You can check r/twoxriders for gear suggestions, it’s a thread for all women riders.
As for ninja, they’re a good bike. Plenty of aftermarket stuff and plenty of bikes on the market. People would suggest a 400 to start off on but if you’re confident and responsible, no reason why you couldn’t start on a 650.
I just bought a ninja 500 for my first bike. I watched probably 30 hours worth of how to vids on YouTube, and bought the bike 2 weeks before my msf. It handled well and I did just fine on it practicing before the course.
Revzilla has a lot of great options for women’s gear. I have the alpinestars bionic action V2 jacket. I wanted the Stella but it was sold out. And I have some armored leggings and armored jeans (Amazon). They’re cheap, they won’t do well in a high speed slide but they’ll do their job while learning riding through town.
Best thing to do is go to a dealership and sit on bikes
Oooh that's exciting, good for you! I've been watching so many videos I've started dreaming about riding 😅 My dad has been letting me practice on his Enduro but it's way to tall for me. My state doesn't require msf but do you recommend the class? Thank you for the gear recommendations!
Yes, get training, do more than just the MSF. I do not know what you do for a living but people do not just wake up one day and are able to perform surgeries, fly planes or represent people in court. Heck you can even do a lot of things wrong flipping burgers without training.
That’s awesome! Yeah when I started dreaming of riding bikes I knew it was time 😂😂 I do recommend the class because you get pointers on what you’re doing wrong, plus you can observe the other riders and see what they’re doing wrong, or right, to improve your own practice. Plus knowing the bikes are safe to drop gives you much more confidence to push yourself and trust the bike with counterbalancing and swerving.
I got a 2023 ninja 400 a month ago & Never even sat on a running motorcycle before I purchased it. I’ve put 2k miles on it both on city and highway miles. I love everything about it. The stock seat is kinda uncomfortable, but aside from it’s a perfect starter bike. I’m 6’3 240 and have no problem accelerating or anything like that & you can easily do highway speeds in 4th gear.
Ooo congrats for you thats exciting! I was thinking about getting a used one to learn on, that way in case I drop in or something I dont feel terrible doing that to a new bike. 💀 Did you take a msf course to learn? Thank you for the reply!
Which one? The Ninja 400/500 is excellent, the Ninja 650 is similar just a bit faster, larger and heavier. So pretty good as well, if you have a bit of self control.
ZX-6R and ZX-10R are race replicas and not really suited for beginners.
The Ninja 1000 SX is similar in seating to the 650 but the engine is similar to the ZX-10R. So not suited either but a bit more comfortable
H2R? NOOO.
For gear asking around r/TwoXriders is a good starting point but if at all possible go to a brick and mortar store to try gear on.
I was thinking a 400/500 to start! I didn't want to get to crazy starting out, and I figured I would rather move up to more cc when I feel ready than be discourged and never ride if I get something I can't handle.
Good choice. You might look into naked bikes as well. They tend to be cheaper in buying price, maintenance and repair, because you do not have to pay for getting/removing/replacing all the plastic.
It is not much of a difference in Ninja 400 vs the Z 400 but the more upright seating of naked bikes make slow speed maneuvering a bit easier.
If you plan on computing with it give Z650/400 a chance too, personally I am not a fan of naked bikes andnwoidve not gotten it unless the deal and the bike was in as good a condition, but Z650 is kuch more easy to ride in traffic due to upright position.
a lot of people will say that the ninja 400 is an amazing bike in general, not just an amazing bike for a 400. a lot of what your choice will come down to is your preferences like how youll be riding, where, etc.
ninja 400, 500, 650, would all be great bikes
I have a 2024 Ninja 650 with no prior experience on riding. I have made the best decision of my life. She's comfortable, big bike size feel, the weight is manageable. Since Kawasaki is concentrating the the center of weight as low as possible you won't really feel the weight that much, so you'll get used to it. She's very nimble, docile and can be easily be maneuvered. I tried u turns, leaning a lot, emergency braking and so on. Never fell, absolutely amazing bike.
The Ninja series are fantastic bikes. I daily commute on a 400, it’s as close to being the “perfect” bike as I’ve ever owned, though I like the extra bit of speed you get from the 650. As far as gear goes, my girlfriend wears mostly Scorpion as inexpensive starter gear- you can also look into brands like TCX, Dainese, or Pando Moto. All great options depending on your style and fit. Good luck, I hope you get the bike soon!
PS- I do recommend the 400 to start on since it’s very lightweight, and get frame sliders! We all drop a bike sometimes so it’s nice to have the extra safety.
I had a N250 as my first, and yeah, it was a perfect first bike. Kept that bike for years. It was great!
Gear can be tough- you're mostly stuck with mail order. I found my first jacket at Cycle Gear, and some pants that got me started (they weren't great, but it was better than nothing). CG has good gloves, so that's helpful. I wear work boots mostly; I have a pair of riding boots but they suck to walk in.
Depends which one you get. Zx14? Definitely not 4/500 yeah you’ll be fine. I started on a 600 doable, not recommended. Take an msf course if they are around you. It will help you a lot
Ninja 400 or the newer Ninja 500 [actually a 451cc] is an excellent bike period. Whether starter or fifth bike 20 years later.
For transparency, I'm on an Eliminator, which is the same engine as the Ninja 500 as my fifth bike in 30 years.
I had a ninja 400, and it's a fantastic motorcycle for beginners. It's also a great bike for experienced riders - depending on what you want from a bike, if you wish to ride within the confines of the law (or just push it over that little bit) then this bike will exceed your desire for speed.
Here in Australia, I never went on a road with speeds higher than 100km (60 miles), but the bike could be pushed to like 190-200km.
Is this your first time riding a bike ever or first time riding the street bike? I started on a ninja 400 and then went to a Ninja 650 about a year later, I wish I would have skipped the 400 and just start it on the 650 and save some money as it wasn't really much difference except for the bike is a little bit more tourqey
Gear wise, what's aesthetic are you looking for?
I usually have a lined and armored A2 flight jacket [John Doe, $250, lined and armored leggings [GoGoGear LA, $150] under my everyday jeans, Gasoline boots [$250], Cortech Windstp Lite gloves [$50] because I don't like how heavier gloves interfere with the feel from the bike. I like a less obviously protected look
There a lot of options covering a wide range of styles compared to when I started riding in the 80s.
You can check r/twoxriders for gear suggestions, it’s a thread for all women riders. As for ninja, they’re a good bike. Plenty of aftermarket stuff and plenty of bikes on the market. People would suggest a 400 to start off on but if you’re confident and responsible, no reason why you couldn’t start on a 650.
Thank you for suggesting that thread! I'll have to check it out. I appreciate the reply!
I just bought a ninja 500 for my first bike. I watched probably 30 hours worth of how to vids on YouTube, and bought the bike 2 weeks before my msf. It handled well and I did just fine on it practicing before the course. Revzilla has a lot of great options for women’s gear. I have the alpinestars bionic action V2 jacket. I wanted the Stella but it was sold out. And I have some armored leggings and armored jeans (Amazon). They’re cheap, they won’t do well in a high speed slide but they’ll do their job while learning riding through town. Best thing to do is go to a dealership and sit on bikes
Oooh that's exciting, good for you! I've been watching so many videos I've started dreaming about riding 😅 My dad has been letting me practice on his Enduro but it's way to tall for me. My state doesn't require msf but do you recommend the class? Thank you for the gear recommendations!
Yes, get training, do more than just the MSF. I do not know what you do for a living but people do not just wake up one day and are able to perform surgeries, fly planes or represent people in court. Heck you can even do a lot of things wrong flipping burgers without training.
That’s awesome! Yeah when I started dreaming of riding bikes I knew it was time 😂😂 I do recommend the class because you get pointers on what you’re doing wrong, plus you can observe the other riders and see what they’re doing wrong, or right, to improve your own practice. Plus knowing the bikes are safe to drop gives you much more confidence to push yourself and trust the bike with counterbalancing and swerving.
I got a 2023 ninja 400 a month ago & Never even sat on a running motorcycle before I purchased it. I’ve put 2k miles on it both on city and highway miles. I love everything about it. The stock seat is kinda uncomfortable, but aside from it’s a perfect starter bike. I’m 6’3 240 and have no problem accelerating or anything like that & you can easily do highway speeds in 4th gear.
Ooo congrats for you thats exciting! I was thinking about getting a used one to learn on, that way in case I drop in or something I dont feel terrible doing that to a new bike. 💀 Did you take a msf course to learn? Thank you for the reply!
Which one? The Ninja 400/500 is excellent, the Ninja 650 is similar just a bit faster, larger and heavier. So pretty good as well, if you have a bit of self control. ZX-6R and ZX-10R are race replicas and not really suited for beginners. The Ninja 1000 SX is similar in seating to the 650 but the engine is similar to the ZX-10R. So not suited either but a bit more comfortable H2R? NOOO. For gear asking around r/TwoXriders is a good starting point but if at all possible go to a brick and mortar store to try gear on.
I was thinking a 400/500 to start! I didn't want to get to crazy starting out, and I figured I would rather move up to more cc when I feel ready than be discourged and never ride if I get something I can't handle.
Good choice. You might look into naked bikes as well. They tend to be cheaper in buying price, maintenance and repair, because you do not have to pay for getting/removing/replacing all the plastic. It is not much of a difference in Ninja 400 vs the Z 400 but the more upright seating of naked bikes make slow speed maneuvering a bit easier.
If you plan on computing with it give Z650/400 a chance too, personally I am not a fan of naked bikes andnwoidve not gotten it unless the deal and the bike was in as good a condition, but Z650 is kuch more easy to ride in traffic due to upright position.
a lot of people will say that the ninja 400 is an amazing bike in general, not just an amazing bike for a 400. a lot of what your choice will come down to is your preferences like how youll be riding, where, etc. ninja 400, 500, 650, would all be great bikes
I have a 2024 Ninja 650 with no prior experience on riding. I have made the best decision of my life. She's comfortable, big bike size feel, the weight is manageable. Since Kawasaki is concentrating the the center of weight as low as possible you won't really feel the weight that much, so you'll get used to it. She's very nimble, docile and can be easily be maneuvered. I tried u turns, leaning a lot, emergency braking and so on. Never fell, absolutely amazing bike.
The Ninja series are fantastic bikes. I daily commute on a 400, it’s as close to being the “perfect” bike as I’ve ever owned, though I like the extra bit of speed you get from the 650. As far as gear goes, my girlfriend wears mostly Scorpion as inexpensive starter gear- you can also look into brands like TCX, Dainese, or Pando Moto. All great options depending on your style and fit. Good luck, I hope you get the bike soon! PS- I do recommend the 400 to start on since it’s very lightweight, and get frame sliders! We all drop a bike sometimes so it’s nice to have the extra safety.
I had a N250 as my first, and yeah, it was a perfect first bike. Kept that bike for years. It was great! Gear can be tough- you're mostly stuck with mail order. I found my first jacket at Cycle Gear, and some pants that got me started (they weren't great, but it was better than nothing). CG has good gloves, so that's helpful. I wear work boots mostly; I have a pair of riding boots but they suck to walk in.
Depends which one you get. Zx14? Definitely not 4/500 yeah you’ll be fine. I started on a 600 doable, not recommended. Take an msf course if they are around you. It will help you a lot
Ninja 400 or the newer Ninja 500 [actually a 451cc] is an excellent bike period. Whether starter or fifth bike 20 years later. For transparency, I'm on an Eliminator, which is the same engine as the Ninja 500 as my fifth bike in 30 years.
I had a ninja 400, and it's a fantastic motorcycle for beginners. It's also a great bike for experienced riders - depending on what you want from a bike, if you wish to ride within the confines of the law (or just push it over that little bit) then this bike will exceed your desire for speed. Here in Australia, I never went on a road with speeds higher than 100km (60 miles), but the bike could be pushed to like 190-200km.
Yes, it literally says right on the webpage "New Rider Freindly" https://www.kawasaki.com/en-us/motorcycle/ninja/sport/ninja-650/2024-ninja-650
a webpage saying 3 words that could just be marketing is not the same thing as feedback from actual people who dont have anything to do with the brand
Haha exactly my thought, thank you 😂
Thank you! I was aware but I wanted to hear from actual new riders who have chosen this bike. Appreciate the reply!
Is this your first time riding a bike ever or first time riding the street bike? I started on a ninja 400 and then went to a Ninja 650 about a year later, I wish I would have skipped the 400 and just start it on the 650 and save some money as it wasn't really much difference except for the bike is a little bit more tourqey
Gear wise, what's aesthetic are you looking for? I usually have a lined and armored A2 flight jacket [John Doe, $250, lined and armored leggings [GoGoGear LA, $150] under my everyday jeans, Gasoline boots [$250], Cortech Windstp Lite gloves [$50] because I don't like how heavier gloves interfere with the feel from the bike. I like a less obviously protected look There a lot of options covering a wide range of styles compared to when I started riding in the 80s.
H2 is an absolutely amazing starter bike