I'm short and want to get a motorcycle?

Question

i'm pretty short 4'11" 107lbs and would like to get a motorcycle

please tell me everything you know that will help me including motorcycle forums (don't say you'll die or it's a donor bike...)

i'll be using it to commute from work/school not on freeways though

i have no experience

Answer 1

For someone your size, the most important thing to consider is seat height.  You have to be able to balance the bike while stopped in traffic.  Best if you can sit and put both feet flat on the ground.  With a seat too high, you will only be able to put one foot on the ground.  You may be forced to lean the bike to the side and can easily lose your balance and drop the bike.  This could also be a problem when you take your motorcycle license road test.

There are lowering kits available for some bikes, but these can cause problems.  They change the suspension geometry and can cause handling problems.  The reduced ground clearance can cause the bike to drag the pavement in corners, which can cause loss of control.  The lower suspension can cause the tire to rub the fender.  The kick stand will need to be altered.  You can also lower the seat height a little bit by shaving some of the cushion from the seat.  However, this can cause comfort issues, especially on longer rides.

Honda Shadow VLX.  It has the lowest seat height that I have seen, 25.6".  This is a small cruiser.  This is a 538 CC liquid cooled V-twin.  It should have plenty of power for you.  I would go to a dealer and sit on one first and see how well you can put both feet on the ground while stopped.  They sell new for $5500.  You may be able to find a good used one if this is too much.

The Buell Blast is something a little different.  With its optional low profile seat, it has a seat height of 25.5".  These sell new for about $4800.  The optional low seat is an additional $111 for a total of $4911.  This bike has a 492CC single cylinder engine.  It also has a belt drive for less maintenance.  This is considered a sport bike.

If you want something with a smaller engine, the Honda Rebel has a 234CC parallel twin engine.  It has a 26.6" heat height.  They go new for about $3200.  They have been around a while so you might be able to find a good used one.  This is also considered a small cruiser.

The Yamaha Star V-Star 250 might be acceptable with a seat height of 27".  This is a cruiser style V-twin.  However, this may be pushing the limit for someone with short legs.  These sell new for about $3700.

The Suzuki GZ 250 is considered a standard bike.  This bike has a 27.8" seat height.  It has a 250 CC single cylinder engine.  This bike may also be pushing the limits for someone with short legs.  These sell for about $3250.

The Honda Night Hawk has the same 234CC parallel twin engine as the Honda Rebel, but has a higher seat at 29.3".  This may be too high.

Some people might say the Kawasaki Ninja 250R.  However, this bike has a seat height of 30.5".  This would be a poor choice for someone with short legs.

Get yourself enrolled in a motorcycle safety course.

Ride Safe - Have Fun

Answer 2

the Kawasaki Ninja 250R is an excellent starter bike and take the MSF course as well to get your motorcycle endorsement and always wear a helmet and ride safe  

Answer 3

You didn't say your age but with no experience it really doesn't matter . Anything over 49 CC's you have to have a cycle endorsement  on your drivers license in most states. and the no experience things is not a safe thing in these days and times people have no respect for bikers and you really need the experience and eyes in all directions.maybe think about a smart car they are more affordable.Or a 20 speed bike. But to just jump into a bigger bike with a short stature and no experience is asking for trouble. Sorry

Answer 4

As the other answerers have said seat hight is a major issue. To be able to stop and sart safely you need to be able to put both feet on the ground flat. Also another issue is the actual weight of the bike compared to your weight. To control a bike you have to position your body certain ways inorder to change the center of gravity of the bike. Therefore a lighter person is going to have to make larger position changes to make the same cg corrections as a heavier rider.

My advice would be to stay in the cruiser style. For instance a 250 ninja has a low seat hight (compared to other sport bikes) of 31 inches. My personal opinion is you should definately look at the suzuki s40. It has a seat hight of 27 inches which doesnt sound like much difference but it really is alot. Also it only weighs 350 lbs so it will be very easy to control and the big single 650 has plenty of power to keep up on the highway and even a little left over to cruise at 70 on the interstate. I hope that helps give you an idea of what to look at but the best thing you can do is just go to some dealerships talk to the sales men and sit on some bikes. When you find the one for you you will know it.

For those who have said you are to small don't do it I say this. The motorcycle community has always welcomed and incuraged diversity. There is a bike for everyone that wants to enjoy the sport.

Whatever you choose becareful and wear that protective gear.

Keep the rubber side down!

Answer 5

Ducati Monster 620ie

The monster has a low seat high, small reach to the bars, small seat. Will be great for you. Not too much power, but plenty for any situation.

Kawasaki Ninja 250R is another great choice.

Also-the Ninja 500R.

Don't let somebody tell you you can't ride a motorcycle because you're too small.

If the Ninja 250R is too small, I would sadly recommend a scooter.

If you want a cruiser, look at the Kawasaki Eliminator 125!

Take the MSF sponsored course in your area! All gear all the time remember that!

http://www.msf-usa.org

http://www.kneedraggers.com

Answer 6

Research, Research, Research!!!

If you're at this website then you are in the right place! Be sure to check out all the reviews of motorcycles on this website, I would recommend some of our more popular motorcycles like the Kawasaki Ninja 250 or the Suzuki GS500. Right now you may be saying "wait a minute, what is all this 500, or 250 nonsense? My friends all have 600's and 1000's!!!" That brings me to my next point.

What does that whole CC thing mean???

Maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself, when we talk about CC's we are referring to how many cubic centimeters the cylinders in the the engine are. Basically it breaks down to this: The more CC's something has, the more powerful the motorcycle is and the more horsepower it can generate. This isn't always true as it depends on the engine type (Inline-Fours VS V-twins etc...) but that isn't important right now, as a general rule CC = Power. For reference your basic moped is less than 50ccs and an average scooter is 80-150ccs. The Ninja 250 that has about 250cc's (they round it up, I think its really 248cc) will have roughly 5 times the power of a moped, and 2-3 times the power of a scooter.

That being said, don't think that learning to ride will be as easy as eating pancakes, because its not. Almost all motorcycles have manual transmissions so if you don't know how to drive stick in car, I would recommend learning that before you jump onto a motorcycle. Throttle control is also a major issue because to make the motorcycle accelerate you must twist the right handle towards you. This can be a definite problem because if you twist it too much the g-forces pull you back, but you are hanging on to the accelerator and will have a tendency to twist it even MORE as you try and hang on!!! If that same throttle system was transferred to a car, a 250cc motorcycle would be the equivalent to a fairly sporty car like the Subaru WRX or Nissan 350z. A 600cc motorcycle is basically like a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, so just a slight twist of the throttle is going to shoot you to the moon! Add into that the balancing act you have to maintain with 2 wheels and you have a recipe for disaster!!

If you want to live, start on a smaller motorcycle!!!

Now I'm being a little facetious, you won't die if you learn to ride on a 600cc motorcycle, but it will make the process of learning everything much harder. I realize that one of the reasons you probably got into motorcycles was because of the image enhancing it will do for you. I have to admit there is a definite 'cool' factor that is present when riding a motorcycle, but nothing says amateur like accelerating too hard and then stopping too quickly resulting in a low speed crash. That type of situation is commonplace for new riders, especially those that start on machines that are too powerful for their skill set.

In a recent study, 5 out of 5 motorcyclists have crashed!!!

Haha, ok ok, there wasn't any formal research done, but it is a well known saying in the motorcycle community that there are riders that have crashed, and riders that haven't crashed yet. Personally I've crashed my motorcycle once at 15 miles per hour, and I've dropped it 3-4 times while at a standstill. At first this may seem like a lot, but drops and low speed crashes can happen if you aren't 100% focused on the task at hand. Even if your mind is in the game, there are forces outside your control (like pedestrians darting across the street!) that will force you to make snap judgments that may result in a crash.

In another study, 9 out of 10 people prefer a hot room to a belt sander across their forearms.

This imagery may be a little graphic, but I hope it gets the point across. When you are in a car you are protected by airbags and steel, on a motorcycle when you crash there is nothing between you and the pavement except your t-shirt and flip flops. Road rash is just like taking a belt sander to large portions of your flesh, and that CAN'T feel good. To hedge the bets in your favor you should wear motorcycle protective gear. This includes things like leather jackets, leather gloves, leather or textile pants, a full face helmet, and motorcycle boots. All this getup may make you a little hot during the summer, but it's better to sweat than to bleed.

Why all the leather??

Leather is great at abrasion resistance, much better than jeans. I can't find the website with the actual statistics, but I believe in a crash jeans will only last about 5-10 feet before your skin meets the pavement. Leather on the other hand lasts around 90 feet if memory serves ( if anyone finds the actual statistics please leave a comment so I can make this article more accurate). Regardless the bare bones of it is you are going to slide more than 5 feet, and would you rather be sliding on your bare ***, or a nice comfy leather padded posterior.

I hope I didn't scare you off of wanting to ride a motorcycle, it really is a lot of fun, but like a lot of things it can be dangerous. The trick is to protect yourself with skills, knowledge, and leat

Answer 7

Pop down to your nearest big bike shop and take a good look around. Im sure they wont mind if you sit on the bikes and try them for size. They will most certainly give advice on which bikes would suit you.

Answer 8

Your too short, sorry! Bikes are already dangerous especially to the inexperienced guys who just jump on thinking they will be fine. Don't you think your life is more important than saving on gas, being macho, and getting a bike? Sorry if I just crashed your dreams but you might get hurt.

SAFETY FIRST!

Answer 9

Seat height is the main dimension. At your height/weight Honda makes a Very reliable 250 really cheap, but check with the other makes for similar use. Most of this info is available over websites. Cruisers  (chopper styled) are usually lower than the sport bikes (racers) Another choice is a scooter.

Good luck,

Dan

Answer 10

Honda Rebel

Suzuki GZ 250

Yamaha V-Star 250

Are all perfect for novice short riders.  They range from $3,200 - $3,700 brand new.