bmw_girl
Club President
I know several women with several different riding styles. I have a friend that is 5'2" and put 21K miles on her R1200GS before she ever lowered!! She could barely tip toe the thing but loved it. She lowered it and rode it in the 2009 Iron Butt rally, placing 20th. I have another friend that rode a R1200RS for years and recently switched to a F650GS and LOVES this bike. I am about the same size as your SO and I learned to ride on a K75S 5 years ago and now put 20K+ miles a year on my K1300GT. I love riding and everyone has different styles. For the first 2 bikes - I was "Told" this is the bike for you and I bought it. I really didn't have any problems, one of those things that you don't know what you're missing until you try it kind of thing. When I was rear ended on the R1200ST, I had to buy a new bike and then I was all on my own. No one to tell me which bike to buy. SEVERAL people told me because of my height and my LD riding, I should get the R1200GS; SEVERAL people told me that the GT was way too heavy and powerful for me. Soooo, I spent the day with my local dealer, Mortons BMW in Fredericksburg, and he picked out 4 bikes for me to test ride. I had thoughts about each bike and we discussed them together; but when I rode the GT, I just KNEW!!! I fell in love and we've been together for nearly 18 months and he's got 30K miles on him.
There's a lot of advice out there - Should be able to flat foot the bike, should be able to handle the power, should be able to ride fast, blah blah blah - I don't believe in any of it, I just believe that when you sit and ride the bike, you CONNECT with your machine. If you force a bike on yourself, it will never feel quite right and eventually, you'll hate riding.
I think SHE should RIDE several bikes and SHE should make her own decision. Coaching her and helping her talk through what she's feeling and how you can help is great, just don't push your own opinions on her.
That's my loooooooong .02!
GOOD LUCK!!!
There's a lot of advice out there - Should be able to flat foot the bike, should be able to handle the power, should be able to ride fast, blah blah blah - I don't believe in any of it, I just believe that when you sit and ride the bike, you CONNECT with your machine. If you force a bike on yourself, it will never feel quite right and eventually, you'll hate riding.
I think SHE should RIDE several bikes and SHE should make her own decision. Coaching her and helping her talk through what she's feeling and how you can help is great, just don't push your own opinions on her.
That's my loooooooong .02!
GOOD LUCK!!!