Passed! - bike choices

My friend Irene just passed her test this morning. Hoorah.
Trouble is finding a nice to own/use circa £1k bike (sub 33bhp) usable
by a slight 5'3" blonde.

She doesn't want a race rep style
I don't see the point in spending more on a 1st bike when it's bound
to get dropped/scraped
Needs to be light for manhandling through the garden gate

In days gone by I would have said CB175 or RD200, now I just don't
know.
A trailie would also be ideal, fields & beaches being good places to
pick up riding skills, but such bikes seem to have high seat heights
now.

'Hog

 

Do they do a Virago under 33bhp? Nice low seat for the "smaller" stature. I
know they do a 125 but someone on here must know if they do an import around
the 200-300cc size.

 

Zanziba wrote

Here is some information for you.

"They" don't do sub 33bhp bikes. You, or the dealer, fits bits (usually
an exhaust baffle) to make this so.

 

Out of interest, do you know what the full range of virago cc sizes is,
including imports? I saw a 125 a few weeks ago and it looked like a much
bigger bike.

 

125 , 250 , 535 , 750 , 1100 all exist and possibly some others.
The 535 is just outside the 33bhp limit in standard form
--
Alex

Hermes: "We can't afford that! Especially not Zoidberg!"
Zoidberg: "They took away my credit cards!"

www.drzoidberg.co.uk
www.ebayfaq.co.uk

 

Agreed 42.3 hp on this site:

http://www.motorbikes.be/en/Yamaha/1990/XV 535 Virago DX/

The 250 would make a nice first bike though?

 

Zanziba wrote

Not a clue. Besides that is a silly fucking question, you have been
here since August you should know by now I know **** all about bikes.

Part of the marketing trick innit.

As far as I can make out it tends to be grownups who are initially
attracted to the cruiser type styling and grownups seem to like their
toys to look full sized even if they are not (I wonder where that comes
from?). While the kiddies seem perfectly happy to run round on 2/3 sized
race reps.

 

He he.

True, just the original post said they didn't want a race rep. Linked that
to 5'3" tall and I thought "Cruiser".

Speaking of little race reps there's a 50cc aprilla that buzzes round near
me, and that looks more like a 250 2 stroke.

 

Honda CB250.

Suzuki GN250. That's a charming little bike - sweet, comfy, 80+mph and
65mpg. Light and low seat height, too. Decent ones start at around £400,
and you'll get a cracker for £700.

 

"Big" 125s seem to be very much the current trend. There are loads of
them that look almost indistinguishable from their 250-650cc
counterparts. Until, that is, you hear the engine running, or notice the
inevitable L plates.

I've had several people ask me how I can have L plates on such a big
bike. Granted, they are people who clearly don't know much about bikes
though.

 

Are you saying I've got a small dick?

 

Zanziba wrote

Honda do the Shadow in a 125 option. Sans chrome in the One True Colour
or avec plus Chrome and Poof Blue it looks really good, if a little far
away.


The trouble with a 125 though is that even derestricted and flat out
they don't have the basic grunt to haul both rider and bike at anything
approaching sensible open road speeds.

 

400cc bandit?

 

Lemmiwinks, The Gerbil King wrote

Dunno, would you consider yourself to be a part of the set "every other
bloke on the platelet"?

 

'Hog emerged from their own little world to say

I have a friend who is a little over 5'. She rides a Honda VTR250. She
bought it new through an independent importer. Prices on Autotrader from
£800. The faired US market model looks hideous. Unfaired Jap model looks
quite nice. http://www.wemoto.com/library/hondavtr2000/

 

A Shadow 125 parked next to my VN1500 a couple of weeks ago, and it
looked the bigger of the two bikes.

I'm amazed these 125 cruisers can even pull their own weight - the
performance from my 1500 is hardly what one would describe as
'blistering'.

 

wessie says...

Looks like a Ducati Monster rip-off. Why doesn't she try the real thing,
they are tiny.

--
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.

 

Just remembered that there is also a 400 which should be ok.
Probably a grey import only though
--
Alex

Hermes: "We can't afford that! Especially not Zoidberg!"
Zoidberg: "They took away my credit cards!"

www.drzoidberg.co.uk www.ebayfaq.co.uk

 

There's an incomplete list here
http://home.clara.net/survivalskills/25kwmcs.htm

I had a yamaha srx400 while I was on a 33bhp limit and enjoyed it. It would
seem to meet most of your requirements and you'll get one of the later
monoshock ones in good nick for under a grand like this one
http://tinyurl.com/d2lp4
--
Alex

Hermes: "We can't afford that! Especially not Zoidberg!"
Zoidberg: "They took away my credit cards!"

www.drzoidberg.co.uk www.ebayfaq.co.uk

 

Dr Zoidberg wrote

Quite informative.