Beginner bike for daughter???

[Aaron D.]

CBR250. I have a friend who bought one (somewhat short fellow) and he could ride with anyone, anywhere. Actually had a Street Triple R before the Honda.

[father guzzi obrian]

my wife learned on a rebel 250, about  the easiest to learn on bike there is, and low seat height and low weight  made in very manageable.  fully bullet  proof too

[flip]

With your budget of $2500 or so and looking for something sporty, I'd say 250 Ninja, 500 Ninja, Suzuki GS500, maybe a Breva 750 or a 1st generation SV650. Hyosung maybe? Buell Blast? Of all of these, I think the SV650 would be the best pick if it fits her.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Green1000S is planning a trip from Arizona to California to Nevada, then all the way back to Pennsylvania.  While the TW200 and XT225 are really good bikes in their intended role, They really aren't the kind of bike you want to put someone on for 3,000 miles of highway touring.

The way I read it, both will be on the Quota for the AZ, CA, NV - PA trip, not Lauri on the Quota and Lisa on her own bike. Even on a CBR250, Ninja 250, etc. that trip would be quite an accomplishment.

Other bikes to consider: Honda VTR250 (though the one I rode made my Morini 350 K2 feel like a torque monster)



and the Honda NX250 (looks a bit like a mini-Quota, eh?).



More street biased that an XT or CRF, water-cooled engine. Can be found relatively inexpensively (my friend Joe sold one a year ago for $1200). One downside is the tire sizes are "weird" limiting choices.

[Mike Tashjian]

My kids learned to ride just after the car driving came. That is not say they were unfamiliar with owning a go cart and dabbling around with an old enduro I had brought back to life.  They have had their bike licences for around six years now.  They have told me how learning on the small Yamaha was a great way to start.  They then moved up to a ninja 250 which was much harder to handle than the Yamaha TW.  They were both glad I made them take the safety course which also gave them a licensing test waiver.  And the biggest help they both agreed on was making a few driving loops(10 to 30 miles long with varying degrees of traffic) to practice skills and get time on the bike.  In my opinion you have to drive a bike for at least a year to be comfortable riding.  I would not recommend a long trip for a new driver.    Mike  

[EldoMike]

I vote TW200..especially if she is short of stature....let her learn on it and when she is ready for a sporty bike you can have it to play with  ;D

[Perazzimx14]

Green1000S is planning a trip from Arizona to California to Nevada, then all the way back to Pennsylvania.  While the TW200 and XT225 are really good bikes in their intended role, They really aren't the kind of bike you want to put someone on for 3,000 miles of highway touring.

I think the trip was both of them on the Quota. I would doubt the young lass would have the conditioning to do a big tour in such a short time.
 

[Green1000S]

Thanks for all the replies, looks like we have a lot more to study in regards of the bikes. Good advise from all of you, just what I was hoping for. Now we have few more options to look at.


To answer few questions:

1) She is 5'6" tall and inseam is about 30/31
2) If she gets the choise, its looks like Ninja 250 and the Honday CBR 250 type motorcycle will win. I douibt we will go with a real "dirtbike", too top heavy and tall for my daughter. But we will make sure to check few anyway! I would love to get her a Vintage Honda CB125 or CB350, those are georgeous machines, however she prefers modern looking stuff. Might be more reliable too. Then again, to learn wrenching is a good thing!
3) The Cross country trip is planned in early June, immediately after the school is finished. As such, there is not enough time to get her riding skills to proper level for this type of trip. No way I would like her to cruise in LA traffic or Colorado mountains on her own... Not yet. We will take the Red Quota, which is now Silver and Black ;D ;D.




4) IF I would even think of a 500cc bike, it needs to be seriously underpowered. She is already zooming on highway at 70-80mph with her car. She has literally picked up some of my habits;-) Duh... She is not careless, but does like speed.
5) One of the bikes she has always liked was the little 750 Breva. Not really convinced that its a good started bike? May be out of the budget too.
6) Not a scooter or a Grom. Has to be a REAL motorcycle ;D

Buell Blast? Looking into it....

CRC, We got the shirt at the Famous Tornado-Guzzi Rally at Buena Vista. Maybe someone here still has shirts available and will chime in?

Thanks again guys, search will continue...
Lauri

[Green1000S]

Practicality and sensibility go out the window when spending money on daughters.    

I like this.... ;D ;D

[Green1000S]

the Honda NX250 (looks a bit like a mini-Quota, eh?).



More street biased that an XT or CRF, water-cooled engine. Can be found relatively inexpensively (my friend Joe sold one a year ago for $1200). One downside is the tire sizes are "weird" limiting choices.

Now...that NX is sweet!! I'll look into this one too!
Thanks Charlie.

[segesta]

Buell Blast? Looking into it....

A couple of years ago I took the Harley rider course with my son (then 18) and they used the Buell Blasts. I hated them--but then maybe that's how all large(r) single cylinder bikes behave? It was like riding a clothes dryer with a brick in it.

[Scott DeRoss]

A little old school but the Yamaha Exciter?..............

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

Grom

 :bike

[Lannis]

4) IF I would even think of a 500cc bike, it needs to be seriously underpowered. She is already zooming on highway at 70-80mph with her car. She has literally picked up some of my habits;-) Duh... She is not careless, but does like speed.

Lauri

Oh, PLEASE get this fixed before she gets on her own motorcycle!   She doesn't have the skills to react to things happening at 80 MPH in a car or on a bike.   She doesn't need to be "careless" to have someone else who doesn't realize she's running that fast to move in front of her.     

My oldest (when 17) got clocked at 78 MPH once and was walking for a month.    If you can get them through this "I'm immortal, NOTHING can hurt me, I can run 200 MPH and it's not too fast for MY super-powers" stage without killing themselves, you'll be doing well.   It's what kills the most of our teenagers.   And there's no air-bags on a bike .....

Lannis

[jas67]

With your budget of $2500 or so and looking for something sporty, I'd say 250 Ninja, 500 Ninja, Suzuki GS500, maybe a Breva 750 or a 1st generation SV650. Hyosung maybe? Buell Blast? Of all of these, I think the SV650 would be the best pick if it fits her.

IMHO, the SV650, or the Hyosung clone of it,  is too much bike for a 16 year old to learn on.

A little old school but the Yamaha Exciter?..............

See my earlier comments on the Savage.    Lauri already said that she didn't care for the Honda Rebel, something about it looking too much like a Harley.    From his comments about what she likes, a Ninja 250 or Honda CBR250 are the most likely candidates (or the 300 versions of them if they can be found in the desired price range).

[Lannis]

IMHO, the SV650, or the Hyosung clone of it,  is too much bike for a 16 year old to learn on.

Depends.   

After years of dirt-biking around the farm on Rich Maund's old Yamaha TT-225, my youngest boy learned how to street-ride on my Centauro.    He was a big lad (6'4", 240 pounds) so the bike's size was not a problem for him, and because he spent the first year either riding in front of me (so I could watch his technique, braking points, etc) or behind me (so he could watch MINE!), it turned out to be a good learning bike for him.   The throttle doesn't open any further than you twist it, and he knew that if he decided to do the "Oh, I KNOW how to ride fast!" thing, that'd be the last ride till he was 21.

He's a very good rider now.   When I ride with him, I never get nervous about speed through turns, braking points, etc.   

Lannis

[Green1000S]

"After years of dirt-biking around the farm on Rich Maund's old Yamaha TT-225, my youngest boy learned how to street-ride on my Centauro.."

Thats the part thats missing.... Years of dirt biking. At this point she does not know shifting from automatic.
We will rent a car with stick shift and play with that few weekends. Later the bike. In that order.

And Lannis, she is not that bad with speed, 10 over at highways....
Being a girl, she is not as bad as I was at same age. I definately felt that I was immortal, however ended up being a cat with 9 lives. Not same, but close.

[Lannis]

"After years of dirt-biking around the farm on Rich Maund's old Yamaha TT-225, my youngest boy learned how to street-ride on my Centauro.."

Thats the part thats missing.... Years of dirt biking. At this point she does not know shifting from automatic.
We will rent a car with stick shift and play with that few weekends. Later the bike. In that order.

And Lannis, she is not that bad with speed, 10 over at highways....
Being a girl, she is not as bad as I was at same age. I definately felt that I was immortal, however ended up being a cat with 9 lives. Not same, but close.

Well, not trying to tell you how to raise her, just reacting - I want ALL our sons and daughters to get through the teen years safely!   AND be able to proudly ride to the rallies .... !!

Lannis

[Green1000S]

Fully agreed Lannis.

[Kiwi_Roy]

You might consider a Suzuki Savage. Low seat height,mild torquey motor with highway capability,cheap on the used market.Easy to get rid of when it's time to move up. The 500 Ninja gets great reviews too.

 :+1 for the Suzuki Savage aka S40 a great reliable little 650 single, belt drive so no messy chains

I would have said Suzuki Intruder aka S50 but they have been discontinued

If you have lots of $$$, how about a new V7?

[boatdetective]

I still remember the first time I got spit off a bike (not that long ago as I still consider myself a noob). Boy- talk about a teachable moment. Don't you wish you could just bottle that fear, mortality, and humility and administer it as a pill? Every minor drop or bad experience has been indelible with me.

Speaking of which, Lauri, how is she with strategy and positioning? The whole issue of "car chess" and thinking about putting yourself in the right spot before anything bad can happen was an important lesson for me. The whole "Proficient Motorcycling" approach, to me, is a mentally engaging way to think about controlling a situation rather than simply reacting to it. 

...I digress. Hey, think about it for a second- a sixteen yo getting her license and embarking on the adventure and responsibility of getting a bike. How exciting is that?

[youcanrunnaked]

Having owned an SV650 for the better part of eight years, and as a member of the svrider.com community, I am well aware of the debate as to whether the SV makes for a good beginner bike.  IMO (and in the opinion of the more thoughtful members of the SV community), the bike DOES NOT make for a good beginner bike.  The throttle response is snatchy, the low-speed gearing can be jerky, the front brake is grabby, the rear brake is prone to lock-up, and the turn-in is abrupt.  While it's not a terrible choice, there are much better options out there.

If we are talking first street bike, and the rider has extensive off-road experience and the size and maturity to handle a bike like the SV, then fine.  However, if we are talking first real time riding any motorcycle, then, no.

If you want a good Suzuki beginner street bike, the GS500 is a better choice.  However, IMO the Kawasaki Ninja EX500, with its water-cooling and better brakes, makes for an even better choice.  

If the rider has the inseam to comfortably straddle a dual sport, a 250cc or 400cc four-stroke Enduro bike can also work well for a beginner.

EDIT:  Having read the OP's most recent comments, I am back to the Ninja 500 / Ninja 250/ Suzuki GS500.  IMO, the Ninja 500 is easy to ride because its response to control inputs, even heavy-handed ones, is very mild and predictable.  OTOH, the Ninja 250 is a bit lighter and lower-powered, and therefore easier to handle in that regard, but you have to really rev it out and keep the revs up to get and keep good forward progress, which some beginners have a hard time with. My gf re-entered motorcycling after a 20+ year hiatus, rode a Ninja 250 for 18 months, and has been riding a Ninja 500 in the years since then.  She liked the 250 but absolutely loves her 500, and thinks she maybe should have started with the latter.  The Ninja 500 makes about 59 hp; the Ninja 250 puts out 30 hp; and the GS500 splits the difference at 46 hp.  All of them are highway-capable, and with some soft luggage can do longer trips just fine. My gf rode her 250 all around Florida with me before moving up to the 500, and she has taken several trips on the 500, including to Indy and back for MotoGP this past August (2,700 miles).

Have your daughter try them all and let her decide.  Good luck.

[EvanM]

:+1 for the Suzuki Savage aka S40 a great reliable little 650 single, belt drive so no messy chains

I would have said Suzuki Intruder aka S50 but they have been discontinued

If you have lots of $$$, how about a new V7?

I'll second this. We bought my mom one of those 2 years ago, and its nice and light.
I actually find it fun to ride, even coming off the Breva, as I can really whip the snot out of it, and I'm still doing legal speeds!! Handling is a little bit squirrelly in my books though, maybe because of the very narrow front tire?

[Lannis]

:+1 for the Suzuki Savage aka S40 a great reliable little 650 single, belt drive so no messy chains

I would have said Suzuki Intruder aka S50 but they have been discontinued

If you have lots of $$$, how about a new V7?

Us big ol' guys forget how much the world of motorcycling "opens up" for you if you are 5'4" and weigh not much at all and are small in most dimensions.

I'm always trying to find something that will carry me fully loaded with gear and luggage, and has LOTS of room for all my body parts, and will pull a hill easily with hundreds and hundreds and hundreds (well ...) of pounds aboard.   So (like many of us) I tend to "project" those issues into any advice I might give about a young person getting a bike.

For a petite 16 year-old girl, a 30 HP 250 weighing 300 pounds or less would be a rocketship under almost any conditions, and would have plenty of room to move around on to stay comfortable on a trip.    AND get 70 MPG and need a set of tires once a century .....

Lannis

[trippah]

Again, look at the Suzuki Savage (S-40).  It is an underpowered but wonderfully forgiving motorcycle.  It goes 65 ok but by 70 the vibes get a bit much for an extended time.  Shift up or down as you get to it, the best thing about a single like this is the low end torque which allows for many shifting mistakes without stopping the bike at the wrong time or place.  Plenty of good used ones around, she can tart it to her hearts content and resell it when she becomes proficient. (Many think this but keep the bike because they are fun.). ::) ::)

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Again, look at the Suzuki Savage (S-40).  It is an underpowered but wonderfully forgiving motorcycle.  It goes 65 ok but by 70 the vibes get a bit much for an extended time.  Shift up or down as you get to it, the best thing about a single like this is the low end torque which allows for many shifting mistakes without stopping the bike at the wrong time or place.  Plenty of good used ones around, she can tart it to her hearts content and resell it when she becomes proficient. (Many think this but keep the bike because they are fun.). ::) ::)

But, if she doesn't like the looks of a Rebel, then most likely a Savage isn't going to be attractive to her either.

[Perazzimx14]

But, if she doesn't like the looks of a Rebel, then most likely a Savage isn't going to be attractive to her either.

Agreed! The S40's are neat if you dump money into a Ryca kit. Other than that blah.

Lauri,

Does she have any experience other than a rider? If not buy a cheap Yamaha Blaster ATV to get her used to a manual transmission. They don't fall over when you are learning or had too many to drink.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Does she have any experience other than a rider? If not buy a cheap Yamaha Blaster ATV to get her used to a manual transmission. They don't fall over when you are learning or had too many to drink.

Only problem there, is an ATV steers completely different than a motorcycle.

[jas67]

But, if she doesn't like the looks of a Rebel, then most likely a Savage isn't going to be attractive to her either.

I said this earlier in the thread, but, no one seems to get it.    ::)
 :BEER:

[jas67]

Agreed! The S40's are neat if you dump money into a Ryca kit. Other than that blah.

Lauri,

Does she have any experience other than a rider? If not buy a cheap Yamaha Blaster ATV to get her used to a manual transmission. They don't fall over when you are learning or had too many to drink.

I agree with what Charlie has to say about them steering completely differently.   With some time off road on a smaller dual sport, or even off-road only dirt bike, she'll learn clutch control, how to shift, and also handling dynamics.    Once she is comfortable on the dirt bike, then she can breeze through the MSF and starting riding on the street.

One more thing that I'd like to add, is, that if my daughter (who is only 10, so, I've got some time) wants to ride on the street, I'm going to want her to drive a car on the street for at least a year first.     At the same time, or earlier, she can learn to ride a motorcycle off road.    That way, she learns to handle a bike, and learns to handle traffic -- but not both at the same time.    I'd rather she makes her traffic mistakes during the first year in a car.

Disclaimer: I don't know how old your daughter is, Lauri, so, if she's already been driving for a year, then, well, she's met this criteria.
Disclaimer 2: I'm not trying to tell you how to raise your daughter, just what I'll do with mine, my advice comes with a money back guarantee.  ;-T