First time street motorcycle for 42 yr. old female?

I am a female, 42 years old, 5.2' tall and had a Yamaha 80 as a teenager and have very little riding experience over the last 20 years. Took the written test and have my permit. What is a good 1st street bike for me? Suzuki GZ250, S40, Honda Rebel, Yamaha XT250? Any suggestions from other beginners that have already purchased a bike?

For someone your size, the most important thing to consider is seat height. You have to be able to balance the bike while stopped in traffic. Best if you can sit and put both feet flat on the ground. With a seat too high, you will only be able to put one foot on the ground. You may be forced to lean the bike to the side and can easily lose your balance and drop the bike. This could also be a problem when you take your motorcycle license road test.

There are lowering kits available for some bikes, but these can cause problems. They change the suspension geometry and can cause handling problems. The reduced ground clearance can cause the bike to drag the pavement in corners, which can cause loss of control. The lower suspension can cause the tire to rub the fender. The kick stand will need to be altered. You can also lower the seat height a little bit by shaving some of the cushion from the seat. However, this can cause comfort issues, especially on longer rides.

Honda Shadow VLX. It has the lowest seat height that I have seen, 25.6". This is a small cruiser. This is a 538 CC liquid cooled V-twin. It should have plenty of power for you. I would go to a dealer and sit on one first and see how well you can put both feet on the ground while stopped. They sell new for $5500. You may be able to find a good used one if this is too much.

The Buell Blast is something a little different. With its optional low profile seat, it has a seat height of 25.5". These sell new for about $4800. The optional low seat is an additional $111 for a total of $4911. This bike has a 492CC single cylinder engine. It also has a belt drive for less maintenance. This is considered a sport bike.

If you want something with a smaller engine, the Honda Rebel has a 234CC parallel twin engine. It has a 26.6" heat height. They go new for about $3200. They have been around a while so you might be able to find a good used one. This is also considered a small cruiser.

The Yamaha Star V-Star 250 might be acceptable with a seat height of 27". This is a cruiser style V-twin. However, this may be pushing the limit for someone with short legs. These sell new for about $3700.

The Suzuki GZ 250 is considered a standard bike. This bike has a 27.8" seat height. It has a 250 CC single cylinder engine. This bike may also be pushing the limits for someone with short legs. These sell for about $3250.

The Honda Night Hawk has the same 234CC parallel twin engine as the Honda Rebel, but has a higher seat at 29.3". This may be too high.

Some people might say the Kawasaki Ninja 250R. However, this bike has a seat height of 30.5". This would be a poor choice for someone with short legs.

Get yourself enrolled in a motorcycle safety course.

Ride Safe - Have Fun

You want to be able to sit on a bike and put both feet flat on the ground. At 5'2", you are what we call 'inseam challenged', and I think this will be a big factor in your choice. Cruiser type bikes (like the Honda Rebel) have lower seats, so you might find this type the best choice.

Any of these bikes are good. The Rebel is very often recommended for beginners, but because of it's cute cruiser styling, used Rebels in good shape go for outrageous amounts of money. Other than that they are a fine bike.

Also consider that a 250 can't go long distances on the freeway. They can do 70 or so, but not all day long. They're fine for anything else, though. If you have a long commute (say, more than 10 miles) or you plan to do touring, you want at least a 500. A 500 is bigger and heavier, but not by that much. Also I favor Honda myself but all the Japanese mfgrs are pretty good.

I would say you don't want to run out and buy a shiny new bike. You're going to be hard on your first bike. You're going to abuse the clutch. You might drop it once or twice before you get the hang of it. If you get a 5 or 10 year old bike, maybe even one with a few scuffs and bruises already on it, you can sell it after six months for about what you paid for it, and by then you'll have a better idea of what you really want.

Good luck! I hope you enjoy biking as much as I do!

Do not limit yourself to small bikes. It helps to have a bike that will accelerate when you need it. Shop for something in 700cc or above. I made that mistake with my first bike. I went for small & economical at first. It took the fun out of riding & no acceleration seemed dangerous. See if you like the Honda 750 shadow. You should have no trouble handling it & it has good power. The Harley Sportsters are good riders for females as well.

First of all congratulations. Riding is the greatest thing ever. I went to Sturgis this year and had a blast.

Ok... the most important part of a bike is the seat. If you are not comfortable, I don't care how pretty, or powerful the bike is... you won't get far before you have to pull over and get off. Start with that.

I have a harley, and I have a bike I can take long distances because that's what I intended to use the bike for... long rides.

If you just want to zip in and out of traffic, price, reliability, and remember... the seat... sit on every bike you intend to buy... I'm serious.

What ever you do, ride like nobody can see you... even if they are looking right at you... and good luck.

If you are looking for something in the 250 range then check out the Yamaha VStar and Kymco Venox.

My daughter commutes 48 miles (round trip) on a 65 mph highway on her 250 VStar. I've ridden it at 70 mph.

If you think you want something that will take you cross country then look at the 500cc Vulcan.

First I highly recommend taking a beginnger's riding course, if there is one available in your area.

I have recently been through the testing in Indiana and they highly suggest the Honda Rebel, which is what I'm looking for now.

Take a look at the Suzuki Burgman 400. The seat height is low. It is fully automatic. It is a pleasure to ride. Call before you go to the Suzuki dealer. They only get a few each year and are usually sold before they have a chance to put them on the showroom floor.

My wife is right at 5 feet. She can flat foot my 750 Shadow Aero, and has even ridden it. (her first bike ride) We are going to buy her a VLX or a Shadow Aero like mine or a V Star 650. Don't mess around buying something to just sell in a few months. IMHO

honda rebel 250 for intown, honda shadow 500 if you plan to do highway riding.

First, find a motorcycle safety foundation sponsored course in your area and take it. It will be co-sponsored by local dealers that provide motorcycles and possibly by some type of local school. You will get some good advice and the chance to ride one or two of the bikes you may be considering.

Next, let me say that everything the other posters have said so far sounds reasonable.

I'm sorry, but I don't have the time or typing skills to give you all the details behind my recommendation, but here is what I will share.

My wife at about 40 decide she wanted to give riding a try. She tried everything in the shop from dirt bikes to sportbikes to Harley cruisers.
She wobbled around in the open areas around my shop on all the bikes and never really felt comfortable or confident on any of them.

This all changed when she sat on a Honda Shadow 600 VLX. The low seat and low center of gravity allowed her to put her feet firmly on the ground. Note that she is a few inches taller than you. The Honda saw her through the initial learning stages and was big enough that she never "outgrew it". She put over 10,000 miles on that bike in less than a year. Other than new tires, all I ever did to it was change the oil & filter every 2500 miles or so. While I spent long summer days in the shop fixing other people bikes, she was out riding the wheels off of her Honda Shadow. When she decided she wanted a newer bike, she bought another Honda 600 VLX Shadow...

I would recommend that you go to the dealer and sit on one, see how it feels to you.

Best of luck to you.