New female rider after advice

**Disco Dan** · 30th November 2012, 12:13

So my next door neighbor experienced the wrath of the mighty ZX... now she wants a bike of her own.

So even with all the changes in licenses etc I advised her to get a cheap, naked, 250cc.

She's not keen on riding naked (shame hehe) and has been looking at GPX250's and ZZR250's - can anyone think of something that would be suitable?

She likes the riding position of sportbikes, dislikes naked bikes and is a little 'larger' than a 50kg stick figure (scorpio 250 is a 'one butt cheek' bike for example).

She is an excellent pillion - she was on the back of my ZX11 from Blenheim to Auckland in one hit, after never being on a bike before. I barely knew she was there - in fact a couple of times I even had to check.

**Akzle** · 30th November 2012, 13:03

Originally Posted by Disco Dan

She's not keen on riding naked (shame hehe) and has been looking at GPX250's and ZZR250's - can anyone think of something that would be suitable?

She likes the riding position of sportbikes, dislikes naked bikes and is a little 'larger' than a 50kg stick figure (scorpio 250 is a 'one butt cheek' bike for example).

two fiddy I4s tend to get raped. and they need to be, to go anywhere fast on them.
and there's the old saying about fat chicks and scooters... dont ride them. (or something like that)

so:
hyobag 650. (or nearest on the LAMS list)
zz/zxr /fx/fzr kind of 400s

+frame sliders.

**Gremlin** · 30th November 2012, 13:54

Remember LAMS is now in effect, so she isn't just restricted to a 250...

**Glowerss** · 30th November 2012, 16:06

I liked my ZZR250 quite a lot. Buzzy fuckin thing though.

There's quite a few GS500s around that are fully faired (and look quite good to boot). They're not cheap though. ZZR 400s are LAMS complaint, but they're getting quite long in the tooth and most of em are ragged pretty hard.

Cheap faired sportsbike and LAMS complaint are somewhat mutually exclusive. Shit finding a LAMS bike that's cheap is a mission full stop.

**FJRider** · 30th November 2012, 16:24

Probably better to think of getting a cheap 250 ... (with or without clothes) that would last untill she's on her Restricted license. Then she would have a better idea what she would like ... with time to look around and find a good (bigger) one ...

Remind her naked bikes are cheaper to fix/replace bits ... than faired bikes if you hit something (like the ground)

**nodrog:Me** · 30th November 2012, 16:51

Tell her to get a Scorpio, and a bag of Salad.

**arcane12** · 1st December 2012, 09:41

Originally Posted by FJRider

Probably better to think of getting a cheap 250 ... (with or without clothes) that would last untill she's on her Restricted license. Then she would have a better idea what she would like ... with time to look around and find a good (bigger) one ...

Remind her naked bikes are cheaper to fix/replace bits ... than faired bikes if you hit something (like the ground)

I started out on a Scorpio myself at the start of the year (120kg). It hauled me around pretty well, even able to pass on the open road. Open road it would be sitting at 7500 rpm (a couple of k short of redline).

It was a fine bike for learning - easy to handle and forgiving. Once I found out I would be another 18 months on it I had to trade up though.

As was mentioned it's a hard road finding the perfect LAMS bike, and when you are new to riding a single test ride (even a good 30min one) won't tell you everything. It's all a learning process.

**bittertwistedcute** · 1st December 2012, 13:54

THe Sv 400/650's are worth a wee look, nice and easy but with a little extra fun. I loved my sv400

**tamarillo** · 4th December 2012, 10:35

says wants a 250 with cloths so why all these suggestions for everything else!
Kawasaki Ninja 250 is sweet and real long lasting little single, agile, capable, and looks damn good in black - looks like way more than little single. Know of one lady who kept it even after full permission granted - put a better pipe on though! Corners and stops well and that is where fun is these days.

**yod** · 4th December 2012, 11:54

Originally Posted by tamarillo

says wants a 250 with cloths so why all these suggestions for everything else!
Kawasaki Ninja 250 is sweet and real long lasting little single, agile, capable, and looks damn good in black - looks like way more than little single. Know of one lady who kept it even after full permission granted - put a better pipe on though! Corners and stops well and that is where fun is these days.

It's a twin

**Disco Dan** · 4th December 2012, 13:21

Thanks for the advice - seems the LAM's list opens things up a bit.

ZZR400 - not too quick but enough grunt that your not wringing it's neck the whole time.
GPX250 - very fond of these and good learner bikes.
Scorpio - too small, too thin and 'look' too much like a dirt bike to her.

If anyone has a bike for sale 250-400cc (dont want anything too big ie 600cc or silly ie VFR250, 2-stroke etc). Must be fully faired (ie not zeal) and be more than happy sitting on mway and easy to maintain.

Already she has written off "all hondas" as they "look gay" (woah sportsbike biker already!) and dislikes Hyusungs (or whatever the flob they are called) as she wants to actually spend time riding it rather than picking bits that fall off all the time.

Keeps asking to learn to ride on my ZX1100 - so she needs a bike quick please ! ! ! !