i was wondering what would be a good first bike for me im young female and kind of scared to get one but i really want one. I love to ride their is no other feeling like it! I know it is very important when getting your first bike so please help. BTW im 5'7 and 145 lbs. does weight and height have anything to do with choosing???
<3 rider  

i just got my first bike not to long ago i got a kawasaki ninja 250r,and i love it,its a good bike to start out on, when choosing your bike you want to your feet to be flat on the ground so yea hight does some what,but you dont need to be scared to get a bike, because you might be sacred to drive the bike. But i would say that you should go look at the Kawasaki ninja 250r it would be a good bike for you to start out on, because im about the same hight and weight as you and i can handle the bike. I hope this helps you some and hope you find the perfect bike for you. Good luck    

alright so what about for a girl thats 5'1 & weighs like 105.what would b a good 1st bike 4 her?  

with all do respect forget what all here are saying... to the girl who wants a bike, get a 600, preferably an "R" like a 6r, 6rr or r6, after a few months you will be one with the bike, a 250 is to slow and a 750 or 1000 is probaly to much for most people a 600 is the best for anybody. the best "basic" 600 to get is the CBR 6RR, the cbr has a good midrange, body position and is the lightest 600 sportbike by far....buy one and install frame sliders asap.  cbr is the best for the average rider.  

bwentzuf - you have no idea what her riding skills are.  She has already admitted to being scared to ride which is the biggest danger of all.  Suggesting she start on a 600 is ludicrous.

sporty_chick - your first hurdle is getting the confidence to ride without fear.  Riding is not hard, and with practice you can be a good rider in a matter of weeks.  If you are really 'scared' to ride, spend the money and take a riding course, one that supply the bikes for you to ride.  This does a few things: (1) supplies you with a bike that if you dump it's not your problem; (2) gives you practice; (3) gives you access to professional instructors that will find little habits that you have and break you of them; and (4) give you a feel for what size of bike you can ride.

If you really want a bike right away, start with one of those 125 Hondas.  Light, peppy but not overpowered for a novice rider.  Take care of it and then when you are ready you can sell it to upgrade.  I would not suggest a 600 until you have had at least a year of riding experience under your helmet.

Don't ever take advice from someone who tells you to dive in before testing the water.  

streetbikechick -  I have a friend in your situation.  She's 5' sumthin' and rides a Ninja 250.  She had it lowered so much that it's actually unstable to ride, and when she put on the vortex handles and pegs her hands and feet fell asleep really quickly.

Unfortunately the options are limited.  Newer bikes are a little more accommodating but homework has to be done.  Go to different dealers, sit on the bikes and ask how much they can be safely lowered.  What is the current bike being ridden?  

sporty_chic and streetbikechick91 you both should listen to DRZX7RR for sure and take the riding course first. I took and they showed me everything i need to know, and they are also the ones that told me to start out on a 250, because when you go to take the cours the bike you are on there are 250. But its the best thing for you to do. Now for sporty_chic you can get the ninja 250 because you are tall enough for that bike, im 5'5 and im the right hight to be on that bike, but streetbiker91 i think you might be to short for it, if DRZX7RR friend is having trouble with hers then you might have the same problem. You need to listen to DRZX7RR because he is so right you should not start off on a 600 i talked to so many people that have bikes and all them said they same thing start on a 250 and ride that for a year.  

my girl's 4'11". we lowered the Ninja 250 with the Roaring Toyz lowering kit and she can almost sit flat footed. granted it's really low, but you can lower almost any bike to your height.
she's the extreme case and really short, but at like 5"2 or more the stock height should be fine...  

I personally don't think starting off on a fast bike is a good idea. I mean the whole thing is to get used to the bike and being able to handle it at your own pace. I wouldn't get a fast bike and then accidentally fall off because i was going to fast. my advice is to take it slow. Every person that I have talked to has told me to get a fast bike, but I refuse!!!! I don't want to kill myself trying to learn how to ride a bike its pointless. I rather gain the experience and learn how to control the bike and then upgrade to a faster. It all depends on the rider and how comfortable they are riding their motorcycle.  

Look guys since everyones jumping on my case here it is... to DRZX7RR (much respect to a fellow Ninja bro but..) my girlfriend has a 2007 Ninja 6r..she is 5"6 inches tall and only 115 lbs... she just to the Rider safety class only 4 months ago, no previous experiance. she took it slow at first and then grew into it. everyone has to stop treating girls like thier to weak or stupid to handle a decent size bike, Why cant I realize the careful potential of the lady rider, she can learn. a 600 is not that powerful. and as far as this "get a 250 for a year buisness" who has the money to blow on that venture. i just talked to the dealer and he sayed his 250's sell quickly But after a month people come back very Disappointed and want to sell them back, but to no avail since the return rate of 250 is low even for the new 08 250. again stop treating girls like they are weak things and realize the potential, my girl has a 6r and had no previous riding experiance, so treat the ladies like they have brains and strength (and to the ladies have courage, relax take it slow you can do it)...  

Im a girl and im on a 250 but thats mostly bc im only 17 and took the riding class last month, and they told me that i need to start on a 250. I was going to get a CBR 6oorr for my first bike, but to tell you the truth it was the smart thing for me to get the 250. Because when you have a bike with alot of power you want to show off and alot of people crash their bikes that way. The reason why everyone is telling her that she should start on a 250 is because we dont want her to go out and crash her bike. Know one is saying that girls are weak. The 250 is not that slow of a bike beacuse its so light weight it makes it fast. Oh and when i got my bike the lady who sold me the bike told me that she started on a 250 and said that it was the best thing she did because it made her a better rider, and she also told me that the more people are buying the 250 because they are cheap fast light weight bikes. Maybe you should read up on the ninja 250.  

Why would she have to get a bike with an"r" are you one of the "power Rangers" that sit outside the coffee shops???  There is nothing wrong with 250's but if you do more than the occasional put around the city you will tire of it quick.  A GSX 500 is a cheep bike with "some" umpf, plus the insurance is low.  Any bike with an "r" you will find the throtle a little touchy.
Cheers and happy riding  

bwentzusf:  It's commendable your girl has the ability to handle a 600 so soon.  I'm not diminishing the abilities of a female rider, I'm being cautious towards a new and inexperienced rider.  I'd say the same thing to a guy who had no experience.  

Regardless her choice of a first ride, you must agree that a riding course is a necessity.  Even I took a course when I finally decided to get my full license after years of riding.  It's amazing the bad habits I had picked up (and transferred from years of riding in the dirt)

I'll never suggest someone start with a 500+ cc bike.  I've seen too many disastrous outcomes.  Everyone is free to own whatever they like, but not knowing her from Eve, I'll play the safe card.

Remember, there are two kinds of riders.  Those who have fallen off and those who will.  There's always that instance when a split-second decision must be made and an inexperienced rider's chances of being on the losing end rise exponentially on a bike they can't control quickly.

sporty-chic have you bought your new ride yet?  By no means do I want to discourage anyone from riding.  It's an invigorating, empowering and liberating experience.  If you haven't, what's holding you up?  

I'm gonna step outside my box here and tell you that maybe a 250 would be good to start. ESPECIALLY if you've only riden on the back of a bike and not been in charge of the power. Start small and work your way up there is no shame in that. And hell yes that you wanna learn how to ride. We need more grls on bikes.