Motorcycle help

[Zoom]

Here's the dilemma. I love motorcyles. I'm 5'1". What bikes out there could I ride without having to practically lay the bike down at stop lights just so I could touch the ground? I used to tool around on my friend's old Yamaha RD and I fit that pretty well and I was able to touch the ground when I was thinking about buying a Yamaha Maxim 750 (though it was a bit too heavy for me at the time, probably not so much of an issue now). But what else? What other bikes could I fit on without looking ridiculous and that have enough power to help me avoid getting creamed on the highway?

I've got the same problem with "cool" cars...if I can touch the pedels, you can barely see my face over the top of the doors and I look like some little kids who swiped daddy's car keys for the afternoon. Sigh. Sometimes I like being short, times like this I wish I was 5 or 6 inches taller at least.

 

[shredhead (DOG LOVER)]

Do you want a cruiser or a sport bike?

If you want a sports bike I'd recommend a Ninja 250.

Don't know anything about cruisers...lol

 

[Buddy'sParents]

Motorcycle? Scary....


I hope someone has answers for you!

 

[~Jessie~]

^^^I agree, Buddy's mom! Motorcycles scare me as well.

 

[GlassOnion]

Ninja 250 is low. A Ninja 500 is a bit higher but not bad. I can flat foot both but I'm 5'11". But I feel cramped on the 250 and just about right on the 500.

I don't know how fast you wanna go though.


Another option is a Rebel 250. It's a cruiser style bike and looks nice and I feel like a hunchback on that thing. Might wanna take a look at it.

Other than that just go to a dealership, tell them you're just looking as they pounce on you and sit on some bikes, see which you can flat foot.

Edit: And wear gear **** it.

 

[uhmanda00]

I've got a 1974 honda trail 90.

HAHAHAHA.

 

[Zoom]

Ninja 250 is low. A Ninja 500 is a bit higher but not bad. I can flat foot both but I'm 5'11". But I feel cramped on the 250 and just about right on the 500.

I don't know how fast you wanna go though.


Another option is a Rebel 250. It's a cruiser style bike and looks nice and I feel like a hunchback on that thing. Might wanna take a look at it.

Other than that just go to a dealership, tell them you're just looking as they pounce on you and sit on some bikes, see which you can flat foot.

Edit: And wear gear **** it.

Oh, if I get one I'll have a full set of leathers in addition to the full-face helmet. The helmet will come first, obviously, and then the jacket. Heck, I'll get that stuff even if I just meet someone who has a motorcycle that will take me out on rides occasionally.

 

[~Jessie~]

^^^That is really good I am so sick of seeing people on the road on their bikes wearing shorts, sandles, and t-shirts without helmets =/

 

[GlassOnion]

And it really sucks reading articles about people dying in motorcycle crashes.

It'll say something like: John Smith crashed on I-10 going westbound. He was traveling approximately 70 miles per hour and died from head trauma. He was not wearing a helmet.


I picture it like dropping a watermelon out of a car going 70 miles per hour. Of course gear doesn't make you 10 feet tall and bullet proof but most motorcycle deaths I read about include 'he was not wearing a helmet'.

 

[~Jessie~]

My dad has a Harley that he rides on the weekends. He was hit by a car who made a left turn without looking. His helmet saved his life.

 

[Zoom]

After seeing a picture of a guy who could now lick his clavicle without trying because he wasn't wearing a full-face helmet when he crashed, there is no way in the world I would ever go without one.

And I've still got a scar from the road rash I got just from tripping while running one morning. I have no urge to add 70 miles an hour force to that.

 

[wehkah]

Wow what a awesome thread!! I can help a little here I think!

Lets see.. I'm 5'5" I had the same issues when I was choosing a motorcycle. I liked the safety of having my feet on the ground at stops. I thought about a croch rocket Like a 500 Ninja but I've got tendenitus of the wrists so wasn't keen about putting all my weight in my hands. I LOVE Harleys but who's got the money for one of those lately.... So I wanted the look of a harley but not the size... at least not yet. Checked out the Honda, Suzuki's, Yamaha's... you name it. What I ended up with was a 1996 535cc Yamaha Virago. Also comes in 700 and 1200. The look and ALMOST sound of a Harley but a fraction of the price and all the chrome!!! Love that little thing! When it grows up I think it'll be a Harley. But a great starter bike. It's a little on the heavier side cause it's a 535 but I really do like it!

Hope this helps! I have pictures too if you'd like to see it!

 

[GlassOnion]

I wouldn't mind seeing it. Nothing wrong with 'bike porn'.

My two dream bikes are the V-Strom 650 and a SV650. I would turn them both naked but if I got a SV I'd consider doing that to it. Some people think it's fugly but I dunno, looks kinda sexy.

 

[wehkah]

Sexy bike!

I must confess... I tried looking for some pic's on the pc here and can't find any... the next time the pony (Mustang) comes out of the garage I'll have to take a few and make sure I post them. It as well as the stang are in the garage for winter. The pony comes out from time to time as long as the weather permits and to keep those pesky mice out! Nothing like trying to have a nice collector car (eventually) and having the mice destroy it! UGH!

 

[Zoom]

When the weather turns nicer I'm going to go check out some sports cars. I'll never be able to afford them, but hey, a girl can dream, right?

I checked out the Honda webpage and a couple of the cruisers and two of the sports bikes (none of the real crotch-rocket types though) would sit low enough, now it's just a matter of being able to reach the handle bars at the same time. I've got a flat-footed 27" inseam and most bikes sit about 29" and up. There are a few options. But again, being able to reach the throttle has a lot to do with it.

 

[zoe08]

I am 5'2". You will have no problem finding a cruiser. I can go in a dealership and find several I can flat foot on.

Outside of that I had a Ninja 500 and I couldn't completely flat foot. I am just learning, so that's a big deal to me. But the Ninja 250 is a little shorter, and you can get it lowered a little, maybe something like 1/2 - 1" from standard size. The Ninjas are good starter bikes, I'm not sure if you are just learning or not. But they say once you know how to ride being able to completely flat foot isnt a big deal. Just being able to put your toes down, but I insist on being comfortable when Im trying to learn.

Anyways. My dream bike is a Ducati Monster 600. I sat on one and it was a perfect fit.

So far those are the only non-cruiser bikes I have found that I could attempt to ride. You also might try a GS500. I don't remember actually having sat on one, but they are supposed to be about the same height as a Ninja.

 

[DanL]

And it really sucks reading articles about people dying in motorcycle crashes.

It'll say something like: John Smith crashed on I-10 going westbound. He was traveling approximately 70 miles per hour and died from head trauma. He was not wearing a helmet.


I picture it like dropping a watermelon out of a car going 70 miles per hour. Of course gear doesn't make you 10 feet tall and bullet proof but most motorcycle deaths I read about include 'he was not wearing a helmet'.

Actually, they read more like "Motorcyclist killed when minivan fails to yield and turns left in front of oncoming bike. Soccer mom was talking on phone and yelling at kids in back seat and failed to see the bike."

The sport bikes like the Ninjas seem to be higher off the ground than a cruiser type. My wife is 5'3 with short legs and she can flat foot on her Kawasaki Vulcan 750. My friend has a Honda ST1100 which is a sport/tourer, and she can't even touch either foot on it.

Kawasaki also makes a 500 which is smaller but still has enough power to ride on the highway if you need to. I rode one of their 250's at the motorcycle safety class, it was a nice light bike and would certainly be low enough for someone 5' tall. One woman in the class was actually going to go buy one because she liked how it fit her. Most of the main metric bikes have a small version, something between 250 and 500 that is a good ride for smaller people. Yamaha has the 600 or 650 cruiser too that is pretty low. I have a Suzuki C50 that is also low to the ground but its got a wide tank, which makes it harder for people with short legs like my wife to ride it comfortably. Even the smallest Harley, the sportster, was too high for my wife, unless you got the lowrider version. IMO, way too much $$ for what you get. You are paying for a name with those, nothing more. My friend has a big HD, it cost him 25 grand. He gives me a hard time about my bike and how his will hold it's value, but I say, I can buy 3-4 of my bikes for the cost of 1 of yours, and at least I ride mine!

Here's my bike: I've done some mods to it since this pic, I have chrome trim around the fenders and gas tank, I put a new seat on, modified my saddle bags to mount direct to the fender, and fixed the sissy bar so I can remove it and the passenger seat with a couple turns of a wrench to make it a solo ride.

 

[Julie]

Hmmmm The only thing I miss about my ex-boyfriend is his motorcycle.
He had a Harley (don't remember which kind) it was all black with lots of crome!
The rumble under your thighs is unforgettable!
We would ride ALOT!
Do you ever notice while riding.... everyone else on a bike ALWAYS waves by giving some little finger signal...
I have thought about riding one solo, but decided against it because everyone I have been on, I have felt I am to small to control it....That and the fact that a small dirt bike is more than enough for me to handle..:yikes:

Another thing to think of is hair.... Zoom, I know you have long hair.. and that can become a big problem... I always made a ponytail.. then braided the ponytail to keep the big ole rats nest from forming.

 

[GlassOnion]

Actually, they read more like "Motorcyclist killed when minivan fails to yield and turns left in front of oncoming bike. Soccer mom was talking on phone and yelling at kids in back seat and failed to see the bike."

Well to a motorcyclist that's how it reads, to a non-rider it reads "**** motorcyclist got himself killed again and traumatizes three children in the process."


I would recommend being able to flat foot any bike with at least one foot. I've read a lot of stories about people toeing their bike at stop lights/signs which is normally fine, except for when there's a pot hole/dip that you didn't see and suddenly your toes aren't at quite the right level and down you go.


Edit:

Do you ever notice while riding.... everyone else on a bike ALWAYS waves by giving some little finger signal...

Yah, that's one of the really cool things about it. Some riders don't wave to others (sports bikes to cruisers, vice versa too) but meh, we're all in this together, may as well get along.

 

[shazbot]

I've found that the Suzukie Katana 600 or 750 actually rides pretty low. I have a few friends that are around 5'2- 5'3 that ride them and they don't have a problem. When I was younger my mom worked for at a Suzuki dealership, and the Katana was actually sold as a bike for women because of how low it sits. I'm a little taller and like the Honda CBR's...good luck in your search