Newbie trying to be sensible...

Good afternoon

Just as I was in danger of having to work, I find this group: wondeful!

Right. After a messy DAS that is not DAS anymore I'll be taking my
test on a 125 (unless something else happens in the next week) so My
First Bike will have to be <-33bhp.

I need a bike that can happily do 500 miles a week.
I'm on a tight budget - there is not point trying to be on anything
else as this is My First Bike and winter - so am looking around the
£500 mark. I have leeway, and I already have leathers and lid and
waterproofs and yaddayaddayadda, I would just rather save the money for
a better bike next year.
And I'm wee at 5'3"ish. And a girl.

So... once you're done laughing, anyone got any handy hints, tips or
useful websites? Maybe a Decent/Good/Flexible mechanic in
London/Oxford? Maybe something for sale? A bike or restrictor kit or
hey, a clue?

I'd like a GS500, but 1 - they are not faired as standard and 2 - I
don't want to pay silly money for washers.

Hi by the way

The Kim Lady

 

Good afternoon.

I would seriously urge you to do a DAS, even if it takes mre time and money.
Why may you not be doing DAS?

I'm also 5'3" and very wee.

Your budget is a little low but you may find something.

I had one and could almost get my feet down, my inside leg is 30".





Hi by the way

The Kim Lady

 

I'm eBaying and somewhat hopeful - it is only will power that has
stopped me buying a bike prior to having a licence thus far!
Oh and I've tried a GS500 and they're fine. I wouldn't want anything
higher thou.

DAS... ah... my training provider have made several administration
errors that lead to me losing a days training, so not being ready for
the test which was then cancelled as the examiner had a slow puncture
so now have a new test booked and another days training. I've been
wondering about forcing in another day to go DAS, but I've been on a
bike for all of oh 20 hours? Very much a newbie, and if a smaller bike
is better, so be it.
Then again, I do have a huge commute. Plan was to retake test on a
bigger bike in the new year once I have a few miles behind me.
Hmm.

 

Yes... but I'll be doing a lot of motorway miles... it's six and half a
dozen... although I do think naked bikes are prettier...

 

and a babe ;-)

 

Only half, you are not serious shirley?

 

Time is a factor. Currently doing an almost 3 hour commute and *need*
to get on the road. I can always retake the test on the bigger bike
once I have some experience?
Am doing! In full research mode
One that has been mentioned a few times... thanks... although a GS goes
better with my jacket *snerk*

Oh I'm female. And I'll watch 'em all.

 

Thanks - I went looking for that sort of thing but BossLady interrupted
and I got distracted. This *is* work related! Gah!

 

The Kim Lady says...

Ginge is definitely the one to watch though, he's a dark[1] horse is
that one.

[1] A kind of gin-gery dark.

--
Lozzo
Track pixie
GSX-R1000 K1
I haven't lost my mind, it's
backed up to a floppy disc
that's around here somewhere.

 

I don't suppose "Never mind them - I'll look after you" will fool you,
will it?

My SO (not very high, like yourself) has managed GPZ500 (tippy toes
though), Virago XV535 and currently a (highly lowered) BMW F650. She
recommends the Virago due to lack of breakable plastic (and she would know).

 

MikeH wrote:

I don't suppose "Yes" will fool you either?

Oh the Virago! Very pretty... but perhaps not entirely suitable for a
winter hack (she says as it starts to rain).
The GPZ500's are okay fo rme -I found them to be similar to the
GS500's. I have a soft spot for Suzuki's...

 

MikeH says...

Outright height has nothing to do with it. My eldest daughter is only
5ft 6 tall, she rides a 2005 R6 on the road and has a 2004 model R6
trackbike that is jacked up an inch at the rear. She can flatfoot both
bikes easily with her knees bent. I'm 5ft 8 and have trouble getting my
tiptoes down on the 2005 bike, let alone the jacked up trackbike. Caz
has a 31" inside leg, I have a 27 1/2-28" inside leg depending on how
cold it is.

I've developed a technique that enables me and all the stumpy-legged
fuckers out there to ride almost anything we like. It's called "develop
an irrational and strong dislike of any bike that is too tall for you".


--
Lozzo
Track pixie
GSX-R1000 K1
I haven't lost my mind, it's
backed up to a floppy disc
that's around here somewhere.

 

But he is very cute though.

 

She's taller than you then?

--
Veggie Dave
UKRMHRC#2 BOTAFOF#08
IQ 18 FILMS http://www.iq18films.com
Extreme Racing http://www.veggie-dave.co.uk
Toxic Shock Syndrome Gets More Girls Than Me

 

The Kim Lady says...

GS500s are crap, like really crap, don't do it to yourself. The Honda
CB500 and Kawasaki GPZ500S are much much better bikes. Brand loyalty
sometimes has to take a back seat to practicality and the lure of a
better bike, ask Champ why he bought a Suzuki GSX-R1000 a few years back
after buying Kawasakis for years.

--
Lozzo
Track pixie
GSX-R1000 K1
I haven't lost my mind, it's
backed up to a floppy disc
that's around here somewhere.

 

Molly says...

Enough with the fancying blokes thing. I get scared.

--
Lozzo
Track pixie
GSX-R1000 K1
I haven't lost my mind, it's
backed up to a floppy disc
that's around here somewhere.

 

Veggie Dave says...

In heels greater than 2 inches she is. On those occasions when we've
been out for an evening she says she's the adult of the two of us. I
think the first time she trotted that line out she was 17 or 18, I was
about 36 or 37. A small proportion of her time is spent apologising on
my behalf - usually to her female workmates - and telling me to shut the
**** up before she leaves me there alone. It's great.

--
Lozzo
Track pixie
GSX-R1000 K1
I haven't lost my mind, it's
backed up to a floppy disc
that's around here somewhere.

 

I'm quite trustworthy, I'll have you know.

 

The Kim Lady wrote

I have one.

Unrestricted it is a nice little bike and very suitable for shortarses
like us. Not too fast but fast enough, comfy, easy to ride, moderately
economical, 10 or more years of continuous production to garnish spares
from. But, unless you are dead lucky, for 500 quids you are looking at
buying a dog.

You will need to up your budget if you intend to do 25000 miles a year
on your machine.


As others have said, buy unfaired. If the bike is not fitted with them
then add engine protection bars/mushrooms to your shopping list. You
will drop the bike, we all drop bikes, it happens and being a newbie it
is more likely to happen to you.

Not this early in the day, usually.

 

I doubt there'll be a single person reading this who wouldn't agree
completely with her sentiments

--
Veggie Dave
UKRMHRC#2 BOTAFOF#08
IQ 18 FILMS http://www.iq18films.com
Extreme Racing http://www.veggie-dave.co.uk
Toxic Shock Syndrome Gets More Girls Than Me