Tips and suggestions for a girl wanting to buy her first motorcycle?

I'm a 20 year old, 5'7, 120 lbs girl, and I wanna buy a standard or a sport bike (no cruiser bikes). The main thing I'll use it for will be to commute to university. Also, of course right now I don't know how to ride a motorcycle and I can't drive a manual car either, so will it be hard to learn? I'm gonna take the MSF course soon, but can I really learn how to ride in just 2 days? How is the MSF course, from those that have taken it?

so, my main priority is probably the price, it would be great if I can find a good 125cc-300cc motorcycle for $2000-3000. These are the motorcycles I've thought about, let me know of any tips or the differences between each and help me choose, or suggest other good bikes for my situation:

Honda Grom
Kawasaki z125
Ninja 250
Ninja 300
Honda CBR125r - CBR300r

Also, I plan to have this motorcycle for at least 2 years, so keep that in mind when choosing the motorcycles. Example, do you think I can stay happy with a 125 cc bike for 2-3 years?

Also, what is ABS exactly and do I really need it on my first bike? Because I think a lot of these bikes don't have ABS, so if that's important then it reduces my options a lot.

Lastly, is buying from craigs list or cycle trader recommended? I can find cheap bikes that way but I'm not gonna be able to inspect the bike and see if anything is wrong with it, so I might get ripped off.

I know I have a lot of questions, but I don't know anyone that rides and can help me, so I appreciate all the help I can get!

Get stabilisers.

Once, way back when, I had a Honda 350. Commuted to uni then job. Replaced it after 10 years with a BMW R-750.

Look for a 4 stroke bike around 250 cc, a GN 250 Suzuki is a good bike for a learner

You want to be able to sit on a bike with both feet flat on the ground. For someone your height this might narrow the range of choices somewhat. Cruisers have low seats but you don't want a cruiser. ALL the bikes you listed are excellent starter bikes. So at least your head is in the right place. 8^)

I would recommend starting on a used bike, one that isn't pristine. You're very likely to drop it once or twice before you get the hang of it. Usually it happens at 1 mph or even just parking, because that's when the bike is the least self-balancing.

The Grom is a smaller bike so it might be fine, but it hasn't been around long enough to get a good cheap used one. For the others a 250 or 300 would let you get onto the interstate, which should be part of your training. (Not the first day, of course.) A 125 is light and small and zippy like a scooter. A 250 is more like a motorcycle. A 125 is fine if you will never ever ever go on a long trip or upgrade to a bigger bike.

No, you don't learn to ride a motorcycle in 2 days. The MSF course doesn't teach you to ride, it teaches you some indispensable safety habits to help keep you alive while you learn. You learn only by doing, riding slowly around a quiet neighborhood until you feel confident. Studies have shown that half of all motorcycle accidents happen to riders in their first year, meaning that learning to ride a motorcycle is about twice as dangerous as just riding a motorcycle. So learning some safety procedures is good. It's half classroom, half riding around a parking lot at 5 mph.

I don't believe in 'lessons' but you should have someone who rides to answer questions and ride with you sometimes. Check with the motorcycle dealers in your area, many of them have clubs you can join. There are group rides that are beginner-friendly where you ride with a group and have a picnic or something and get to know everyone. And all these people will help you if you have a problem or a question.

ABS is Automatic Braking System. Motorcycles don't stop as fast as cars (so you get in the habit of leaving more room behind the car in front of you. That's something they teach you at the MSF). But there are time when you need to stop as fast as you can, and ABS does that. You just put a death-grip on the brake and the ABS computer does it for you. OTOH they add to the cost and make maintenance more complicated.

I think girls are safer on bike than guys. Guys that age have what I call 'testosterone poisoning', they want bigger bikes than they can handle at first and they take a lot of unnecessary chances. Girls are level-headed. And a lot of girls have a lower center of gravity.

Anyway, good luck!

Start with a scooter. Honda Ruckus or Yamaha Zuma.

'Easy' and 'hard' are subjective terms. Some people pick up on riding right away while others struggle with it and need lots of time to practice.

The little Ninjette is an excellent bike for starting out on if you like sporty styling. There are plenty of them on the used bike market and they're always popular with new riders so flipping one shouldn't be difficult when it's time for you to sell.

ABS stands for anti-lock braking and it means exactly what it states. It keeps the wheels from locking up and the bike skidding when activated. People have different ideas about ABS but I think it's a good thing on a bike, especially for a new rider.

Buyng a bike privately can be done but you have to know what you're looking for when looking over a bike. If you don't, I suggest bringing along someone that does.

If you can ride a bicycle, you should be able to ride a motorcycle with just a bit of practice. By all means, do the MSF course first, and THEN you will be better informed about what sort of motorcycle you should buy for your own use.

Take professional training.

Then choose a bike.

Take the MSF course. Speak with the instructors. A Honda CB300F's a good standard first bike.

Light commuting might be best with a scooter, such as a Vespa. They're easier to learn than driving a car, but it helps if you already know how to ride a bicycle. Motorcycles without fairings and windshields can be fun in warm weather, but downright miserable in the winter in the cold and on wet roads or when it's raining and hard to see the road. Most motorcycles come in two sizes, big and heavy, or small and light. Start with a small one.