I’ve signed up for my MSF course (I can’t wait 'til May! I want it NOW!) and am on the brink of moto madness. So I want to hear what riders think the best bike is, what their dream bike is, what they actually ride, why they chose it, any fun/scary/educational stories about riding…
I would love an Aprilia RS250, but I will probably end up getting a used Kawi EX250, or 500, b/c everyone tells me that I will drop my bike. Besides, RS250s aren’t technically legal. Not knowing too much about bikes, I only know what I like, and not why I like it, so I can’t tell you why I lust after the Ducati M600, M620Sie, the Aprilia RS250, Moto Guzzi’s V1100 Sport, some Cagivas… I love the little race replicas-- I wish we were allowed two-strokes here in the US–why aren’t we?
Also, where’s the best place online to find out more about riding? I’m a small framed woman–105lbs, 31.5" inseam–where can I find protective gear that will fit? Sportbiking helmet recommendations? Best boots, best bay area shops? Best place to find a deal on a used bike? Tips to look out for so I won’t buy a clunker?
Almost anything motorcycle related would be great to hear/read–right now I’m just an obssessive little sponge poised at the fount of the SD collective knowledge…
Best bike? Hard to say, since people have different tastes. I’m riding a 1994 Yamaha XJ600 Seca II I got new, and which now has about 70,000 miles on it. It’s “perfect” for L.A. traffic. It’s small enough to easily get through slow or stopped traffic, it’s pretty maneuverable for a standard-class bike, it’s inexpensive, it’s fairly quick, it’s fast enough for commuting, and it even looks good.
What do I want? A Ducati, of course! But a Yamaha R1 or R6 give better performance than their Italian mates and cost a lot less. They also require less maintenance. If I had to choose one, I’d choose the R1 because it makes more sense. But I’d rather have an R1 and a Ducati.
Why don’t we have two-strokes? The EPA. Two-strokes just pollute too much. Man, I miss my old 250 Enduro. “YING-ying-ying-ying-ying-ying!”
There are lots of helmets out there. The ones I see most on the road are Shoei and Arai. I wear a Shoei, and have since high school. The next one will be an Arai, just because I want to try something different. What I’d really like is to find a vintage metal-flake gold Bell open-face helmet like I had when I was a kid. (I’ve been riding since I was six.) That would be groovy!
There are discount riding supply stores around where you can save hundreds on helmets and leathers and stuff. Check out any motorcyling magazine. Of course you could “do the right thing” and buy from your local motorcycle shop, but the markup is just too high (at least, in my experience).
Tips to look out for so you won’t buy a clunker? Hm. I bought a 1979 Honda CX500 for a dollar once. It cost a couple hundred to get it running. After a while I lost first gear, but it worked okay starting out in second. The thing wouldn’t die. I finally sold it for $350. Anyway, start it up. How does it sound? Does it run smoothly? Any serious leaks? Does it shift smoothly? How are the brakes? Test ride it. Does it do anything scary?
Have you been out to Laguna Seca to see the races?
How you doin’? 
Welcome among the riders!
Buying 2ndhand for a first bike is very smart indeed, because you will eventually drop it - and, furthermore, once you’ve gained some skills on your first bike, you’ll want to sell it to get your hands on the dream bike. You’ve been given good advice.
And you long for Italian hardware, I can understand that, too…
I had a brief but furious affair with the RS250 (owned one for a year), and I understand your longing for it completely - few things comes close in terms of unadulterated FUN. I would, however, never recommend it as a beginner’s bike - ride it like it was designed to, and you’ll wipe out, ride it conservatively and you’ve wasted your money. But damn! - two-strokes are fun.
I currently ride a Duc 748 and love it heartily, even though it’s just about as impractical as the Priller was. Both have the extreme focus on cornering ability and slap on practicalities like comfort etc. as afterthoughts. When buying my next bike I will probably concede a little to comfort and practicality.
I like www.motorcycle.com as an on-line resource, YMMV. They used to have a “Women riders” area, but the links have gone to rot lately.
Helmets ? They all do a passable job of protecting the noggin, so look for one that fits. Most buy their first helmet slightly too big (I know I did), so try on a lot and find one that fits tightly, but without pinching. A loose-fitting helmet is comfy in the store and a pain when the slipstream starts to move it around on your head.
I personally try to avoid vents & stuff on my helmets - air under the helmet is nice, but the vents are just another source of noise. Current helmet ? Shoei something-or-other, and I’ll happily vouch for the quality and comfort of those.
Have fun, keep the shiny side up, watch out for those goddam cars.
S. Norman
Hi Spiny!
Have a look at the Yamaha R6. You’ll probably find it offers similar performance, and is also more comfortable to ride. (But don’t get rid of the Duc. Have two bikes! 
Yeah, my Shoei has always been a little noisy. It was a snug fit when I got it, but I’ve used it for about 100,000 miles now, and it’s a bit loose. The Weather in San Francisco is better than in L.A. (“The coldest winter I ever spent was one summer in San Francisco!” I don’t remember who said that.) On a hot day though, I’d rather put up with the noise and have some ventillation.
I’ve taken a few long trips on the Seca II to Lake Havasu, Las Vegas, San Diego (okay, that one’s only 140 miles), and San Rafael (north of S.F.). For long trips I like to wear shooter’s earplugs. These are little disposable foam plugs that fit in your ears. I’m not sure if it’s legal to wear them, but they sure helps save the hearing! No ringing after a long ride.
True. Too true. I’ve been hit twice by drivers who changed lanes without looking while I was beside them. (No damage to the bike – a lump on my shin once.)
I think some Honda cruiser like the Rebel or Shadow would be what you’re looking for. They look cool, and they’ve got a low-slung saddle so they’re easy for a small person to straddle and you’ll be less likely to drop it (although you WILL drop it).
Be extremely careful when buying a used motorcycle. My last one was a Honda Hawk 400 from the late 70’s which I bought in 1993. Within weeks, it stopped running and it turned out the gas tank was so rusty inside that it gummed up the fuel line.
I replaced the tank…then a few weeks later, the bike threw a rod.
My next motorcycle, which should arrive in a month or two, is an Esarati 300, an electric motorcycle. It can only do 50 and its range is only 50 miles, but that’s fine for my primary purpose of commuting and having fun.
It looks like she’s looking for a sportbike.
How about a used Suzuki GS500? It’s small, it’s sporty, and it’s cheap.
Hogs, baby.
Or, if you like, sport bikes.
Friends don’t let friends drive Harleys.
Tortuga: Your name reminds me of a joke:
A pirate walks into a bar with a huge parrot on his shoulder. The bartender asks, “Hey, where did you get that?” The parrot says, “Tortuga.”
Hi Johnny! - good to see ya.
I’d just love to. But moving a motorcycle from Germany to Los Angeles is a non-trivial exercise. Apart from the transportation costs, it must be rebuilt to CA emissions standards - i.e., a new exhaust and a new injection chip, and new papers.
Seeing how I’m already engulfed in paperwork, I’ll have to let her go. The R6 is really nice, I’m looking at the ST4i as well, but then there are Fireblades, Triumphs, the Aprilia Falco - sigh. Oh, and the Ninjas (600, 900) are great bikes, too. Too many bikes, not enough money.
Guess it’s a matter of how many hot days one has to figure per season. For a Dane, it’s normally not a big concern
Earplugs, OTOH, are a Good Thing, especially for long rides at Autobahn speeds. Only annoyance is that you get used to hearing your engine thhrough the earplugs and when you remove them, it suddenly sounds as if someone has dropped a pound of nails in the oil sump. (Someday someone will introduce a helmet with proper (adjustable damping) ear protection and make a killing.)
All brand and type preferences aside, I’d NOT recommend a Harley as the first bike. It’s expensive to drop and it’s unforgiving, IMHO.
GS500 is a great idea - what’s the price tag on a 2ndhand SV650 with fairing in the US ? Total blast to ride, easy to handle, dirt cheap, at least over here.
S. Norman
If you are really inerested in small sporty machines then two that spring to mind are the Honda VFR 400, but maintenance on it such as valve clearances are definately not something beginners would want to take on, or perhaps the Honda CBR 400.
These bikes are as close as you can get to the RS250 but are far more practical, being reliable and they hold their value well.
Other good candidates, the Suzuki SV 65O, theHonda CB 600 Hornet.
You would be surprised at how easy the Yamaha R6 and R1 are to ride at five tenths, but it really takes tremendous skill to extract ten tenths from them.
The R1 in particular is almost like a mad scooter, it is so torquey that you can just stick it in the top two gears and never bother changing up or down, just down get sudden with the throttle.
I would love to own a VFR 400, and get it heavily tweaked, they are a work of art, or maybe as total contrast perahps the new version of the Honda ST1100, which has now grown in capacity to 1250cc.
For the exhibitionist in me, the extremely limited production run of Aprilia Blue Marlin would be very hich up on the wish list.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch and the reality of salt encrusted UK winter roads, its a Honda CB750, about as Jap bike as a bike can get.
Still much better than being in a 4wheeled metal box though.
Johnny, how many times do I have to spank you for that?? Bend over, and take it yet again!
(Frankly, I’m starting to think you’re enjoying it!)
Anyhoo, regarding the OP: You’ll LOVE the class and riding. I’m a 5’4" woman with a 31" inseam as well, (a little heavier, though) and Fivers recommendations are good. If you like a sportier bike, the 500CC Knighthawks are nice! Make SURE your feet touch really well, or you’ll be bending a lot of clutch/brake handles. (Trust me on that one)
I’ll second the Shoei helmet, as well. My husband’s saved his life, without a doubt.
Enjoy!
Zette
(I’ll leave you with a bike pic for your viewing pleasure)
http://fff.fathom.org/pages/zette/pics.html
There’s an RZ350 that I am lusting after on eBay, but it would be silly to buy a bike before I take my course. I love the wheels–and I think Kenny Roberts (Sr.) is a “hottie.” A girlfriend of mine has a CBR600F4i, another has a GXSR600, but I think for my first bike I want something a little less intimidating. I like the GS500 (less plastic to break if [okay, okay, when] I drop it) but I keep hearing that the 500r is the “most sportbike you can buy for the money” and there are a lot of used ones out there for cheap.
I love MO I think their shootouts are really useful and interesting, but there isn’t too much to help the beginning-- and really since I haven’t taken my course yet-- pre-beginning rider like me.
So, Zette, what happened with your husband? Did someone just pull out into him? (That seems to be the most common thing–besides people just drifting/lane changing into the rider, I suppose it’s sort of the same thing) What shoe size are you–I mean, where’d you get your gear? Wait, since you ride a cruiser do you just wear reg. boots, not armoured like sportbikers (well, many, I’ve seen a few guys wearing basketball shoes). Oh wait, I just checked out your link. Do you always wear jeans? How fast do you go?
What do y’all do in the summer, ie, what percentage of y’all actually wear all your protective gear all the time. I’ve heard leathers can be awfully hot.
Thanks for the tips and encouragement!
Oops, GSXR.
I re-read my post and kept hearing a hyperactive kid: “d’ya do this, why? D’ya…D’ya…Why? Where? What? huh? Huh?” I most humbly apologise, and hope you can dismiss the tone, embrace the enthusiasm and share some stories.
Here’s another couple of questions:
How did you get started riding? Why do you ride?
For me, I want an easier commuting vehicle than my clunky old truck–it’s just impossible to find a parking spot around here, and the weather’s too nice to be trapped in a vehicle in traffic. ALso, there’s something indefinable drawing me to it, like it’s just something I have to learn to do at this point in my life. Ugh, that sounds cheesy/odd.
Didn’t you post a thread on this topic earlier, in like January?
Oh well, good topic. Fiver! Shadows are good. I’m taking care of my friend’s while he’s dead. He lowered it down even more than its already low frame makes it (gotta-watch-the-right-turns-or-you-scrape-the-muffler kind of low). It gets unbelievably great gas milage despite the customizing (but hey, that’s not why you buy a bike is it).
My husband was going straight and someone made a left into him/his path. He never even touched the brake, it happened so fast. He was doing about 50 when it happened and it threw him into the windsheild and over the truck. Let me just say that those scenes in the movies where that happens aren’t nearly as entertaining now.
My shoe size is 8 1/2 and most of my gear is from our local Harley store. My jacket is my husband’s old one from years ago.
I wear leather boots or sneakers when I passenger, I have not ridden myself in a while (the accident really freaked me out good). When I resume riding (probably next year), I’ll wear boots, each and every time.
I always wear jeans, NEVER EVER shorts/t shirts. Please, be smart. If you had seen the shape my husbands clothes were in, you would never consider stepping onto a bike without heavy jeans or other protective gear on. You can always take it off when you arrive and stow it.
How fast do we go? Depends on the weather and such. The cruiser rides beautifully, and we usually go about 70 on the highway.
Zette
*Originally posted by Tortuga *
Good thinking.
Then it depends on the amount of money you have to spend on a spill, right ? If you have your sights set on it and you assess the risk realistically, it’s not as if it’s a bike that’ll turn around and bite you.
I’d say go for it. Plastic breaks, but the nice people at at the repair shop will sell you more. Or you can fix it up with duct tape and second-hand chewing gum and explain that you prefer to spend your money on gas, tires and track days instead.
One shouldn’t ride without. I’ve done so on a few (I’d guess about a dozen) occasions - mostly of necessity and sometimes as a calculated risk (two-mile morning trips from the campground to the store on vacations, that kinda stuff.)
I cringe at the thought, though, and my riding gets stiff and edgy - I feel very unsecure. I had a friend spill at about 60-70 MPH, wearing jeans. He recovered fully, but he wasn’t comfortable, and it sure made me a believer. But yes, leathers (and gloves, and helmet and back-protector) get hot. So you ride faster and have the slipstream cool you down. 
S. Norman
Not to hijack too much, but Zette makes a real good point about wearing the proper clothes to ride, no matter what you’re riding. Nothing irks me more than to see these young kids on crotch rockets wearing tank tops, shorts, and flip flops. Apparently, they haven’t had their wreck yet, but it’s coming. Heavy denim, and preferably chaps & leather jacket are really the only way to go. And clean underwear…'cos usually, when you go down, they cut your britches off.
[Peter Lorre]Oh, beat me! Whip me! Make me feel cheap![/Peter Lorre] Hey, why are you heating up that oil?
I started riding when I was six on a Taco 44 minibike with a 4 hp. Briggs & Stratton engine. When I was ten my dad bought an old '64 Yamaha 80. It was bigger than the Yamaha 80s are now. When I was 12 I got a brand new purple Yamaha 100 Enduro. It was too big for me when I got it, but we figured I could grow into it. When I grew out of it I got a new Yamaha 250 Enduro. (aside: Nothing like getting on a black vinyl seat when you live in the desert and you’re wearing shorts. Ouch! :eek: ) When I was doing the European trek thing I called home. Dad said that my older sister asked to ride my bike. “If I can ride my boyfriend’s 650, I can ride Johnny’s little old 250!” Except the 650 was a 4-stroke and my 250 was a 2-stroke. She was across the street and on the ground before she knew what hit her. Dented my gas tank on the curb a little.
I stopped riding for a while when I moved to L.A. Not a lot of desert around here to ride in. I finally got the $1 Honda CX500 and rode it for about 33,000 miles. In 1994 I got a new Yamaha XJ600 Seca II, which as I’ve said, I’ve ridden the hell out of. I’m never getting rid of the Seca, but I’d really like something faster.
Why do I ride? Because I always have. Besides, parking sucks in L.A. (not as bad as where you live though) and bikes often park free at lots. My Jeep gets about 18 mpg. The Yamaha gets over 50 mph. You need a single-track vehicle to share lanes; roding means no tailbacks. It doesn’t really matter since I have four-wheelers, but insurance for motorcycles is cheap. At least it is for bikes under 700cc.
But most of all, I ride because it’s fun. Sometimes I jest [Maverick and Goose]Feel the need for speed![/Maverick and Goose]
Good looking bike! But not one to learn on. Another fun bike you may want to look at is a 1986 (?) Yamaha FZ400. That little thing redlines ar 14,500!
Boy, are you gonna love it! I took the MSF course last May, and then ran out & bought a second-hand Honda Shadow 600. Nice low seat, narrow at the tank, great! I wear jeans, hiking boots, heavy leather jacket, & gloves most all of the time, except for when I’m diddling around. Then, a short sleeve shirt & tennis shoes suffices for the 10 minutes trips on the back roads. I’m 5’8, 155 lbs, but I’m so comfortable on the Shadow, it’s like heaven!