A girl's first motorcycle. any suggestions?

i don't know what to get. it's basically for short travel (EX: to work and friends house) i want something light but doesn't look like the wind will blow it away ... i don't want a crotch-rocket either. good gas mileage would be a plus and something good for beginners. anyhow i was told a Honda shadow would be very good for me. it looks like what i had in mind but i still want to get more suggestions before i commit to any one bike( like options, years, known problems with specific models what gear I should buy...etc)

what do you guys think?

If all you're doing is local commuting, a Rebel or Ninja 250 would be perfect. I have both. Both are easy to ride, great mileage, cheap to purchase and maintain. If you want something that'll keep up with highway traffic for a longer ride or trip, a Honda Shadow Aero is also a good choice (got one of them, too). Again, much like the Ninja & Rebel, the Shadow is also inexpensive to purchase and maintain. One of the reasons I would recommend these three bikes is that IF something should need fixing, you are not going to have to find a dealer or specialized shop to work on it (unlike my finicky Italian or German bikes).

I learned on the Rebel, then bought the Shadow. I keep the Rebel for my daily commute bike, and for occasional trips. We plan on riding our Rebels (better half has one as well) on a 3500 mile trip (WA to MN and back) this summer. A Rebel will take you anywhere a bigger bike will, just not quite as fast. And with gas prices inching up towards 3.60 a gallon, that 70-100 mpg sure is nice
Spouse took his 250 Ninja back to MN last summer. So don't let anyone tell you that a 250 cc bike is nothing but a glorified scooter.

New bikes are nice, but for those three bikes, I wouldn't have a problem buying a used one. Just make sure that the previous owner treated the bike well (regular oil changes, etc).

Gear: Buy the best you can afford. Don't fall prey to fashion or the comments from those that tell ya you don't need gear. Dress for the fall, not for the ride. You may never need it, but its nice to know that if you do, you won't be saying...."gee, I wish I had worn a jacket (or a helmet, or boots, or gloves)" Skin grafts are expensive. As is brain damage. :-)

Training: MSF or any other beginner rider class is a good start. Keep in mind though, that all theses classes do is teach you how to get your endorsement. Its up to you to keep practicing and building your skills.

Good luck in searching for your first bike! Take a class, practice what you learn, and have fun!!!!

2007 Kawasaki Ninja 250R. I bought one for Christmas for my Fiance. Only $3000 brand new. It handles very well, only weighs about 360lbs, gets about 70 miles per gallon, and is not overpowering at all.

any of the 250 cc models are good choices....honda's 250 cruiser looks good gets great mileage and has enough pep to keep a smile on your face... Ithe 250 ninja is a sportbike lookalike it is also a fun bike to ride...just promise yourself that BEFORE you get it on the road you will take a motorcycle safety class.....

honda shadows don't get much smaller than 500 or 750 cubic centimeters, great to learn on and grow into. but if you are looking for something that you can stay out of trouble on, check out the honda rebel, available in 250 and 450 cc. i believe that suzuki also offers a 250 renegade or something like that. both would be light weight and easy to handle but won't get blown off the road by passing traffic.

my personal opinion... if you decide to go with a honda shadow 750 for around $5,000.00, just jump up another 183cc's and get a harley davidson sportser 883. just about the same price (new) and a lot more bike for the money. either way, take some classes and learn how to handle the bike!
good luck!

I might be wrong for saying this but consider a little bigger than the 250cc class. I believe the 650 class is not much heavier or bigger and you will be happy for a long time.

Honda Rebel comes to mind as does a Yamaha FZ-6. The The Honda is MUCH cheaper and you're not as likely to accidentally nail the throttle and end up on your back. An older Kawasaki 600 LTD is a very comfy bike. I know women who ride each one of these.

Hey - Whats not so good about a crotch-rocket then ?

If you think a 125 is to small (which I certainly do !!!)
Have a look at Yamaha 250 range / Suzuki Bandit (yuk!) or Suzuki SV (yummier).

Your best bet is to go along to a dealer, and get some seat between your legs and choose that way. Buy secondhand though if its your first.

But whatever. It's good that we've another girlie on the road.

Have fun. XxX

Two words Kawasaki Ninja 250 get the new 2008 Model. The 250 Ninja is one of Kawasaki's best selling motorcycle. It has been in production for over 20 years and will offer you the best bang for the buck. IMHO it is the best beginner bike currently available and gets respect from the big boys.

Honda 250 rebel. Buy used. Learn how to ride, then look to upgrade after a good year of riding.

i dont know your size or strength, but i would start on a honda rebel, it will be your first bike, not your last.

Harley Davidson 883 is a good First Bike for Ladies, looks good, sounds good and they are pretty cheap right now, easy to handle for a girl.

I suggest you go to the dealer and just sit on the bikes. You would most likely want to get a honda rebel. Its more laid back and stylish.

Now as far as the wind goes any bike will suffer from winds over 20mph I have ridden bikes like the Ninja 250 which weigh a bit over 300lbs and that blows around crazy on the freeways near trucks etc but so does the honda rebel which is also a 250 bike.

What I would start with when evaluating a bike is go through this check list first. You can't go wrong if you decide on a bike like this.

Ask yourself...?
First off, am I going to ride freeways often or rarely?
If the answer is often then do not even get a 250 or 500cc bike you need 600cc bike or higher. Many new riders (including me when I was new) have this fear that they get a bike like a 600cc and they rev the throttle just a bit and the bike may shoot out from under them and scare them. This is just not true.

Only a dope would pull back the throttle that much to do that.

The folks that say you can't ride a 600cc bike as a new rider have never ridden on the freeway then because the second you get on the freeway on a 250cc or 500cc bike you are going to say 3 words, even if you are an athiest lol and those 3 words are going to be OH MY GOD!

As cars fly up behind you you will fear for your life and then you will wish to God you had a 600cc bike as when you roll back the throttle on that little 500 or 250 cc bike aint nothing really gonna happen and then you will realize you should have gotten a 600cc bike.

Now on the Honda Shadow that is an excellent choice. Whoever told you to look at a Honda shadow did you a real service in saying that as that bike is good and weighs in at 445lbs.

Now one thing you have to understand that most new riders dont think about (me included) is wind buffeting and if you don't have a front windshield (the shadow doesn't come with one but you can get one cheap and put it on) you will hate life on the freeways.

See video below to hear the wind and how loud it gets on freeways.

However there is a company called zero gravity racing that sells custom windshields (i have one on my bike and it helps alot!) for the shadow so you can have your cake and eat it too.

The bike (the shadow) is better for the freeways and higher speeds such as over 55mph than any 250 cc bike out there.

Now alot of folks say they don't want a crotch rocket but what they dont understand is there is really no difference, no majore difference between a honda shadow and a suzuki katana for example except the fairings (the plastics) around the bike.

Underneath its basically the same skeleton. Frame and engine etc.. The fairings just make it look sleaker but it also helps to cut through the wind. If you look at the shadow you can see many points on it where the wind will hit it head on....This is not a problem but if you go on freeways it immediatly becomes one.

Here is my suggestion from someone who has ridden light bikes and heavy bikes..freeway and streets etc..

Light bike is better for streets
If however you ride freeways my choice if you want to save money but feel safe is the Suzuki Katana (used) which is more aerodynamic than the Shadow.

When it comes to safety I would rather however see a newbie start off on a Ninja 250 or 500 if you can take streets....

So its a tough question to answer as there is no 1 bike that is right..there is 1 bike that is right for each situation but where willyou ride it?

If freeways get a fairinged bike or a heavy bike like the suzuki katana...if getting the shadow you will need a windshield for it.

If not freeways then why get such a heavy bike? Get a Ninja 250 or Ninja 500.

Heavy bike for freeways often
Light bike for streets often

by far the best as far as cruisers go would be the Honda Shadow or the Rebel both are excellent starter bikes as far as safety gear goes you'll need a helmet,gloves,boots that cover the ankles and a riding jacket you can get the best prices on riding gear at cyclegear.com unless you have a store in your area