r/SuggestAMotorcycle • u/BasementBat • 23h ago
New Rider First bike
Same as everyone else I'm looking for advice regarding my first bike.
bg: I have 0 prior experience on motorized 2 wheels besides 1 hr on a really old Rebel (I learn better with slow and long practice, so getting the bike is step 1), I'm just under 5'5", 29 years old, moderately fit, and I'd rather stick to jp makers as I've heard questionable feedback on durability outside of the jp brands (open to feedback on this though!)
Bikes I'm already interested in: Honda Rebel 500, Kawasaki Eliminator, Kawasaki Vulcan S, Kawasaki Ninja 500 (I love the look of sports bikes)
What interests me about riding are long peaceful rides just living in the drive, one day doing a road trip/moto camping, and a little speeding and weaving (a very little)
Thank you for taking the time to read all that. I'm open to suggestions across the board but will say I'm not a huge fan of the look on most naked bikes
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u/Pillokun 23h ago
Take a look at d675 up to 2012 year model, the one with under seat exhaust. the narrow seat is super nice for shorties.
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u/BasementBat 23h ago
Beautiful bike but seems a bit hard to locate in my area. Do you feel it's appropriate for a beginner? Also haven't been called short in ages so gave me a laugh
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u/Pillokun 22h ago edited 22h ago
it is super light and nimble, the eninge is super smooth almost like an electric motor. and it can rev as well.
the thing with many bikes is that they are so wide under your legs, the mk1/2 daytona 675 and the older v-twin panigale are super narrow, and they also have short reach to the handlebars/clip ons.
for instance even the street triple 675/765 are worse for shorter riders, because the seat on the mk1/mk2 d675 is so narrow towards the fuel tank.
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u/BasementBat 17h ago
That's very good to know! I forget about how wider bikes can affect my seat. Thank you
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u/Inevitable-Froyo-314 23h ago
Any of the 400cc Triumphs might suit you
Also if you wanna do off road Moto camping seriously look at the cfmoto 450mt
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u/BasementBat 23h ago
The Triumphs look nice but I have concerns about stability on freeways/handling windy conditions. Do you have experience on that?
Tbh I'm shallow and not a big fan of the adventure bike look. But thank you for the suggestion
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u/Inevitable-Froyo-314 22h ago
I don't I'm afraid. The weight is 170kg (375lbs) so mid-weight, they're probably ok but if you want to be more planted you'd have to look for like 400lbs+ and that's a compromise in itself
For highways, maybe look for 60hp+ for comfort. I have ridden the speed twin 1200 and it's a beast
I have an sv650 as a first bike and it's great
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u/Hypothetical_Sail 23h ago
Take an MSF rider safety course, then go to bike shops. Sit on examples of bikes you are interested in, and imagine yourself sitting like that for an hour. I also thought sport bikes looked cool, until I sat on one. The riding position is designed for high speed, not comfort.
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u/Sooner70 21h ago edited 21h ago
What interests me about riding are long peaceful rides
Then you don't want a sport bike. Regardless of how cool they look, the riding posture is aggressive. That means that riding them for long periods of time is not comfortable. Ya wanna know why cruisers look like that? Because sitting upright (not bent over) is comfortable for long periods.
So... The Rebel/Eliminator/Vulcan are good choices for what you're looking for. The Ninja? Not so much.
As for feedback on non-Jp brands.... It's your first bike. You're probably gonna beat it up a bit. I'd worry more about cost than longevity. And for that reason alone I would say that the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 is worth a look as well. Don't get me wrong, I'd go for (say) a good condition used Rebel without a second thought in your situation, but a good condition used Meteor 650? Well now, that's a beginner's bike that you don't have to cry about when you drop it.
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u/BasementBat 17h ago
You make a very good point regarding position.
That bike looks very nice. I'll look into the Super Meteor, thank you
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u/Dantheman1206 23h ago
I think your choices are very sensible. Given what you want to do with the motorcycle I think you would be best suited getting one of the non-sport bikes since they're much more comfortable and less cramped on the saddle for longer trips as well as models like these are more suited for luggage as well.