How did you choose your two wheels?

[Coldrider]

Oh how cute, does it match your lipstick too?

Nah I'm serious, had me pack rack powdercoated in peppermint to match.

[swt 3]

My decision was on Make, then type, what suited me & style of riding I wanted to do. My first bike was passed onto me when my partner upgraded, so I got lucky. Being Triumph fans, the Bonneville America was my first & still riding it. Was real cool. Just before Xmas 07, I bought ,my first brand new bike, yes, another Trumpet, Street Triple. So, I have the best of both world's now. Colour wasn't an issue.. . . black, black & black again.

[Lula]

My decision was on Make, then type, what suited me & style of riding I wanted to do. My first bike was passed onto me when my partner upgraded, so I got lucky. Being Triumph fans, the Bonneville America was my first & still riding it. Was real cool. Just before Xmas 07, I bought ,my first brand new bike, yes, another Trumpet, Street Triple. So, I have the best of both world's now. Colour wasn't an issue.. . . black, black & black again.

Hello again swt 3. When are you guys coming up to Auckland next for a scoot? Will PM you.
Glad to hear you are still enjoying your Street Triple just done over 3,000kms on mine in less than 4 weeks.

[maxworldbiker]

Chose my 650LS "Cherry Bomb" because I'm a short ass. I like to get both feet down to feel in control of the machine, something with a bit of grunt under its tank, and I need to be able to pick her up quickly if she gets dropped. The LS ticks all boxes. I also chose her because when I bought her (as a wreck on Ebay UK four years ago) it was much worse than I feared when I finally got to look at her, in such a mess that my heart nearly broke and I couldn't walk away from the poor old tart. All rebuilt, resprayed and gorgeous now. Love her to bits, best bike I've ever had and she's taken me all over England, right across North America (check out http://max-thestateimin.blogspot.com), all around the South Island twice, and all going well she should take me all around the North Island in March this year. Even when I have enough pennies to buy something much newer, I'll never part with her. After the journeys, highs. lows and dramas we've had together, on the road and at the side of it, she's part of me.

It needs to be about practicality AND aesthetics, cos as well as what you want it to do, you also want it to look good. I've always had a fondness for cruisers, for both reasons. Your choice should tick the safety and control boxes as well as feeling comfy for the type of riding you do. I'm a long, LONG distance cruise gal myself. My mate rides a Suzi bandit, she prefers the more sporty feel bikes and doesn't go long haul.

Decide what you actually really want, try a few configurations, and take it from there.

[Paul in NZ]

Dunno.. Just let my groin lead me...

[Xile]

Just fall in love with it on TradeMe, loved riding it (plus good to reach the ground lol)...and it was red
Premium criteria: reach the ground and not heavy to handle.
Then, can't help meself, I'm a girl, and yeah, it was looking hot!!!

[Number One]

1: Must be reliable
2: Must be able to reach the ground! Short leg syndrome - genes are a bitch sometimes
3: Must be able to pick up off ground (just in case!) and wrangle! Must feel I am it's boss and it is my bitch - the bigger heavy whales don't do it for me.
4: Must not be too high maintenance
5: Must be atleast a bit pretty and sexy and MUST NOT be hideous in colour! (My first bike the exception - Puke colour scheme on my RG150 Black with Bright Purple and Orange graphics )
6: Must not be tooo grunty as hubby will steal - I mean borrow it.
7: Must be able to do atleast 120km...I may want to pass someone one day you know...just might happen
8: I Must look hot on it...tall order maybe but a girl can dream can't she - anyone else guilty of checking themselves out as they ride past large glass facades he heheheee - shirley I'm not the only one

ALL THIS SAID - I'd just love to have any bike at the mo...working on one just waiting for all the buerocrats to decide it's fate...let's all pray for write off people!!!! BTW the rider was unharmed so don't hate me for that comment!

Buerocrats couldn't make that deal work - thank good ness as I ended up with something way better. I love you Scream Extractor...oh and BTW I think I look shexxxy on it - it sounds good and I do check my reflection out when riding past shops!

[LittleAngel]

Hi all - Am a newbie to KB! Who knew there was a place to talk about bikes, riding and all things petrol!!!???

I learnt to ride over a year and half ago as my husband rides and I ddin't like being a pillon!

1. We bought the standard learner bike = GN250, the cheapest we could find so not to waste money and we knew we'd get it back when we sold it (yup we did!)...

2. I upgraded to my husbands 'work' bike = Honda NV400.. at the time I thought this bike was really big and fast! I didn't find anything wrong with this bike - could reach the ground (am tallish so never really a problem) was light enough to eventually throw around corners and could get up to 100k+ without rattling and nearly losing all the bolts etc like the GN!!!

Third Bike was my husbands choice of bike - I had only ridden 2 bikes and still didn't really know much about them (On restricted at this stage) - got a Yamaha FZ750... Felt like this bike was made for me. Was the right height, weight and had enough snot to keep up with the boys and eventually leave in my dust! (or maybe they were being nice???) .. I could ride for hours and still be smiling... Handled like a dream in the wet and wind!

Current bike is a Suzuki RF900RR - again my husbands influence, however I knew by this stage that I wanted a sports tourer with enough grunt to give me the adrenaline buzz but also that I could be comfortable..Both me and hubby thought it might have too much power and be too big, but its sweet!! Love it to pieces! (minus its mechanical failings currently!! )


"Apparently" my next bike is a cruzier preferably a HD (says hubby) but I have news for him... and its all bad!!

I have never test ridden a bike and the thought scares the crapper out of me!! I have accidently dropped (stationary) 2 of my previous bikes and the thought of dropping a bike thats not mine is an expensive thought!

[Rogue]

A bike with low Km's and in very good condition, a motor that gives good hp with a bit of tweaking (have gone from 122+rwhp to 140+rwhp cost $1,100) and are able to get loads more out of it a good price up to 180rwhp.
Must have good suspension, frame etc
weight is not a factor as I intend to get rid of a lot of it (have already lost 11kg)
Colour is not a problem as I intend to replace the body work with custom plastic and paint it the colours/colour I like
yes I like custom bikes I do not like the one's that are out of the box
Why be a sheep when you can be a wolf

[mister.koz]

GN250, cause it made loud noises and the clutch and brakes worked.

I quickly sold and went to the zxr after getting the gn up to 100km/h and realizing the true definition of the word commuter.

[KiwiBaz]

The first bike I ever owned was a 1970 Triumph T100R Daytona.
Looked at it throught the shop window, fell in love and bought it.
I had not even ridden a bike up till then.
The last bike I bought was a 2006 Z1000, saw one in Aussie, liked the colour and looks, ordered one when I got home.
I guess its the look that grabs me, have never test ridden a new bike, tend to just buy them on looks.

[Joliet]

I was originally going to get a scooter just for commuting because I'm just getting my car learners and it needed to be 50cc .. though after waiting around for one to catch my eye, my guy (Romeo) found my Yamaha RD50 on trademe and after a bit of convincing from him and a quick call to my dad to see if it was worth it, we went to view it and I pretty much fell in love. My dad said the bike was in excellent condition and said it was worth the money. I bought it the next day and now I pretty much can't wait to get on it (it's currently in bits waiting for the right parts to be ordered). So yes, my guy really did have quite a lot of say in the matter!

[Meekey_Mouse]

As many other chicks have said... It was other people who mainly influenced my first two wheels... My brother got me into the sport and my family helped me find the first bike.

I bought my first bike, a 2005 (or was it 06?) GSX250, because it was at a very good price, had low kms, would be reliable... And I fell in love with it on TM. It was a Purdy blue colour
The bike only lasted a few months before I got bored on it and it was too big and heavy for my liking. Had a few bikes since then all needing differenet requirements.
My next bike is hopefully going to be an 06 or 07 GSXR 600 or 750 because of these requirements:

1st: I like to be able to touch both feet firmly on the ground, by at least both balls of my feet or preferably near flat foot. That year of gixxer meets this perfectly

2nd: Must be within my price range: This is mostly why I don't have a big bike yet

3rd: Must have a straight frame and been mechanically looked after.

4: Must be purdy and sound nice... When I first saw the gixxers I didn't like them at all... But now, the more I see them the more I like them

[bikerchick]

I had ridden a XVS around at MotorMart and didn't like it. Then we drove around to TSS and Stu showed me an XVS I told him I just road one and didn't like it, he said just listen to this you will love it. When she started up she sounded so beautiful she puuurrrred like a kitten. I brought her as soon as I could, and she turns alot of heads!

[Hanne]

YeaH, I saw Madison on trademe and loved the colour. Kmew I wanted a fully faired bike, liked the look of zzrs so took my partner and his dad to check it out. Of course aesthetics were important, they just checked the engine stuff. And I knew as soon as I sat on her that she was the ONE