Beginner bike for daughter???

[Beaver]

Make sure she sits on the bike if at all possible and feels comfortable on it.  I bought a Suzuki Intruder 800 from some friends and even took it for a ride before I bought it.  It felt a little different than what I had been used to on past bikes, but I thought I'd get used to it once I started riding it all the time.  As much as I rode that thing, I never got comfortable with the way it felt.  I ended up giving it back to my friends 2 or 3 years ago after it had been sitting in my garage a few years.  He and his grandson fixed it up and he gave it to his grandson who loves it and has put many miles on it. 

I've been on bikes since I was 13 and I will soon be celebrating my 29th birthday again, so I've had a few years of riding experience.  I started on minibikes and dirt bikes, both of which we rode on & off road.  My first "real" motorcycle was a used Honda 550 Four.  I was 22 years old, 5'2" and 95 pounds and could only touch tiptoe.  Now I'm on Guzzis and I can still only touch tiptoe!  You'd think since I could touch flat foot sitting on the Intruder that would have made me feel better, but it didn't.

Good luck and have fun choosing the perfect bike!  Practice, practice, practice on it.  Enjoy it and ride the heck out of it!

Beaver

[not-fishing]

You'll need to spend a little father-daughter time building it but:



Honda 350.

Just tell her no Dragon Tattoos and no piercings.

[bad Chad]

That is way cool.

[brianlucid]

Did anyone mention the Suzuki Tu250?  It has a fairly low seat height and doesn't look like a Harley.

I would second this. Many MSF courses are now using the little TUX. The bike is light, reliable and extremely forgiving.

Also, many folks who love the look of the TUXes graduate to owning Guzzis.  :D

[Green1000S]

Top 3 bikes are:
Honda NX 250
Kawa Ninja 250
Honda 250 CBR

If the daughter gets to pick, it will be black Ninja.

I sat on the new Honda CB 300 F. Cool little bike with 30HP, but since it's new, price is a bit too much.
There is a million Kawas available below 2K.
CBR's not so much. Only couple.
So far I have not found any NX.

But that's the fun part of the search.
Wife just got a whiff of what me and daughter are planning and "did not share the same vision".

Does that mean that I need to attach the toilet roll holder to the wall and get a new vacuum cleaner too??

[Nic in Western NYS]

Wife just got a whiff of what me and daughter are planning and "did not share the same vision".

Click and Clack might say, 'ah HA! This isn't a motorcycle question, it's a relationship question!'  Did you wife's vision have anything to do with a vehicle that has 2 wheels and a motor? (And as my 3 year old son said of his older brothers 'don't drive like my brothers.)

[smdl]

... Wife just got a whiff of what me and daughter are planning and "did not share the same vision".

Does that mean that I need to attach the toilet roll holder to the wall and get a new vacuum cleaner too??

Might be a good time to set yourself some solid reminders for birthdays,  anniversaries,  Valentine's Day, etc.  Maybe do a little cleaning and updating on the doghouse,  too (just in case).   :BEER:

Cheers,
Shaun

[tpeever]

Top 3 bikes are:
Honda NX 250
Kawa Ninja 250
Honda 250 CBR

Sorry for the late addition, but just read a review of the Yamaha SR400 in MCN. I want one too!!

http://www.yamahamotorsports.com/sport/products/modelhome/691/home.aspx

[jas67]

I would second this. Many MSF courses are now using the little TUX. The bike is light, reliable and extremely forgiving.

Also, many folks who love the look of the TUXes graduate to owning Guzzis.  :D

I road a TUx when I took the MSF.   I like them; so much that I've considered getting one.

[jas67]

Wife just got a whiff of what me and daughter are planning and "did not share the same vision".

Does that mean that I need to attach the toilet roll holder to the wall and get a new vacuum cleaner too??

Yes.    And, you should buy her something that sparkles too.
 :BEER:

[oldbike54]

Yes.    And, you should buy her something that sparkles too.
 :BEER:

So ... the $2500.00 budget is now more like $5000.00 , this buying a MC for the daughter thing is getting expensive ;D

  Dusty

[Lannis]

So ... the $2500.00 budget is now more like $5000.00 , this buying a MC for the daughter thing is getting expensive ;D

  Dusty

Yebbut .... the budget for the sparkly thing:

1) Comes from a different pot of money
2) Has positive side effects (NGC) that far exceed the motorcycle part!

[Green1000S]

Ok... Got her new living room carpet and lamps. Promised to paint the walls too. Wifey is on good mood.
It's time to sneak out and get the bike😃

I got her bottle of Asti Spumante. That's sparkly.
Worked like a charm, she's on really good mood now!

Thanks for the advise guys!👍😀

[jas67]

Hey Lauri -- there's a Black 2012 Ninja 250 on CL for $2,600:

http://lancaster.craigslist.org/mcy/4817576919.html

[jas67]

2007 with 300ish miles, $2,200:
http://lancaster.craigslist.org/mcy/4841246589.html

[drlapo]

who puts 300 miles on a bike in 7 years? 43 miles a year?
I'll bet it needs a battery

[DC950]

who puts 300 miles on a bike in 7 years? 43 miles a year?
I'll bet it needs a battery

someone who thought his wife needed a bike.

[Furbo]

Dual Sport - ATW.

Frankly, if she's stout enough, even the bigger 650 singles aren't real power houses.

[jas67]

2006 Ninja 250 in Mechanicsburg, less than 3,000 miles, $2,000 OBO
http://harrisburg.craigslist.org/mcy/4852636981.html

2005 Ninja 250 on Chambersburg CL, 11,775 miles, $2,000 OBO
http://chambersburg.craigslist.org/mcy/4828472865.html

[jdgretz]

Those 1st Gen 250 Ninjas seem to really hold their value.  When the wife bought the first one for Pat, she paid $3500 for it - that was in '07.  They are still selling for $2500-$3000 out here for one in good condition with relatively low mileage.

There is a ride report on ADV from a couple that went from Texas to Argentina riding 2-up on an '05.  They sold the bike down there, and it's still going strong.  The person who runs Pashnit.com did a 700 mile trip on one (he normally rides a 'Busa set up for touring) and was amazed at just how competent that little bike is.

jdg

[jas67]

Those 1st Gen 250 Ninjas seem to really hold their value.  When the wife bought the first one for Pat, she paid $3500 for it - that was in '07.  They are still selling for $2500-$3000 out here for one in good condition with relatively low mileage.

There is a ride report on ADV from a couple that went from Texas to Argentina riding 2-up on an '05.  They sold the bike down there, and it's still going strong.  The person who runs Pashnit.com did a 700 mile trip on one (he normally rides a 'Busa set up for touring) and was amazed at just how competent that little bike is.

jdg

I'm not sure how much they really hold their value.    These are ASKING prices.    There is an '07 on the Lancaster Craigslist with only 300 miles on it for $2,200.    It's been listed for several weeks.   I often see early 2000's and earlier 250's with asking prices as low as $1,200.    The miles are usually higher, and some have some minor rash from low-to-no speed drops.   

[jdgretz]

I'm not sure how much they really hold their value.    These are ASKING prices.    There is an '07 on the Lancaster Craigslist with only 300 miles on it for $2,200.    It's been listed for several weeks.   I often see early 2000's and earlier 250's with asking prices as low as $1,200.    The miles are usually higher, and some have some minor rash from low-to-no speed drops.   

I imagine it's like anything else that is for sale.  Motivated seller, buyer with cash, etc.  Out here on the left coast, they go for the asking price, or darn close to it as they are very desirable bikes.  Still, asking $2200 for an eight year old bike that originally sold for $4K isn't bad, especially when they seem to reach that price about 2 or 3 years after the original sale.  When you get down to the early 2000s and below you're talking about a "beginners" bike that is 15 years old at least and mass produced with an initial selling price under $4K.  Definitely not a unique or collectors bike at all. I'd say that's holding it's price pretty well.  :BEER:

jdg

[inditx]

Agree with Greer, well done dad!

Dirt and a small dual sport is essential coupled with motorcycle training school.

Riding on the ninja types will get old since you seem to want to continue riding longer distances.

Enjoy, they grow up too fast but the memories, they do last.

inditx

[RogerGuzzi]

Personally (of course) I think that even a 500 is too much bike for a total beginner. I started riding on a 125, which was ideal for me (many years ago!). When my girlfriend decided she wanted to learn to ride, we bought the single cylinder Suzuki TU250. It is a good riding position, weight and seat height for her (she's about 5'3"). This is perfect for learning, and cheap to buy. Better still, it is easy to maintain which, to my mind, goes hand-in-hand with being a good rider. Also, it is fuel-injected and super-reliable, so IMO this is an ideal beginner bike.  :)

[drlapo]

at 17 my son got a Kawasaki EX500. it was a very good bike and he rode it from CT to DE on vacation
he only had it for 2500 miles and upgraded to a Triumph 675
I inherited the 500 and it  took me 2 years to sell it for $1800
good bike, terrible  resale value

[jas67]

Couple of cheap ones on CL:

250:
$1,500: http://york.craigslist.org/mcy/4892922087.html
$1,500: http://york.craigslist.org/mcy/4864013234.html
2008 for $2,300 http://lancaster.craigslist.org/mcy/4900509972.html
2012 for $2,500 http://reading.craigslist.org/mcy/4897429141.html
2010 for $2,950 http://reading.craigslist.org/mcy/4897211610.html

There was a 2003 for $1,000 that I saw last night, but, I can't find it now, must be sold.


500:
2007 $2,300 http://lancaster.craigslist.org/mcy/4872359342.html

[jas67]

2004 for $1,000 in Oxford, PA!
http://lancaster.craigslist.org/mcy/4903279987.html

[redrider]

I've been dealing with the Honda 250 twin as an instructor since 2008. Cheap cheap cheap. Did I mention cheap? Clutch adjustment is crap, shifting is clunky and about as powerfull as 10000 butterfly sneezes. (Moody Blues) The new CBR 250 shifts like crap as well. Our new one is in the shop now with shifting problems and no remedy in sight.

When I worked at the dealership, no one wanted to work on the rebels.

[NC Steve]

I came across this site just today, and, although it's written primarily for women, think it's an excellent reference for both women and any other novice rider.

http://www.womenridersnow.com/pages/story_detail.aspx?id=3543


http://www.womenridersnow.com/pages/Beginners_Guide_to_Getting_Into_Motorcycling.aspx


ps: and if it's already been mentioned here before, my apologies, but there are too many prior posts to go thru each one!

[Asylum]

Check out the Honda cb300f. My girlfriend and I spotted it at the bike show yesterday here in Montreal. She felt very safe and comfortable in the seating position. I think this would be awesome bike for a begginer, which she is, and the price between 4000-5000 is very reasonable. We are actually going to the dealer today to see if they would take her sportster as an exchange.