What first "big" bike would you buy for your girlfriend?

My Girlfriend has ridden for a year now every day on her CG125. In october she tuns 24 and will do her DAS. She cannot wait to get a bigger bike, and I am going to buy her a bike for her birthday as a surprise.

I have watched her for the last year learning really fast on her 125, and I would really like to get her something light and nimble so she continues to learn really fast. I moved from a 250 to my SV and I really think it took over a year to adjust to the size and power of the bike before I started getting really confident with it. And I only rode a 125 for my lessons and test.

It would really be just for the winter/spring as she has her eyes set on a Monster 600 in the not too distant future. So I'm really looking to get her a good 'stepping stone'. But at the same time I know a bit about SVs now, I have a shed full of spare parts, and a nice curvy can be found in my budget. Budget is around but ideally less than £1000. She is a strong athletic girl, with very good road sense so far so i think she could deal with it.

What are your thoughts? I will consider any bike but enduro/supermoto bikes might not be ideal due to seat height.

Here are some I have considered:

• IL4 400 SS, in particular CBR400 NC29 but they are a bit long in the tooth and the ones in budget look ropey
• Blandit 600 Bottom of the list, its just its cheap.
• Blandit 400 Benefit, its smaller and lighter i guess but parts harder to find maybe as i think they are all grey imports
• A Curvy. It could make sense as I have a stack of spare parts including upgraded forks, freshly rebuilt front calipers with new pads and engine parts in the shed.
• A GS500/CB500 but I have never really liked them(or ridden them), and I would like get her a slightly 'cooler' bike if I can.

Oooh this is nice

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1991-Honda...item4ac612dbd9

[Bibio]

well its an SV forum so i would suggest the SV.

as long as your other half is confident on it that's all that matters, the SV is narrow, light and has a fair bit of torque. the only thing she might not like is the 'snatchy' throttle but this will teach her better throttle control in the long run.

better that she can flat foot first to get used to bigger bikes and the difference in the weight so a lower seat hight might be better rather than a moto.

bikes only go as fast as their riders let them.

good luck

[Pete7]

Rather than the Monster M600 how about a naked Curvy. E bay classified prices seem a little high at the moment because its the middle of the summer but buying in October would be different.

Buy the bike she wants though.

This could be cheap:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUZUKI-SV6...item43bd70d586

[squirrel_hunter]

I would recommend the CBR400 either the NC29 or the NC23. You can find them in that price range, yes there may be a few that have some dodgy paint work on them but they are very reliable and capable bikes. Find one with good tyres and a chain and preferably with a replaced exhaust system as the originals do rot through. Then do a brake refresh and fork oil refresh, then set the rear suspension up. Fresh engine oil and coolant, plus plugs and air filter should see you with a very good bike at the end of a days work.

It is a very different bike to ride from a 125, but its the right move. I think going to a 600 and above is a little to much to move into at that step. The CBR has great brakes and good handling. They are also low and light sporty but not an all out sports bike. Ride that around for a bit then when she is ready move to the 600+.

That's basically what I did, but with a couple of restrictions and derestriction's over the years.

Originally Posted by squirrel_hunter

I would recommend the CBR400 either the NC29 or the NC23. You can find them in that price range, yes there may be a few that have some dodgy paint work on them but they are very reliable and capable bikes. Find one with good tyres and a chain and preferably with a replaced exhaust system as the originals do rot through. Then do a brake refresh and fork oil refresh, then set the rear suspension up. Fresh engine oil and coolant, plus plugs and air filter should see you with a very good bike at the end of a days work.

It is a very different bike to ride from a 125, but its the right move. I think going to a 600 and above is a little to much to move into at that step. The CBR has great brakes and good handling. They are also low and light sporty but not an all out sports bike. Ride that around for a bit then when she is ready move to the 600+.

That's basically what I did, but with a couple of restrictions and derestriction's over the years.

When I decided to buy her a bike, within a couple of days it was settled, it would be a CBR400. But then i got to looking at other options and got more and more unsure on what to get.

I think the CBR400 is the best bike if I can find a good one. She wants something sporty and this is the only one so far that ticks all boxes. I was just put off by the age of them.... It needs to be reliable, she will use it all winter every day to go to work. We don't own a car.

Originally Posted by Pete7

Rather than the Monster M600 how about a naked Curvy. E bay classified prices seem a little high at the moment because its the middle of the summer but buying in October would be different.

Buy the bike she wants though.

This could be cheap:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUZUKI-SV6...item43bd70d586

I saw that the other day and thought if that stays cheap it would make a killing if you break it with all the N parts.

Unfortunately she seems to be in the Monster club and not the SV family, but she has never ridden either so that may change her mind. She has ridden a Gladius for Mod 1 training and thoroughly enjoyed it.

And if she did get an SV well the next step would probably be a bigger/better monster.

Originally Posted by Bibio

well its an SV forum so i would suggest the SV.

as long as your other half is confident on it that's all that matters, the SV is narrow, light and has a fair bit of torque. the only thing she might not like is the 'snatchy' throttle but this will teach her better throttle control in the long run.

better that she can flat foot first to get used to bigger bikes and the difference in the weight so a lower seat hight might be better rather than a moto.

bikes only go as fast as their riders let them.

good luck

I don't think its a bad choice, I'm just not sure its the best one.

The Jap 400's are cracking bikes, obviously you know I had an nc25, ridden the CBR400 and RVF400. They're really light and quite quick for what they are. But not too quick or too much power for a learner.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Serdna

Unfortunately she seems to be in the Monster club and not the SV family, but she has never ridden either so that may change her mind. She has ridden a Gladius for Mod 1 training and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Ok, then buy her a Monster M600. They only produce 53hp so hardly earth shattering, but it's her bike not yours so do buy what she fancies, girls are fickle like that they want to have a say in things not be ruled. That Emily Pankhurst has a lot to answer for.

Pete