manageable, it was just too too dang small for her.
Also, beware of those crotch rockets. They’re not always comfortable on your back. Also, if they make you lean too far forward, your arms will be falling asleep all the time. I had that happen to me all the time when I owned a Suzuki GSXR-750. Fast, but uncomfortable.
Having said that, know that some of those sport bikes are more “semi-sport,” allowing you to sit in a more upright position. If I were you, I’d lean away from a sport bike; but hey, it’s your need for speed that you need to satisfy!
I forgot to mention that donations for a motorcycle fund are being accepted!!
Of those I’d generally be hard pressed to suggest any but the Vulcan 500, personally.
Quite possibly one of the best I’ve come across for beginning riders is the Ninja 250. I’ve heard the 500 is also good but I have no experience with it. I honestly wish I still had that 250 as it was a surprising amount of fun.
An additional reason for light weight is that you’re new to a bunch of other aspects of riding so balance issues get tricky, e.g. low-speed and stopping. Having a smaller, lighter bike for that early part means less weight to struggle with. While the usual complaint is that they have low power, the flip side is that too much power in the hands of a beginning rider can be a very bad thing.
I’ll agree about the CAFE-racer style; they’re designed for speed, e.g. race tracks, and really aren’t comfortable for the average street use – probably not bad on the interstates but once into some low-speed and stop-and-go…