ladies: sport bikes vs. cruisers?

[RippinKitten]

I'm just curious what the ratio of ladies riding cruisers vs. sport bikes is? I see lots of girls here really love their Ninjas! Any of you ladies out there ride the larger cruisers?

[MrsBennice]

i'm riding a 650R....that and the bike i learned on in my msf class are all i've ever known.....

[A2rider]

I started out on a 600 Shadow. I'm too short to touch the ground on anything else. My current bike was dropped 3 inches in the back by installing shorter shocks.

[RedNinjaGirl]

Imma little Ninja lover, but I really want a bigger one....mmmmmmmmmm ZX-6R.....Drool!!!

[650 Cat]

I had a mid size cruiser for a while. It was a 2000 Yamaha Virago 535. It was a great bike but my back does not like having my feet forward. I prefer naked (standard) bikes but there are not any available here in the US. Ok Triumph's new Bonniville is the only true standard bike available. But I prefer the look of my W650 to it.

It all depends on what bike you like. I don't fit the HD mold. I don't fit the true sport bike mold. I love my sport touring Ninja, my standard W650 and my Vespa 250. I am not a mod, a rocker or a .... fill in the blank. I just love motorcycles.

If you are shopping for a bike get the most comfortable bike for YOU! Make sure you get a test ride one way or another.

[Saki.Girl]

have a little ninja now but next year looking at getting a zx 6r or a 650r

[A2rider]

I went the old route. I think my KZ650 is perfect. I like the upright seating, it adds to the control factor.

[OhioDrifter]

800 drifter here. works for me.

[jukief]

I ride a 1500 Classic, a trade-up from my first Kawasaki, which was a Vulcan 800A. I prefer the cruiser mostly because of the comfort factor. I just turned 53, and I like being able to sit back again my driver backrest and put my feet up on my highway pegs. I like the low center of gravity and the way I can plant my feet firmly on the ground. And I like the chrome.

[Thunder Lizard]

You did NOT just turn 53. Pls double check birth certificate. I believe there may be a typo in the birthdate area. I'm sure they can fix that for ya.

[cmptrmn.1]

Originally Posted by jukief

I ride a 1500 Classic, a trade-up from my first Kawasaki, which was a Vulcan 800A. I prefer the cruiser mostly because of the comfort factor. I just turned 53, and I like being able to sit back again my driver backrest and put my feet up on my highway pegs. I like the low center of gravity and the way I can plant my feet firmly on the ground. And I like the chrome.

You're still a baby.

[Obsidian16825]

I'm not riding a sport bike or a larger cruiser. I ride a Vulcan500 after puttering around a couple of months on a Ninja250. I like getting my feet planted firmly on the ground too. When I can't ride my bike I wrap my legs around my husband's '79 Gold Wing. It's not a cruiser or a sport bike. It's a basic old naked road warrior. I think these days the 1000cc would be considered mid-size.

[650 Cat]

Originally Posted by Obsidian16825

I'm not riding a sport bike or a larger cruiser. I ride a Vulcan500 after puttering around a couple of months on a Ninja250. I like getting my feet planted firmly on the ground too. When I can't ride my bike I wrap my legs around my husband's '79 Gold Wing. It's not a cruiser or a sport bike. It's a basic old naked road warrior. I think these days the 1000cc would be considered mid-size.

I almost got a Kawi Vulcan 500 last year. I was shopping around for used... tallking to dealers about new... when the W650 popped up. I saw it fell in love then rode it and was hooked.

The 500 was one of the most comfortable bikes I researched. It is a nice size and has a somewhat peppy engine for a cruiser.

[lilredridingliz]

Definitely sport bikes for me. My MSF course was on an Eliminator 250, and I felt kind of goofy sitting so upright. Once I got back on my Ninja, I found that it was easier for me to make a tighter turn on my sportbike than I was able to on the Eliminator. So that is a big plus for my sportbike.

As far as the comfort factor, in college I used to ride a road bicycle with dropped handlebars (20-30 miles several times a week), and I preferred that riding position to that of my current mountain bike. I like the lean forward. It's just better for my body, as it sounds like cruisers are better for some other women's bodies.

I'll stick with my EX500 for awhile yet…need to put a few thousand miles on it before I ever consider a more powerful bike.

[Obsidian16825]

Originally Posted by 650 Cat

. . . It is a nice size and has a somewhat peppy engine for a cruiser.

That's because it's a sport bike engine, the same as the Ninja500, though tuned down a bit for more lower end torque. That's what finally sold it for me. I was considering a Honda Shadow 750, the Spirit or the Aero, ego wanting a larger bike and wanting something I thought I'd be happy with for long-term ownership. The new Spirit has a drive shaft, for a thou more $ than the chain driven, but I'm a girl who likes drive shafts. The Vulcan500 is lower price than the Shadow, and the salesman could have really encouraged me toward the Shadow, but he didn't. He said the Vulcan could run circles around the 750. Shaft driven, it's not, but the little Vulc makes up for that in other features I like, the engine being the main one. I didn't really want a v-twin. I wish the larger Vulcans weren't v-twins. An in-line 4 would be nice, or an in-line 6 on the largest Vulcan. My bike shouldn't ever be mistaken for a Harley look-a-like, though it's possible someone could mistake it, in the dark, maybe. The other night at a Gold Wing cook out, a fellow Winger mistook our '79 Wing for a Harley, for a moment. What? How can you mistake that old naked beast with that square-4 engine for a Harley? It was dark, and he wasn't looking very closely. People think Gold Wing and think fairings.
I'm rambling and will quit now.

[Cariad]

Definitely a sports bike. I can appreciate the aesthetics of a cruiser but it's not something I'd want to ride. Unless.. my friend and I have this plan to join the annual motorcycle toy run and dress up as Nuns. I think I might hire a little Virago or something for the day if we do that. That's a few years off though. In the meantime, very happy with my ZZR250. I think they're EX250Hs in the US.

On our rider course we had the choice of a Virago, trailies or a scooter. I did it on the trail bike.

[Lady D]

Hey ladies, I have a red ZXr and baby blue/pearl wht VStar 650.
So I have the best of both worlds. Who I'm riding with depends on what I ride that day. I Love them both but I'm thinking about upgrading to 1100 vstar. Be safe.



Lady D

[tely]

Originally Posted by jukief

I ride a 1500 Classic, a trade-up from my first Kawasaki, which was a Vulcan 800A. I prefer the cruiser mostly because of the comfort factor. I just turned 53, and I like being able to sit back again my driver backrest and put my feet up on my highway pegs. I like the low center of gravity and the way I can plant my feet firmly on the ground. And I like the chrome.

Wow!....thats a real beauty you got there!.....your the kind of women that makes us other women proud and others envious when we see you rideing...especially at your age. My teacher at the MSF class must be over 60 and she has one of those big harley that even has a trunk on the back..im not sure the name....but I was so proud to have her as my teacher.........I would be thinking to myself....I would love to be like her when I get to her age......an awsome Lady Rider!....us women have come a long way baby...woooohooooo!

[linc2]

I ride a '07 ZZR600. I prefer the look and feel of sportbikes. I never have considered a cruiser. Just a personal preference.

[windrider18]

Neither. I have a standard