For sassy
classy women
motorcyclists
. . . men welcome


Site Map   About   Ask VTM   Message Board   Ride Map   VTM Products   Info Opps

Get Started  Bike Type   Ride Technique   Ride Gear   Bike Fix   Let's Ride  Directories

 

J&P Cycles
Free HD and Metric 
parts catalogs!

 


I love this company!

 

 

 

 




Answers to your personal riding-related questions
VTwin Mama is here to provide a forum for insight!


Reflection
Follow your heart, but be quiet for a while first. Ask questions, then feel the answer. Learn to trust your heart. – Unknown


Photo Gallery and Motorcycle Reviews

          


Top 8 Things to DO at VTwin Mama


  
If you're looking to participate with the VTwin Mama site, 

   this list will show you what we've got going on!
   


Monday, December 5

Dear VTwin Mama,
This isn't a question but a comment ... I LOVE this site. I am new to riding street bikes and even though I am a guy and this site is primarily for women, it has been a HUGE resource for me. I also have shared this site with several of my friends, mostly women who ride, and they have loved it too. One of my 2 best friends in the whole world, and the one who is mostly responsible for me riding, is my friend Annette. She rides a Road Queen (rebadged Road King) and she is my idol and mentor. Anyway, thank you for this site.
Scott N.

Dear Scott,
Thank you for letting me know that you're enjoying your visits to the VTM site ... and getting questions answered. Yahoo! I'm wishing you the very best in your adventure in riding and greetings to your friends (with an added thanks to Annette for being a mentor ... we wish every new rider had a good one). Yes, the site is geared for women (whose voices can be reduced to whispers in the overall motorcycle riding population), but I'm glad that years ago it was brought to my attention that there are men who visit and benefit from the knowledge and support that is provided here as well. Here's to the diversity of folks that ride and the freedom of the road that we all experience!
– Mama

International Motorcycle Show Schedule

 

Long Beach, CA Dec 9-11
Seattle, WA Dec 16-18
Novi, MI Jan 6-8
Washington D.C. Jan 13-15
New York, NY Jan 20-22
Cleveland, OH Jan 27-29
Minneapolis, MN Feb 3-5
Chicago Feb 10-12
Charlotte, NC Feb 24-26
Daytona, FL Mar 14-17

 

Monday, November 14

Dear VTwin Mama,
My name is Toya. I am a 6'1" female weighing 215 lbs and am a new rider. I want to take a riders course to learn the fundamentals and get a better rate on insurance. But I'm also confused on my first bike. I thought I should get a starter bike like a 600/650 but I'm being told I will want to upgrade because I am in a rider club and will be traveling. So they say get at least a 750. I want a sport bike. The Ninja was my favorite. But I can only go by looks since I have no experience. I've read several reviews on your site and would appreciate your input. Thank you in advance for your time.
LaToya

Dear Toya,
Welcome to the world of motorcycle riding! Yes, you have a number of factors to consider in getting your first bike.

Let's start with your height. At 5'10" I can tell you that I've been on motorcycles that have cramped my legs and after a few hundred miles, it hurts. You just want to get off and stretch and you start disliking the fact that you've got to get back on and ride. On a cruiser (most times) you can add a highway bar with pegs for a second leg position, but on a sport bike you don't have that option. At your 6'1" this is a major fit issue. The good news is that you can go to any dealership and sit on bikes and start to get an understanding ... sit on a little Ninja 250 and then the 650 and feel the difference just in leg position. Even better, travel to any one of the International Motorcycle Shows so you can sit on just about every make/model that is available and bring along a notebook to jot down your thoughts.

A new rider has to balance the desire for something powerful enough to satisfy for awhile and not too powerful so that it overwhelms and potentially takes away confidence. An exact formula is non-existent. If there was one, I'd be very rich. I am not. It's highly unlikely you'll understand what your dream bike really will be because it takes a lot of road miles to get to that point of understanding. The goal is that the ride is joyful and you become one with your motorcycle.

So, if you start out smaller you may or may not graduate to something bigger sooner than later. If you start too big you may need to go back a step for awhile. My advice ... get something that your gut tells you feels right, not only in terms of power, but in fit and budget. Used, cheap, and running is a great way to go ... 

So, the club says don't consider anything under 750cc. Well, if the group is traveling longer distances at 80mph, this can be good advice. The last thing you want to be doing is sitting in the last gear at high rpms just to keep up. It's just not comfortable running a bike for a lot of miles to within the last drop of power ... the noise is tiresome ... and if you have to pass a car, just what are you going to do?!

Now, obviously a lot depends on this riding club. First off, when you do finish your course and get a bike, you should be heading to a big, empty parking lot for practice ... the same practice you did during your course. Then head out on known roads at low traffic times ... it's helpful to have a vehicle following you to keep another vehicle from crowding you. With any luck you'll have a patient mentor to keep polishing your road and then traffic skills.

A good riding group will include you on a ride and gear that ride to your skill level. If they just "let you tag along," it's a recipe for frustration on your part and indifference on theirs. Make sure you and the group are talking this out ... there are special skills needed for a good group ride experience, but you have to polish your own skills first.

Ok, off you go to get signed up for a course and to go sit on bikes ... meanwhile, keep checking the newspaper or whatever buying venue you are considering to start tracking what bikes are up for sale and what you want to consider. These three steps will immediately give you forward movement towards your dream. I look forward to receiving an email from you one day that says, "Look what I've accomplished!" It's one of my favorite messages to get! – Mama

Monday, November 14

Dear VTwin Mama,
I am a 5'4" fellow who found your list of bikes for us with shorter legs and I wanted to let you know I appreciated it! I ride a bike not on your list but thought your users would be interested in. The Honda Pacific Coast (PC800) is one I can flat-foot with no alterations and while it is heavy, it's super low center of gravity and low seat height make it easy to manage. Produced from 1989-1998 it is the station wagon of motorcycles with a huge trunk, giant fairing and very comfortable.
Todd

Dear Todd,
You are right ... we almost never delve into out-of-production bikes, although there are a few exceptions, mostly because they have a following or there are enough on the street yet. Of course I did a search to get a picture of a PC800. I immediately thought "mega scooter" because it has a plastic outer body. It's actually an 800cc v-twin! Reading a bit of history, this bike belongs to a Honda family class of 7 bikes ... about 11,000 total were sold in the US and my thought is if you like the bike and can get parts (which I find plenty evidence of), go for it. It looks like a nice touring bike and even has a celebrity status ... having appeared in at least four movies ... and I love the original TV ad!
Readers who are interested will find a directory of all PC800-related sites in one place.

Yup, it's heavier at 640lbs. The seat height is reported at 30.1". Thanks for sharing! – Mama

  

Todd on his '98 PC800

Wednesday, November 9

Dear VTwin Mama,
I got my endorsement 3weeks ago by taking an MSF class. My family are Harley riders (they don't think there is any other bike worth having). I've sat on the Switchback and really like how it "fits." The family agrees that it would be a great bike for me. My concern is that all the online advice for new riders say to start small. My husband thinks I can gain the skills/confidence for this bike by taking additional beginner riding classes. What is your advice?
KO

Dear KO,
Ah, a new HD offering ... in the Dyna class ... it's got a nice seat height but the weight definitely needs to be taken into account (718 lbs). New riders benefit if their feet can be planted firmly on the ground at a stop. It goes a long ways to helping in the confidence level.

My thinking is that if you felt you did well in the class and have patient (the non-yelling type) mentors to help you work through the practice drills in an empty parking lot with this bike, then go for it. And just what are the practice drills? The same steps that you took during the course ... working through the stop/start drills, the duck walk, the big lazy loop turns, etc.

Yes, some riders benefit by choosing a smaller cc motorcycle after taking a course ... something used but running fits the bill. Less worry about scratching up a brand new dream bike. But, as you can imagine, a portion of those people find that they can more quickly move up in size than they anticipated, while some who started bigger go back and get a used smaller bike for more practice. Obviously there is no one formula that predicts the outcome and as it turns out, my crystal ball is still in the repair shop (as it has been for some time).

The MSF does offer a "next level" course after the intro one, but you would probably get a lot more out of it with at least 1,000 miles under your belt ... so we go back to the "are you willing to practice in an empty parking lot and do you have folks who you think will make a patient mentor?" These last two points are key to your overall success. – Mama

Wednesday, November 9

Dear VTwin Mama,
Hello. My name is Mary and I am a new rider. I have a 2003 Yamaha VStar Classic 1100. I love it. It is basic black with chrome. I am looking to girl it up a bit. More feminine decals and chrome accessories. Do you know of any sites that I can check out? Thank you, 
Mary

Dear Mary,
IMHO I'd start with the local Yami dealer's parts department to discover what options there might be ... and as this is a popular motorcycle, you'll find lots of choices and begin to get an idea of what kind of money is involved. If you prefer to do your Yami shopping online, this is the Yami site page for your motorcycle. What can slow you down online is that a general search on chrome upgrades often lead to Harley only vendors. You might try ChromeWorld or Cruiser Customizing.

I'm not so excited about the decal idea ... but admit that I have limited knowledge of what might look great. I prefer the leather enhancements ... fringe, if that's inline with your thinking, or a tank bib or new seat cover (check Nanci Roger's Ace High Leathers site for totally cool ideas ... she's a whiz at taking your theme ideas and turning them into reality!). Or, it might be that you want to check into custom paint jobs ... have pinstriping or murals painted right on!

I'm going to kick this discussion to the VTwin Mama message board as these ladies have lots of good advice and sources ... you don't have to be a member to read the thread, but you'll have to join (for free) if you wish to keep writing and noodling ideas out. Happy shopping! – Mama

 


 


Just In Case You Missed It Section

 

 

This Week    Last Week   Reflection Collection   This Month   Last Month   All Archives

 

Google
 
Web www.vtwinmama.com

© 2001-2011 VTwin Mama Disclaimer