New Bike For my Girlfriend!

Y

yahoo critic

New member
I am lovin this thread and all of your responses!! This has been very helpful and hilarious.

Here is what I am thinking. I'm not going to get her anything other then a Duc. For one she loves Ducs because she loves mine and because she has always wanted one ever since she saw Lara Croft riding one.

As much as I would like to get her a newer fuel injected bike so that shifting will be a little easier for her......I think I am going to get her a Carb'd bike for two reasons. 1.they are cheaper and 2.From working on my own M900 I have become quite accustom to doing any mods, repairs and work in general.

I've been thinking, maybe an older 93-99 Monster. Not a M900 but maybe a 600 or a 620 or some other dual swing arm type. I also have lots of older Monster parts so if anything should happen I might be able to repair the damage cheaply and easily.

What do you guys think of this plan??
 
the 900 is still a dual swing arm.

the 620 IS injected.

NEVER dismiss a good 750.

Let her buy her OWN bike after going and letting her sit on a few different bikes. She may still come back to the duc but sometimes they are just not comfortable on them. It should be about HER choice as STY was saying. She might decide it's not for her.

I can't see where you told us if she has ridden before or just pillioned. Does she even have a license? I do remember you said her first bike though, so has she got any other bike experience?

I've been through this about 6 months ago. The Boss loved my SS and decided she wanted to ride, did the licence thing and we went shopping. She was determined she wanted a Monster. I got her to sit on and test ride some other bikes but they didn't float her boat. So we went monster hunting exactly the same as you. We saw some good bikes and some crap bikes. She picked up a 750 monster with 20 000 km on it at a fair price. Then we got the 20 000 km service done and new belts etc.. so that added another grand or so. We had a few teething probs that we seem to have got around. I'm still not happy with it, it uses too much fuel.

The thing is.. She tried some other bikes, she found and negotiated for this bike, she rode the thing home, I never even test rode it. I was there to look it over for the basics and decide whether it was ok or crap, looked after or thrown down the road.

Letting it all be her choice means she has some 'ownership' of it and allows her to love it as much as I love mine. If they don't have that feeling, it will be like giving a kid a porsche for his 17th birthday.

Don't stress too much about damage, it WILL happen but it will be a slow topple. then let her sort out the repairs.


Enjoy the trip you're about the take. remember to sit back because it's NOT YOUR F N BIKE !!!!
 
I'm a new rider writing on my fiance's account. He just recently bought me a 2008 Ninja 250. I am only 5'2" and 120 pounds and am finding this bike to be a perfect fit! It has plenty of power for someone my size and riding experience. To a veteran rider, I know that a 250 sounds small, but for someone that just passed the MSF he would have been doing an unjustice if he had purchased me a larger bike. Between worrying about other drivers and simultaneously polishing my riding skills, having a machine that I can confidently handle is paramount.


My two cents...
 
First of all she is dead set on a Monster. I have only given her possible ideas about other bikes. I have told her to be open and at least try some others but when she is set on something shes set. She has ridden on mine and loves it but I told her its not a good idea to get such a big a bike so she said "fine but I still want a Monster." Other then that I would let her buy her own bike but she can't afford it and I want her to be able to come with us to Bike Week this year.

The only thing I am thinking about on my part is cost and how easy will the bike be for her to ride.
 
I will have to bring her to see one and see what she thinks. My only worry is that after she gets comfortable riding shes going to be pissed she didn't get a zippier bike.
 
Yeah, buy her a zipper bike...

Have her watch this and see how easy it is for ANYONE who's a newer rider to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7IAAnyVuGU

Five years ago at our local charity bike ride I was about twenty bikes back from a petite woman on a brand new ZX 6. We all had to stop on a hill before we could proceed onto the main street where we were to have the half way mark parking for lunch. The combination of the hill and her short legs, less strength and she fell over. She couldn't lift the bike off of herself, she was embarrassed, then panicky. By the time a few guys got the bike off of her she was crying her eyes out. She left the group shortly after, and I never saw her or the bike on the streets again. Probably the last ride she ever took.

Niel Graham wrote a really good story about new riders choosing the wrong bike and then losing interest in biking because of it. I totally agree with that message. I myself spent five years on a Honda Sabre because it was supposed to be the right choice. It handled like shit, was totally unreliable and just a miserable experience, nothing but back pain. The last year I owned it I only rode it twice that season, out of guilt for having paid the insurance. A fluke deal to buy a SS was what brought me back, and it's my single biggest hobby now. My point is, you owe it to her and she does to herself to at least TRY many different bikes.
 
Actually, with about 6 years of dirt bike/desert riding experience, my wife moved into street riding on a Yamaha FZ6 (600). Perfect transition bike for her...great starter bike in this case. Of course, a year later she had the street confidence to move up to a Ducati 848. But I dont think it would have been a good idea to start with... all depends..
 
Isn't that what I said earlier. I agree completely. However try telling that to her. It does not help however that our friends started on bigger bikes and had no problems......girls included.

As far as that You Tube video goes. Random shit can happen to anyone but I will always laugh at the moron who goes out and buys all brand new gear plus a new bike and thinks that they are now some kind of bad ass and will be able to keep up with anyone.
 
Ok here is another option for you

Honda VTR 250 it LOOKS like a monster, feels like a monster and will still generally get waves from other monsters. V twin, torque like you wouldn't believe and easy or little maintenance.



Ok that's a dark. The red ones are best. If you get the earlier ones they had basic colours and silver frame, spitting image of the monster. This is what I bought back when they came out in 99 when I decided to actually get a license instead of just riding around without one. We had rules that said you needed to do 18 months all up on a 250cc bike before you could apply to test on an over 400cc bike.


My finance was set on the monster too. Don't thing for a moment you can compare a ZX or FZ with the 750 monster. These things are so tractable and learner friendly it's unbelievable, plus the 750 will keep you smiling IF she lets you ride it. People look at her and say that the 750 is SUCH A BIG BIKE for her first.. they think it's waaay too powerful. they don't realise how low powered it is.

There are a few more thoughts for you


Cheers
 
Back
Top