First 'Proper' bike for wife
Discussion
Bit of context: My wife is 42, she passed her CBT last year and has since passed her theory and MOD1 - her MOD2 is booked for next week.
She was running around on a Zontes Mantes 125 for a while but sold this earlier in the year to make way for a new bike. We had initially narrowed down the choices to:
Honda CBR650
Kawasaki Ninja 650
Aprillia Tuono 660
I advised against the Aprillia as a first bike, I think she would benefit from a year or two on something a bit more forgiving (she is the mother of my children after all!)
She has been looking into insurance today and was quite alarmed at the quotes that came back. I can't say I was surprised but nevertheless she has now decided that something even steadier might be a better option. I suggested a CBR500 and an MT-03 but I have no real idea at this end of the market so thought I would ask on here. It needs to still look nice, be fun to ride and powerful enough to be exciting without being terrifying. I want her to be able to explore the full range of power but in a nice controlled manor.
I also don't want to come across as if I'm taking over on her choices. This is purely her decision, I am just guiding based on my own experience but my experience of smaller bikes is very outdated.
She was running around on a Zontes Mantes 125 for a while but sold this earlier in the year to make way for a new bike. We had initially narrowed down the choices to:
Honda CBR650
Kawasaki Ninja 650
Aprillia Tuono 660
I advised against the Aprillia as a first bike, I think she would benefit from a year or two on something a bit more forgiving (she is the mother of my children after all!)
She has been looking into insurance today and was quite alarmed at the quotes that came back. I can't say I was surprised but nevertheless she has now decided that something even steadier might be a better option. I suggested a CBR500 and an MT-03 but I have no real idea at this end of the market so thought I would ask on here. It needs to still look nice, be fun to ride and powerful enough to be exciting without being terrifying. I want her to be able to explore the full range of power but in a nice controlled manor.
I also don't want to come across as if I'm taking over on her choices. This is purely her decision, I am just guiding based on my own experience but my experience of smaller bikes is very outdated.
https://www.bimota.com/uk/en/kb399
https://www.kawasakichelmsford.co.uk/catalogue/bim...
https://www.kawasakichelmsford.co.uk/catalogue/bim...
Edited by NITO on Thursday 24th September 11:47
NITO said:
https://www.bimota.com/uk/en/kb399
https://www.kawasakichelmsford.co.uk/catalogue/bim...
That is pure lovely! Would hate to see the price tag though https://www.kawasakichelmsford.co.uk/catalogue/bim...
Edited by NITO on Thursday 24th September 11:47
SV650? Can come both semi faired and naked plus lower fairings are available to make it into a proper sports bike. Can be picked up cheap cheap too. Don’t knock the SFV650 either
CB650F? Being unfaired is good in the case of a beginners drop and may be better on insurance than its R counterpart
ER6F/N? See SV650
CB650F? Being unfaired is good in the case of a beginners drop and may be better on insurance than its R counterpart
ER6F/N? See SV650
Edited by MrWideFit on Thursday 24th September 12:25
Edited by MrWideFit on Thursday 24th September 12:31
My line of thinking on this now is that for a new rider, a 6-axis IMU is probably the most important feature she could have.
Having the electronics that manages Cornering ABS and Lean-Angle Traction Control provides a massive safety net if she grabs the brakes too hard or hits a bad patch while turning.
A KTM 790 Duke packs one as well as a lot of other safety electronics, and there is a rain map that limit the power while she builds confidence.
Having the electronics that manages Cornering ABS and Lean-Angle Traction Control provides a massive safety net if she grabs the brakes too hard or hits a bad patch while turning.
A KTM 790 Duke packs one as well as a lot of other safety electronics, and there is a rain map that limit the power while she builds confidence.
paddy1970 said:
My line of thinking on this now is that for a new rider, a 6-axis IMU is probably the most important feature she could have.
Having the electronics that manages Cornering ABS and Lean-Angle Traction Control provides a massive safety net if she grabs the brakes too hard or hits a bad patch while turning.
A KTM 790 Duke packs one as well as a lot of other safety electronics, and there is a rain map that limit the power while she builds confidence.
A great bike - a good friend had one. I'm not sure if the insurance will be too silly on one though. We need to sit down and run a load of these through the comparison sites.Having the electronics that manages Cornering ABS and Lean-Angle Traction Control provides a massive safety net if she grabs the brakes too hard or hits a bad patch while turning.
A KTM 790 Duke packs one as well as a lot of other safety electronics, and there is a rain map that limit the power while she builds confidence.
MrWideFit said:
SV650? Can come both semi faired and naked plus lower fairings are available to make it into a proper sports bike. Can be picked up cheap cheap too. Don t knock the SFV650 either
CB650F? Being unfaired is good in the case of a beginners drop and may be better on insurance than its R counterpart
ER6F/N? See SV650
Good shout on the SV650 - I considered one of these for my first bike bike all those years ago. I love the 'no frills fun' element of them.CB650F? Being unfaired is good in the case of a beginners drop and may be better on insurance than its R counterpart
ER6F/N? See SV650
Edited by MrWideFit on Thursday 24th September 12:25
Edited by MrWideFit on Thursday 24th September 12:31
Dalmahoy01 said:
Good lady bought a Triumph Speed 400 approx 2 years ago after passing her test.
We were talking a few days back on her next bike but she said no thanks for now - she's happy with the Triumph.
Admit - when I borrow her bike, its a hoot.
On the back of this, i intended to get a bandit or similar for my first bike but got some ridiculous quotes, my current street twin 900 actually ended up being fractions of the insurance prices and i much prefer it to my friends bike… coincidentally a bandit 600 We were talking a few days back on her next bike but she said no thanks for now - she's happy with the Triumph.
Admit - when I borrow her bike, its a hoot.
8IKERDAVE said:
That is pure lovely! Would hate to see the price tag though
From £9,749, I believe that includes the Akra pipe and billet triple clamps!!Based on the Kawasaki 399cc lump. There is an ES version with Ohlins TTX/Carbon fairings that will be £14,699.
Edited by NITO on Thursday 24th September 13:06
My 5ft something wife's first bike, 650 ninja.
She liked the idea of a sports bike, but hated the riding position. She loved the seating position on mt09/7 but wasn't confident with the seat height and didn't like only being able to get one foot down at a time. She had a cb125r for a couple of years so was used to being on something the size of a bmx and being able to flat foot both feet
She jumped on a mates ninja and instantly loved it. The seats low enough that she feels confident with her feet, it's not got clip ons so the bar height is perfect and she thinks that she looks like a bad girl racer chick because it's got fairings.
Insurance was cheap enough, I've ridden it about and think that it's a laugh. She popped an unintentional wheelie off of the lights last week and couldn't stop laughing for an hour so it's definitely fun.
8IKERDAVE said:
Really good responses thanks all! It looks like the SV650 is the current winner - insurance is peanuts and they're just a nice cheap and cheerful first big bike. It will probably do her a year or two and then we will look at a Tuono.
I bought an SV 650 for my wife this year as a replacement for the Street Triple R I gave her the year before. She was a full time biker a long time ago but after a 15 yr gap she found the Street Triple R just too aggressive. She absolutely loves the SV 650. I have yet to ride it but I gather they are great fun and also very easy to ride - the seat is low too.
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff