what bike to get the my girlfriend

[trucktramp]

Ok, I have just about got my girlfriend to think about getting a dirt bike and not a quad( I told her that quads are for people that can't balance a bike). She has been riding street bikes for several years and doesn't like the high seat position that off road bikes have(she has a short inseam). So I am looking for any advice on what would be a good bike for her to start out on in that she does know how to ride but only on the street. She really has no preference of makes so any color is cool with her.

 

[Green Horn]

What type of terrain will she ride?? Trails? MX? How tall is she? Most women like either the CRF lineup or the TTR's for trails. If it's for MX then she might want an 80-100cc MX bike.

 

[scott brown]

i got my 18yr old daughter a yamaha 125l. it is light weight and easy to ride. nice trail bike, it has plenty of torgue. i got my son a honda cr230. it also very easie to ride, smooth power. it is bigger and alittle bit heavier. both are really good starter bikes. the honda has electric start as well as the newer 125l's.

 

[beer_stud_76]

trucktramp -

we need to know a few things like age, height, weight and intended useage. since your GF is not a begginer in the strict sense of the word, i'd look at getting a full sized bike and having it lowered. most bikes that fit shorter people are begginer bikes and under-powered for a rider who knows what he/she is doing.

a good suspension tuner can cut a good inch and a half (maybe 2") and shaving seat foam can get another inch or so. this way a full sized bike with real power can be 32"-34" high.

if thats not an appealing option, look at some of the mini MXers cr/kx/yz 85 or KX100. shorter, lighter adults can rip on a mini.


jeremiah

 

[trucktramp]

Ok here's some additional info. She is about 5'6'' with an inseam of about 29''. As far as her weight she won't say but like me she has added weight as she has gotten older...I would guess somewhere around 160 maybe more, maybe less. I'm not great at guessing women's weight as it tends to be hazardous to my health. She would trail ride at a slow to moderate rate of speed. She says that she doesn't care to haul a## through the woods so I would guess that a cr500 would be out of the question. Thanks for all the great advice.

 

[beer_stud_76]

trucktramp -

5'6" is on the short side of average. and most adult bikes are sprung for 140-160lb riders, so suspension set up should be a problem.

the awkwardness of the tall feeling on a dirt bike is understandable, however, to a certain extent if you GF wants to ride off road she is going to have to make her peace with a taller saddle.

i'm going to reccomend a CRF230. they aren't the lightest bike in the world, it will feel feather-lite coming of a street bike. also, with the e-start, solid, flat-footed contact with the ground isn't all that crucial. i don't know if honda makes a back up kick-starter option for this, but if they do, get it.

if you have a dealer anywhere near by, go look at a gas gas. my GF is 5'4" and fits nicely on some of their bikes.

good luck


jeremiah

 

[beer_stud_76]

*that is to say, suspension set up shouldn't be a problem, AND at 5'6" many bikes will fit or come close

 

[Michelle]

Jeremiah, 5'6" is NOT the short side of average for a female. A lot of us are around the 5-5'3" mark, with some shorter & some taller.

At 5'6", I wouldn't recommend the TTR125L, as I think it'd be too small. It would be a good size for someone around my height 5'3" (I started on a YZ80 big wheel, which is about the same size). KDX lowered would also be good, or GG Pampera (the EC200 would be easy to lower, too). Cutting seat foam out or longer dogbones are options other than professionally lowered.

DRZ250, KLX250 (especially with e-start), DT230. You'll have to get her to check out sizes and make sure she can lift & start it after dropping it.
Good luck.

 

[Green Horn]

Sorry but I am going to disagree with Michelle. :) I think the TTR 125 would be an excellent choice as a first bike. trucktramp stated that she wasn't needing to haul through the woods so I get the impression that she'll just enjoy lumbering around the easier trails just having a good time. If that truly is the case then why not go for a small light weight bike. I have ridden a 4 stroke 125 and while it was too slow for me it still had plenty of power to haul my 200 lb ass around. While at the same time it was NOT intimidating to ride it since there was no "hit" of pwer what so ever. I wished I had kept my little 125 for my wife since if she ever rode, she would most likely just enjoy 1st/ 2nd gear cruising on some wider trails. :)

BTW, My other post I specifically asked how tall she was ONLY since it's the proper thing to do. :thumb:

 

[OnAnySunday]

Well, i gotta agree -w- Michelle.
Why?
Well, if she rides street already its obvious that she's got the basics down pat already.
So the need for a smaller ("safer") machine is unwarranted.
I would think the CRF230 or even a lowered XR250r would be right in the ballpark.
One more thing.
What does she ride on the street?
If it's 400cc's or bigger, she might consider even a 230/250 to be "whimpy".
Of course being as she is new to dirt she can always step up to that CR500 after getting her feet wet. :p :thumb:

 

[bbbom]

Originally posted by OnAnySunday

Of course being as she is new to dirt she can always step up to that CR500 after getting her feet wet. :p :thumb:

Actually, with a CR500 you can avoid getting your feet wet! :)

 

[nikki]

I second a TTR125L. Nice woods/starter bike with smooth four-stroke beginner friendly power. Seat height is around 31-32 inches and the bike weighs 170-180 lbs. Also they are relatively inexpensive and require little maintenance. Plus it would make a great pit bike for you ;)

 

[beer_stud_76]

michelle -

i didn't say short side of average "for a woman." 5'6" IS on the short side of average for ALL riders.

that being said, manufacturers make bikes for "average" sized riders, not "taller than average women."

regardless, at 5'6" most bikes will fit, even if a bit on the tall side,


jeremiah

 

[trucktramp]

This is what I like about these open forums. They give me things to think about that would have never crossed my mind. I had originally thought about a ttr225 but then I thought about a 200exc. We were in a bike shop this weekend to pick up some oil and she went to the new street bikes then to the utility quads, so I don't know if she is convinced that 2 wheels is the way to go off road yet. I guess we will keep looking and trying them out.

 

[WaltCMoto]

What bike would u like as a second or back up bike? Lets say she rides it once a month or so, would you use it as the other bike you always wanted?

 

[Michelle]

Trucktramp: if you want your g/f to ride, don't buy a TTR225. Just about everyone that's had one (this is guys as well as gals) has commented what a pig of a bike it is, due to weight & whatever else. I can't recall reading a good thing about the bike.

A friend of mine rode a four-wheeler for a number of years before being forced onto two wheels. She keeps wishing she was still allowed "training wheels" & I keep pointing out to her that she'd hate it due to the type of trails we cut & ride ;) One bike she did enjoy riding was a KLX250 with lazy leg. When asked why, she said "it had a low seat height & lazy leg". She rides a GG200, YZ250 & RM250 (depending on what bikes her husband & son are riding). The GG she finds too tall (she's a bit shorter than me, so around 5'2"), the RM (it's old) we won't comment about & the YZ she doesn't like the power delivery of.

What was the point of this post? I dunno, if you figure it out, let me know ;)
But maybe think about what sort of riding you do. Riding trainer wheels is better than not riding two wheels ;)

 

[beer_stud_76]

trucktramp -

whatever else you do for the rest of your life, do not get a TTR225! the 225 is a strong contender for "biggest piece of $h!t on 2 wheels."


jeremiah

 

[nephron]

lol, beer stud

trucktramp---if it makes any difference, I bought a TTR125LE for my wife, who's about 5'9" and a buck twenty-five. Most here thought it would be small--particularly because she has long legs. She sat on a 230f, but thought it was too heavy. I was reluctant to buy her this small of a bike, but she loves it. Very light. E-start. And very fun for me as well--my son and daughter and I ride it every night...all at the same time...lol, don't laugh.

Sophie (1 y/o) calls it a 'GO-GO' and cries if we don't ride it EVERY night...what a blast. Put her in the hugger, on front of me, facing forward, Quintin in front of her--on the tank, and go. The neighbors probably think I'm a moron--go figure. They would rather play golf.... :silly:

Bottom line--GREAT bike for all. No regrets.

 

[trucktramp]

Ok it looks like the ttr225 is not a great idea. The KLX sounds like something she may like due to the low seat. She rides a Honda Shadow on the street and likes the fact that she can touch with both feet. As far as a second bike, I don't know what I would like better than my 300exc. So far it seems to be a good do all bike...but a 450exc may do the trick but it has a tall seat. Maybe I need to consider something that my kid (22yrs) would ride if she wasn't riding. Unfortunately, he also likes training wheels. I guess the quest continues. By the way what exactly is a "lazy leg"? Many people would say that I have 2 of them.

 

[KelvinKDX]

Originally posted by trucktramp
... it looks like the ttr225 is not a great idea. 

Go out and ride one and you'll see what we're all talking about.  Probably has less power to weight than the ttr125L (mainly since the 225 weighs so much). :flame:

 

[Michelle]

Lazy leg = electric start ;)
Good luck in your hunt :)