The Suzuki Boulevard C50, an 800cc motorcycle that’s proven very popular among women because of its midsize powerplant and manageable size, has morphed into several different iterations over the last few years, including a touring edition, a classic edition, and a special edition new for 2013. So what’s the difference—and what’s the better buy?
MOTORCYCLE REVIEW: 2012 Suzuki Boulevard C50T Classic, 2013 C50, and C50T
There’s a reason why so many women choose the Suzuki GSX-R600 when shopping for a sportbike. The chassis and seat are narrow and relatively low, allowing for an easy reach to the ground for even the shortest of riders (that includes me, at 5-foot-2). Throttle response is smooth but powerful enough to feed the jollies fluttering around in your stomach in anticipation of a ride on this bike.
MOTORCYCLE REVIEW: 2012 Suzuki GSX-R600
Sensible riders cut their motorcycle teeth on an easy-to-ride, small-displacement bike, but as skill and confidence grow, so does the hunger for a bigger motorcycle. Many of these little trainer motorcycles that are so accommodating at parking lot speeds lose their composure on the highway, if they can reach highway speeds at all.
MOTORCYCLE REVIEW: Star Motorcycles V Star 250
Now more than any other time in history, women are taking up motorcycle riding in record numbers. If you’ve found your way to this page because youre a woman thinking of getting into the sport, youre certainly not alone—one in four motorcycle riders on the road today is a woman!
Beginner’s Guide to Getting Into Motorcycling
We thought it would be fun to compile a list of major-manufacturer motorcycles with the lowest seat heights. Seat height is of supreme importance to most women riders, as the ability to place ones feet flat on the ground is perhaps the most important factor in giving women the confidence they need to handle a bike.
The Lowest of the Low Motorcycles
The largest segment of motorcyclists are baby boomers and many are finding out that as they age, they’re losing confidence in holding up a motorcycle as they come to a stop.
Retractable Wheels Add Confidence When Stopping
Pure fun—that’s how I describe my time test riding CSC Motorcycles’ 150cc bike. At first glance, you’d think the 240-pound two-wheeler is a scooter, but look again. It has a motorcycle-style frame (versus the step-through frame of a scooter) and a 5-speed manual transmission with a clutch that the rider must actuate to shift gears (versus the automatic transmission of a scooter).
MOTORCYCLE REVIEW WITH VIDEO: A 150cc Motorcycle That Can Go the Distance
Once in a while, a motorcycle is introduced that I believe has “woman rider” written all over it. The 2012 Harley-Davidson Dyna Switchback is one of those motorcycles. Why do I think this? Because it is a purpose-built touring motorcycle designed for riders who can’t or don’t want to handle the large touring motorcycles—and that description fits the majority of women riders.
MOTORCYCLE REVIEW: 2012 Harley-Davidson FLD Dyna Switchback, with Video
It makes a great trivia question: What Harley-Davidson has the lowest seat height? Well, up until 2010, it was the Fat Boy Lo, at 24.3 inches. But in 2011, Harley unveiled a mid-year release model—meaning it came out a few months after the other 2011 models were announced—and this motorcycle now lays claim to having the lowest seat height of any Harley-Davidson.
MOTORCYCLE REVIEW: 2011/2012 Harley-Davidson Blackline
This is my first motorcycle ever—and I love it! I can’t imagine getting a better one (for now). It’s a 2010 Harley-Davidson Sportster Iron 883. What I love most about this bike is that it fits my 5-foot-3 height perfectly. I did have to change out the stock seat to a narrower one, but it works for me.
READER MOTORCYCLE REVIEW: 2010 Harley-Davidson Sportster Iron 883