22 years old--- wanting a sportbike!

22 years old--- wanting a sportbike!

by A S
(NC)

Hello. I am 22 yrs old- 5'5" and 110 pounds. I really want to buy a sportbike....its been a dream of mine for years. I am nervous about taking the rider course though-- I'm deathly afraid of not being able to learn as quick as others. I also dont have anyone to take the course with, so I would be going it alone. Any advice? Did anyone else have this fear? Like, Im really just afraid that I wont be able to stop and go and change gears successfully.

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22 years old--- wanting a sportbike!

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Oct 16, 2011

Ninja 500
by: Lois

If you can find a nice little ninja 500 I say grab one I had one for a year and really had a great time with it. It's a nice light bike easy to learn on and when your ready big enough to hit the highway with. I never had a problem keeping up with my husband he rides a sprint st 1050. I would still have it but I bought a BMW F800ST and that put me a 3 bikes in the drive so I sold the ninja and have a moto guzzi cafe for sale if anyones interested.

Oct 14, 2011

Type of bike
by: Susanne

No matter what bike you choose just remember to ride your own ride. The first time your go around a corner a little too fast you'll realize what I mean. I like the Kawasaki Ninja 250 but instead bought a 09 Ninja650. A little more umph and I just liked the look a little better. Although I never rode it like I was at the track I rode it like I wanted to live. Just make sure you wear armor and a helmet.

Oct 14, 2011

MSF class
by: DebS

I just retook the MSF class this weekend with 7 young men. I was the only female there and the oldest. You can do it! I retook it because I'm transitioning from an automatic to manual shift.
I'm 5'6" and have a Honda 599. Fits like a glove. I don't know how many bikes I sat on for fit. Ridercoach didn't like that I had a 'crash' rocket but she fits perfectly and my opinion is more important than his.
I've been riding a Piaggio MP3 250cc and love it but wanted something with a bit more oomph for the hill country rides I do. I don't get left behind but I don't have extra passing power in an incline.
Listen to the ladies...ride your own ride. Don't let others push you to go faster or into a bigger bike. I know too many women talked into a bigger bike by more experienced folks only to have it sit. Don't be pushed into riding past your comfort zone, have heard of too many crashes based on that.
Have a blast and remember to wear your gear.

Oct 14, 2011

Sport Bike
by: Katie

I am a new rider 5 10 and not going to say how much I weigh LOL LOL I am riding a 650 gsxf Suzuki. It is my first bike and I love it. I did drop it and man I felt bad but I learned from it to. I have put 1200 k's on my bike and I can't believe that winter is coming and riding is almost done! I can't wait for next spring already.

Listen to the advice everyone has here. I probably went with a bike a little more than I should have for a first bike but I love it and I believe it is a great bike for me. We got a great deal on it and I will be able to ride it for a while. I did find out I am not a cruiser girl at this time. I find them short and heavy in the front. I might change my mind as I become more confident and learn more. We shall see.

Good luck and enjoy your new adventure!

Katie

Oct 14, 2011

Learning
by: Tonya

Judy is dead on when she talks about the CBR 600/1000's. They are not nearly as forgiving in the throttle or braking department. You can look at the new CBR 250's that came out. Some models even come with ABS. I was in the very same spot a month ago. Always ridden 2up, even done track 2up, but never on my own bike. I was so nervous, I thought I was going to loose my cookies in my helmet. Another EXTREMELY important thing to remember when you get out riding, if you go in groups- ride at your own pace. Don't try to keep up or show off. I've seen the same 2 guys go down 3 times each this year because they THINK they are experienced and feel the need to lead the pack. 2 types of riders- those who have gone down and those who are going to go down. Its better if you drop a bike at the safety course than doing anything out on the street. Please please please always wear your gear. A good place to start your research on why it is so important and another great blog is http://rockthegear.org/
You do great!!! There are more and more women learning to ride. By the way- the best rider in my area is 5' and she out rides everyone!!

Oct 14, 2011

learning
by: Robin

Judy's right - don't worry about what anyone else thinks about you, or about having trouble in class. the more you relax during the class, the more you'll learn. this is all about you. at the beginning, my instructor said "by the end of the weekend, you'll know how to ride a motorcycle." i didn't believe him, but he was right. becoming an experienced rider, however, is a lifelong process.
i bought a honda cb250 nighthawk, and though "underpowered," it was a great choice for me. a small, light bike is easier to learn on. by the end of the summer, i could ride it like it was a part of me. some women on this site say they initially bought bikes that felt too big, too powerful or just weren't a good fit for their body size. that seems to get in the way of building confidence for some.
anyway, this is your ride. i bet you'll do great.

Oct 14, 2011

Whatever you do, please heed this advice!!
by: Judy

First, do take the training course and don't even begin to think you should be worried about doing okay. These courses are designed for people with zero experience, and unless you get a (very) rare difficult instructor, you'll be fine!

As to choosing a Sportbike, run, run, RUN FAR AWAY from anyone, "friends" included, who attempt to insist you can start with something like a GSXR-600, ZX-6R Ninja, CBR600RR or R6, Triumph 675, or other similar Sportbike. These same "experts" (who may have been LUCKY enough to survive such a Superbike as their first bike) will also insist that "you'll get bored with a 250 in days/weeks/months."

I have been riding on the street for over 35 years (I'm 53) and love fast, light bikes. I own a dozen bikes with every size from 55cc to 1000cc, yet one of the most fun bikes I've ever ridden was a '95 Kawasaki Ninja 250 I bought for my Nephew to learn on. The people who falsely claim the Ninja 250 will be boring do not know how to ride it to it's full potential!

Remember these two sayings:

1) Any fool can twist a throttle and go fast in a straight line, but not everyone can corner proficiently at high(er) speeds; and

2) It's far more fun to ride a slower bike fast than a faster bike slow!

There are many, many people your age who like Sportbikes and enjoy the sensation of speed, but don't have the maturity to PROPERLY deal with the unforgiving nature of 600cc & larger sportbikes.

These are the people who will attempt to dissuade you from purchasing a truly great beginner bike like the Ninja 250. What they don't seem to understand is while it makes very little to minimal power under 5000 rpm, it is GREAT for carving twisty roads with a decent amount of power between engine speeds of >5000 rpm to its redline of about 10,000 rpm. The fact it has little power at low engine speeds is what makes it an excellent beginner bike in which an accidental blip of the throttle won't get you in trouble.

Modern superbikes like the R6/R1 Yamaha, GSXR-600/750/1000, CBR600/1000RR, and Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R/636 and ZX-10 (1000cc) are EXTREMELY unforgiving in their response to throttle and braking input. A mistake on one of these can be life-threatening.

Now, there IS some "truth" to the notion of underpowered 250cc bikes. The Honda Rebel 250 (Cruiser style) and Nighthawk 250 (Standard 70s style) are both very underpowered 250s. But the Ninja 250 and the new Honda CBR250 are both excellent starter bikes that, when ridden properly (i.e., >5000rpm for the Kawi) have certainly enough power to be entertaining and fun.

In addition to taking the course, make sure you budget about $1000 for a very good, full face helmet, good M/C boots, gloves, and good, armored jacket and pants. Your skin and bones will thank you profusely if you end up at the wrong end of a crash.

Good luck!!

Oct 14, 2011

Friendly bunch!
by: Sandra

Hubby and I took the course together...

And honestly, we made a dozen or so "fast friends" that weekend. We may not keep in touch with them all, but that bond while we were all students was instant and sincere. I never felt as if I were holding up the class - no one ever shot me looks or snickered and sneered or laughed. We were all too busy trying to pass, because in IL you pass the course you are licensed - no DMV testing required in addition to class final.

MANY of those in my class had prior riding experience. I don't know what they thought about those first few hours, when the TRUE beginners (me!)are learning to move a bike without dropping it...I was too busy getting to know the machine they had set me on!

Just go with a determination to have a "great time", and I don't think you will be disappointed.

Oct 14, 2011

Good luck!
by: Sapphire

I'm also 22 and 5'3". I just took the MSF course in July and had no prior experience. My husband wasn't interested in motorcycles so I went alone. It was fine. They start from the very basic and build up confidence. I was so scared, I almost dropped the class, but we were moving a month later, so I didn't have time to chicken out since the military was moving us overseas. The class was definitely worth it. Lots of people were like me with no experience and it was normal to stall the engine and have trouble shifting, but by the end of the class, I was able to do it confidently. I just bought my first motorcycle, a Kawasaki Balius 250cc, a week ago :)

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