Short-legged girls.

[des_picable]

Hi ladies , my daughter is wanting to get her full license and I want to buy her a suitable bike to get in some practice. She is only about 5ft2 ,not sure what that is in cm's. So she needs something light she can touch down easily on.

What in your experience can you recommend ?

Des

[James Deuce]

A Suzuki GN 250, a Yamaha Virago 250, or a Kawasaki EL250. The GN is the most wallet friendly option, but the latest batch are made in China and some people have had issues with Corrosion. A mid-'80's GN will be both cheap and less likely to rot.

The Yamaha is a higher quality option, but low speed parking accidents or 10 km/hr accident approaching intersections seem to be the new rider's most common type of accident making the GN a little less heart breaking to chuck on it's side.

The Kawasaki is the one I like as it shares the engine and gearbox with a very common bike that has just been reintroduced as a new bike, the GPX250 (18 years of continuous production!). However it is watercooled making it a more expensive (comparatively) maintenance option.

Sorry I'm not a chick, but I know lots of people recommend those three for beginners of limited vertical reach of any gender.

First picture below is the EL250, 2nd is the GN250, and third is the Virago 250.

[Joni]

She's my size.... the Zeal is perfect...:yes:

[James Deuce]

Good point, O three quarter scale chicky.

The Yamaha Zeal is more of a "naked" standard bike than the three mini cruiser's I've listed above. It is a transverse 4 cyclinder engine, where the EL is a parallel twin, the GN is a single, and the virago is a V-Twin, and the Zeal has a good deal more "oomph" than the three I've listed. Best bet is to try them out and buy the most comfortable one as far as your daughter is concerned.

[Kflasher]

The wife is only 4'11" she had trouble at stopping the GPX 250 (bit of an art kicking the stand out before stopping, cutting engine each time) she rode the GN and found it the best for her height... she now has FZR400 88 model.

[Pwalo]

Good advice chaps. Probably best to stay away from trailies and larger sports bikes, but the other bikes mentioned should be splendid.

Are there really people that short riding. I need to meet a few so that I can stand beside them to have my photo taken.

[magicfairy]

I am 5ft 1 with short legs. Causes all sorts of problems even when you have full license.
The only bikes I can comfortably put my feet down on are cruisers, and not all of them either.
The Suzuki Boulevard range work for me though. Started with the S40, now on to the S50

It is really disappointing to walk into a bike shop and know that 95% of bikes I will never be able to ride - or only with extensive lowering, which you don't get for a test ride.

[Rosie]

I'm 5'4" and I can get my feet almost flat on the ground on my KRR150.

[bobsmith]

I'm a short bugger and CBR250R is bloody perfect!!! (that is if you don't want her to get bored with her bike within a week...) I've had a ZZR250 and FXR150 too but the seats were quite high on those compared to CBR250R hope this helps

[Paul in NZ]

Check here....

http://www.nebcom.com/noemi/moto/sbl.sbl.html

Cheers

[LilSel]

I've had a ZZR250 and FXR150 too but the seats were quite high on those compared to CBR250R hope this helps

Im a shorty and can touch down on my ZZR250, just lol... still hoping that im gonna have a growth spurt tho :yes:

[carver]

Good advice chaps. Probably best to stay away from trailies and larger sports bikes, but the other bikes mentioned should be splendid.

Are there really people that short riding. I need to meet a few so that I can stand beside them to have my photo taken.

bah...KLR 650 all the way.
when you want to upgrade try the suzuki savage

[Joni]

Always keep in mind tho… when you are looking at a non-cruiser type bikes, its not just the seat height – it’s the seat width too… many a bike has been the right height for me but the thick seat has buggered the situation…There is lots for us shorties to consider...

Have a look around and let her try the bikes out. As you say, not all 5ft2” people have the same length of leg – so she needs to find what suits her size best.

[Goblin]

Why do people need to be able to put both feet flat on the ground when stopped? It doesn't take a hell of a lot of skill to ride a bike that you cant get both feet flat on the ground. When you come to a stop you just move ya butt slightly off the seat and get one foot down. Once you're rolling it doesn't matter how short you are or how tall the bike is. I remember going to a Castrol Six Hour Race years ago and seeing Buster Saunders racing, who would be 4 foot fuck all! He used to stand next to the bike to start it...put it in gear, get it rolling then jump on and give it shit. Was cool to watch!

Good luck finding a bike for your daughter Des.

[Joni]

Why do people need to be able to put both feet flat on the ground when stopped?
When you are a learner, there are so many scary things to consider, not being able to get your feet down would freak you out... remember back to those days Goblin (yeah yeah I know :sunny: ), the bike felt like it weighed a ton and you had to remember all those "scary" things...

I will confess and say I dropped a bike once, because of my height or lack of it... came to a stop, the road was at a slight angle, I put my foot down and the road was not there and my foot kept going until the bike went for a lie down, and that was a CBR400, not the biggest of bikes... ask Her b4, she had a similar experience.... so it is something to consider for a learner.

[Goblin]

When you are a learner, there are so many scary things to consider, not being able to get your feet down would freak you out... remember back to those days Goblin (yeah yeah I know :sunny: ), the bike felt like it weighed a ton and you had to remember all those "scary" things...

I see where you're coming from. It was soooooo long ago though....I learned to ride on the road on a 750 Katana and I couldnt get both feet down...and the bike did weigh a ton. Only ever dropped it once after skidding to a halt on pea-stones. :o I once ran it out of petrol in the middle of an intersection on K road and had to push it the rest of the way to work. Not a bad effort for a 17 year old skinny white chick. The only other bikes I had ridden before that was the Honda 50 and a Yamaha Grasshopper on the farm. Maybe Im just weird but I never found riding scary.:confused:

[LilSel]

When it comes time to upgrade... I am thinkin bout R6 or 6R... hopefully either will be suitable for the lil leggies lol... (hopefully that growth spurt will happen in the next 18 months tho!! :yes:... hmmm... what age you stop growing??! is there still hope for me? lol)

[Trudes]

You can also get them lowered like I did, either by the seat or though the shock (had to do both). Just can be costly so wouldn't recommend for a bike you're not planning on hanging onto for a few years.

[SDU]

Your daughter is a tad taller then me.
It is what she feels comfortable on & don't forget the reach to the bars. It is a balance thing mainly. If she feels right with the weight & balance of a bike with just her toes down & she likes the bike its a winner, you can lower it a bit more for her confidence if she needs it.
I have learnt on Gn250, KLX125L, Serrow225(XT250) I would have been happy with the Honda VTR250/Yamaha renaissance.
Heaps of choices out there.

[bobsmith]

Im a shorty and can touch down on my ZZR250, just lol... still hoping that im gonna have a growth spurt tho :yes:

Haha, yeah, I was always hoping that too but I gave up when I turned 20... I could also touch down on the ZZR but reversing was more difficult than it needed to be... on the other hand, on the CBR I can put both my feet flat down and it's much much easier to handle. (besides the fact that it's shitloads faster...)

[LilSel]

Haha, yeah, I was always hoping that too but I gave up when I turned 20... I could also touch down on the ZZR but reversing was more difficult than it needed to be... on the other hand, on the CBR I can put both my feet flat down and it's much much easier to handle. (besides the fact that it's shitloads faster...)


Awwe... so I should prob give up on the growth spurt idea seeming as almost 23 lol... bugger! :bye:

Ah yes... reversing... I accomplish that by standing beside my bike for the most part.

[hXc]

I will confess and say I dropped a bike once, because of my height or lack of it... came to a stop, the road was at a slight angle, I put my foot down and the road was not there and my foot kept going until the bike went for a lie down, and that was a CBR400, not the biggest of bikes... Mum (yungatart) did the same thing many years ago, on a CB250; stopped on the side of the road, left foot goes down, but there's no ground there. She just kept stepping out, and didn't drop the bike; she placed it on the ground. Then politely asked Dad (MSTRS) to pick it up...

Bloody lazy if you ask me!

[Swoop]

still hoping that im gonna have a growth spurt tho :yes:

Awwe... so I should prob give up on the growth spurt idea seeming as almost 23 lol... bugger!
I wouldn't be mentioning the fact of wanting ANY type of spurt around here... The_Dover will find out......:shifty: :shifty:

[des_picable]

Thanks for all your replies. I had the GN in mind already , but wanted some other options which I now have that I hadn't considered , like the Zeal which I think she will love :love: mind you , she also likes bikes with fairings. It's going to take some thought.

Thanks to everyone.

[LilSel]

I wouldn't be mentioning the fact of wanting ANY type of spurt around here... The_Dover will find out......:shifty: :shifty:

:shutup: opps.... :chase: :doh:

[Swoop]

:shutup: opps.... :chase: :doh:
:rofl::rofl:

[Beemer]

I'm 5'1" so perfectly able to comment with authority here! I started off learning to ride on a Suzuki RG150 and then upgraded to a BMW F650CS and now I ride a Suzuki SG350 (Goose). The RG had a 780mm seat height but I had mine lowered so I could get both feet flat on the ground!

Don't forget those Kawasaki 150s - think it is a KRR150? Very cute with a fairing and not too bad as far as height goes. I never considered a GN250 as I don't like cruisers, but they are good bikes for a learner.

[yungatart]

I have an EL250 - a great bike, I'm 5'4" but can comfortably sit on the seat with my knees bent and feet flat on the ground - confidence inspiring for nervous newbies..
Good luck finding the one that suits

[crashe]

Just found this thread. How on earth did I miss it...... :whistle:


Im 4 foot 12 inches tall.
I own a VIRAGO 250cc:love:

Its not only the height of the seat...... look at the width of the seat as well.

Not only is it the person's leg length.... now dont take this the wrong way... but the size of the thighs as well.

If she has very slender thigh's then it seems they can sit on higher bikes and can cope with the wider seats as well.


The VIRAGO:love: seat is narrow at the front of it compared to say the GN250.

The best bet is to take your daughter around a few bike shops and sit on the few choices already mentioned in this thread.

Good luck.

[Goblin]

Maybe Im just weird but I never found riding scary.:confused: Oh I lied! My mate Colin's old IT400(or something) scared the shit outa me!

[mstriumph]

high heeled boots?.... :dodge:

[The Stranger]

Ok I know it isn't exactly a legal learner bike, but the K6 GSXR 1000 have quite a low and narrow seat. Hell, even SPB can put his feet down flat.

[Hitcher]

Zeal? Did somebody mention the Mighty Zeal?

Mrs H (5'2" dripping wet) cut her motorcycling teeth on a Kawasaki EL250 Eliminator. These are a great bike. The donk is very willing and the Kawasaki six-speed box is almost worth the price of admission on its own! So too the positive-neutral finder. Get one without spoked wheels and chuck a Givi screen on it and go!

Surprisingly, I won't take this opportunity to talk up the Zeal, as I believe the EL250 is the better choice for one of shorter stature.

[Hitcher]

high heeled boots?...

A good shoe repairer will build up the soles on motorcycle boots. Just make sure you get the instep shaped so it doesn't peg your boots to the pegs. You may also have to alter the height of the gearshifter so you can get your toe underneath.

[FROSTY]

ME--ID sugest the sr250 yamaha--more robust than a gnooo

[crashe]

Oh I lied!


Good grief, we are now having confession time on KB now....
What ever next.....?. :whistle:

So has your nose grown just a little bit after that wee lie?
:dodge: :dodge:

[Mom]

A good shoe repairer will build up the soles on motorcycle boots. Just make sure you get the instep shaped so it doesn't peg your boots to the pegs. You may also have to alter the height of the gearshifter so you can get your toe underneath.

I have seen that done..........works really well..........member here rides a SV1000 and is about my "lofty" height.........she has her boots built up, not so that they look weird but function

[Goblin]

Good grief, we are now having confession time on KB now....
What ever next.....?. :whistle:

So has your nose grown just a little bit after that wee lie?
:dodge: :dodge:
Hahaha! Cheeky! It's not like I lied outright but had forgotten about the old IT bike from HELL! IT truely was a bike to be feared!:shit: Ooooh and it was tall too!

[klingon]

high heeled boots?.... :dodge:

LOL don't underestimate the height advantage from a good pair of boots! My Sidi Rose boots have a 45mm heel as standard (makes me almost 6ft tall when I'm wearing them... remind me why I'm reading this thread? :shutup:)