1: You know what you like the look of. You don't know what you like to ride, until you ride it.
2: Gear costs way more than you think.
3: 40 horsepower in a car is Nothing. 40 Horsepower on a motorcycle is enough to leave anything with less than a 6 digit price tag or a Tesla in the dust.
4: The bike community is so welcoming and friendly.
Once you get past all of that and take a course to learn how to ride, you need to understand with all of your being…no one in a car can see you and none of them care a bit about you and a few extra special types will go out of their way to give the impression that they are actively trying to end you.
Probably overly dramatic, but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t feel that way some (most?) days. LoL
All that said, worth it!
All valid points. Mostly people overlook number 2. And I want to add, not skimping on gear. It will be comfy or make your ride unpleasant. It’s the only thing between you, the elements, and in a worst case scenario the tarmac.
I do understand you would prefer a Sport Bike. However, most new riders prefer a motorcycle they can have both feet on the ground when stopped. http://cycle-ergo.com/
I recommend a good used bike where everything works to learn on. When you become a competent rider, you will know what bike you want next.
A Honda 250/300 Rebel would be among good starter bikes. You can see bikes of interest reviewed on YouTube. Search “woman Honda 300 Rebel” you will get to see the bike in action and get good commentary. https://youtu.be/MxkmzCodxNE?si=ujMXjgHADsFshZk-
If you do not know how to work a clutch, practicing in a car park will be a safe place to practice your skills. Take the basic rider course, and practice while you ride.
Doodle on a Motorcycle (5’ 3 1/2”) will teach you a lot. She lowered her bike, and now had it back to stock ride height.
This will give her tips for practicing how to handle taller bikes. She also has a tutorial on how to pick up your bike when tipped over.
https://youtu.be/VxGEtkDOD-g
https://youtu.be/NWEGJQRYXMA
https://youtu.be/ImzIWZKe2O0
You might be interested in women’s perspective from these ladies
YouTube channels. They have much valuable content.
https://youtu.be/ZCfLQ9Mi7vk?si=jOWL4K-NP4jDS2YO
https://youtu.be/B5AmDnRXhX0?si=WEuu-LUb2FIBYve0
https://youtu.be/s9v3QbiAOww?si=6aN-987MD1Av7uOS
https://youtu.be/jS7kY709BjU?si=NiMyhKtQbXpDR9yz
https://youtu.be/VyHbprCPLvk?si=pB29u7Tr_n495zIc
Practice skills when you ride.
https://youtu.be/zaFEcy3QOxE?si=JuL1m6mrt9VEsaQR
https://youtu.be/9yZoi0f0iKE
Learning how to brake hard can save you from collisions.
https://youtu.be/J42ivnmEF98
Practice countersteering.
https://youtu.be/ljywO-B_yew
https://youtu.be/GmXvxvhCKq0
https://youtu.be/RQ0Z5FfxxBE
Wear your safety gear. Blue jeans will not protect you from road rash.
https://youtu.be/Jds4mKvPCzY?si=3CZGunsHB9siJZ2e
There are online gear reviews for ladies here and on YouTube.
https://www.webbikeworld.com/
Things to help you be seen.
https://youtu.be/FfeKk9co5VQ
https://youtu.be/IbQcIGUy4CY
https://youtu.be/5cmxquCoqZU
https://youtu.be/QDwyqDr_9VA
I thought I was going to be too short for sportbikes, too, but the Ninjas have been awesome. I'm only an inch taller than you are. Go sit on bikes. See what feels good. And take the learn-to-ride class.
Bike size doesn't matter once you get used to riding. Comfort preferences are personal, you have to find out for yourself what's best
Get a common, cheap beater. Ride it every day until you're comfortable in traffic. Sell it for what you paid and get whatever you think you want. Go from there
Gloves and helmet minimum always
Practice before you take the MSF if possible, you get more out of it already knowing the basics. Being able to not care about the bike makes it easier to practice
Riding is both incredibly dangerous and overrated in how dangerous it is. It's different for everyone. Lots of things involved that aren't simple to just list
There's a video somewhere of a midget riding a full size sport bike stopping and starting at a red light in traffic on a public road. Take a MSF course. I'm sure you'll be fine.
Budget 1000$US for full gear including a good helmet. Gloves, jacket, pants, boots. Sometimes you can find good used stuff (not helmets). Price out whatever a course is. Start there. Once you start the process get to know other people with their starter bikes and try as many as you can. I would consider a dual sport or other kind of standard config before I jumped to a cruiser or sport bike.
Get a cheap bike with little plastic for the first. Any bike. You will drop it. You will learn what feels good or bad about bike for you. My ex was about 5’1 or 5’2 and she was riding a CBR 600 F, barely reaching the ground. She got routine with a cheap beater first. Get good gear. Not the flashy drag helmet for 50 bucks. A (let’s say) Schuberth, Shoei, Arai, or Shark might not look as cool (depends on your POV) but will serve you better. There is no such thing as waterproof membrane clothing. Goretex and its brothers from another mother are a rip off. Only plastic or rubber are waterproof sweat huts. For everything bike counts, if I hear bragging or cool talk, I’m out. That’s for sellers of gear or bikes the same as people I’m riding with. The hardest braking, the fastest cornering, the most extreme lean angles happen at the cracker-barrel. Reasonable people live longer and better. The whole “Pain is temporary, glory is forever.” bullshit is for people with little self esteem. When you are on the bike, don’t follow if you can’t. You will be at the destination soon enough. Less stressed and in one piece. And last but not least, enjoy.
Any accident you have on a bike is your fault. Always assume you will not get your right of way. Always assume a car will break the road rules. Never assume a car driver will see you.
Keep looking and planning for dangerous situations.
I stopped riding for a long time after a bad accident in my 20s, when I assumed I just had to follow the road rules to stay safe.
My attitude is very different now.
I still hate coming into an intersection where there are no traffic lights and other vehicles that have to yield to you, cause you are putting your trust and life in the hands of those other drivers. Best you can do there is cover the brakes, slow a bit, and look for any signs you might need to take evasive action.
Find a showroom and sit on all the bikes and see what suits. When you've narrowed it down to a selection, grab a helmet, sit on them again, leave the kickstand down and put both legs up. This will give you an idea of how it'll be in the actual riding position. Sports bikes will put a lot of strain on your neck because you'll be looking 'up' to look forward.
Especially being on the smaller side, picking the bike that fits you best is going to be paramount in terms of ridability, comfort and confidence, which in the end leads to enjoyment. So whilst you are looking at Sports Bikes, take a seat on as many other styles that you can get your hands on too.
Also remember that lots of bikes have third party lowering kits available, so speak with the dealer or a reputable mechanic and see if this could be an option for you on a bike you may not otherwise fit on properly maybe. And also seats, you can change the bikes seat, some give more comfort, some are thinner so you can 'lower' the bike and get your legs down easier at stops and some can raise the height if you feel like you're sitting too low. So these could be options to look into regarding comfort or being the difference between tip toeing at a stop and being flat footed.
Gear wise, make sure you have everything. An armoured jacket/hoodie, armoured pants and proper motorcycle gloves. I know you see people riding round in nothing but a t-shirt and shorts because it's hot, but you'd rather be sweaty and hot if you come off than in hospital with no skin left and not being able to wipe your own arse.
As for helmets, ECE 20.05 and above only in my opinion. Well here in the UK that's the Law (not that anyone checks, you can easily get away wearing a £10 helmet from China that has no stickers or testing) but DOT only helmets have less vigorous testing conditions. So if where you're from doesn't have any laws regarding helmets or a lesser standard than ECE laws, go ECE anyway. The great news is that ECE compliant helmets don't have to be expensive. You can pick up a £50 helmet that has the exact same safety properties as a £500 helmet.
On the helmets note, don't buy one going in blind. Go to a shop and try them on, there's 3 different head shapes helmets cater for. A good fitting helmet should also squeeze your cheeks when new, without being uncomfortable though. Sometimes they can feel real tight and almost like they won't fit when going on, but once your head is inside it should feel like you're being gently squeezed from all directions. A good fitting helmet also won't wobble when you move your head side to side either.
Buy paddock stands and basic tools. Unless you've got money to burn, you'll save an absolute fortune if you can do basic maintenance tasks by yourself. Ideally you'll want to have the ability to remove and replace brake pads, be able to tension the chain, oil change and remove both wheels. If you can do this, you're only really going to be going to the shop when there's an actual issue that needs a proper mechanic.
Speaking about riding tips. It's mainly don't be a dick. Most accidents occur because of the rider. Whether that's pushing too hard round a corner, showing off in front of friends or anyone for that matter, or they've simply become too comfortable and think they know everything. The two most dangerous times are now when you know nothing and then again in 6 months when you know everything. Start nice and slow and work your way up. Ride your own ride.
Again, speaking of gear, wear something that'll make you stand out. Whether that's a brightly coloured helmet or one with a funky design, an obnoxious backpack, doesn't matter. Make yourself seen. It's cool to match your bike for sure but if your bike is black and you're wearing all black at night then not so good. Or if you're riding down a lot of country roads with hedges along and you're wearing nothing but green, again makes you that little harder to spot.
Not sure of your country but definitely take a safety course or lessons. They have bikes that have been dropped and will continue to be dropped so you don't have to jump on your bike with zero experience and risk dropping it. Gain some confidence through them first.
Always pack puncture repair kits somewhere on your rides.
Your height means little, it's your inside leg seam. I'm a short-ass and I get around it with a lowered seat and boots with slight heels (plus an 2cm insole inside, so I bought a half size up). Some people are happy to have just 1 foot on the ground but I'm in Scotland so it's blowy af and if I can't get toes on the ground on both sides I always run the chance of tipping over lol
Cruisers and choppers sacrifice comfort and performance for style. Might be better to learn how a normal bike behaves before making the decision on the trade offs.
Riding slow bikes fast is more fun than riding fast bikes slow.
You can brake way harder than you think possbile.
Welcome to the club!
Start here:
r/TwoXriders
r/SuggestAMotorcycle
r/NewRiders
[Advice to New Riders](https://old.reddit.com/r/NewRiders/comments/cc2mnm/advice_to_new_riders/)
And when you get a chance, check out [On Any Sunday](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Any_Sunday), probably the best motorcycle documentary out there. I think it's on Amazon Prime, and maybe some other streaming services.
Have fun, wear all your gear, stay safe, and never stop learning.
This isn't what you asked exactly, but in the vein of things to know beforehand
But bikes are way more expensive than you expect.
You buy the bike, and the insurance, and the gear, and then the accessories, and then you see a neat helmet, or a more comfortable jacket, then a pair of gloves that matches your new jacket, and then...
It never ends. It's an accidentally very expensive hobby.
Be prepared to budget more than you thought!
Ok about your weight and size sv 650 v twin slim light, parallel twin cb 500 Kawasaki 400 ?
Think or understand about how different engines give a different riding experience.
There are different ways of lowering different bikes without compromising handling some are a lot easier than others look into it.
If it gets into your blood it will cost you a fortune, cause some lows and some great highs plus a few perfect days in the sun that will stay with you forever. Loads of good advice from others.
You like sport bikes, and you are totally new rider, I suggest you get any 300cc to 400cc sport bike. Never try anything dangerous just because everyone else does or you are group riding with does it. That is if you decide to group ride. I personally would not group ride until you have 6,000 miles of good learning experience. After that some group riding will actually help you become a better rider. Always practice braking, cornering and quick turns left to right and right to left transition. Practice practice and more importantly practice in a large parking lot
When the Hayabusa was introduced in 1999 it was so advanced that it created a whole new performance category: Ultimate Sport. Almost immediately the Hayabusa (GSX1300R) was recognized as the world’s fastest production motorcycle. Hayabusa’s outstanding performance and nimble handling have kept it in the category’s number one position for the past two decades. Now Suzuki is poised to create a new legend with the next generation Hayabusa to carry riders boldly into the future.
1: You know what you like the look of. You don't know what you like to ride, until you ride it. 2: Gear costs way more than you think. 3: 40 horsepower in a car is Nothing. 40 Horsepower on a motorcycle is enough to leave anything with less than a 6 digit price tag or a Tesla in the dust. 4: The bike community is so welcoming and friendly.
Once you get past all of that and take a course to learn how to ride, you need to understand with all of your being…no one in a car can see you and none of them care a bit about you and a few extra special types will go out of their way to give the impression that they are actively trying to end you. Probably overly dramatic, but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t feel that way some (most?) days. LoL All that said, worth it!
>no one in a car can see you Oh, many of them can see you. They just understand that they can move into your lane, because you'll move.
Fair point.
All valid points. Mostly people overlook number 2. And I want to add, not skimping on gear. It will be comfy or make your ride unpleasant. It’s the only thing between you, the elements, and in a worst case scenario the tarmac.
I do understand you would prefer a Sport Bike. However, most new riders prefer a motorcycle they can have both feet on the ground when stopped. http://cycle-ergo.com/ I recommend a good used bike where everything works to learn on. When you become a competent rider, you will know what bike you want next. A Honda 250/300 Rebel would be among good starter bikes. You can see bikes of interest reviewed on YouTube. Search “woman Honda 300 Rebel” you will get to see the bike in action and get good commentary. https://youtu.be/MxkmzCodxNE?si=ujMXjgHADsFshZk- If you do not know how to work a clutch, practicing in a car park will be a safe place to practice your skills. Take the basic rider course, and practice while you ride. Doodle on a Motorcycle (5’ 3 1/2”) will teach you a lot. She lowered her bike, and now had it back to stock ride height. This will give her tips for practicing how to handle taller bikes. She also has a tutorial on how to pick up your bike when tipped over. https://youtu.be/VxGEtkDOD-g https://youtu.be/NWEGJQRYXMA https://youtu.be/ImzIWZKe2O0 You might be interested in women’s perspective from these ladies YouTube channels. They have much valuable content. https://youtu.be/ZCfLQ9Mi7vk?si=jOWL4K-NP4jDS2YO https://youtu.be/B5AmDnRXhX0?si=WEuu-LUb2FIBYve0 https://youtu.be/s9v3QbiAOww?si=6aN-987MD1Av7uOS https://youtu.be/jS7kY709BjU?si=NiMyhKtQbXpDR9yz https://youtu.be/VyHbprCPLvk?si=pB29u7Tr_n495zIc Practice skills when you ride. https://youtu.be/zaFEcy3QOxE?si=JuL1m6mrt9VEsaQR https://youtu.be/9yZoi0f0iKE Learning how to brake hard can save you from collisions. https://youtu.be/J42ivnmEF98 Practice countersteering. https://youtu.be/ljywO-B_yew https://youtu.be/GmXvxvhCKq0 https://youtu.be/RQ0Z5FfxxBE Wear your safety gear. Blue jeans will not protect you from road rash. https://youtu.be/Jds4mKvPCzY?si=3CZGunsHB9siJZ2e There are online gear reviews for ladies here and on YouTube. https://www.webbikeworld.com/ Things to help you be seen. https://youtu.be/FfeKk9co5VQ https://youtu.be/IbQcIGUy4CY https://youtu.be/5cmxquCoqZU https://youtu.be/QDwyqDr_9VA
this is so much info and i rlly appreciate it!!! thanks a lot i will 100% be checking out everything u sent!
I thought I was going to be too short for sportbikes, too, but the Ninjas have been awesome. I'm only an inch taller than you are. Go sit on bikes. See what feels good. And take the learn-to-ride class.
Bike size doesn't matter once you get used to riding. Comfort preferences are personal, you have to find out for yourself what's best Get a common, cheap beater. Ride it every day until you're comfortable in traffic. Sell it for what you paid and get whatever you think you want. Go from there Gloves and helmet minimum always Practice before you take the MSF if possible, you get more out of it already knowing the basics. Being able to not care about the bike makes it easier to practice Riding is both incredibly dangerous and overrated in how dangerous it is. It's different for everyone. Lots of things involved that aren't simple to just list
There's a video somewhere of a midget riding a full size sport bike stopping and starting at a red light in traffic on a public road. Take a MSF course. I'm sure you'll be fine.
Budget 1000$US for full gear including a good helmet. Gloves, jacket, pants, boots. Sometimes you can find good used stuff (not helmets). Price out whatever a course is. Start there. Once you start the process get to know other people with their starter bikes and try as many as you can. I would consider a dual sport or other kind of standard config before I jumped to a cruiser or sport bike.
It’s awesome and you will love it. Unless you have bad judgment or are really uncoordinated.
Get a cheap bike with little plastic for the first. Any bike. You will drop it. You will learn what feels good or bad about bike for you. My ex was about 5’1 or 5’2 and she was riding a CBR 600 F, barely reaching the ground. She got routine with a cheap beater first. Get good gear. Not the flashy drag helmet for 50 bucks. A (let’s say) Schuberth, Shoei, Arai, or Shark might not look as cool (depends on your POV) but will serve you better. There is no such thing as waterproof membrane clothing. Goretex and its brothers from another mother are a rip off. Only plastic or rubber are waterproof sweat huts. For everything bike counts, if I hear bragging or cool talk, I’m out. That’s for sellers of gear or bikes the same as people I’m riding with. The hardest braking, the fastest cornering, the most extreme lean angles happen at the cracker-barrel. Reasonable people live longer and better. The whole “Pain is temporary, glory is forever.” bullshit is for people with little self esteem. When you are on the bike, don’t follow if you can’t. You will be at the destination soon enough. Less stressed and in one piece. And last but not least, enjoy.
Take a riding course, wear the gear!
Any accident you have on a bike is your fault. Always assume you will not get your right of way. Always assume a car will break the road rules. Never assume a car driver will see you. Keep looking and planning for dangerous situations. I stopped riding for a long time after a bad accident in my 20s, when I assumed I just had to follow the road rules to stay safe. My attitude is very different now. I still hate coming into an intersection where there are no traffic lights and other vehicles that have to yield to you, cause you are putting your trust and life in the hands of those other drivers. Best you can do there is cover the brakes, slow a bit, and look for any signs you might need to take evasive action.
Find a showroom and sit on all the bikes and see what suits. When you've narrowed it down to a selection, grab a helmet, sit on them again, leave the kickstand down and put both legs up. This will give you an idea of how it'll be in the actual riding position. Sports bikes will put a lot of strain on your neck because you'll be looking 'up' to look forward. Especially being on the smaller side, picking the bike that fits you best is going to be paramount in terms of ridability, comfort and confidence, which in the end leads to enjoyment. So whilst you are looking at Sports Bikes, take a seat on as many other styles that you can get your hands on too. Also remember that lots of bikes have third party lowering kits available, so speak with the dealer or a reputable mechanic and see if this could be an option for you on a bike you may not otherwise fit on properly maybe. And also seats, you can change the bikes seat, some give more comfort, some are thinner so you can 'lower' the bike and get your legs down easier at stops and some can raise the height if you feel like you're sitting too low. So these could be options to look into regarding comfort or being the difference between tip toeing at a stop and being flat footed. Gear wise, make sure you have everything. An armoured jacket/hoodie, armoured pants and proper motorcycle gloves. I know you see people riding round in nothing but a t-shirt and shorts because it's hot, but you'd rather be sweaty and hot if you come off than in hospital with no skin left and not being able to wipe your own arse. As for helmets, ECE 20.05 and above only in my opinion. Well here in the UK that's the Law (not that anyone checks, you can easily get away wearing a £10 helmet from China that has no stickers or testing) but DOT only helmets have less vigorous testing conditions. So if where you're from doesn't have any laws regarding helmets or a lesser standard than ECE laws, go ECE anyway. The great news is that ECE compliant helmets don't have to be expensive. You can pick up a £50 helmet that has the exact same safety properties as a £500 helmet. On the helmets note, don't buy one going in blind. Go to a shop and try them on, there's 3 different head shapes helmets cater for. A good fitting helmet should also squeeze your cheeks when new, without being uncomfortable though. Sometimes they can feel real tight and almost like they won't fit when going on, but once your head is inside it should feel like you're being gently squeezed from all directions. A good fitting helmet also won't wobble when you move your head side to side either. Buy paddock stands and basic tools. Unless you've got money to burn, you'll save an absolute fortune if you can do basic maintenance tasks by yourself. Ideally you'll want to have the ability to remove and replace brake pads, be able to tension the chain, oil change and remove both wheels. If you can do this, you're only really going to be going to the shop when there's an actual issue that needs a proper mechanic. Speaking about riding tips. It's mainly don't be a dick. Most accidents occur because of the rider. Whether that's pushing too hard round a corner, showing off in front of friends or anyone for that matter, or they've simply become too comfortable and think they know everything. The two most dangerous times are now when you know nothing and then again in 6 months when you know everything. Start nice and slow and work your way up. Ride your own ride. Again, speaking of gear, wear something that'll make you stand out. Whether that's a brightly coloured helmet or one with a funky design, an obnoxious backpack, doesn't matter. Make yourself seen. It's cool to match your bike for sure but if your bike is black and you're wearing all black at night then not so good. Or if you're riding down a lot of country roads with hedges along and you're wearing nothing but green, again makes you that little harder to spot. Not sure of your country but definitely take a safety course or lessons. They have bikes that have been dropped and will continue to be dropped so you don't have to jump on your bike with zero experience and risk dropping it. Gain some confidence through them first. Always pack puncture repair kits somewhere on your rides.
thankyou so much, this is all super useful info i appreciate it!!!!! (:
Your height means little, it's your inside leg seam. I'm a short-ass and I get around it with a lowered seat and boots with slight heels (plus an 2cm insole inside, so I bought a half size up). Some people are happy to have just 1 foot on the ground but I'm in Scotland so it's blowy af and if I can't get toes on the ground on both sides I always run the chance of tipping over lol
Total different direction but if you're a girl and are into instagram, create a separate account for your bike.
mind if i ask why or what the reasoning is??
Most girls with a motorcycle gain 1000+ followers in a matter of weeks. I’d keep friends and “fans” separated.
ah ok makes sense
Cruisers and choppers sacrifice comfort and performance for style. Might be better to learn how a normal bike behaves before making the decision on the trade offs. Riding slow bikes fast is more fun than riding fast bikes slow. You can brake way harder than you think possbile.
Welcome to the club! Start here: r/TwoXriders r/SuggestAMotorcycle r/NewRiders [Advice to New Riders](https://old.reddit.com/r/NewRiders/comments/cc2mnm/advice_to_new_riders/) And when you get a chance, check out [On Any Sunday](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Any_Sunday), probably the best motorcycle documentary out there. I think it's on Amazon Prime, and maybe some other streaming services. Have fun, wear all your gear, stay safe, and never stop learning.
thankyou!
This isn't what you asked exactly, but in the vein of things to know beforehand But bikes are way more expensive than you expect. You buy the bike, and the insurance, and the gear, and then the accessories, and then you see a neat helmet, or a more comfortable jacket, then a pair of gloves that matches your new jacket, and then... It never ends. It's an accidentally very expensive hobby. Be prepared to budget more than you thought!
Ok about your weight and size sv 650 v twin slim light, parallel twin cb 500 Kawasaki 400 ? Think or understand about how different engines give a different riding experience. There are different ways of lowering different bikes without compromising handling some are a lot easier than others look into it. If it gets into your blood it will cost you a fortune, cause some lows and some great highs plus a few perfect days in the sun that will stay with you forever. Loads of good advice from others.
You like sport bikes, and you are totally new rider, I suggest you get any 300cc to 400cc sport bike. Never try anything dangerous just because everyone else does or you are group riding with does it. That is if you decide to group ride. I personally would not group ride until you have 6,000 miles of good learning experience. After that some group riding will actually help you become a better rider. Always practice braking, cornering and quick turns left to right and right to left transition. Practice practice and more importantly practice in a large parking lot
When the Hayabusa was introduced in 1999 it was so advanced that it created a whole new performance category: Ultimate Sport. Almost immediately the Hayabusa (GSX1300R) was recognized as the world’s fastest production motorcycle. Hayabusa’s outstanding performance and nimble handling have kept it in the category’s number one position for the past two decades. Now Suzuki is poised to create a new legend with the next generation Hayabusa to carry riders boldly into the future.