Which bike to buy for a first bike?

**Sexy Lexy** · 15th June 2009, 17:34

Hi my name is Alexa and Im interested in getting a motorbike.

My boyfriend has been teaching me how to ride and so far Ive just mucked around on a gl150 on a flat field and an old xl185 at the Ashley river. It was so much fun that I decided to go and find my own bike.

The two bikes im currently considering buying are the following.

Yamaha Zeal

and a

Kawasaki Ninja

What are the pros and cons of each bike and which would be best to learn to ride on the road on?

I want to do some open road riding and trips round the Port Hills etc.

Thankyou for your help.

**Spuds1234** · 15th June 2009, 17:39

Help get her off the back of my bike and onto her own bike

She's already got plenty of gear, Ive taken care of that. She will need to buy a helmet that fits though and perhaps a pair of boots if she wants to.

Aside from that shes already to buy a bike of her own

**AllanB** · 15th June 2009, 17:41

Alexa, my advice for any lady looking for a bike is get a Hayabusa - there is no way your butt will look large on that.

However between the two option you have posted I'd go the Kawasaki as I have little knowledge of the Zeal and the Kawa has a good record of reliability.

**DEATH_INC.** · 15th June 2009, 17:43

Mmmm, hard call.
the zeal has no fairings but is a four, and is dearer, the gpx is cheaper, and a twin (easier to ride) but more plastic to break.
Just how much experience do you have? And how big are you (maybe that should be how tall

) and how far/long do you plan to ride it?

**Sexy Lexy** · 15th June 2009, 17:55

Originally Posted by DEATH_INC.

Mmmm, hard call.
the zeal has no fairings but is a four, and is dearer, the gpx is cheaper, and a twin (easier to ride) but more plastic to break.
Just how much experience do you have? And how big are you (maybe that should be how tall

) and how far/long do you plan to ride it?

hey im about 5foot 1, im a shortass, i dont know how long i would have it, before changing it, but all i care about it is getting on one that i own, and having fun! ive got so excited about it that i have just decided i want one!...

**DEATH_INC.** · 15th June 2009, 18:56

What about a RG/FXR 150? Good fun, light and easy to learn on, and relatively cheap to repair from any offs you may have.

**Spuds1234** · 15th June 2009, 19:54

Im not to keen on her getting a 2 stroke because of the maintance costs. The FXR150 would be perfect but I thought parts were quite expensive because all the bucket racers were snapping them up.

That and Im not sure if she likes them.

Just asked her. She would ride a fxr150. How quickly do you reckon she would out grow it?

**CookMySock** · 15th June 2009, 20:00

All the bikes listed here are completely different to look at, to listen to, and to ride. Really, the only way to tell is to spend some time in bike shops and sit on them and start them up, and see what appeals. Then ride a few of them (just in a carpark if you aren't confident on the road) and see how they feel.

Steve

**DEATH_INC.** · 15th June 2009, 20:00

Fairly quickly. Depending on her size and how confident she is. I'd lean towards the rg myself, they are actually pretty low maintenance, not at all like a mx bike.

**DEATH_INC.** · 15th June 2009, 20:03

Originally Posted by DangerousBastard

All the bikes listed here are completely different to look at, to listen to, and to ride. Really, the only way to tell is to spend some time in bike shops and sit on them and start them up, and see what appeals. Then ride a few of them (just in a carpark if you aren't confident on the road) and see how they feel.

Steve

Yep, true. I'm just suggesting stuff that a really new, small built girl will be confident with, a GPX 250 is a big, heavy bike for someone that's only 5'1" and perhaps 50kg (ish?). There's nothing like a bike that's too much to put off a new rider....and you can always upgrade if she grows out of it.

**Pete.Viking** · 15th June 2009, 20:45

I see the Yamaha Zeal you were looking at is about $4k, my choice for a learner bike for that kind of money would be something like this:

Kawasaki ZXR

If I had the cash I'd buy it, it seems to be in pretty top condition, they're fairly common for parts, it'll have a good re-sale value and they go hard coz in '89 they hadn't started messing around too much with restricting them, factory specs put them at 45hp but I'm a guy and all for the most bang for my buck, you may not be as interested in having something that goes quick. Apparently dry weight is 141kg, and seat height is 735mm so don't know how that'll go for size

**Sexy Lexy** · 15th June 2009, 23:15

oh man, thanks guys! you all have great advice! i know i should start with something cheap and shit.. but i also want to be able to look at something and not get put off!.. i guess its a hard one since i don't really know much.. i just fell in love with a boy and his bike.... or maybe it was just the bike but i wont tell him that lol

**mynameis** · 16th June 2009, 00:54

Originally Posted by Sexy Lexy

My boyfriend has been teaching me how to ride and so far Ive just mucked around

Poor Boyfriend

**Spuds1234** · 17th June 2009, 00:08

Originally Posted by Sexy Lexy

i just fell in love with a boy and his bike.... or maybe it was just the bike but i wont tell him that lol

Must have been the bike. I definitely dont have a winning personality or a haircut to write home about.

Originally Posted by mynameis

Poor Boyfriend

To be honest I think is worse for her. I dont drive a car so she ends up driving me everywhere if we go anywhere together and she hates it.

**Metalor** · 17th June 2009, 00:29

Originally Posted by Spuds1234

To be honest I think is worse for her. I dont drive a car so she ends up driving me everywhere if we go anywhere together and she hates it.

Got it sussed mate!!

Personally, I would recommend buying something you can have fun on but it's too "new" looking, because chances are you'll drop it at some stage in the learning game... most people do.

Once you get a bit of confidence up then start looking at something a little nicer til you can get your full.

Either that or just go and get a Hornet

I took a zeal out for a ride, really liked it the first time I rode it... then rode a bandit, then rode a HORNET. Hornet wins by FAR. Took another Zeal out for a test ride last week and I didn't like the feel of it as much as the first time. I guess that was probably from riding the Hornet, who knows.

Better "in between" option would be a bandit. A few chicks seem to have these, they are excellent bikes to learn on and have a good seating position.

The V series bandits are 45HP (according to the internet!) but I have heard that no one knows how to work on them... but that was from a bike salesman who was trying to sell me a non- v series bandit.

Anyway, I suggest taking a bandit for a ride

Oh, and that Zeal is expensive!