What bike for my wife?

[vette]

Hi all,

I am buckling in under the pressure to buy her a bike.
We had an 2000 year Africa Twin, she loved riding on the back.
But of course, it is far to big and heavy for her.
.
Her is just 5 foot 5 inch, maybe 5 foot 6 if she stands strait
And weighs in at just 99 lbs (7 stone nothing)

Some thing like a smaller Africa Twin, or Trans Alp, clone etc, that sort of vein of bike.

I don't "think" the bike needs to be bigger than a 250cc.
It most definitely won't be new.
I don't wish to pay more than say £1500

Let the suggestions begin.

Gra.

 

[Timolgra]

TTR 250 has the option of lowering links and big tank, it's 4 stroke has electric start and why does it need to be bigger than 250???? If so TTR 600
It'll go anywhere

[/QUOTE]

 

[Shep]

See I got that wrong, i thought you were looking for a swop!

 

[vette]

TTR 250 has the option of lowering links and big tank, it's 4 stroke has electric start and why does it need to be bigger than 250???? If so TTR 600
It'll go anywhere

[/QUOTE]
.
Hi Tim,

Perhaps I wasn't quite 100% clear,

It don't think it needs to be bigger than 250cc.

I am trying to say, that I very much think that a 250cc will be more than suitable.

Sorry for any confusion.

That TTR 250 looks ideal, reliable enough?
Can it cruise at around 60 mph?, assuming nice smooth flat tarmac ?

Gra.

 

[vette]

See I got that wrong, i thought you were looking for a swop!

.
Hi Shep,

Swap what, her?

Can't mate, she is all I have.

Gra.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

£1500 will get you a very nice little SRX400 if you can find one. You may have to look around a bit as the 600 was far more common.

Here's my ex's, who wasn't much bigger than your lass. She loved the bike and we toured all over Spain/France/UK with her on it. I loved it too, handled like only a light weight bike can (I dwarfed the little thing a bit though ).

Here's the only piccie I can find of it..................

Andres

 

[Fanum]

What about thinking outside of the box?

A pair of Van van 125s...... (one each, so you ride together...save the bigger bike for two up work)

There are several reports here of them being used for a proper tour, so they're very capable, and a small bike like that would give her a lot of confidence

You don't mention anything about her riding experience.....what did she learn on?

A Honda Freewind (Xf650) could be a good one....nice and small, low seat and links available, tame as a tame thing but motorway capable

(Honda called it an 'urban trail bike' and although a pretty good machine, it never really took off in the UK)

 

[MarkShelley]

I would go for a Yamaha Serrow 225 over a TTR250. I have a TTR250 and it would need one hell of a lot of lowering to suit somebody your wifes height and unless you are doing serious off road stuff the height will not really be an advantage.
Honda do a similar small 250 trail bike, but its name escapes me. Somebody sold one on here a year or two back.

 

[MarkShelley]

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/which-bike/short-girl-needs-bike-advice-35588

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

...............

A Honda Freewind (Xf650) could be a good one....nice and small, low seat and links available, tame as a tame thing but motorway capable
...............

(Honda called it an 'urban trail bike' and although a pretty good machine, it never really took off in the UK)

Which got me to thinking............what about a Varadero 125, physically big for a 125 but not a big bike IYSWIM.

Andres

 

[wideparting]

virago 535 very popular with the ladies.lots of women in our local club use them.

 

[vette]

You don't mention anything about her riding experience.....what did she learn on?

.
Hi Fanum,

Her an I have recently finished a full length ride of Vietnam.
No where in the world, can compare with the bike traffic in Hanoi and in Saigon.

We both had little 110cc Honda's

Gra.

 

[vette]

£1500 will get you a very nice little SRX400 if you can find one. You may have to look around a bit as the 600 was far more common.

Here's my ex's, who wasn't much bigger than your lass. She loved the bike and we toured all over Spain/France/UK with her on it. I loved it too, handled like only a light weight bike can (I dwarfed the little thing a bit though ).

Here's the only piccie I can find of it..................

Andres

.
Hi Andres,

That SRX 400 looks good and low.
How was the weight of it handled by your ex?

Gra.

 

[vette]

Which got me to thinking............what about a Varadero 125, physically big for a 125 but not a big bike IYSWIM.

Andres

.
I just showed her this, and before the words left my mouth she chipped in "yeah, I like this one"

So perhaps the baby Vara' is one step in the lead at the moment.

(Which is ironic actually, as I have a bit of a craving for the big Vara', after selling the Africa Twin.)

I am sure they are not that heavy?
Cruise at 50 to 60 mph?

Gra.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

.
Hi Andres,

That SRX 400 looks good and low.
How was the weight of it handled by your ex?

Gra.

She honestly had no problem with it. It was her first 'big' bike after passing her test on a 125 and she took to it very well. She could get both feet fully flat on the ground. She was quite a 'nervy' person but was confident on the SRX straight away

Andres

 

[cookie]

is the SRX as much of an utter pig to start as the 600?

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

is the SRX as much of an utter pig to start as the 600?

It was faultless for the two years she had it - press the button and off she went

Andres

 

[Neil W]

My neice passed her test had a yamaha xt125 for a couple of years and then got a Honda cbf250, nice size, fast enough and well built

 

[harleyta]

Yamaha Serow 250. Great bike. Nice and low, light weight and brilliant first bike. Goes on road and off and cruises nicely at 60mph. Very economical to run. I bought mine as a little run around and ended up doing a 3,000 mile tour around France, Pyrenees and Spain on it 18 months ago. I camped every night and the little bike carried everything I needed easily. I am also 5'5" and I don't have to worry about where I have to park or how quick I have to stop because I know I can put my foot down easily. I can also walk the bike around and getting in and out of the garage etc. is no problem due to the low weight. Can't recommend it enough really.

I also have one of the newer Triumph Bonnevilles which is also low, but much heavier as its 865cc. The little Serow gets ridden a lot more than the Triumph.

 

[frank1200]

Cb250 great little bike low light and fun to ride