03-18-2018, 04:02 PM
Welcome...
The SR400 blows around... do you mean it gets blown around by speed plus wind?
It's great that you're helping her out, but a 540lb bike is a lot of weight particularly at walking it in / out of garage. Could it be that you're underestimating your riding experience which allows you to feel immediately comfy on the CB1100? That may not be the case for her w/out the same experience you have. Her riding style and needs may differ greatly from yours.
These internet "gems" have some truth to them:
"You should plan on your first bike being exactly what its name implies. It’s your first bike, not your last bike."
"If you take up riding and don't enjoy it, your first bike will be your LAST bike;
If you take up riding and love it, your first bike will be your first of MANY bikes."
If it were my daughter and she wanted to consider some different styles...
Suzuki TU250
Ninja250 - 300
Honda CBR300r
Honda CB500f
Yamaha Vstar250
If she doesn't mind the kick start, that SR400 would seem reasonable to me.
Good luck!
(03-18-2018, 02:43 PM)tommymck_imp Wrote: Hi All,
Hopefully this doesn't double post, but it looks like my original post didn't take. Anyway, here is my question....
I've been riding my entire life. I currently have a BMW 1200 GS and an old but minty beautiful R1200C.
After College, my daughter moved to the left coast and surprising to me (she was never much interested in riding as a kid) she took a safety course and got her motorcycle license.
Her thinking is that she wanted to buy a cheap Rebel off of Craigs List and asked that I check some bikes out when I visited. As background, I get out there once a month on business, and have often thought that I wouldn't mind having a bike out there for me when I visit.
So, I checked out these Rebels and they scared the bejeeebeees out of me when riding them (not to mention the fact that the ones she was looking at had carburetors and didn't like to start in spite of the warm SoCal weather) . I can't imagine riding such a small bike on the freeway. Now my daughter's commute is 5 miles on surface streets, so it wouldn't be crazy I guess, but such a small bike seems scary to me.
I've been interested in the CB100EX myself and have done some test rides locally. The bike is a big friendly teddy bear of a motorcycle with impeccable manners. And my daughter is very responsible so I'm not worried about her going crazy on it.....
The question is if it's outrageous to think that a new (but very responsible) female could handle the 1100EX? She's 5'8 with long legs, so I don't think that height would be too much of an issue. I'd hate to encourage her to ride it if it were too much though. Food for thought anyway. My daughter's ideal would be something like a used SR400 with the kick starter. Sounds good in principle, but having tried one on the road, it blows around a bunch.
Thoughts appreciated...
The SR400 blows around... do you mean it gets blown around by speed plus wind?
It's great that you're helping her out, but a 540lb bike is a lot of weight particularly at walking it in / out of garage. Could it be that you're underestimating your riding experience which allows you to feel immediately comfy on the CB1100? That may not be the case for her w/out the same experience you have. Her riding style and needs may differ greatly from yours.
These internet "gems" have some truth to them:
"You should plan on your first bike being exactly what its name implies. It’s your first bike, not your last bike."
"If you take up riding and don't enjoy it, your first bike will be your LAST bike;
If you take up riding and love it, your first bike will be your first of MANY bikes."
If it were my daughter and she wanted to consider some different styles...
Suzuki TU250
Ninja250 - 300
Honda CBR300r
Honda CB500f
Yamaha Vstar250
If she doesn't mind the kick start, that SR400 would seem reasonable to me.
Good luck!