Bike for a short rider

Roadstergal · October 15, 2008, 08:32:16 AM

Drum rear brake, lousy front brake, wheezy tractor engine, scrapes pegs with very moderate lean angle, so low you sit below traffic (can't see, can't be seen)... There's just nothing particularly right about it, even though there's nothing horribly wrong with it.

Oh, and one thing I think gets brought up too infrequently - motorcycling is a physical sport. Strength training really pays off when it comes to being comfortable moving a bike around.

intergalactic · June 09, 2009, 05:35:01 AM

OK, I want this top 20 list.

The fiance just got her license. She isn't super hot on the GS. She thinks she wants a buell blast. Hast ridden one yet. Got her on the GS500 last night, lowered a little bit, maybe 1". She can almost flat foot it (she is 5'1", and all legs) She wants a Gladius. When I explained it had almost 2x the power it didn't sink in. Then I made her open the GS500 up in 2nd gear last night. She doesn't need a 650 any more.

Other cool looking, safe bikes for the shorter rider?

Porkchop · June 09, 2009, 06:51:03 AM

Holy resurrection Batman.

Anyway, any list of this kind is very subjective but I like the list at this link:

http://motorcycles.about.com/od/howtostartridin1/tp/Ten-Great-Beginner-Motorcycles.htm

Of course the GS500 is number one.

-Porkchop

jserio · June 09, 2009, 07:47:18 AM

nice looking list porkchop. now if only it were a top 20.

intergalactic · June 09, 2009, 07:51:58 AM

I really wish 400s were more popular in the US.

Although I am big for one, a Bandit 400 is something I always wanted.

That beginner list has 650s and 750s on it?

Quote from: Porkchop on June 09, 2009, 06:51:03 AM
Holy resurrection Batman.

Anyway, any list of this kind is very subjective but I like the list at this link:

http://motorcycles.about.com/od/howtostartridin1/tp/Ten-Great-Beginner-Motorcycles.htm

Of course the GS500 is number one.

-Porkchop

jserio · June 09, 2009, 07:54:08 AM

i'm of the impression that 650/750 cruisers are a horse of a different color when compared to same size engine in a sport bike. i could be wrong though.

porsche4786 · June 09, 2009, 08:22:58 AM

Quote from: jserio on June 09, 2009, 07:54:08 AM
i'm of the impression that 650/750 cruisers are a horse of a different color when compared to same size engine in a sport bike. i could be wrong though.

Yeah, a 650 cruiser is going to be much slower than a 650 twin sport bike. My dad has a harley with a 1450cc twin engine and my 600cc (4 cylinder) is much MUCH faster. The cruisers I believe are set up for more torque....and cruising.

Porkchop · June 09, 2009, 08:28:47 AM

Quotenice looking list porkchop. now if only it were a top 20.

Actually, even though the list was a top 10 list it had a link to two other top ten lists. So in reality, it was really a top 30 list.

-Porkchop

The Buddha · June 09, 2009, 12:26:12 PM

Quote from: Roadstergal on October 15, 2008, 08:32:16 AM
Drum rear brake, lousy front brake, wheezy tractor engine, scrapes pegs with very moderate lean angle, so low you sit below traffic (can't see, can't be seen)... There's just nothing particularly right about it, even though there's nothing horribly wrong with it.

Oh, and one thing I think gets brought up too infrequently - motorcycling is a physical sport. Strength training really pays off when it comes to being comfortable moving a bike around.

I have owned and ridden 6 savages ... its not wheezy, but it does run out of steam at ~100 indicated. Sorta like a GS but slow revving and tall gearing cos it got torque and not revs.
Front brakes are not great, but its a cruiser. Not much else has better brakes in that genre. Its light weight gives it stopping power with brakes that dont sound impressive on paper.
Yes it will scrape pegs easy, They are wide and low and so is the bike ... but my 535 was worse, the vulcan 500 is almost as bad, and the larger virago's get by only cos they are high and cramped in the peg area. No cruiser is better.

There are only 2 legit complaints with a savage and both IMHO are pretty minor.
1. The 4 speed, you're rolling along and you anticipate a cager cutting you off ... you pull the clutch in, 2 seconds later you know he's seen you and you are sure he's not killing you right now ... you will be too slow for the gear you were in, and too fast for the next lower one. The 5 spd was apparently better.

2. The bars the angles the effort of steering etc etc are a bit much and yes I understand how raked out feels like, yet the offset on the triples etc etc should be better adjusted to make it less effort. It also needs drag bars, its ergo's suck, GS got nothign on the stock savage bars, torture device at its purest.

Its easy to work on, has some defects but nothign too great, and its bottom end is build to take the bomb ... nothign like that ...
Cool.
Buddha.

satori59 · June 10, 2009, 05:51:43 AM

Quote from: intergalactic on June 09, 2009, 07:51:58 AM
I really wish 400s were more popular in the US.

Although I am big for one, a Bandit 400 is something I always wanted.

That beginner list has 650s and 750s on it?

Suzuki used to make an SV400, but it was only for the Japanese market. I always thought that would be a great commuter bike.

jserio · June 11, 2009, 12:22:14 AM

hopefully the bike market will take a change for the positive and we'll get some smaller displacement bikes. i would think that would help drive insurance costs down, hell, total cost of ownership. i'd honestly like a sub-600 FI bike under 5k new. but, that's just me.

yamahonkawazuki · June 11, 2009, 12:26:12 AM

Quote from: porsche4786 on June 09, 2009, 08:22:58 AM
Quote from: jserio on June 09, 2009, 07:54:08 AM
i'm of the impression that 650/750 cruisers are a horse of a different color when compared to same size engine in a sport bike. i could be wrong though.

Yeah, a 650 cruiser is going to be much slower than a 650 twin sport bike. My dad has a harley with a 1450cc twin engine and my 600cc (4 cylinder) is much MUCH faster. The cruisers I believe are set up for more torque....and cruising.

AND comfort

jserio · June 11, 2009, 12:30:46 AM

comfort is important.

yamahonkawazuki · June 12, 2009, 01:17:29 AM

indeed it is. not many bikes that can do BOTH equally well IMHO. you give up one to get the other

intergalactic · June 18, 2009, 05:26:07 AM

So she decided to do the one leg down thing at stop lights. So I will be selling lowering links and a shortened kickstand soon.

jserio · June 18, 2009, 12:24:43 PM

s0crates82 · June 18, 2009, 03:54:30 PM

Quote from: The Buddha on June 09, 2009, 12:26:12 PM
I have owned and ridden 6 savages ... its not wheezy, but it does run out of steam at ~100 indicated.

See, I almost got a savage, but I read online that they ran out of steam at 80mph. I ended up getting the GS because it can do 80-90 pretty easy. If I'd known they do 100 I may have never gotten my k5.

jserio · June 18, 2009, 08:59:07 PM

i guess the question is, how fast does one really need to go on the street?

yamahonkawazuki · June 19, 2009, 01:53:07 AM

well take that into account as well as the interstate too, speed is fun IF DONE SAFELY, will never be legal for teh most part BUT if you are gonna do it, do it safely
here in a few days ill get to resurrect a honda thats been sitting in storage for a year a 900 of some kind ( a cruiser)

The Buddha · June 19, 2009, 07:37:30 AM

Savage is really cool, it would actually think its more fun than a GS, you can mod it a 100 ways including my recent favorite, fitting a dirt bike front end on it ... instant chopper. Its untra low seat height lets you do anything you please without jacking up the ride to the sky.
A KX250 FE like I am slapping on turns it from a 32 rake to a ~45 rake. Its ~12 inches longer when fully loaded. Plus its has a 21 tar.
Cool.
Buddha.

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Bike for a short rider