Advice for short biker please...

[stephenwc]

Originally Posted by Dirty Girl

This might be helpful:

http://www.vtwinmama.com/motorcycles...ort_riders.htm

Scroll down to see a chart of "shorter" bikes, seat height, and mods (if any). Good luck

That's a great link Molly, many thanks.

I looked up every single bike where the rider was listed as 5 ft or shorter.

They're all cruisers which isn't quite what Kath is after.

Thanks for the thought.

Stephen

[vnsfxr]

Originally Posted by stevewc

We are not at all interested in lowering kits, sculpted seats, platform boots or any other ad hoc adjustment.

Stephen

I do not understand this statement. Who on this forum has found a bike that fits perfectly from the time it was uncrated?

Can your wife walk into any store and just buy off the rack clothing and get a perfect fit?

Why would you not pick something close to what she likes and make it hers? I'm 6' 1" 190lbs with a 34" inseam and in over 40 yres of riding I have not had a single bike that fit me perfectly. I've had to change bars, shocks, seats, foot pegs, etc. etc. etc.

A seat that is custom fit to her is going to be more comfortable than ANY stock seat.

Why would you not consider a lowering link for the rear and sliding the tubes up in the triple clamps for the front? The only reason I know of is the loss of lean angle while cornering and if she is at the level where she needs all that lean angle then it should not bother her that she can not flat foot at a stop.

My 30 something daughter has never been able to flat foot any of my bikes but that never stopped her from riding them. She just slides her butt off the seat and touches down with one foot. I would wager a guess that she has more years of experience than your wife and started in the dirt so is not lacking in confidence.

By removing the known solutions to your posed problem you are limiting your wife to a cruiser or making an excuse to not get her a "proper motorbike" that can be used on the open road.

So to be blunt you have three choices.......
1 - Buy a bike she likes and make it fit her as the rest of us have done
2 -She can start seriouslly brushing up on her balancing skills.
3 - Give up the whole idea of having a "Proper motorbike"

PS: Like FastFar I too am against the platform boot thing. Sidi does make womens boots with a bit thicker sole which is acceptable

[stephenwc]

Originally Posted by ekaphoto

My girlfriend is 5'1". She can touch on a buell blast, The low harley sportsters aka nightster, and sv650. BTW most bikes can be lowered with a little extra money and work. Here is kouba link a lowing link you may want to check out. http://www.koubalink.com/. I put one on a DR-Z 400 once. Easy install.

Oh my!

I think we may just have a winner...

Seat height on the Buell Blast is listed as 25.5 inches / 648mm for low profile option.

I will be showing Kath first thing tomorrow.

However, I just found out that it is NOT eligible for use by learners in Europe (Kath has yet to pass her bike test). Also, there's not a single one for sale in Europe. Nooooooooooooooooo!

Stephen

[stephenwc]

Originally Posted by vnsfxr

So to be blunt you have three choices.......
1 - Buy a bike she likes and make it fit her as the rest of us have done
2 -She can start seriouslly brushing up on her balancing skills.
3 - Give up the whole idea of having a "Proper motorbike"

Thanks for your thoughts Vince.

Kath recently failed her first attempt at the bike test here in England by footdragging a U-Turn. She was riding the Cruiser pictured in post #1 which has a fairly wide turning circle - especially for someone who has still only spent 7 days on two wheels. It's a shame really as when I took her out riding she was fine on the U-Turns (mostly).

She really wants to learn on a proper bike as she thinks it will be easier to do a U turn on. No matter how much her instructors and I talk to her, she will NOT be swayed in that belief.

I understand your point of view. What can I say?

Kath wants so I find...

I'm confident there's an answer out there. Somewhere

Stephen

[Girl O' Flight]

Stephen

I had a Buell Blast and I'm sorry to say but Kath will probably get bored on it in a couple of months! It's a great bike to start on but she already has a starter bike. You sit on the Blast upright like she is doing now. To me it was very vibraty. It's alot like a Harley and Harley fans like them more, it seems. I don't care for that kind myself. (My hands would go numb after 15minutes!) The cruiser type is just "not my style". My Suzuki GSX650 F was way too tall for me (i am 5'5") and could only reach the ground with the balls of my feet. I usually had to lean it over on my left leg at a light with my right foot on the brake pedal. Word of caution: I was told they make a lowering kit for this bike BUT two different shops did not recommend it beacuse it dramatically changed the handling (and not in a good way). One man rode one that had been lowered and said it really felt unstable. My bike is fairly heavy (for me) at over 500 lbs. I had the seat shaved down 1 1/2" and new gel put in and it is just about right. I also slide up against the tank when I go to stop to make sure I can reach all the way down with my feet. Just some things to think about. Most of the sport bikes and dual purpose ones are "tall". If you two decide on one, find out what a lowering kit will do to the handling before you buy it, just in case!!

Suzi

[vnsfxr]

Originally Posted by stevewc

Oh my!

I think we may just have a winner...

Seat height on the Buell Blast is listed as 25.5 inches / 648mm for low profile option.

I will be showing Kath first thing tomorrow.

However, I just found out that it is NOT eligible for use by learners in Europe (Kath has yet to pass her bike test). Also, there's not a single one for sale in Europe. Nooooooooooooooooo!

Stephen

Sorry, guess I didn't read all the posts. Thought she was ready for an open road bike but I see she has not even passed the test yet.

It is now looking like the cart has been put before the horse. You have tiered licensing so her first bike is not going to be her last bike.

It is time to worry about building skills and passing tests and then worry about getting a "Proper Motorbike" After she gets her license for larger displacement then my previous post will apply and having spent time learning she will have a much better idea of which "Proper Motorbike" she would like to own.

Quite a few new posters/riders on this forum had their dream bike solidly fixed in their minds and then after some time actually riding that dream bike changed.

Do you have her read the responses that get posted here? Might open her mind a bit seeing what others are saying.

[stephenwc]

Originally Posted by vnsfxr

You have tiered licensing so her first bike is not going to be her last bike.

<snip>

Do you have her read the responses that get posted here? Might open her mind a bit seeing what others are saying.

Yes Vince, Kath reads all of it. We do have tiered licences and once Kath passes her test she will be restricted for 2 years. So, the bike we get her needs to fit her, be what she wants and last 2 years.

I think I may have found an answer.

Honda NSR 125 RR (Seat height 27.17 inches / 690mm)


Year: from 1994
Engine capacity: 124.8cc
Power: 12bhp
Torque: 11lb ft
Weight: 127kg
Seat height: 690mm
Fuel capacity: 13L
Top speed: 75mph
0-60: 7.1 seconds

Fingers crossed folks. This could be the one.

Stephen

[Kawasaki4life]

My CF moto has a pretty low seat, 250ccs. although I wouldnt reccomend buying a CF moto to anyone after all the problems i had with the bike. thank God for factory warranties....

[dbduchene]

How about a 2 tier approach

These boots that lift 1.25 inches in bare feet (A little more with a sock and a Insole)
http://www.ukbikegear.com/daytona-la...gtx-p-744.html

And then the Honda CBR250, also known as the mini fireblade. The 90 to 93s had a seat height of 725mm. Not available here in the states but I think that you can get them. I have had ongoing exchanges with a couple of 5 foot tall woman that have put many miles on that bike and they really love them. None of them have moved up even when they got their miles in.

Denis

[vnsfxr]

Originally Posted by stevewc

Yes Vince, Kath reads all of it. We do have tiered licences and once Kath passes her test she will be restricted for 2 years. So, the bike we get her needs to fit her, be what she wants and last 2 years.

I think I may have found an answer.

Honda NSR 125 RR (Seat height 27.17 inches / 690mm)
Attachment 89931

Year: from 1994
Engine capacity: 124.8cc
Power: 12bhp
Torque: 11lb ft
Weight: 127kg
Seat height: 690mm
Fuel capacity: 13L
Top speed: 75mph
0-60: 7.1 seconds

Fingers crossed folks. This could be the one.

Stephen

May I recomend some frame sliders. As we all know new bikes sometimes have a mind of their own in the driveway. Although from my experience it also applies to the garage

Sweet looking bike...........is there a Euro version of Craigs List?