First bike advice

[sugarcrook]

I hear what you're saying, but her primary motivation in riding is reducing commute time, so she'll need to get comfortable on the freeway in relatively short order. 

[whidbeymonster]

i am 5'4" too and i started on a ninja 250 too. then a had a buell blast 500 which i hated cause the vibration will knock your fillings out!  i was very happy starting on a small block cause i was paranoid about wheelie-ing if i juiced the gas. i love my 695 now, but would have been petrified if that was my first! good luck!
tara

[Shortie]

I ride a 1991 Suzuki Bandit 400. It's my first bike, and I love it more each day I ride it. It takes a fall extremely well with frame sliders, and has plenty of power for a beginner (don't let the 400 fool you... it scoots. So well, in fact, that my beau put more miles on it this spring than he did his monster and multi). They are a somewhat rare beast, and the carbs can be a little finicky if it has been neglected, but if you find one that has been well taken care of or if you have a decent mechanical background it wouldn't be a big deal. You would be able to take one home for well under your budget, and it is fun as hell! Redline is 14k, so highway speeds are a little buzzy. 8k or 9k or so.

If I were taller (27" inseam) I would have been hot on the heels of an SV650, but I just don't have the height for it, not to start out anyway.

[Ducatista]

• Ideal seat height is around 29" or less.  Rider height is 5'6", so I might be off here. 

Seat height is all relative.  Granted I've been riding a few years, but I don't have issues on a DRZ.  I'm 5'4" and come nowhere near flat footing on either side unless my ass is out of the seat.  The trick is to be able to handle the weight at a lean if you need to.  The DRZ is manageable because I'm not really supporting all that much and the suspension is... well, it's a supermotard.  Also keep in mind that seat modification is a great way to get those tootsies a bit flatter.  I wouldn't have a seat height number be a rigid factor. 

[Shortie]

I had been riding around with just a couple of gallons of gas in my tank at a time to keep the weight down. Now that I'm used to managing the bike, I filled it up the other night and I could almost flatfoot both sides. 

[somegirl]

Seat height is all relative. 

Yep, also depends on the seat width, weight distribution of the bike, suspension setup, etc.

The Short Rider FAQ might be of some help.

[somegirl]

Overall, I'm unimpressed with the dealers we visited in the South Bay.  Bad inventory and indifferent customer service. 

Have you checked out MotoJava (in SF)?

[sugarcrook]

I haven't been there.  This is the first I've heard of it. 

Seeing as they buy bikes, I'll have to stop by. 

[sugarcrook]

So we weighed all of your valuable advice, debated, fought, laughed, cried and drank furiously.  Then she bought a 2007 Triumph Bonneville.  Takes delivery on Saturday.   [moto]

[somegirl]

Congrats and we will want to see pictures of course!

[jsanford]

Good choice.

Don't push her on the freeway business. Someone told me my first year of riding that I should only go as fast as I was comfortable doing an emergency stop from.  I didn't take the freeway for ten weeks (and it scared the bejeezus out of me).

[sugarcrook]

Weather and schedules finally worked in our favor.  We went about 50 miles around San Jose, up to Los Altos and back on San Tomas, Lawrence Expy, and surface streets.  She did very well, even in moderate traffic.  Next stop, the Salt Flats.   [moto]

[Ducgirl]

Congratulations! Nice bikes, and I am really impressed about the riding in San Jose city traffic! We live in a mountain town and it's very quiet here, only 2 lane roads and not too much traffic especially in the Fall and Spring.

[sugarcrook]

It was early Sunday, so not much traffic to start, but it did pick up as the day went on.  For the amount of time she's had in the saddle, she did very well.