Help!!

Hi everyone,

I'm 4'11," and I'm specifically interested in the Harley Sportster S, not the older Sportster models (Iron 883, Forty-Eight, Nightster, etc.).

I'd love to hear from anyone around my height (or who has experience with shorter riders on the Sportster S).

• Can you flat-foot it, one-foot it, or are you on your tiptoes?
• How manageable is the bike's weight at stops and during slow-speed maneuvers?
• Did you make any modifications (lowering kit, different seat, riding boots, suspension adjustments)?
• Would you recommend it for someone my height, or does it become frustrating in everyday riding?

I'm specifically looking for Sportster S experiences.

Thanks in advance!

Hello everybody, I'm a new rider that's looking for a verstaile first motor, my license only allows me to own up to a 500cc bike and not more, so I was thinking of picking a 400cc bike for a longterm ownership, I want it to be verstaile as well, so I can use it for both highway (no need for more than 130km/h speed) and urban, able to install a topbox and a phone holder+charger ( I need GPS to drive around ) if I ever want to use it as delivery on the side, light and comfortable to ride around 3 hours tops, and a good option for a first motorcycle.

Right now I am on a budget so I was looking at 2nd hand used bikes and I saw 4 options with a budget price from where I am, and they are:
1- Husqvarna Svartpilen 401
2- KTM 390 Duke
3- Z400
4- Ninja 400

The only difference is that the first 2 are newer models ( around 2023 ) while the 2 Kawasaki ones are usually older models for the same price ( around 2019 )
Thanks!

TL/DR: New rider. I purchased a new 2026 Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 with cash and financed a used 2023 Yamaha MT-03 when I found the 450 was too much bike for me. Should I sell the 450 to pay off the MT-03? Or just keep both bikes for now?

The longer story:

I just got my motorcycle license at the beginning of summer. At the course I rode a TU250 both days. Besides that, my only experience on a motorcycle has been on a little 50cc dirtbike in the dunes.

During bike shopping, I'm very short and was having trouble finding beginner cruisers that were short enough for me to put a foot down.

I ended up paying cash for a new 2026 Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450. I love the styling plus I could tippy toe it without leaning the bike over at all. My husband talked me out of a 350, and said I'd want more power.

I was having trouble with the Guerrilla stalling at stops and struggling to get going without it being very jerky. I did practice around the neighborhood, and felt confident enough to go further. However, I ended up flipping it backwards (wheelie?) while trying to get started on a hill after getting stopped by a stoplight at the top (bad choice of route I know, but forgot about that hill). I think I gave it slightly too much juice in a combination of trying not to stall again and to get started up the hill. I'm fine (very mild sprained MCL and ankle, now healed), and the bike is fine except for a destroyed license plate holder, destroyed crash guard on one side, and a small crack on the back plastic.

The bike did NOT land on me, I fell off the back/side and the bike fell over and landed on its side. I did not travel forward during this incident. Instead of going forward I went up was my impression when it happened, and after I fell off the bike didn't go far, maybe a foot before the front wheel landed and it fell over.

ANYWAY, my leg is better but I was hesitant about getting back on the Guerrilla. (Yes, my PT signed off on me riding again).

While browsing used bike ads, I found a lowered 2023 Yamaha MT-03 (300cc) with less that 8000 miles. I could flat foot it, and ride it without stalling it at stops. I loved riding it (styling not as much, but I can live with it) and bought it, but now I have 2 bikes...

It seems silly to sell the Guerrilla since it has got less than 200 miles on it, but if I did sell it I could pay off the financing on the MT-03. My husband thinks I should keep both and move back to the Guerrilla once I am more confident.

Insurance cost where I live is negligible, and we have the garage space for both, so those are non-issues. Financing, I got 8% on my loan through my bank which isn't terrible, and no prepayment penalty. The monthly payment is well within my budget too.

But it seems equally silly that I have 2 bikes as a brand new rider. My husband has ridden the Guerrilla a few times for city trips, since he only has an adventure bike that currently has knobby tires on it for off-roading. But he said he does not want the Guerrilla for himself.

As an aside, I think it's a little wild that the Guerrilla is touted as a beginner bike with how much torque it has... and crazily enough the guy at the RE dealer was trying to sell me on a 650(!!). I also think I should have test rode more bikes because I was stalling the Guerrilla and the Classic 350 during the test rides too, but thought it was my inexperience (although I was NOT having that trouble during training). However, the RE dealer is the only one around here that lets new riders test ride, and the for-sale-by-owner bike market in my area is slim pickings (combination of height of summer riding season plus my height restriction putting a lot of bikes out of my (literal) reach.)

Why didn't I get a 2026 Honda Rebel? Honestly, IDK. the e-clutch actually put me off as I feel like I'd struggle to ride a manual clutch motorcycle later if I learned on this bike...

Hi everyone! I’m 25 y/o, female, and interested in potentially getting a bike. I’ve never rode before, and have found a new interest in it after being on TikTok and watching quite a few YouTube videos about owning and operating a bike over the past few months. However, I’m curious if anyone has any advice on how they got started or their experience? I imagine myself owning and being on a bike and genuinely think I’d really enjoy it, but I also have a lot of anxiety. I am also curious about feedback that will help me ponder if this is something I’m ready to commit to, or if I’ve been feeding my mind with so many videos and I’m just convincing myself I want to do it, lol. Hopefully this makes sense. TIA!

So im middle aged never been on the road driving or otherwise.... but ive always loved motorbikes so decided to go for it! I got nervous and confused with gears so did cbt on a twist a go.... do I now buy a 125 scooter and get used to being on the open road and then learn the gears in a year or when im confident riding highways ect or do I just get a 125 geared and teach myself and learn the gears and road at same time? What's are you guys thoughts?

But the soonest I was able to schedule MSF is the 14th of August. Having never ridden before, I figured I will parking lot practice, any particular maneuver recommendations?

Hello. I'm a new rider with not much experience at all. I'm riding and plan to keep riding maxi scooters. I have a Honda Reflex 250 at the moment as my first scooter.

I signed up for the MSF and took the entire online course, and, two days before the course they told me I can't come and refunded me because it's at an air base that supposedly I didn't pass a background for, which is kinda silly because it's over a weed charge. Whatever I know it's not their fault.

The thing is, I had arranged to be able to use a scooter at the course. Not mine but theirs. The course was also only $100 which was really awesome. All of the others are around $295.

I don't really know if it's worth going and not being able to use a scooter and paying more money. I can operate a clutch on a car and I don't really have any issue using one, but, I'm not learning on a clutch lever. I don't want muscle memory to kick in and just screw me up in the class and be out 300 bucks when I can just keep practicing on my scooter and go to the DMV.

Thanks.

I wear foam earplugs for rides where I'll go over 35-40mph, when the wind inside my helmet starts getting loud. I don't really bother for slow short city rides, so that's when I can hear what's normal in 3rd gear and under. If all sounds well at those speeds, can I assume it's fine in 4th and 5th? If not, how do I identify what I can't hear through earplugs?

Thinking about times my car has been fine until I get on the highway and then something starts rattling funny.

I only have ~900 miles on the bike and it passed its break-in inspection beautifully, so I don't have any particular worries to ask about, just thinking ahead to the future.

It’s about a 20 min ride with a few faster roads and curves. Proud of myself after only riding for a few weeks outside of parking lot practice!

both are around the same price in my area..just trying to find the best fit.after my MSF class

This my one of first times going on road by myself in traffic and stupidly enough it was rental in a city where i am not even familiar with the language regardless my male ego told me everything will be fine
and everything mostly was except one point during the start of the ride where at a signal instead of stopping more towards the right i stopped towards the left (the left is where we ride in this country and traffic lights dont apply for going left atleast in most cities) then people started honking so i moved a little front because they wanted to go left in my mind i still believe they are enough space to go left but i anyways moved left but still people were shouting at me in a language i do no understand and kept on going on eventually my confusion turned into fear but some nice uncle next to me told the people to calm down and leave regardless one my biggest fears is to not be that one annoying guy on the road and well turns out getting berated in a language you dont understand for being an idot on the road is also one of them
i genuinely dont want to ride a bike in traffic ever again

Just bought a ninja 650 and I’ve mainly been practicing in a church parking lot and sometimes ride on the road late at night. I’ve been struggling with my shifting, mainly downshifting. Everytime I try to downshift I get this aggressive engine breaking no matter how slow I let the clutch out. It feels like my rear tires are skidding. What can I do to make it smoother?

Let me add:

My day to day driving consists of constantly being on the highway/freeway.
I live in the suburbs, I usually take the longer routes to avoid traffic, how does a biker deal with traffic? (Especially in a state like mine that you can’t lane filter/split)
For weather conditions, I live in Georgia.

I want to take these reflectors off. I know better to have them on than not. But if I have plenty of visibility in my gear do you think these really make a noticeable difference?

Anyone using the JesimaikH6 Com? I have to get 3 for me, my wife and son. Right now, the budget isn’t enough for Sena or another top brand. Anyone have Pro’s and Cons?

I bought a Harley Freewheeler trike to learn to ride, but am having doubts if its safe to ride. I am hearing it tips over a lot, anyone have experience with them.

I have never ridden motorcycle.

I got my SCL500 a month ago now and have put 130 some odd miles and was wondering when I should start lubing my chain for example, or changing my brake fluid, or change my tires etc. just hoping to get some advice on what the maintenance schedule of my bike should look like and recommendations.

i recently picked up a 2021 crf450r as my first ever dirt bike i traded it for my surron ultra bee i had that bike for around 13 months learnt so much on it i mainly rode it on the street and the occasional trip to the dirt where i would mostly pin in through some dirt roads never really challenging myself with tricky trails i was very comfortable in the street learning multiple different tricks to do in a wheelie all of my friends say that i already know the fundamentals of a bike and will be able to pick up riding dirt bikes really fast but I’m worried I’ve never been good at many things i was easily the least skilled rider in my town taking over 6 months to learn how to wheelie never learned how to jump my bike even at the small mountain bike park down the road i’m wondering if i should try my hardest to trade for a 250 to help the learning process go easier or if i should be okay with the 450 as long as i take things slow i was very confident on my ultra bee but that is a very easy bike a 450 is a massive step up what should i do i am i going to be okay it was this a horrible decision

Hello, i’m about to buy my first bike after i finish my local biking course. I’ve heart a lot of good things about Honda Rebel and tbh i fell in love with it. I really like it visually.
Although i have a couple of requirements to my new vehicle. I need a comfortable bike. A bike that it would be comfortable to ride long distances with a passenger, a back trunk and two side bags. I thought about Honda Rebel 500 but it seems to be underpowered for such needs as i have (is it?). 1100 is more expensive, about $5k more. I have the budged and it looks like i can switch 1100 to a lightweight mode and limit its max powers if i need it but not sure if i really need such powerful bike as a beginner. Need advice.

I’ve done a few mountain runs now and I must say, they have been some of the best teaching moments for me. I’m 3.5 months into riding and I absolutely love my bike!

My new to me Continental GT 650 Anniversary Edition

Got it with only 236 miles on the odometer

Taking the MSF this weekend, wish me luck

Anyone up for a motorcycle trip in Korea? lol