A Bike for my Mom (Ideas and Opinions)

[6]

My mom is a Harley rider. She started riding in her later 40's and is now in her earlier 60's. She no longer feels safe riding. She says she isn't as strong as she once was and she doesn't have the reflexes that she once did.

I'm trying to convince her to try a different bike. On another bike (hawk for example) she doesn't need to be as strong as the bike weight is less than half and doesn't need rapid fire reflexes on a bike that actually stops and turns.

Obviously I have already though about a hawk. But what other cool bikes would be out there that are able to be handled by a 62 year old 125 lb lady who is 5'10.

Comfort is KEY. I believe she will see the hawk as a sport bike, having clip ons would kill her and even with the riser bars her back may not like it.

An auto or dct sounds like a positive thing.. but obviously she can shift. She likes cool quirky things. Her Harley has a custom purple pearl airbrushed set of tins on it and everything that can be chrome is. She is into style. Not necessarily Harley style. I think she would see a bike that is a Japan made "big cruiser" as attempting to be a Harley and that would probably be a deal breaker as well as they are still heavy.


Any thoughts? What's your mom/wife/friend ride?

[sfdownhill]

A Hawk is top of the list, but, as you said, the aesthetic might not appeal to your Mom. The Rebel has a more cruiser layout, but is still Japanese.

Let your Mom know another forum member’s Dad is 80 and just starting a new life phase of riding a Hawk. He gave up on dirtbiking 6 or 8 years ago - didn’t mind falling off so much, but couldn’t pick up a fallen bike by himself anymore. When I started restoring an 89 Hawk, he swung a leg over it and thought it might be manageable, so I found a nice low miles 88 and got it for him. We were just out in a mall’s empty parking lot with it yesterday, setting up cone drills and getting him comfortable with it.

Hopefully she’ll recognize a Hawk is as cool (at least) as a Harley, just in a completely different way. Less polishing, more riding.

[ricksax]

On our local CL this week, there were two low-mileage Honda Shadows, VT500 and VT600 I think. Same basic engine as the Hawk, shaft drive, an attractive cruiser. I know, old bikes, but cheap and reliable.

[Enigma T]

On our local CL this week, there were two low-mileage Honda Shadows, VT500 and VT600 I think. Same basic engine as the Hawk, shaft drive, an attractive cruiser. I know, old bikes, but cheap and reliable.

if his mom isn't gonna be into a Jap cruiser, those ideas are no-goes.
how about a Zero? or a Benelli? or are we shooting for price-conscious ideas?

disclaimer: my mom doesn't ride, my spouse is male and also rides a Hawk, and my friends of various genders are all over the moto-map

[ExTex]

The modern Honda 500cc bikes are easy to ride and about the same weight as the Hawk GT. I would recommend the CB500F if she wants a standard bike.

[Ziggy]

Fz/mt-07, sv650, z650.

[squirrelman]

perfect 4 her but really hard to find..................


1988-1990 VTR250

8-21-21 new camera 020.JPG

NOT A SLOW BIKE !

[BillnOroville]

She could go wild with a bobber style Honda 500 Rebel. Not a cruiser. Not a sport bike. The 3 wheeled spider or the scooter (Piaggio I think) with 2 wheels up front would be easy to ride and not fall over on her and be more lady like in many ways (lots of storage to take shopping). A Honda Silverwing 400 or 650 scooter is quirky kind of but would keep up on any rides. Upright seating would be good for her. Wind protection too. Storage also.

[nt650hawk]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTuWP7faccM

[Gweenz]

I think that new CB300r looks great but it's going to be tough selling her on the aesthetic, and a new bike might be out of your budget range. I also like the idea of one of the newer Rebels (not the crappy old 250!).

[bk94si]

Triumph Bonneville?

[Captain 80s]

I have a female friend who bought a Honda CTX700 for many of the reasons you state. She used to ride more, but wanted something comfy, different and not too heavy/intimidating. She knows how to shift but this sounded good to her. Has enough power to go anywhere, and is enough "motorcycle" for her. It checked a lot of boxes.

[Superdukerider]

Svartpilen 701 Husqvarna it only weights at 355 lbs. wet.

[ricksax]

"if his mom isn't gonna be into a Jap cruiser, those ideas are no-goes."

Yes, Teresa, you have hit on the problem. All of us, when trying a different motorcycle say, "How would I look on that bike?" And I am sure that she is saying the same thing.

Even I, not a fashion plate, take this into consideration. When I ride a Hawk, I want simple leathers. When I rode my BMW GS, I wanted adventure Cordura, and maybe a helmet with a bill.

Wearing the gear I own for those two bikes, on a cruiser, would look silly.

(Of course, when you own a KTM, you have a lot of orange and black gear, which doesn't go with anything when you sell the KTM. You could wear it to an Oregon State football game.)

Actually, motorcycle dealers should be like shoe and clothing stores, with large mirrors to show you: "This is what you look like on this bike." Marketing 101.

[BillnOroville]

[SIZE=14px][FONT=Times New Roman][I][B]

Even I, not a fashion plate, take this into consideration. When I ride a Hawk, I want simple leathers. When I rode my BMW GS, I wanted adventure Cordura, and maybe a helmet with a bill.

Wearing the gear I own for those two bikes, on a cruiser, would look silly.

.

"Would Look Silly" .... ATGATT I only have armored gear for different kinds of weather not different bikes so Red Hawk, Blue Hawk, VFR's, FZ-09, Magna Cruisers, new Rebel 1100 all get "ME" with the same gear. Black is mostly what I have but Silver mesh jacket and Helmet breaks up the style some (if you call it a style). No much available in colors or patterns for men. Although Plaid shirts now have armor in them. I don't own race leathers.

Yes, Women riders have more style I think. Glad it is not all fringe too. (lol).