Ttaskmaster Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Hey all, I need to find a road bike for a female rider who is 5' 4", not particularly long in the leg, can cope with around 27-28" easy enough so could probably stretch to . Looking for something like a Bandit or Fazer, will need a good 4-600cc on the engine, reasonable performance, easy maintenance, cheap and/or plentiful parts, decent fuel economy. Shaft drive an advantage, as is "nice colour" but neither is essential. Brand preferably Yammie, will be fine with Honda, Suzi and *maybe* even Kwak. So... what's out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sacha Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Are you looking for new models or "gently" used? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted August 16, 2013 Author Share Posted August 16, 2013 Sub £1000 if we can find her one!! So gently used, or even 'well-used but mechanically sound'. Even TLC-wanting types, so long as it doesn't cost too much and can be ridden around happily while she awaits parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator DirtyDT Posted August 16, 2013 Moderator Share Posted August 16, 2013 ...............as is "nice colour" .................. ????????????????????? Get her an SV 650 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted August 16, 2013 Author Share Posted August 16, 2013 Get her an SV 650 31.7" seat height on a 29" inside leg? How's she gonna even get on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toutsuite Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Honda CB500. Can't go wrong with that, and a fair few on the market for under the kilopound! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie1 Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Cagiva Raptor, Ducati Monster, Kawasaki ER6, Suzuki Gladius (the original SV is not that short). And that's without lowering kits or, heaven forbid, a cruiser! She might want to take a peek at the Curvy Riders website as a lot of the girls have had to find/adjust bikes for the not-so-tall. Not sure if Yamaha ever bothered? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator DirtyDT Posted August 17, 2013 Moderator Share Posted August 17, 2013 31.7" seat height on a 29" inside leg? How's she gonna even get on it? Sit on one. She will be able to touch the floor with both feet and not on tippy toes. I've got one. You can get lowering kits for them but she wont need it. I would have gone with a Duke monster but not for under a grand. The CB500 is a good contender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busyeddie Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Honda CB1 Honda NTV Honda Bros VFR 400 CBR 400 DT 400 MX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted August 18, 2013 Author Share Posted August 18, 2013 Sit on one. She will be able to touch the floor with both feet and not on tippy toes. I've got one. You can get lowering kits for them but she wont need it. I would have gone with a Duke monster but not for under a grand. The CB500 is a good contender. I took her up the Honda dealer yesterday - The CB500 was too tall. She was on tippy toes and would never manage it outside the showroom. There was an old Bandit she was OK on, but nothing else (apart from a gay Shadow and some 125s) was any good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busyeddie Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Fzr 400 in pink Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busyeddie Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Fzr 400 in pink Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie1 Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Fzr 400 in pink Wasn't funny the first time... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slice Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Tasky I have a Bandit 400 if your interested? give me a PM, just fixed the clutch and need to replace the rear brake shoes and I have 2 new tyres ready to go on so might be worth your while having a look. Was hoping to get it MOTd in the next week or so and then it's ready to go out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busyeddie Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Katie, he said nice colour! And 80's yamahas look deadly in their garish shell suit colour schemes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busyeddie Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 And I dont know what the double posting is all about! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted August 19, 2013 Author Share Posted August 19, 2013 Apparently "nice colour" would be an electric duke blue (I just Googled that), as in the dark blues you sometimes see on Fazers with the goldish accents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie1 Posted August 19, 2013 Share Posted August 19, 2013 Katie, he said nice colour! And 80's yamahas look deadly in their garish shell suit colour schemes. Hey, I like pink myself. Just most girls would relocate your exhaust if you suggested pink bike/leathers etc for them just 'cos they're girls. Personally, my fantasy garage won't be complete until I have a 1098 and a MGS-01kitted out in Lady Penelope pink... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie1 Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Apparently "nice colour" would be an electric duke blue (I just Googled that), as in the dark blues you sometimes see on Fazers with the goldish accents. Ooh, how about a GS500? Low seat height, really narrow seating position (great feeling for stability if you're not very confident), light weight and fab V twin engine. Usually available dirt cheap. The brakes are made of wood but apart from that, they're great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted August 20, 2013 Author Share Posted August 20, 2013 Ah yeah, I'd been trying to remember what 4-600cc big bikes schools use for training. IIRC, the GS500 is that fecking awkward piece of shyte where every riding school (apart from my first one) replaces the stupid manufacturer's bars before they even switch it on for the first time? 31" seat height, apparently. She'd have to try it, I suppose... What else do schools use? Is there a Kawasaki ER400, 500, 600? I know there's a nice Yammie 400 - XJR400, is it? Ooh, I wonder if any in the XJ/XJR range are low enough... If there's a nice, low-ish 800, that'd be an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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