Scared new rider

[abbydabby]

Hey All!

I am very new to riding. I am looking at a 1980 Kawasaki kz750. I am a young lady and am not very experienced. I recently went through a breakup and the worst thing I missed was going on bike rides with the fella. So I thought, "Why not. Go out and get yourself a bike!" I am very scared though. My question is, being a new rider and a lady, what bikes would you suggest? Is the kz750 a good choice? I'm also nervous about going to a dealer and trying out bikes. I'm planning on getting a used bike, but am nervous about laying a "scooter" down in the showroom. lol. Any advice?

[Sunburn]

Hi!

Don´t worry, you will never regret your decision to become a biker(girl), that is for sure. My ol´Lady had a 125ccm for 2 Years,than she made the license to ride bigger bikes and got a Harley Davidson Sportster,was very happy about it and after two years she baought a new one(883 Custom),rode that for three years and now she finally rides a 1600ccm Cross Bones-and is very happy with her ride. In the beginnig she did fell with the bike,for two times I think,but she never gave up...she´s small and happy to ride such a big bike.
Good luck with your 750, i think it´s the right choice! If you sit on it and you like it, than you can ride it.

regards

Chris

[pat0021]

Biggest thing is get yourself sign up for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's basic riders course. It will give you a lot of confidence and your license if you pass.

Welcome to the world of 2 wheels. And just so you know women that ride are just plain hot!

[.22]

You first investment should be a safety course. That way you get used to holding up a bike you didn't pay for. They also show you how to pick up a bike should it fall.

[rustygunner]

Absolutely take the MSF course first, then shop for a bike. My wife took the class and finished about 800% more confident than she was before taking it.

Welcome to the forum

[kx450f_berger]

The MSF course is a great idea and most of them now have bikes you can ride if you dont have your own. personnally i would not go with such an old bike unless you know from a reliable source the up keep over the years. Plus fuel injection in my eyes is one of the greatest things ever made. this is just a suggestion, if your a new rider the less problems with your ride the better.

[arceeguy]

I agree with everyone about taking the MSF basic rider course. As far as a bike is concerned, I would start out with a used 250cc bike. They are much easier to manage weight wise so you can hone your riding skills without worrying so much about dropping it. Once you're super comfortable with the 250, you can sell it easily (and for around the same price you paid) to the next beginner rider. Some folks keep the little bikes around for running errands in town. You can start on a larger bike, as many people have - but the learning curve will be more steep and there is more of a chance of an accident IMHO.

Happy Motoring!

[V2K_CCTX]

Motorcycle Safety Foundation

[socalmarcus]

MSF - take it.

1980 Kz750 - Why that model in particular? Is your long term next door neighbor selling a mint condition vintage bike very cheap with a personal guarantee that it won't have issues that most vintage bikes do - and if it ever does, he'll fix it? No sarchasm meant, they can take some working on to keep them going. That aside a 750 is most likely too much for you to start on.

My recommendation would be to avoid a 4 cylinder bike as your first. Keep in mind that salespeople have an interest in selling you a more $ bike. Used is a great idea.

Can you take someone who rides to a showroom to watch you with different sizes/models?

Can you give us more info? - your size, what kind of riding you have in mind, your area, etc.

[stickboy]

A really good starter bike would be a ninja 250. You can get them relatively cheap for the older generation, and they are still fun to ride. I rode one (and still do occasionally) and it gets me around just fine, and the power is not overwhelming so you don't have to worry about accidentally grabbing too much throttle. If nothing else, get one like this for the first year or two and then you may find you are ready for something bigger. You can probably find a decent used one for a couple grand, and they tend to hold their resale value pretty well.

[V2K_CCTX]

proper riding gear...helmet, jacket, gloves and boots at the bare minimum

[stickboy]

+10,000,000

I dumped my bike a couple months ago and my jacket and gear saved me from many skin grafts and passes with the wire brush to remove gravel. I got up and walked away with nothing more than a 1" hole worn through my riding pants. Had I not been wearing my gear, I would be in a LOT of pain right now.

[jbsmd]

If you can sit on it comfortably I see no problem, as long as every thing works properly If it has problems then it may not be a good choice. Most places don't work on an old bike, and parts may be hard to find. I sold a couple 81 Honda 750's, practically gave away, to A guy on here and he found a problem with one, I thought was in really good condition but he knows how to work on bikes. So I didn't feel too bad. I had two other bikes and no time or money to invest into them,so they sat being neglected. Might check out a cruiser first like the 900,it don't hurt to sit on one,plus it may be easier to handle.

[badlandsbrett]

Iget your self a 250 Ninja if you want a sport bike or if you want a cruiser style nothing bigger then a 650 A honda 650vlx or a Yamaha v star both are good looking, lower and a lot lighter then the old 750's Plus v-twins don't make the power even the older 750's used to. get something newer the brakes and overall construction is better and if you get something newer you be able to sell it when you step up to something bigger and it won't costs you much when you sell it. My neighbor has a 07 Honda Vlx 650 with 110 mikes on it that he wants about $4700 you can probably ride that for 2 years and sell it for $4500 Great beginner bike. The older bikes are way heavy and parts are difficult to get and if you don't work on the bikes youself could cost a lot to maintain.

[arceeguy]

In many cases with beginner bikers, it's not so much the horsepower, but the weight of the bike that is disconcerting to the new rider. While many people on this forum ride 100+ HP sport bikes or 500+ lb cruisers, time kind of erases the "holy karp" that the new rider feels when negotiating simple slow speed turns at intersections or the first time you thought - who put the hill here at this stop sign? It is all to easy to recommend a 500+ pound bike to a beginner when you are an experienced rider. A 250 is a familiar bike to someone who takes the MSF BRC. Heck, we used 'zuki eliminator 125's in my class! The Ninja 250 is great because of the "standard" riding posture, and the 250cc engine which is tame at lower revs, but pulls nicely at higher revs to reward the rider as he/she progresses.

[badlandsbrett]

In many cases with beginner bikers, it's not so much the horsepower, but the weight of the bike that is disconcerting to the new rider. While many people on this forum ride 100+ HP sport bikes or 500+ lb cruisers, time kind of erases the "holy karp" that the new rider feels when negotiating simple slow speed turns at intersections or the first time you thought - who put the hill here at this stop sign? It is all to easy to recommend a 500+ pound bike to a beginner when you are an experienced rider. A 250 is a familiar bike to someone who takes the MSF BRC. Heck, we used 'zuki eliminator 125's in my class! The Ninja 250 is great because of the "standard" riding posture, and the 250cc engine which is tame at lower revs, but pulls nicely at higher revs to reward the rider as he/she progresses.

Agreed, the honda 650 and the v-star 650 are not heavy cruisers with the Yamaha being a very low center of gravity the Honda is lighter. Both are great beginner bikes neither bike has screamming power My wife is riding A yamaha and her friend just moved up from The honda which she road for 4 years. A 450 -650 cruiser has enough power that you won't grow out of it in a year, The honda Rebel which is a 250 is also a great starter bike unlike the ninja is geared differently heavy for a 250 but to light to ride on the fwy My wife road a friends and she got blown all over the place. The Ninja 250 is geared better and pretty light and great bike to learn on especially for a woman. It depends on if you want a sport bike or a cruiser. I wouldnt get anything smaller then a 450 or bigger then a 650

[V2K_CCTX]

My wifes Hyosung GV650 is an awesome bike. Now they are DFI at 79 hp, triple disk brakes, belt drive, 2 yr warranty...great intro price and awesome incentives...

Hyosung Motors USA

30 months no prob's

[badlandsbrett]

Don't you think 79 hp is a little much for most beginners? My 1500 produces 70 hp and its 300 lbs more then the hyusung. Just because somebody survives learning to ride on a 80hp sport bike doesnt meen its a good choice.

[V2K_CCTX]

its comfortable tractible power, and it has a low CG and low seat height. Power isnt as crtitcal as delivery...and it was an option over a heavy overweight underpowered cruiser...BTW they also make 250's also!!!

I have found fit to the rider and comfort of riding position crucial in rider safety and confidence

[BrianTSmith99]

Yes, just in case you were not convinced by everyone else, take the MSF class It should make you much more comfortable to the idea of shopping. And I like to read. David Hough's books go into a lot of detail that they can not cover in the class.

Then take a deep breath, focus, and relax. I got my first/one and only bike just over a year ago. And I *LOVE* my 500. I still remember riding away from the dealer, feeling very small on a very big road. Even if it was only 2 lanes It is scary at first. But if you are bit by the bug, you will get more comfortable as you roll on the miles. It just takes time.

Enjoy!
Brian