Not-as-tall ladies, Please help the newbie!

[HenryDorsetCase]

You can buy lowering linkage kits, or you can go to your local shop and they will get one made and put it in for you, probably not overly doable on a 250 as they are pretty little to start with, but you can also look at getting alot of the foam taken out of the seat, you can sometimes get up to an inch off the seat and its usually enough to make it bearable

not only seat height but also trimming the sides down so you can have straighter legs.

See if you can find a VT250 Spada to have a sit on.

[Tigadee]

http://bhph.hubpages.com/hub/The-Bes...r-Short-People

Hilarious to see the Hyosungs there as they are typically recommended for tall riders...

However I do agree with that because having tried out the Hyosung GT250, I found out that while the seat height may be tall (so seemingly good for tall riders), the leg space is short and cramped. Also the fact that the Hyosungs can be lowered without much effort must be why they appeared on the list.

[Hitcher]

Mrs H is 5' 2" in the old money. She rides a Suzuki GSF650S K6. It has been Mac McDonalded, to lower the seat; Robert Taylored, to lower the suspension; and she has also had her boots raised by about 1.5cm (in the new money). This combination suits her down to the ground most nicely indeed.

Don't Mickey Mouse around with suspension advice offered by well meaning amateurs. Properly lowering suspension is a job best left for professionals who know what they're doing. Seriously.

[MSTRS:Me]

Don't Mickey Mouse around with suspension advice offered by well meaning amateurs. Properly lowering suspension is a job best left for professionals who know what they're doing. Seriously.

Or don't do it at all. Esp not on an SV650, eh Madduck?
It can play havoc with the general balance of a bike and the steering geometry.

[MadDuck]

Or don't do it at all. Esp not on an SV650, eh Madduck?
It can play havoc with the general balance of a bike and the steering geometry.

Correct! I certainly learnt some very valuable lessons in that department.

[GingerMidget]

Sounds like you need a GSXR 1000

Careful, trollf ace is showing.

Yeah I really don't want to lower a bike if I have another option. Simply because I want to learn to ride a bike in its native state, rather than modified. Plus resale value is higher on a stock bike in the learner sizes, than is is on something thats been played with.

Fairly certain Ill happily buy a vt/vtr250, just need to work out budget, and start saving like mad!
Which means less drinking, and pay off the car faster so I can afford to buy something half decent!

[XxKiTtiExX]

As someone else has mentioned there is the "height" thing, but also everyone is proportioned different. I'm 5'4" but suffer from the short and stumpies syndrome (short legs). A lot of people advised I started on a GN250, I did look at one but found I was on the very, very tips of my toes and the seat was so wide it hurt. Ended up with an RG150, seat was slimmer and my feet are perfectly flat on the ground.

Check out a few of the bikes that people have mentioned. You will find what one fits you and feels right.

[GingerMidget]

I can almost flat footn a ZZR, feels good. Quite keen to take on out once I sort the paperwork side of things out. Tomorrow is the big day for BHS. I've bribed mum in to coming down to watch, based on she paid for it, and then she can sleep at night knowing she has seen me ride and I won't die. Terribly quickly anyway.

Then its still at least 3 weeks til I get to do the theory test cos of conflicting work/reality schedule. Oh well, such is life.

[sil3nt]

I can almost flat footn a ZZR, feels good.

Going to be annoying and say try a GPX. Essentially the same bike as the ZZR.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Mrs H is 5' 2" in the old money. She rides a Suzuki GSF650S K6. It has been Mac McDonalded, to lower the seat; Robert Taylored, to lower the suspension; and she has also had her boots raised by about 1.5cm (in the new money). This combination suits her down to the ground most nicely indeed.

Don't Mickey Mouse around with suspension advice offered by well meaning amateurs. Properly lowering suspension is a job best left for professionals who know what they're doing. Seriously.

agree. plus if you're smaller, typically you're lighter, and the spring and damping rates are set by mr Suzuki or Hyosung or whatever for a 90+kg gorilla. Just getting that right is a huuuuge difference.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Careful, trollf ace is showing.

Yeah I really don't want to lower a bike if I have another option. Simply because I want to learn to ride a bike in its native state, rather than modified. Plus resale value is higher on a stock bike in the learner sizes, than is is on something thats been played with.

I have been riding for a few years and (sorry Ive been drinking since lunchtime) honestly, that "learning to ride a bike in its native state" is a crock of shite. You dont get in a car and dont adjust the seat and steering wheel if the last munter that drove it was 6 ft 7, why put up with a bike that isnt right? IF you can afford to change it. Resale valuer is about the same on a bike with fruit vs a stocker (trust me on this) but the one with fruit will sell quicker. Things like suspension (esp shocks) can be sold separately, and even forks can be too.

My 2c: get something thats right for you, if its not right, make it right, or at least better, ride the motherfuckin' wheels off it, then upgrade.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Going to be annoying and say try a GPX. Essentially the same bike as the ZZR.

I had a GPz500 in the late Neolithic which was quite a good little bike as I recall.

[hellokitty]

You will also find that as you become more experienced, you will be able to cope with a taller bike.
I have always been obsessed with being flat footed, but on my BMW, I am on tippy toes. The bike is skinny and light and is not an issue, but I have been on a full license now for over 2 years.

[GingerMidget]

Suzuki ax100. Ewwwwww. Basic handling skills is done now though, and I passed. My parents showed up near the end, and mum cringed as I leaned the horrible smoky old heap, dad was apparently laughing his ass off. Now just have to find the time to do my theory test!

[FJRider]

Suzuki ax100. Ewwwwww. Basic handling skills is done now though, and I passed. My parents showed up near the end, and mum cringed as I leaned the horrible smoky old heap, dad was apparently laughing his ass off. Now just have to find the time to do my theory test!

Well done ... The first step done.