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Interesting turn of events

radar41

Beemerphan
Under the interesting events area.

My daughter has been looking for a motorcycle for some time and just purchased her first bike. This is a young, independent, professional woman, making a NICE yearly income.

I tried to point her in the right direction (BMW of course) but all the models she sat on were too tall and/or didn't "feel" right. Yes, she tried the F800ST.

Final result after a LOT of research . . . . Ninja 650R.

BMWNA are you listening???:usa
 
How tall, or for that matter "untall" is your daughter? I am 5'-6" with a 30" inseam and am comfortable on many BMWs. PLus, more training and miles of riding can overcome "flat-footing" issues. A rider really only needs to flat-foot the left foot to adequately ride a bike.

BMW offers low seat and low suspension options on many bikes. the F650 Singel and twin come with low seat and suspension options. The F800ST with the low seat and low suspension options would likely be right in line with the Kawasaki. Granted, more bucks, but then it is a BMW. If the BMW dealers you talked to did not present or offer these options then shame on them.
 
Be proud of your independent daughter.
Not everyone likes the same flavor of ice cream
or coolaid.
Since you tried to influence her choice, it might
be well to caution you about pressure that will
make her stick to a decision she would otherwise
abandon.
 
Many, many BMW riders started on something other than a BMW. I started on a Sears Moped at age 14. Voni started on a Yamaha RD 250, then graduated to her first of 12 or 13 BMWs.

Give the young lady time.
 
Be proud of your independent daughter.
Not everyone likes the same flavor of ice cream
or coolaid.
Since you tried to influence her choice, it might
be well to caution you about pressure that will
make her stick to a decision she would otherwise
abandon.

Thank you for saying that, and YES, I am VERY proud of her (as any dad would be). In fact my advice was; "if it isn't comfortable sitting on in the show room it WILL not be comfortable after riding for a couple of hours - in this case go with how it feels when you sit on it". She made an honest effort to find a BMW she liked. The decision was hers and I supported it.

Just thought it was interesting with BMW's new focus on younger riders.

Oh . . . . . . she is 5' 8" with a 33" inseam - it wasn't a height issue. :dance

:thumb
 
If she rides it to the Sierras, I know some folks that would share some really fun roads with her ;-)

And we'd even let her Mom and Dad come along !

Enjoy, DJ. It won't be long before she's passing you on Trail Ridge and loving every minute.

Stan
Lake Tahoe
 
Good choice for her! Kawasaki's Ninja 650 R is great motorcycle.

"if it isn't comfortable sitting on in the show room it WILL not be comfortable after riding for a couple of hours - in this case go with how it feels when you sit on it".

Everyone's different. My advice to newer riders shopping for a motorcycle differs a little. I always point out "do not base your choice on how a motorcycle feels just sitting on it". I've seen so many riders rule out EX500's, SV650's, DR 650's, Yamaha 225's, and others, only to choose a cruiser "because it just feels right and I like having both my feet flat on the ground". And on the showroom floor it may feel right. But that upright position and low seat (naturally w/o much suspension) can beat you up at highway speeds. Especially if the road isn't smooth. The motorcycle that (in the showroom) has them leaning a little too far forward, with the bars not high enough, and just able to hold it up with one foot on the ground, may feel perfect when riding.
Of course if there's a good Dad (like you) along to point the obvious pitfalls this is a non-issue. :D
 
Good for her and good for you to encourage her to ride. Hopefully that is something you and her can share, which has to be very special.

Believe me, I am not one to claim that only good bike for anyone is a BMW. The Kawwy 650R is a great bike that i would be proud to own and enjoy myself. As a MSF instructor and part-time BMW dealership sales person I see so many riders SO intent on the "flat-foot" issue that I feel it keeps many of them from making a great bike choice based on what is a minor part of actual riding. I bet it is a main reason for Harley's success, low seat and feet flat on the ground.
 
.... I tried to point her in the right direction (BMW of course) but all the models she sat on were too tall and/or didn't "feel" right. Yes, she tried the F800ST.
Final result after a LOT of research . . . . Ninja 650R.
BMWNA are you listening???

If I had to replace my K75S tomorrow, I would probably make the same choice and I haven't bought a non BMW since the 1970's. The 650R is a much better bike for the money than anything BMW currently sells.

FWIW, anyone thinking to buy an F800 should readup on their long list of quality control problems that read more like something from a Chinese startup brand than the "legendary BMW".
 
If she was my daughter, I would have suggested that she buy a used bike several years old to learn on. You can almost rest assured she is going to drop it as she learns to start and stop. A previously dropped bike doesn't hurt nearly as much as a new one. When she has ridden enough to be proficient, discovers what kind of bike she wants to ride and learns whether motorcycles are for her or not, she can get all or most of her money back to apply to the new bike of her choice.

Ken
 
IMHO a new rider must somehow get a feel for the operating and performance limits of both the motorcycle and rider. Probably most of the older riders discovered these early on with a relatively low-value bike that saw some amount of "upside-down".

Your daughter will find that difficult to do on this bike. I would have recommended any dirt or off-road type, preferably a beater, to get the hang of it, and discover what it feels like to lose traction, to drop it, etc. These kinds of experiences teach so much that can't be conveyed via lecture mode.

This Kaw is a very good bike, but it's performance limits far exceed most rider's street skills. You must insist she take MSF and advanced training classes, please.

Congratulations - good parent.
 
Conversion to BMW

Many, many BMW riders started on something other than a BMW. I started on a Sears Moped at age 14. Voni started on a Yamaha RD 250, then graduated to her first of 12 or 13 BMWs.

Give the young lady time.

Mr. Paul,

Yes, we will give her some time then convert her over!!

She hasn't ridden my R100RS as yet!! No doubt that will do the trick:laugh

She doesn't know it yet, and don't tell ;-) but I'm rebuilding it for her :usa
 
Our daughter "inherited" the Kaw 250R from her younger brother. She likes it for the light weight. But after 3 years and a recent track day....

4556450060_50fdc9c127_b.jpg


....she is now wanting a little more power.

But like the OP's daughter, nothing that BMW offers is of any interest to her either. Maybe in a decade or so.
 
Good choice for her! Kawasaki's Ninja 650 R is great motorcycle.

:thumb

The ninja 650R is one of the bikes we; my "pretty wife" and I are considering as her possible next ride. She has a 2002 Buell Blast that we consider "expendable" and it has served her well during these awkward weeks of early, steep learning curve.:type

A BMW F650, F800S, or Kawasaki KLR 650 may be her next ride, as she is 6ÔÇÖ tall and not at all challenged by seat height. The little ÔÇ£paint shakerÔÇØ (Blast) has been a great choice, so far. We made our longest trip Saturday together, and she returned w/ that grin on her face, saying, ÔÇ£I never knew how much fun this could be!ÔÇØ

It's certainly not the perfect bike for her, but it's a perfect choice for her now!

Len
 
Parking Lot Practice

Hello all,

Since I opened the door about my daughters new ride, thought I would share a photo of our "parking lot practice" EARLY this morning. As a dad it is GREAT to see her practice and improve as I watch. Like a certain add on TV - - priceless!!!

On the other side of that coin - OH ****!!! That's my daughter :clap

Oh, and for you other dad's out there - I rode it to and from the mall parking lot through Tampa traffic. Opinion . . . . what a fun machine :)!!! I want one ;-).
 

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Hey all: The Ninja 650 series is a very nice bike. My oldest son has one, the he has put something like 20 thousand miles on in the last two years, and it's still running perfect. It's getting a bit cramped now that he's married, so they are thinking about a touring bike. Of course, dear old dad is trying to steer him towards a Beemer, but he's taken by the Concourse 1400... Can't really blame him. My wife get's her cycle endorsement this month, maybe I can convince her that we need another "R" to keep the R90 company.. Vaya con Dios, Dutch
 
Somebody mentioned F650/KLR650:)

We have both in the family. Wife rides a '08KLR650 and my Daughter rides a F650ST. Both great bikes. We're mostly on the adventure side, with our dirt orientation of choices. Me,GSA1200:). There is a 4th, DakarF650, my Son in Law rides. The above Daughter's hubby. All these bikes have done long tours, year in year out:). Randy:clap
 
There is a Brit up here that is riding a Honda Rebel 250 with Givi bags. He left Chile on the bike over a year ago and has over 40,000 miles on it. He's about 6'4" to boot. Shows that it is about the rider and the trip, not the bike.
 
Radar41, Congrats on having another rider in the family, that is very cool!

The whole seat height issue is an interesting one and I think it speaks to a bunch of the funny dynamics in the motorbike market these days. Clearly women are the new market focus of a lot of brands, and even BMW has made a lot of changes to accommodate this of late. I recently sat on a 1200GS and was shocked at how low the seat was (of course I was still a bit too much on the toes for my own taste, I'm a flat footer, but it was definitely rideable), and many of the newer models have lower seat options.

For my own part i really hope that even more than lower seats this market trend points makers into smaller engines. The US obsession with 1200, 1300, 1700cc engines is ridiculous... whatever happened to the 500cc street bikes that were nimble and good for errands in town, weekend fun and real life riding? And if you want smaller engines you're looking at a very small selection (exclusing dirt bikes, of course).

OK, enough rant... mostly just happy to know someone is enjoying their new bike and taking the time to get some good practice in too!
 
There's a Kaw 636 with a for sale sign sitting in our front yard.... very fun bike btw
 
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