[pplassm]

Re: starter bikes

You probably can't find reviews because it's the same bike (650 Savage) that Suzuki has been making for 20 years! Google "650 Savage. You could save a bundle by buying a used one.

BTW, hope you have better luck with your wife than I did. My wife took the course, got her license and a decent bike, but could never get over the additional risk inherent in riding.

 

[37826]

Re: starter bikes

Found this review over at Cruiser magazine.

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/roadtests/2006_suzuki_boulevard_s40/

What caught my eye as I glanced thru the review was this line:

... the Boulevard S40 fills the vast gap between the 250s and the other cruisers in the 500 to 650cc range

Sounds like it might be a nice starter with a little more room to grow.

 

[22337]

Re: starter bikes

Link to:

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/roadtests/2006_suzuki_boulevard_s40/

Suzuki's 20-year-old, re-badge Savage is a gentle bike, good for around the town and occasional short freeway sprints.

Looked at this bike back in '99 to be my return to riding bike and daily commuter. It is lightweight, has a low-seat (great for my 29" inseams), gets good mileage and it’s low-maintenance (belt-driven). But went with a Honda VLX and spent the extra $900 mainly because it has a "higher" top-end to better cope with the 20 freeway miles I ride (almost) daily.

Around here, 65 mph is considered the minimum speed in the slow lane and if you aren’t going 75+ mph in the other lanes, the cagers craw up your rear. The Savage just didn’t have the acceleration and top-end speed for freeways this area. YMMV.

 

[seruzawa]

Can't... resist.... can't ..... stop.... must .... type....

I can't stand the suspense so I'm gonna go ahead and beat the squidlies to the punch.....

What do you wanna buy a cuiser for? Start her on an R1! Perfect brakes make it the safest motorcycle on Earth!

Okay. I feel better now.

 

[kbuckey]

Re: starter bikes

Got my wife the rider safety course and bought her "whatever she wanted" and it was a Savage. Really a nice little bike. After a couple of years she thought it was "too light" and we went for a Honda Shadow Spirit 750, which she loved. Yeah, I tried to get her into something like an SV650, GS500, etc but she felt much more comfortable with both feet flat on the pavement. Oh, she was 55 when she took the course.

 

[longride]

Re: Can't... resist.... can't ..... stop.... must .... type....

You just had to start, didn't ya? Between you and that troublemaker Sarnali, we just can't keep this board from falling apart!

 

[57003]

Re: starter bikes

A friend bought a used one because it was cheap and enjoyed it, but ended up buying something more powerful almost immediately. If you can find a cheap used one, the new bonnevilles or the moto guzzi nevada 750 (or breva) are somewhat merciful if heavy.

 

[obandoj]

Re: starter bikes

If you love her get her a 250, if she has good life insurance get her an R1.

 

[testcase]

Re: starter bikes

If she has good insurance *and* you got a cute girlfriend, get the wife a R1.

 

[03zx12r]

Re: starter bikes

250 or 500 ninja.

 

[acecycleins]

Re: starter bikes

Kawasaki, Hyosung, Kymco, Yamaha, Honda and Jonny Pag all make low cc bikes that are more than suitable for the beginner. Kymco is Korean not huge in the country- but they make real good scooters, so I believe that the 250 motorcycle will probably have decent build quality. Jonny Pag is US built with 2 year Waranty and come in 250 and 300 cc models. They only run about $4K new and the dealer network is growing weekly. The Hyosung can be had in Cruiser or "little" sportbike styles, work great and come with two year Warranty, as well. The well known brands bring easy resale because of who they are. Are they better? Depends on how you look at it, but the other guys are at least equal in quality now.

 

[pushrod]

Re: Can't... resist.... can't ..... stop.... must .... type....

Well, I was going to suggest a ZX-14, but you made me reconsider.

I'll go with a PC800, Alex!

 

[pushrod]

Re: starter bikes

If SHE is really serious (and not just doing it for you) about learning to ride, I'd recommend one of two approaches:

Buy her a used 250 or 500 Ninja or Rebel or the like, whichever she finds "cuter". Once she learns the dynamics of riding, she'll either decide she doesn't want to pursue the effort, or she'll want more, bigger, faster. Also, she can decide what she likes and dislikes about the cheap bike. Makes shopping for the next one easier.

OR, get her a bike like the SV650 or S, or one of the other makes like it. It will have the same learning curve (except I think they are harder to stall, which is a great thing), and the bike has the performance to keep up with her learning curve for a good while. There are a bunch of used SV's out there, too.

Whichever bike you decide to get her, try to buy one that is popular, so you can sell it if you need to. There are a lot of very good bikes out there that no one wants.

Good Luck!

 

[58876]

Re: starter bikes

My wife took the course, got her license and a decent bike, wasn't scared about riding at all, to the point where I thought she needed to be a bit more scared, but was basically uninterested. She never rode.

 

[mscuddy]

Re: starter bikes

The Virago 250 is a cool little bike. Pretty quick too.

A 650 is too big for a starter bike, no matter how inexpensive.

In fact, you might consider something even smaller/less intimidating than the Virago, like a 125.

 

[19332]

Re: starter bikes

Those super scooters are (burgman, majesty, silver wing etc.) are great starter bikes that don't get old too soon. CVT, so no shifting, good weather protection, low seat height, enough power for interstate touring at any speed you want to travel at, built in storage compartments that can hold a weeks groceries, if you squint they look like a new gold wing, especially from the front.

 

[57335]

Just go to Google and type "review Suzuki S40" and you'll see plenty of reviews for the S40.



My wife learned on a Virago 250 before upgrading about 6 months later. She loved it, except for freeway driving. I took it for a few spins around town and it's a fun little bike.



That said, a 250 is really too small to enjoy past a year, so opting for a 400cc+ bike regardless of the # of cylinders is a better long-term option.

 

[MTRHEAD75]

Also check out the buell blast.

 

[The_AirHawk]

Boss Hoss. The 502cid one. Because you'll just outgrow the 350cid model in six months.

 

[51310]

I bought a Suzuki S40 (Savage) in '97. It was great in the city, but vibrated a lot at higher speeds. I think it's a great first bike. I live in Canada, and my daughter just took her safety course. She will probably buy a Honda CBR125RR, currently not available in the States, but a perfect first bike, as it handles really well and looks really cool. One of the "super scooters" would also be a great choice, especially if she wants to ride in all types of weather.