Short arse? Get a smaller bike!

[MotoGirl]

This is what I'm told all the time because my short 5'4" self struggles to ride a normal bike. What's really depressing is that I couldn't even ride the 50cc version of my RSV (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-126323912.htm) because the seat height is still 810mm :doh:
Specs of this bike here: http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/aprilia_rs_50_2003.php

God this is depressing. Is there absolutely no hope?

[janno]

I'm 5'6 but due to a pain in the arse illness I'm not physically strong at all. So when I was on my first "big bike", an SV650, it was top heavy enough that I kept dropping the damn thing.

I've now got a 650cc Honda Bros (do a google under honda bros or honda hawk) and they are a TINY bike with more than god's enough kick arse grunt for me (can happily go all day at 120-130 if that is your style). They are a grey import in NZ, and coming up to 15 - 20 years old, but I can't recommend them enough to those who are outsized by other bikes. Worth keeping an eye out for!

[klingon]

Two suggestions:

1) Talk to Crashe about her Virago - she seems really happy with it.

2) I rode a Hyosung Aquila the other day as a loaner while my bike was being serviced. It was very low to the ground and felt feather-light as the weight was all low down. So very easy to ride and manoeuvre.

Good luck!

[jrandom]

Admit defeat and get a cruiser, you big pussy.

Or HTFU and learn to balance the thing. What about all the fullas out there riding dirtbikes they can't even get tippy-toe down on?

For that matter, I can't touch the ground on my Trek with either foot without leaning it about 20 degrees to the side, or hopping off the seat. (Although, at 8kg, it is a bit lighter than your Italian monstrosity.)

:Pokey:

[doc]

This is what I'm told all the time because my short 5'4" self struggles to ride a normal bike. What's really depressing is that I couldn't even ride the 50cc version of my RSV (http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Sports/auction-126323912.htm) because the seat height is still 810mm :doh:
Specs of this bike here: http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/aprilia_rs_50_2003.php

God this is depressing. Is there absolutely no hope?

Sorry . Unless you get a sporty or a Lowrider. Only trying to help .

[janno]

Just realised - you want a race bike huh? In that case my suggestion of something 20 years old is not going to do much for ya . . .

[Trudes]

Yeah I saw a very low Hyobag today.
Feel your pain Motogirl, I feel it. I fell instantly in love with the Hornet and was quite discouraged with the tippytoe thing and was constantly asked "have you considered a Bandit", yes I had, but I just didn't like them like I liked the Hornet :love:, sometimes you just have to play the hand your dealt eh!:niceone:

[jrandom]

Nothing wrong with tall bikes, nothing at all. Just gotta keep moving.

O_r2psdrQkM

[Grahameeboy]

Nothing wrong with tall bikes, nothing at all. Just gotta keep moving.

O_r2psdrQkM

So that's why you tell me when you are getting home so I can be ready with the paddock stands so you don't drop it....

[Grahameeboy]

Admit defeat and get a cruiser, you big pussy.

Or HTFU and learn to balance the thing. What about all the fullas out there riding dirtbikes they can't even get tippy-toe down on?

For that matter, I can't touch the ground on my Trek with either foot without leaning it about 20 degrees to the side, or hopping off the seat. (Although, at 8kg, it is a bit lighter than your Italian monstrosity.)

:Pokey:

When he bothers to ride it that is...mind you he may have grown since he last rode it!!

[jrandom]

When he bothers to ride it that is...mind you he may have grown since he last rode it!!

I keep telling you not to leave the doughnuts out.

[MotoGirl]

Admit defeat and get a cruiser, you big pussy.

Or HTFU and learn to balance the thing.

:rofl: yeah I have to harden up aye! I'm just raising the point that even the little bikes aren't any shorter so it's :finger: to anyone that tells a shorty pants to get a smaller bike :done:

[Grahameeboy]

I keep telling you not to leave the doughnuts out.

Well Dan has been in his room all day.....fancy a ride later?....then "I think I will go out on my pedal bike and do Albany Hill".......so feeling neglected I go for a ride for a few hours....get back............he is still in bed...........doughnuts are well safe...........in my TUMMY...

[jrandom]

yeah I have to harden up aye!

Yup. You're taller than Dani Pedrosa.

[jrandom]

Well Dan has been in his room all day...

Scurrilous lies and slander.

I came out and lay on the couch for a couple of hours this morning.

[MotoGirl]

Yup. You're taller than Dani Pedrosa.

He doesn't have to park his own bike!

[MotoGirl]

sometimes you just have to play the hand your dealt eh!:niceone:

The bike dealer had to lower the bike so I could even test ride it :o

[Trudes]

hehe, I have to get my hubby to test ride bikes for me:whistle:

[Her_C4]

Admit defeat and get a cruiser, you big pussy....etc

:Pokey:


NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :bash:


:rofl: yeah I have to harden up aye! I'm just raising the point that even the little bikes aren't any shorter so it's :finger: to anyone that tells a shorty pants to get a smaller bike :done:


Yeah atta gurl chick:yes: persistence really does pay.



The bike dealer had to lower the bike so I could even test ride it :o


I know EXACTLY where you are coming from - but trust me on this one, the resoled boots REALLY do work :-) For the first time since I started riding bikes, I am able to get parts of BOTH feet on the ground at the same time!!!!!:laugh::niceone:

[Mental Trousers]

Take a look at the Kawasaki ER6N or ER6F. Seat height is 785mm. They've got a nice 650cc parallel twin with an out standing chassis and suspension. They're not expensive either.

[Little Miss Trouble]

Take a look at the Kawasaki ER6N or ER6F. Seat height is 785mm. They've got a nice 650cc parallel twin with an out standing chassis and suspension. They're not expensive either.

those are both definately on my 'big bike list' to try when I'm allowed

[Goblin]

God this is depressing. Is there absolutely no hope?No sorry. Only one thing left to do....sell the RSV and get yaself a nice custom car. :niceone:

[jazbug5]

I'm exactly the same height as you, and currently have a ZZR600- my feet touch the floor no problem. Not flat, mind you, but much more so than the GSX600F I had before (aka Voodoo Bike II). Manouevering the thing is so much easier, though at first people used to giggle a bit as I paddled frantically when trying to back up.
As much as seat height, I have found that the range of movement in the bars and the position of the centre of gravity (i.e. high C.O.G. = hassle!) affect my ability to wrangle a bike around from standing.

Anyway, surely the custom seats you make would allow you to lose the few cm you would need to on your chosen bike?

[deanohit]

I know EXACTLY where you are coming from - but trust me on this one, the resoled boots REALLY do work :-) For the first time since I started riding bikes, I am able to get parts of BOTH feet on the ground at the same time!!!!!:laugh::niceone:

How much have you had them built up? And how do they go fitting between the peg and shifter/brake levers?
Just curious. :confused:

[MidnightMike]

God this is depressing. Is there absolutely no hope?


Yes, there is.

If its that bad you can swap for my bike and cash my way (as I want some new gears to go with my wicked new RSV) :banana:

Problem solved. :nya:

[zx10ruser]

just get your bike lowered, any motorbike mechanic with a bit of suspension experience can lower it no problem, and shave your seat foam down a bit.

[Waylander]

You ought to try being 6'3" and see how comfortable you are on most bikes.

You're short, everyone knows that. Deal with it. Or you can spend $30K+ and have a bike specifically built to suit you.:whocares:

[jazbug5]

You ought to try being 6'3" and see how comfortable you are on most bikes.

You're short, everyone knows that. Deal with it. Or you can spend $30K+ and have a bike specifically built to suit you.:whocares:

Are we having a bad day, perhaps..?

[Pwalo]

I think you're going to struggle with any bike with a seat height over 780mm. I stand 5'6" first thing in the morning, on a good day, and 800 is about the maximum seat height that I feel comfortable with (and that's if the bike is reasonably light).

You can go the suspension lowering route. There are plenty of articles on the web. The only trouble is that you will compromise ground clearance, and possibly steering geometry on some bikes.

The reality is that most modern sports bikes are tall, short wheel base thingies, and while the seating layout is aimed at shorter people (I love the SV650S when I'm on the move) you seem to have to have rather disproportianlly long legs when you're stopped.

Just hire a butler to follow you around and assist you when alighting from your motor bicycle. Sorted!

[MotoGirl]

You ought to try being 6'3" and see how comfortable you are on most bikes.

You're short, everyone knows that. Deal with it. Or you can spend $30K+ and have a bike specifically built to suit you.:whocares:

You're not telling me anything I don't already know! The point in this thread is to highlight that even a 50cc Aprilia is too tall for me so that's why I own what I want instead of buying a "smaller bike" like I've been told to do in the past.

[Her_C4]

How much have you had them built up? And how do they go fitting between the peg and shifter/brake levers?
Just curious. :confused:

Quite a bit for this bike actually - Origionally they were built up about 3cm's but I still couldn't touch down on this bike so they went in for more work .... :shit:

Here is a pic from an older thread just after they had been 'operated' on :woohoo: http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showpost.php?p=1201008&postcount=58

Moving the gear lever up and out allows for my foot/boot to get between the peg and lever easily. it took a bit of learning as I ride with my toes on the pegs but as with everything else - practice practice practice... :Punk:

As has been mentioned in a number of threads now - there are a range of different options that people can use to lower their bikes in order to touch down, but motogirls point was I believe - that regardless of what we actually own / ride (we are both on 1000cc bikes :sunny:), it is shocking to us shortass people (especially those with 'ducks disease)' that even the smaller bikes (250cc and below) are way too high for us if we had wanted to ride one.

It still surprises me no end that IMO we are a huge potential market in the Sportsbikes arena that has not been adequately catered for. :no:

[Trudes]

Especially as the majority of Japanese people are fairly short (or am I thinking Chinese?) it surprises me that they make such high bikes!
I tried an older SV a while ago and was pleasantly surprised that it was lower than my modified Hornet.
I guess us shorties are just meant to ride scooters (ewww).

[Cajun]

Especially as the majority of Japanese people are fairly short (or am I thinking Chinese?) it surprises me that they make such high bikes!
I tried an older SV a while ago and was pleasantly surprised that it was lower than my modified Hornet.
I guess us shorties are just meant to ride scooters (ewww).

Not alot of the japanese bikes are not sold in there own country, they are made for americans/europan markets.