advice? please?

i read all the sticky threads at the beginning of the forum and i know its been done a million times, i am sorta asking the same question as everyone else, but at the same time im not. so please, bear with me!
I want a bike. I do not know what a good starter bike is, because i know nothing about the sport. I know i need a bike with less than 600cc but i dont know what bike would be good for my body frame, and i have no idea what weight i could handle. Im pretty sure the weight of the bike plays a big part in it. I am 5'7, 145 lbs and im a girl. Are there specific bikes that are good for me? I WANT A STARTER BIKE. I want something to learn on, bikes scare the HECK out of me. Im not asking to be the exception to the rule, im asking how to play by the rule. Please, help me.

The 250 or 450 Honda Rebel is the ultimate starter bike. Unthreatening, good looking, dead reliable, low seat height, lightweight, great handling, low maintenance, inexpensive, forgiving etc, etc...not enough good I can say about it.

http://www.mcpoolen.se/images/mc-honda-99-cmx250c-rebel-rod.gif

If cruisers aren't your bag, I'd think about a 450 Nighthawk, has just about all of the above properties in a more sport-standard package...

http://www.hondanighthawks.net/86-450red.jpg

I don't think they make a Nighthawk anymore, so we're talking used, they are still plentiful and cheap. The Rebel 250 is the same, they still make a new one, but you can pick up sweet used ones with low miles for like $1500...sometimes less...learn to ride on it, in six months you'll want something bigger (believe me, you will), and you can always sell it quick, there's a great market for them...


http://www.z440ltd.de/images/Z440LTD.gif

The first street bike I ever rode was a 1981(?) Kawasaki 440 Ltd, these were another great beginner bike, you can find them for less than $700 now, but being new you might not wanna deal with the mechanical issues you'll come across in a bike that old...but that's another option, there's TONS of old, small displacement Jap standards like that out there...

Oh yeah....take the MSF course...they use smaller bikes, and teach you all the good stuff that will save your butt....best money you'll ever spend....you'll have a lot of confidence when you complete it also....

thank you so much. i really appreciate it. ill take all the help i can get. =]

not sure if you guys get these or not. i think its a perfect learner bike for someone who is a bit daunted by bikes. perfectly neutral in every way and Honda reliability.


http://www.bikez.com/bike/index.php?bike=20167

not sure if you guys get these or not. i think its a perfect learner bike for someone who is a bit daunted by bikes. perfectly neutral in every way and Honda reliability.


http://www.bikez.com/bike/index.php?bike=20167

I don't know if we do or not...but it does look pretty good, except the seat height, almost 31" at lowest setting...I couldn't flatfoot it, I'm 5'7" like her, but have like 29" inseam, hard to find bikes that are comfortable :shakehead

Maybe once the suspension compressed, I could get my feet down...I hate bikes I gotta tip-toe or teeter on one foot at lights...

Kinda reminded me of that UM/Hyosung 250R that's coming here from Korea now...

I had a ninja 250r and I was able to flat foot it. I am 5'4 and 120 lbs.

Hi,

If you have never ridden before you should take a beginner's riding course, I took one myself, there were things about riding that I didn't know that I didn't know, I learned a lot from that class. Check with your local Dept. of Motor Vehicles (or whatever they are called) they may know the when/where of this class.

I rode a 125cc Honda motorcycle during the class, after I finished the class I thought that I wanted a motorcycle with a 250cc engine. A couple of months later fate handed me a 1984 Honda Shadow with a 700cc engine, it turned out to be perfect, enough power to move you nicely but not so much that the bike spooks you.

I'm 5'9" and weight around 190 pounds, so a 600cc may be all the higher you want to go (for now). Suzuki had a cute little teal blue 250cc motorcycle a couple of years ago, they are very cute and kind of girly looking.

This isn't the blue one but it might be what you are looking for with a 250cc engine and a seat height of less than 28", the ad even lists it as a beginner's bike: http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/suzuki_gz_250_2006.php

i'm 6'4 so any bike is small for me, but a mate learnt on the VTR and it was such a cool bike. looked and sounded like a ducati monster. very small though and with the steering geometry, it was so much more nimble than the cruisers

that site may not be 100% correct. it says my bike is 32"

Jeff is giving you some awesome choices. The Kawi LTD and Honda Rebel/Nighthawk 450 are probably the best learning bikes out there. They are bulletproof reliable and you can buy them cheap, and get your money back when you're ready to upgrade. Harder to find, but another good low seat height bike is a Honda Magna V-30 (500cc). As Jeff stated, looks and seat height would be the determining factors as to which is best for you, but since you're only 5'7", I think the Magna and Rebel would be better choices due to the low seat heights.

Too bad she's not here...somebody is selling an old ('72) Honda CB 250 in wonderful condition for $300....I'm almost tempted to go get it for the boy...