[JD]

Ok everyone, but especially the women. I know this is a loaded question, but here it goes. My GF is 5'10" tall and just under 150lbs. She loves the outdoors and has ridden motorcycles years ago when in her teens.

It has been years since she has been on a bike, but I have confidence in her abilities!!! I am looking at a 2008 CRF230 or the 2007 CRF250X for her???

At first, I was set on the 230, but think she will excel and grow out of it in a year or two. So now, I am thinking the 250X and grow into it.

She has sat on BOTH bikes and there is NO problem with touching the ground on either of them. She likes the 250X more cuz it is the small version of my 450X . I just don't want a bike that is too much for her to handle right out of the gate.

What do you think??????

****Don't forget to take the poll at top of thread!!****

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The choice is easy and obvious.
The 230 .
Used 230's are easy to sell when and if she's ready to move up, so that shouldn't be a concern.
Riding bikes as a teen is great, but that doesn't mean she was riding high performance bikes either,it was a long while ago and the 250X , good manners it has and all, is without question no begineers bike and can wad the unsuspecting into a tree in a flash.
For very little money the bike can be significantly better than out of the crate if she does want more performance after awhile.
Doug

[Tomato#12]

Doug really did say it all. I was thinking the x until I read what doug said. I would buy I good used one for now and wait until next year or when ever ready to upgrade to the x. Having a bike that you can ride and have fun on is the key. If she is fitting the bike the whole time it will not be fun. I would go with the 230. I do see your point in how she would grow out of the 230 though. Try and find some good used ones on craigslist.com

[NCLR1]

Dude, don't even try to apply any type of man logic to this. If she likes the x because of its looks, then that's what you got to do.

[Just me]

I'd go with the X. Having a suspension that can be adjusted will make riding easier and safer. You can put a different throttle drum on it to slow down the response. Better to have power and not need it than to not have power when you need it. Besides, the X has lights and can easily be made street legal if you aren't in CA.

[luckymick]

... the 'X'. My wife and I went through the same exercise. We ended up with the 230F (against my better judgement). After my beginner-wife's 3rd ride she wondered why I didn't push the 250x harder.

I just - this weekend - shimm'd her 230F's handlebars up 1.3". She feels the handlebars are still too short. I told her: you essentially need a 250x.

The 250x suspension is light-years ahead. You have more power if you need it; don't need to twist the throttle if you don't.

BTW: my wife is 5' 7" @ 130lbs or so for comparison. She's athletic/coordinated. I knew she could handle a 250x out of the gate... guess she needed to prove it to herself. Net/Net: if your girlfriend/wife takes to riding it won't be long until they want to upgrade! So spend the money up front... or spend more down the road.

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You have more power if you need it;

The problem is begineers don't know when to twist it and when to back off, or they wouldn't be beginners now, would they ?
That is very dated logic, because it means that it's really okay for inexperienced street bike riders to ride 200 mph superbikes. It isn't. It isn't whether they're going to practice self-restraint or not.
There's no simple right/wrong with why they shouldn't. What it is is first it takes time ,correct instruction and experience to know how much,how fast and when to do what , and second the bike has to be an appropriate one so they don't pull the trigger when it's pointed at a tree or a drop off and the engine happens to be in the meat of the powerband.
It's just like so many hobbies,aviation especially. The most dangerous (by accident rate)aircraft type? Not trainers.
It's the the pilots first experiences with a light twin. Even with great initial instruction most accidents do not happen early on.
They happen when the new person starts to think they've "got it", when in fact what they've got is overconfidence and a smack down on the way.
It's all a personal decision . However, if you're the one someone is trusting to make the decision for them, look at it really hard,and really honestly.
Not the decision that actually gets us another toy , but the right one for the new riders safety and well being. Doug

[Just me]

There is a reason Beech Bonanza's are called 'Doctor Killers'. But you can detune the bike somewhat and they have a better platform to start on. And I guess it depends on the terrain you are going to be riding in. There isn't much 'easy' stuff around here and you need to be able to get up some long steep hills if you aren't going to just wallow in sand washes.

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There is a reason Beech Bonanza's are called 'Doctor Killers'

That's true, so are Cessna 310's, Piper Twin Comanches.etc.
Doug

[Vee5]

Don't know how related this is, but it may help you. I just moved my 13 year old daughter from a 150F to a 250X. She's been riding about 6 years but I still expected her to be a little timid on her first full size bike. Boy was I wrong- I was shocked when I saw her jump on and haul butt on it. The MAIN reason she is so comfortable on it is the suspension and full size wheels so she's no longer getting swallowed up in the ruts and whoops. Even though she's no beginner, it was still a big jump in power from the 150 to the 250, but that's not a problem.

JD, Knowing the places we ride here in So Cal, and especially Cal City, I think you could get her safely up to speed on the 250X in stock configuration and she'd be much more comfortable on it- It may just take a couple of years before she's ready to tackle Rattlesnake with you

[CRF230RiPPER]

Dude, don't even try to apply any type of man logic to this. If she likes the x because of its looks, then that's what you got to do.

EXACTLY!.....get the 230 you'll never hear the end of it....do yourself a favor. GET THE X

[Codeman00]

I'll chime in on this one too although I am a dude so it might not apply. Even at 6'2", I was trying to figure out what bike I was going to get for my first bike. I talked to several dealers and when I was trying out the 230, they kept saying that I would be moving up to the 250 in no time. At the time, the size of the 250X seemed intimidating.

I ended up buying a nice used 230...I rode it 3 times and started going back to the store wondering what that 250X would feel like. I ended up taking a few hundred dollar loss and buying a 250X ! And I love it! The suspension is awesome and completely adjustable. after a rejet, the 250X has plenty of power and if you need more, you can throw in some mods and rejet as you skills progress. I will say that I would have probably had a more difficult time learning on the 250X because it does have more power....but buying the other bike and riding it 3 times before upgrading was a waste.

+1 for the post above noting that the better suspension will be better for your friend.

I'd go with the 250X if I were you.

[luckymick]

I respect that point of view but don't agree. Why don't I agree:
1. Throttle control - and the consequences of not learning properly - is the first lesson for the beginners in my family
2. Look at Vee5's post. Sums it up perfectly: here in CA it's all about suspension, suspension, suspension.

While I'm not saying there's not difficult riding in Ohio, here in the CA desert one wrong left turn and your gentle trail ride turned in to a trials ride from h3ll! Gotta know what you're do'n out here!

Finally power aside; the entire package the 250x is there for that level of bike. I've seen too many posts and had too many personal experiences where riders bought a bike (e.g. 230) and 3-5 rides later wish they had the suspension, wheel size, and power (to get through the sand) of the 250x.

Mine is an opinion and thus probably not worth more than the ions that make up these characters

[Codeman00]

Finally power aside; the entire package the 250x is there for that level of bike. I've seen too many posts and had too many personal experiences where riders bought a bike (e.g. 230) and 3-5 rides later wish they had the suspension, wheel size, and power (to get through the sand) of the 250X

That would be me! The 230 really lacks in all of those departments. Night and day difference.