Hiya min - i loved the look of the ducati monster bt i didnt think could afford and then i spotted a bandit 400 and loved the look of it coz teh frame was kinda outside the bike visible like the monster and it looked great, pic on me profile now.
I could ride it with one foot down bt not flat foot - then i had bigger dogbone fitted and it made it much easier, but the weight is all up top unlike me harley now where the weight is all down the bottom.
I got rid of it for a couple reasons, the main one was that the carbs were fecked and no matter how many peeps sorted it (including a mate who builds his own engines for racing etc) it never never ran rigt and was jerky - think was probs after market can too tho
the other reason was the only thing i found really fun to do was see how fast i could go round each corner and i kinda reckoned that wasnt a good habit to get into pmsl¬!!! bt it was a really good gutsy fun bike to ride and i loved the look of it toooo
good luck and have fun lookin
Cheers nhm & suzi. I know what you mean about the high centre of gravity in the bandit. Sat on another today and had a try moving it to vertical off the side stand & it's heavy alright....maybe would be easier with the dogbones lengthened & then I would feel more in control.
The monster felt so much easier to get to upright...maybe because its a v-twin rather than a 4, dunno
I sat on a HD 883 at the Edinburgh bike show a couple of years ago & at the time thought it was fab, but again way outside my budget
I must admit the best one so far was a brand new Honda NC700s that Honda have just introduced to fit the criteria for the new A2 license....it's really scaled to fit a smaller rider and felt astonishingly light to move to the upright. But the salesman was very candid & said I would get bored with it very soon, but it did feel nice.....but at £5.5k haha
Hi Minnie. Salesman isn't bulling you, he's right. Had a test ride on NC700 last year. Thought I'd use it for touring (no good if you use a tailpack as fuel filler is under seat) and commuting. Sounds nice, good claimed economy, false tank gimmic useful. Daughter and I found it lack lustre though. Crap at motorway speeds. Expensive for what you get. Bought something else instead. Ducati sounding attractive and sounds nice too.
The guy at Preston Honda was fab NHM. What a nice bloke. Full of useful info & he could weigh up my particular challenges instantly. Same for my mate although she's a good 6 inches taller than me.
Still swinging back & forth though. Ducati is very appealing but now I'm ready to get serious about buying there aren't any available in the north in my price range....all too dear (I've had ebay alerts set up for weeks, grrrrr lol). I want this all sorted & ready to roll for April
So back to plan A...oops, not Plan A, that was the Virago....I mean plan B Kawasaki GPZ500, cheap cheerful, bullet proof, loads of spares & a friend knows of a lass selling one with a scooped out seat & restrictor already fitted. Sat on one at Squires in December for a try & now feel ready to have another try having test-sat and dangled tootsies off all these other bikes
This maybe a better transition bike? Maybe aim for the gorgeous one when I've got the initial inevitable dropping out of the way
BTW wish I could remember who the bm good samaritan was who held the back up for me after I ambushed the owner outside squires at the bm xmas lunch
Got a bennetts quote for £58! Blimey I was paying £180 for my 125!....but that's cos I was inert & let it auto renew 2 times...that's also called being bloody stupid & learning the hard way
Hi Minnie. I'm only 5ft 2 and I have a CBF500 lowered (and restricted). I tried a few bikes (I didn't want a custom, as nice as they are). A Divi is a good alternative as well as the Gladius. The problem I had is a lot of bikes would fit me if the seats weren't so wide.
Also check where your footpegs are going to be when you are stopped. Mine are just slightly in the wrong place. I've got used to it now, but it was bruised legs until i did.
Also think about the weight. The Harleys, I find, are heavy, as is the Bonnie which I struggled with because of the seat width. I got my Roxy from Hunts (Honda) and they are fabby and will tell as it is.
I'd set my heart on a Street Triple, but the guy at the dealer was honest with me and said that they couldn't lower it enough for me to feel safe and if they took it any lower than recommended it affected ground clearance etc.
I tried the new Suzuki Inzuma at the Manchester show (just a sit on). The seat is a bit on the wide side and as Suzuki didn't employ anyone who actually knew anything about the bike I couldn't get any information about lowering it (I actually knew more about that bike than they did!)
I also decided to go second hand for the first two years as I knew that I would probably drop it at some point (and yes I have!). There are some really good bargains out there if you know what you are buying. I decided to go down the dealer route for two reasons, one I know the bike had been checked out properly and serviced and secondly the guys there are brilliant.
RB
Cheers rowanblossom. I could do with popping round yours and having a sit on your bike!
I know what you mean about the Street Triple. The guy at Preston Honda put me on one just to demonstrate the difference in scale between bikes....That was completely ridiculous lol
Oh BTW tried a Hyabusa and ruled that one out for similiar reasons
How is the ground clearance on your lowered CBF500? I have a pal who is actually a tiny bit shorter than me and rides a Suzuki GSX750 really really well but she has to take it really carefully in traffic calmed areas. She also wears daytona ladystar boots but at about £300 a pair.....swoon! its all getting astronomically expensive
Also know what you mean about the footpegs being in the wrong place. After riding an intruder I'm not used to being jabbed on my inner shins, damn painful. And misjudging that when you're putting your foot down could easily have you off balance.....oooh, did I mention I'm also totally deaf in one ear & have a very peculiar sense of balance ....It's only a problem when I'm not actually moving but I know I will be on the deck at least once. Fortunately having gone through that ritual humiliation so many times now it's water off a ducks back
you are more than welcome to sit and play Minnie.
I tend to go round the speed bumps when I can and suffer those that I can't, but the ground clearance is actually fine with the Honda.
The only thing I would say is that I took my lessons and test on a 125 (due to not being able to get the other bike on to the centre stand due to its weight and my height. Still not 100% sure if i should have got a 500 (albeit restricted) instead of a 250. The only reason I question it, is due to the weight (I can't get most bikes on their centre stand so I don't even think about it) as I do struggle mightly picking it up on my own, and this wasn't something I thought about when I bought her.
I did post a piccie of the wheel roller I bought which makes it easy to clean and maintain the chain and tyres (can be used front and back).
I get most of my kit of Ebay (using topcashback) or Get geared (also with cashback).
I use the peg to get on. I've not mastered the art of using it to get off though (ouch) so tend to look a little like a muppet getting its right leg stuck. Needless to say top boxes are not even considered.
Also to lighten what you carry, try getting one with storage under the seat. I know some bikes don't have this. The only reason is that its easier to carry the chain that way and it is one less thing for you to cart around on your back (if you use a backpack like I do).
RB
Hello Min and RB. Sounds like a thumbs up for Hunts and Preston Honda. I must agree with both of you, they are tops to deal with. The NC700 and no bull salesman (Dave) I mentioned in a previous post was from Preston Honda and I eventually bought my Crossrunner at Hunts. Got to give credit where credit's due.
It was Davey at Preston Honda who helped us. He was ace. Even offered to sort out a track day when I get sorted, haha....I just wish he had something for sale I could afford
My brother in law has offered me an old Yamaha TX600....is he taking the Mickey???
Hmmm, good ground clearance but I don't really think it's a goer....I wish people would take me seriously. Mind you it would shut that cheeky steve_H up, going on about a KTM900 if he saw me chugging up Wensleydale on one of them lol
Right, I've now taken delivery of the air cushion inserts to go inside my boots. Breaking em in at the moment in my kitchen, but I am instantly raised 3.5 cm in height and very comfy they are too. There's another 1.5 cm section I can add in but at the moment my boots won't zip up up with them in. But when I've stretched my boots a bit I'll try them too.
ebay £8.78 inc P&P....damn sight cheaper than Daytona Ladystar boots. Can't wait to sit on a bike to see the difference they make
Woohoo, that's almost 2 inches added to my height! I'm thrilled, I've never experienced the view from up here, I may need oxygen and next time we meet I shall be staring right at your adams apple Steve, so less of your cheek
Right, I've now taken delivery of the air cushion inserts to go inside my boots. Breaking em in at the moment in my kitchen, but I am instantly raised 3.5 cm in height and very comfy they are too. There's another 1.5 cm section I can add in but at the moment my boots won't zip up up with them in. But when I've stretched my boots a bit I'll try them too.
ebay £8.78 inc P&P....damn sight cheaper than Daytona Ladystar boots. Can't wait to sit on a bike to see the difference they make
Woohoo, that's almost 2 inches added to my height! I'm thrilled, I've never experienced the view from up here, I may need oxygen and next time we meet I shall be staring right at your adams apple Steve, so less of your cheek
That's the funniest thing I've read all week Min thanks
But seriously, I'm chuffed for ya hon
If it gets you on the bike you want, with confidence
Job well done I say
Hi minnie the minx
I have a suzuki bandit gsf600 and being a short ass too, I had it lowered. I also had seat made thinner which helped..
side stand also cut down.. I was scared of the bike at 1st as I was knocked off of it, which then spurred me on to change things.. and I havent looked back since.
then bandit is responcive corners very well and pulls a punch when needed..
I highly recommed one for you
Sandy
Cheers for that didgit....bandit is definitely on my list. Good to hear from someone who's done all the adjustments I may be picking your brains in the future
Off to look at a yamaha diversion 600 this afternoon
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