Small bike for my wife
 

My wife and I will arrive in Melbournein August (see my other post).
We've been around the world two up on our 1150GS.
My wife wish to travel with her own bike when we go around Australia.
I'll ride the GS with all our lugguage, so she does not need a bike to carry lugguage. We travel at slow speeds, 80 - 100km/h on good roads, even the long flat boring ones. She hasn't riden herself in about 5 years, so will need to build up the confidence again with a small bike. She is short, about 1.54m, so does not fit on any enduro style bike, not even the lowered F650. She also does not like a Cruiser style bike.
So we are looking to buy something with a low seat hight, light in weight, economical (25km/l or better) that can cruise at 100km/h all day long if we wish to do so.
I was thinking of a Suzuki Bandit 250, or something similar. Not sure how reliable these are? The GS500 is another option.
Any ideas?
Our budget is limited to Aus$2500.

Regards

Johan

It will be hard to find a bike that is that cheap, reliable, short enough and not a cruiser.
I'm 152cm. I'm on a lowered F650GS, can reach the ground, just. My other bike was a cruiser. Some of the 250cc sports bikes like the cbr or ninjas might work, but she'll be high up on her tippy toes.
Maybe a stock Honda CB250. Will be cheap and easy to find. Will need a low seat, even then, will still be on tippy toes.

Good luck finding something. Let me know what you find.

Bonnie

You could pick up an Xt 600 2000 onwards for less than that.
Good power dilivery easy to ride, just chuggs along, light weight.
Can do around 80 mph if needed.
My Mrs swears by her's

Honda CB400 is a great bike for a shorter rider if you are sticking to roads. Handles well, carries it's weight low and has a low seat (755mm). You can see a spec sheet here for the 2008 model, they have been around for a while so you should have a good chance of picking one up second hand.

The CB400 looks good, will it be possible to pick one up for $2500?
I've seen the 250 Bandit on Ebay for about $2500.
She fits nicely on a Yamaha 225 Serrow, but it is a bit too slow for my liking, dont want to ride at 70-80km/h along side with my GS.

XT600 sound good, but might be a bit tall, or can it be lowered easily?

We will be staying on the tarmack roads most of the time, and if we want to go off road, we'll park her bike and go both on the GS.

Johan

I had a CB-1.

Also a Honda 400cc in-line four, and absolutely brilliant. I do regret selling it. Unlike the CB400, it runs the gear-driven cam Babyblade engine. It makes about 45-50BHP, and is good for about 120mph, so motorway cruising is not a problem. Also good economy:55-60mpg.

short woman
 

I ride a HD dyna super glide lowered and customized and I am 5'.

Dynahd, I dont think I'll get a HD for $2500?

She (my wife) sat on a new BMW X-country yesterday and it will be perfect for her, but unfortunately we dont have a job or lots of money so that will have to wait untill such a time?
For now we'll get something cheap or she might just stay on the back seat of the 1150.
Johan

Hopefully you should be able to get some ideas from this site -
Starting Small

Thanks Hustler for that link. I can only agree 100% with that page. I've seen too many biginner bikers killing themselves on fast sportbikes. Those things need to be respected.

My wife had a Suzuki SV650 as her first bike about 7 or 8 years ago. She admits that it was a too big machine to learn riding on and was never comfortable on it, so she is keen to get started again on something more basic.

I'd head along to Elizabeth St in Melb, tonnes of bike shops including a few 2nd hand shops. You'll find something there easily.

I did a brief stint working at A1 in Melb, they have a couple of stores selling 2nd hand bikes but not located in Elizabeth St.

a1 Motorcycles and Scooters - Bikes on Sale

Best is to first ride pillion until your wife has enough experience to keep up with you normal travel speeds. It will place pressure on her to keep up.
Sounds like she has riden in the past, so it should not take long to get back into the swing of things.
I agree with the CB 1 Honda 400cc. Low seat height, fast enough 1 up and reliable. As long as you only want to ride tarmac.

Moto Guzzi Breva 750. My wife has one. Have done only 60000 km's but every one of them have been trouble free. Easily maintained and cheap to buy. Adventure rider Carla King (Carla King Home Page) rode one on one of her journeys and seemed to like it. No definite off roader, but it handles gravel very well.

I did some 'homework' and thinking again, and think that maybe a V-twin is the way to go. We recently met a German guy who travelled around the world with his Yamaha Virago 535. When we saw him the bike has done 160,000ks without any problems. Its low, reliable, afordable, easy to ride and has more than enough power to flow with any trafic.
It seems that small 4 cylinder bikes are not very fuel effecient, giving the same or less consumpsion than my GS (15 - 19km/l)
I know wife does not like the cruiser looks, but I'm sure once she test ride one and feel comfortable on it looks will become less of an issue.

thank you for all your advice, I will keep you posted.

Johan

Hi. We have landed and are now in Melbourne. We have one month before the GS arrives, and will head over to Perth as soon as it comes. That gives us one month to buy a bike and get it ready for the big Round Australia trip.
We've decided to go with a small Trail bike like a XT225, SL230, 200 Bushlander, TW200 or something like that. Been to Elisabeth street in town today and visited the few bike shops there, but they dont have what we're looking for.
Any advice where to look?
I'm keeping an eye on ebay and gumtree too.

johan

Cracking bikes and thats coming from a committed sportsbiker. I'm 5'7" and they feel tiny. Not fast in a straight line but the handling is sweet and the riding position is very relaxed and comfortable.

Actually took a 2003 model in as a part-ex recently and sold it within a week. One elderly owner from new, 1800 miles and mint condition. If I'd had a spare £3k, I'd have took it for myself.

why has no-one recommended an enfield, it's what i'm planning to use, is there something i should know?

We looked at a nice Suzuki DR200 today. Got less than 5000kms on the clock. $2200. Wife fits nicely on it and also like it very much. Just need to find out a few things from the Regestration office, and then might by the DR.
Fuel tank seems to be big enough to do 200kms between fuel stops. Hope this is enough for the Outback.

I'll keep ya posted.

jc

Very nice wee bike.
 

I had a Canadian couple stay with me on their around the Pacific Rim tour (Canada to Chile, then Japan to NZ). They bought a DR200 for her to ride and learn on, when they got to NZ. Up to that point they had been two up on his DR600. After NZ, on two bikes they rode around Aussie including Cape York and then to Asia. His assessment, when they had got back to Canada, was that the DR200 was the better bike for the job, and, if he could get over his ego, he would use the same bike himself next trip.

Cheers bloke,
.

Nigel in NZ

I met two ozzies going rtw on their XT225s (or possibly XT250s) and they had nothing bad to say about the bikes, other than that they're
bit on the slow side on freeways. The little Yamahas are extremely low,
so that would take care of that. And they do not have
the cruiser look either. And my guess would be parts
are widely available.

You may be able to find out more from the Australia forum on adv:
Australia - ADVrider

Is your your wife happy that you and a bunch of complete strangers are deciding what she should be riding?

Just get the impression it's more about fitting in with your criteria than hers.

Yeh, she happy and very exited getting her own bike to ride around Australia. The DR was her choice. If I had to chose for her, it would have been something bigger. We will travel at her pace, should be good for fuel consuption too.
We're picking the bike up the DR next week, so she has a bike to explore the outskirts of Melbourne while I still have to wait another month for my GS to arrive from Chile!

jc

I suppose it's none of my damn business who does what in the world, but you got my drift. So many 'little women' around with us blokes knowing it all. Cheers for not getting out of the pram. :cool4:

Teflon mate, I understand what you're saying. It is easy for us to buy what WE think is right for them. I had to remind myself everytime I looked for a bike on Ebay or the smalls that its a bike for HER, and not me.
You know what I'm saying. . . . .:smartass:
I'll let you know how we're getting on once we're on the road again.
jc

If you guys think about coming down to Tassie you can give me a hoy. :thumbup1:
I am quite happy to give you any info avbout our beautyful island and if you happen to stop in Hobart... we have a nice guest room & garage!

Hope your wife will enjoy riding her own bike. :mchappy: I am actually in the opposite situation trying to get my hubby to ride himself (rather then sitting on the back of mine). :innocent:

enjoy your road trip... I am really envious!!! :clap:

Hi Anna, we will contact you closer to the time, but we do plan to come over to Tassie.
see photo of the DR and Charmaine (my lovely wife). Also note the BIG smile. . . . . .
She's still a bit on her toes, we'll lower the front a bit and with a bag of luggage on the back she'll be able to touch the ground with her feet flat.
Perfect bike for her.
http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._7256118_n.jpg

We'll fabricate an Ally carrier frame on the back to carry a bag or two.

Cheers
Johan

:D Looks like she's pretty happy!