We got my wife a Z400 for her own. I'm a little worried that it's going to be a handful for her.

Is there a way to tone the bike down a touch untill she can get used to it? I didn't want to get a LT250 with the auto clutch as she is looking forward to the dunes.

Maybe a way to restrict the exhaust a bit? Any ideas?

I am going to use the throttle limiter, but some other ideas couldn't hurt.

Thanks.

 

Well I wouldnt do anything in the line of what your talking about....Rig up a throttle stop for the handle bar, and you should be fine, like let it go to half throttle, thats plenty to start out with, half on a z400 is like full throttle on a 250.

 

I wouldn't recommend corking it up any. The throttle limiter and some seat time are the best things for her right now. Won't be long, and she'll be asking you to make it faster. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

And the reason a auto clutch won't work for the dunes is? Mine worked awsome.
So you gots a machine for the wife and you don't even know if she can handle it eh...AND your going to take her to the dunes....
You got a big life insurance policy for her I take it. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img] LOL

 

Thanks guys.

It's not that Z400 is 'too much' it's that I want the beginning to be super mellow with no bad experiences. She can already ride it around fine, doens't stall it and can shift and back up. No biggie.

What I'm trying to avoid is the "OOPS!" moment where she might think the clutch the brake and pop it at a time when the bike can hook up and not spin. I've seen it done by beginner's both guys and gals, and I don't want it to be the wife who get's looped out onto her butt and get's a bad impression. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

And yes, the auto cluth does suck at the dunes for any kind of spirited riding. I would have gotten her the LT250 but we would just end up unloading it when it's outgrown. Some folks we know have thier wife on a Z400 so I wanted a comparable bike for her that's of the same level. I just want her to have a smoth time learning.

 

My oops! moments are just the opposite. Hop on the wifes Trial Blazer to check up on it, or just fart around and wind up reaching for a brake lever that isn't there. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img]

 

Just screw the throttle limiter in a bit, and let it out as she gets better ....

The z400 is pretty mellow if you stay in the lower RPMs.... it only starts to hit hard in about mid-range, so keeping the screw on the box turned in should be enough to slow her down a bit.....

 

that's what I was thinking as well. Thanks!

 

put a rekluse AUTO CLUTCH ON IT. Done, no worries.

 

That's a great idea LTZ! If she has a hard time with it I might just do that.