Which Bike Is Best For Me?

By Nikki Weis

Many people often wonder which motocross bike is the best for them, there are many factors that can determine the proper motorcycle for you. Should I get an 80cc, 125cc, 250cc, or a 500cc? What brand should I buy, Kawasaki, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Husqavarna, or KTM? I will try to help you answer these questions from a woman’s perspective, and hopefully you will have a good idea of which bike will be the best choice for you.

First of all, what is your inseam? If your answer is 28 inches or less, you would probably be most comfortable on an 80cc motorcycle. You would most likely be able to touch the ground with both feet without any problems. Generally, the seat height of an 80cc motorcycle is around 32.8 inches. Whereas on a 125cc or larger motorcycle, you would most likely not be able to touch the ground with both feet, and have to lean to one side to touch the ground. The average seat height for a 125cc bike is around 37.1 inches, and for the 250cc’s it’s around 37.7 inches. You will want to be able to touch the ground with both feet, not necessarily flat on the ground, you can be “tippy toed”. This is critical to your starts, and can come into play with your cornering. Starting with both feet on the ground is usually the best, although this is personal preference. You can use a block of wood to stand on to start if needed at most tracks, but if you are thinking about racing at the AMA Amateur Nationals, this is not allowed. I would suggest that you visit your local motorcycle dealer and sit on the different bikes to see how they feel. Ultimately, whatever feels best, is what you should go with.

Secondly, how much do you weigh? If your answer is 120 pounds or less, an 80cc machine is best for you. If your answer is over 120 lbs but less than 180 lbs, your best bet would be a 125cc bike. And if you weigh more than 180 lbs, you should definitely go with a 250cc or 500cc motorcycle. The suspension of the motorcycles can be adjusted to your weight in most cases. You may buy stiffer springs and have your suspension valving changed to compensate. So if you are shorter and weigh more than recommended for a bike, there are ways to make a bike work for you, this also works if you are lighter than the recommended weight. Your weight can also make an engine work a littler harder if your too heavy, and the performance will not be as good as if you were on the correct motorcycle.

How strong are you? Are you big , medium , or small boned and have muscle, or are you a twig and a candidate for Osteoporosis? The power that these machines produce can vary greatly, and if your physically not able to handle it, your gonna get hurt. The 80cc bike is lightweight and therefor can be quick to respond and snappy. The 125cc doesn’t get snappy until you get into the higher RPM’s, and the 250cc and above have instant response and the power is always there. I would suggest that most women get a 125cc motorcycle, it has all of the power you need, it’s light weight, and easy to start. I would not recommend an 80cc bike unless you are too short for a 125cc, being too big for a bike can make riding a challenge and you could get hurt easily because of it. A 250cc motorcycle is only recommended for those “bigger” gals (not particularly meaning fat) like myself (180 lbs), and those who have a lot of experience on a 125cc motorcycle. Bigger doesn’t mean better or faster. I can prove to anyone who questions this, an 80cc or 125cc bike can beat a 250cc or 500cc motorcycle on almost any track. It truly comes down to the rider’s abilities, so don’t go buy a bigger bike because you think you will go faster, you won’t. And if you don’t have the strength to hold on, what good is that? The average dry weight of a 80cc motorcycle is 143 lbs, and a 125cc motorcycle is 193 lbs, and a 250cc is 214 lbs. If you have to pick one up, the pounds add up quickly.

What brand of motorcycle you choose is entirely up to you. I would suggest that you do a little research work before you buy. If you’re buying a new one, look in the different motocross magazines for the “shoot outs” that they have on all of the new bikes periodically throughout the year. You can find out what the good points are and what is not desired, along with the new features listed. You can also ask some fellow riders what their opinion is and they can also tell you what they’ve experienced with their bike. Or if you are really good friends with fellow riders, they may let you take their bike for a spin, this would be one great way to feel how the bike rides. Of course there are diehards who will only buy one brand of motorcycle, but don’t be afraid to switch. I personally like Honda’s best, but I could handle a Yamaha too. I have owned Honda’s, Suzuki’s, and Yamaha’s. So I have a little experience with different bikes. Today, they are all fairly similar, do your research and come to your own conclusion.

I love my 2000 Honda CR 250, and don’t plan to change motorcycles for awhile. I did all of the research that I could before I purchased mine, and was able to get it for an affordable price. Don’t buy on impulse, do your homework, and take your time. With the price of bikes today, you can’t afford to buy a lemon.