Have you just passed your test? Now the exciting part begins… finding a suitable bike.
Now, here’s the thing, most new riders will have heard lots of other bikers opinions on motorcycles. Not just the ones they like, but the ones they think YOU should like too. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes it’s nice to have those with more experience than us, help us out and steer us in a direction that we might never have thought about. However, sometimes their advice, although well-meaning, isn’t always right for you.
Looking for a new motorcycle means answering a few questions first:
What sort of riding will you be doing?
Commuting, Sunday ride outs, touring, track, off-road. Obviously this will make a difference to the style of bike you want or need. Choosing the right style of bike can feel like a minefield. I chose an all-rounder to begin my journey; a Honda CBF600, which looking back was a bit top heavy for me at the time. After a few years though I was able to make a more informed decision about the sort of bike I then wanted. I next went for a Honda Fireblade 900RR, which might seem like a bit of a leap but it was so much lighter and easier to move than the 600! Don’t make your first bike your forever bike, make it one that will give you confidence!
What size and weight is your new motorcycle?
If you’re 5’1″ you’re probably limited to the type of motorcycle you can buy. If you’re blessed with slightly longer legs though and can sit on bigger, heavier motorcycles, you might be tempted to go for something a bit meatier. You need to ask yourself, ‘can I comfortable manoeuvre this size bike around independently?’ Sometimes choosing a bigger, heavier bike might give you protection (from fairing) and comfort whilst riding, but it’s not going to work for you if you rely on your other half to move it around once you’ve stopped! C’mon ladies, we wouldn’t expect our partners to park our cars for us, would we? Well, I know I would never let anyone do that and therefore I would never ask anyone to move my motorcycle for me. In fact, I’d really rather they didn’t even offer!
What is the power output?
Once you’ve got your full licence it can be tempting to go for a big powerful bike and I’m not saying you shouldn’t. In fact it would be great to see more women on powerful bikes, riding them with ease. I’ve got a Kawasaki ZZR1400, but I remember other bikers riding the ZZR1400 when I first passed my test and I thought they were stupidly big! I would NEVER ride such an intimidating motorcycle. However, by some strange twist of fate, here I am. I worked up to the ZZR though and built my skill to match my machine. In the UK, I’m more than happy on my training bike which is a Kawasaki Versys 650. I don’t think anyone needs anything bigger than a 650 in the UK! You might be opting for something underpowered that you become fed up with quickly.
New or Second hand?
If this is your first bike, I’d recommend going for a second hand bike. If you scuff it, damamage it or drop it, you won’t feel half as heartbroken as you would with a brand new bike. Use your first bike as a stepping stone to your dream bike!
Is this bike going to be comfortable?
Let’s face it, as women we know that most things that look good, certainly don’t feel good. I’m thinking about the last time I wore high heels to a wedding a swore never again! Riding a motorcycle is the same. If you need to stop every half an hour due to discomfort, then your bike might not be for you. I’m a firm believer in not making loads of alterations to bikes either. Obviously, seat height might be one of them, but shaving foam out of the seat, only makes it feel uncomfortable and splays your legs out wider! So if you need bar risers, lower foot pegs etc, then maybe it’s worth at looking at a different style of bike?