Good News: SOQS wants a bike! Bad News: Not a NH. Need idea's.

[marriedman]

My wife completed the Motorcyle Safety Class this past weekend. She has been riding for about a year with her temps on a 2004 Honda Reflex Scooter. However, in class she was assigned a cruiser style bike. Suzuki Marauder 250 is what I think it was. She loved the ergonomics of the bike. Even said ti was easier to ride/steer than the scooter. So now she is seriously considering "trading up" to a cruiser. She is short (5'4") and doesn't like my NH when she is stopped. On the cruiser she can rest flat footed no problem.

I looked at the Rebel's, but I have been reading that they are getting long in the tooth so to speak. Since you guys are the most experienced riders I have access to, can you share your opinion on a good cruiser for SOQS?

Oh, and the Harley 883 is out of the question. I am not riding around listening to that blat-blat-blat!

[SirSeanSean]

Has she tried a Nighthawk 250? They are pretty low to the ground. I've ridden a rebel 250 that belonged to a friend, wasn't bad... wasn't great either. I wouldn't suggest the Suzuki GZ250 as the shifter it a POS.

[martian]

The V45 Magna has a 28 in. seat height - Only problem with the V45 is that it's a hair quicker than your CB700 

If she wants something a little sportier have a look at the Suzuki GS500 (my wife wants one)

Many of the Suzuki cruisers (Intruder, M50, others) have a low seat height as well but they are the stereotypical V-twin and wouldn't have a prayer of keeping up with your bike.

My wife also enjoyed having a seat on my buddies Yamaha Warrior (1700 cc V-Twin beast) - Low seat height but quite heavy and good power.  (Can you say overkill  )

[ariwhiteboy]

Honda Rebels are good little bikes...essentially a NH in cruiser Dress.

[muttstang]

Why do people need to be able to flat foot both feet.  You just need to put one foot down anyway.

[creaky]

The Rebel 450 is a great bike, good ergos for someone smaller.  I had one for several years that I carried on the back of the motorhome.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1986-Black-Honda-Rebel-450-Motorcycle-Chopper-Cycle-/230654637447?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item35b4167587

[SteveM]

Honda 650 Shadow or the Yamaha V-Star 650 are nice smaller cruisers.

[talespin]

I think you're going to be faced with the long-in-the-tooth situation with almost any small cruiser you find. The market is so small that I don't think any company is going to invest in putting modern technology (water cooling, fuel injection, shaft/belt drive, horsepower, coolness factor, etc) on those bikes.

As far as I know, the small cruisers from Japan are the Rebel, the Kawa Eliminator 125, the Yamaha Virago/V Star 250, and the Suzuki Marauder/Intruder.

Then there's the Korean Hyosung GV250, which I don't know anything about except that the BMW/Honda/Triumph dealer in Sarasota sells them, and the Taiwanese Kymco Venox 250, which has an engine shroud that makes the engine look like it's at least a 500cc.

Then you've got your Johnny Pag Raptor (designed here, built in China), and your QLINK Legacy, also Chinese. The QLINK is water-cooled and has a CVT transmission, plus a stereo. And the last one I know of is the Chinese-built American Lifan LF250-B. I have zero personal experience with those bikes.

The Eliminator was the bike I rode for MSF. It got me around the parking lot and through the course, but since I was completely new to motorcycles, I don't know if it was great or if it sucked.

My first bike was a Rebel, and it's a bit like the Nighthawk in that all it needs is gas and lubrication, and it'll pretty much run forever. It's also basically unchanged since its introduction in 1985 or whenever, which could be good or bad depending on your point of view. I thought it was a neat little bike, perfect for running around town and the occasional longer ride, but 16HP can be a bit limiting. Guys on the Rebel forum have successfully taken them on 4,500-mile jaunts around the US, so I know it can be a tourer if you want it to.

And you can always check out the deals at scooterdepot.com:

http://www.scooterdepot.us/300cc-motorcycles-two-cylinder-water-cooled-cruiser-style-p-448.html

Personally, I'd look at the Virago/V Star.

Hope some of this blather helped.

[hppants]

If my SOQS would agree to ride it, I'd buy her any bike she wants.

Harley, Rebel, I don't care - whatever she wanted.  Just come with me on the adventures.

And I'd paint it pink or whatever color she wants.

And I'd buy her pink gear, or whatever color she wants.

And I'd wash it for her.

And I'd take care of it for her.


 


I envy you guys.  I really do.

[Burgi]

Honda VLX 600.

[Laminar]

Yeah, the 600cc Shadows seem small, manageable, and cheap enough.

[talespin]

Why do people need to be able to flat foot both feet.  You just need to put one foot down anyway.

Not when you're trying to back the bike into or out of a parking slot. 

[marriedman]

Has she tried a Nighthawk 250? They are pretty low to the ground.

Aren't they the same as my NH as far as ergonomics?

martian - The V45 Magna has a 28 in. seat height - Only problem with the V45 is that it's a hair quicker than your CB700

I have the CB750, not the CB700. Does that make a difference? The Magna is my kind of crusier. I really liked the looks of the ones I have seen so far.  SOQS however thinks they look too big for her. I think that is going to be the same on a Shadow too. I think we are going to need go to dealer and let her sit on some bikes.

martian - Many of the Suzuki cruisers (Intruder, M50, others) have a low seat height as well but they are the stereotypical V-twin and wouldn't have a prayer of keeping up with your bike.

I don't know about that, I drive like an old man! I am betting that no matter what we end up getting for her, we will do OK keeping up with each other.

muttstang - Why do people need to be able to flat foot both feet.  You just need to put one foot down anyway.

Primarily I would say psychological comfort, but also like talespin said; Maneuverability in the driveway and parking lots.

hppants - I envy you guys.  I really do.

Whats funny is that I never really had an interest to own a bike. She wanted a motorcycle and I felt it wisest to start off with a scooter. A good thing too, it took her forever to get comfortable on that. Once I started riding though, I was hooked.

[Poligrafovich]

The shorter half of my motorcycle gang (5'3") has a modified seat for her 250 NH. She can put both feet flat on the ground with it. While maybe not strictly necessary, this really adds to the security of a less experienced rider. She also likes the added front/back support, which reduces the feeling of sliding around on the bike. She took the BRC on a stock 250, and can ride the standard seat, but she loves this one.

The seat is originally from Rich's Custom Seats in Seattle; we got it used from eBay.

[Poligrafovich]

Aren't they the same as my NH as far as ergonomics?

According to the spec sheets at http://hondanighthawks.net, the seat heights are:

250 29.3
450 30.9
550 31.1
650 30.9
700S 31.8
750 31.2

The 250 is a bit more than 1-1/2 inches lower than the next lowest. This may not sound like a lot, but it means the rider needs to be 3-4 inches taller for the same level of leg-reach comfort on a 450 or 650 as on the 250, and probably 4-6 inches on the biggest ones. I guess this is largely offset by increased skills/confidence when people move up, but for new riders it can be a pretty big deal.

[talespin]

When you get right down to it, the important thing is not what other people think your SO should do, or what she should want to do, or what she should be able to do.

The important thing is that she feels comfortable and secure enough to want to ride a bike NOW. If she's not, she may not ride enough to become a skilled rider. If she is, she will ride, and in time will be able to find out for herself what she wants to do and how she wants to ride.

There's no reason that her first bike needs to be the bike she rides for the rest of her life - as a few members of this forum can attest.

[drdubb]

Where are you located? If you are in the NE my daughter has a 250 Hyosung for sale. These were desighned by suzuki engineers.

[marriedman]

I live on the west side of Ohio... but of a drive!

[ariwhiteboy]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1986-Black-Honda-Rebel-450-Motorcycle-Chopper-Cycle-/230654637447?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item35b4167587

$995.00 and reserve isn't met for a 1986 Rebel 450?! 

[muttstang]

I'd definitely look at the GS500 or the EN500 ninja.  Both would make excellent starter bikes and they are quite short.

[NightHawked]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1986-Black-Honda-Rebel-450-Motorcycle-Chopper-Cycle-/230654637447?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item35b4167587

$995.00 and reserve isn't met for a 1986 Rebel 450?! 

I hear ya. Good lookin bike, in any case. Wow kbb is $1800., and the '86 has miles of a 2000 on it.

[badnews_bill]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HONDA-1986-VT-500C-SHADOW-MOTOCYCLE-NICE-MUST-SEE-/380358216128?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item588f1dc9c0

The older Shadows were a great bike. Too bad Honda changed them into HD wantabe's

They are hard to find but are as bulletproof as the hawks

Bill

[bajakirch]

The Magna is my kind of crusier. I really liked the looks of the ones I have seen so far.  SOQS however thinks they look too big for her.

You could check out the less-well-known V30 Magna (500 cc).

SOQS is 5'1" and rode a Rebel in MSF class. She really liked it. But the 450 version might be better if someone's looking to hold onto the bike for a while. There's nothing wrong with a 250cc bike (it's probably the most popular size around the world) but most people I know that get a 250 as a starter bike end up wanting something larger pretty quickly. Especially if there's any kind of regular or longer-distance highway riding.

[Brittles]

I think the 450 Rebel is becoming fairly collectable.

+1 to the 600 Shadow  (VLX) being a good choice. Low seat height, reasonable price, enough power, good looks, and bullet proof to boot.

[Burgi]

If she likes cruisers why do people keep suggesting non-cruiser bikes? Just saying.....my husband kept trying to put me on a cruiser. I hate them! How many of you guys would let your wife tell you what sort of bike you should ride?
Anyway the VLX is low, and not to heavy. It is only a 4 speed but she may not mind that if she is new to shifting. It also suffers from a certain amount of cruiser steering "flop" at low speeds, she will find that different than her Reflex but it isn't anything she won't be able to manage. They can be had for a good price since there is always someone looking for more power.