Bikes for smaller, new rider?

3348 Views 15 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Bokobob, Dec 14, 2019

Vale

Discussion Starter · Dec 6, 2019

Hello

I'm new to the world of motorcycles and don't yet have a licence. I've just been thinking on and off about getting it.

One of the downsides was my height. I'm only 158 cm (I believe that's about 5,2 feet), and all of the bikes I saw so far seemed to be designed for higher riders.
One bike that really stayed with me was a Yamaha YBR250 I saw around 10 years ago, and that was about the only one that seemed to be low enough for me to be able to reach the floor x)

I've noticed this forum has a lot of people that are genuinely willing to help by providing some constructive advice based on their knowledge and experiences (which I can't say was true for the other bike forums I stumbled upon so far), so I decided to join.

I searched through the forum for similar posts, but decided to open up a new thread in the end anyway since I might have some follow up questions.

So my question is, please advise which bikes would be appropriate for a new rider with smaller stature. This would also be the bike I'd potentially get my licence with.

Thanks in advance

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leximon

· #2 · Dec 6, 2019

Welcome to the forum!

I'm not familiar with bikes for short people as I have the opposite problem of being much taller than average. However, this website can tell you whether a particular bike will fit:

Motorcycle Ergonomics

Vale

Discussion Starter · #3 · Dec 6, 2019

Thanks for the welcome and reply.
I already found that site through similar posts on this forum, but I don't think there's a way of searching through small bikes, just shows a simulation of a person on the bike once you already choose a bike.
It looks like a great site once you already have some ideas on which bike to choose though, so thanks again for the useful reference.

I wasn't aware tall people also have a problem with finding a suitable bike btw x) Especially the bmw's, always looked huge to me.. But than again, that might have just looked big from my perspective

Unkle Krusty

· #4 · Dec 7, 2019

I am 5 feet six. Nearly all the bikes are too tall for me. It is a problem that has been taking place over the last few years. My inseam is 28 inches. A Suzuki 650 dirt bike has a seat height around 36 inches. Useless for me.

Decide on the cc size of the bike you want, then check the different brands. An online search might reveal the seat height. The dealers should know if the bikes can be lowered. I will assume you need the bike for street use, so lowering should not be a problem. Serious off road bikes need about 12 inches of clearance, a street bike might be okay with 8 inches. My brain is still generally working in feet and inches, although I use metric often.

UK

roflol

· #5 · Dec 7, 2019 (Edited)

Welcome to the forum!

The specs I find online on the YBR250 show a seat height of 805mm, or 31.5ish inches. I'm 5'2" and that'd be unpleasantly tall for my short legs, but maybe if you have longer legs it'd work. It's going to depend on what is available in your area and price range (is that a Croatian flag under your name? EDIT: Oops, that's Slovenia blush), and how it feels to you. :}

The Vulcan 900 I ride has a seat height of 26.8 inches with a low center of gravity and it fits me perfectly now, but I'm not sure I'd have been comfortable learning on it or taking the license test; it's not light.

The bike I took my test on (through a motorcycle basic riding course) was a Honda Rebel 250 (a cruiser) that was provided by the company doing the training and the testing at the end of the class. It was plenty low for me. They also had a sport bike of some sort, not sure what it was. If there's anything like that near you, I'd recommend it so your purchase test ride is a real one and not just a sit-test. You cannot really tell what a bike is like when it's not moving; just being able to flat-foot a stationary bike is not an accurate way to decide (ask me how I know lol).

Best wishes :}

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scootertooter

· #6 · Dec 7, 2019

Could I suggest a scooter for your first two wheel bike. They really do fit just about anyone and they are no slouches on the open road when you go up in size. Mine can handle the highways too but I'm considering a 650 instead because it's a little taxing after awhile. It's a Burgman 400. Suzuki makes a fine scooter and the step through styles maks it really user friendly for the height challenged. They make a 125 and a 200 also. Just a suggestion but a good one for first bikers.

slick nick

· #7 · Dec 7, 2019

https://powersports.honda.com/street/cruiser/rebel-500 low seat height. under 500 lbs. enough power to learn .i think your limited to a cruiser type, low seat height. after a year of learning you can figure what other bikes can fit your style and desires.

Vale

Discussion Starter · #8 · Dec 7, 2019

Unkle Krusty said:
I am 5 feet six. Nearly all the bikes are too tall for me. It is a problem that has been taking place over the last few years. My inseam is 28 inches. A Suzuki 650 dirt bike has a seat height around 36 inches. Useless for me.

Decide on the cc size of the bike you want, then check the different brands. An online search might reveal the seat height. The dealers should know if the bikes can be lowered. I will assume you need the bike for street use, so lowering should not be a problem. Serious off road bikes need about 12 inches of clearance, a street bike might be okay with 8 inches. My brain is still generally working in feet and inches, although I use metric often.

UK

Thanks. I'm still learning about how different brands might compare to eachother in terms of dimensions x)
I think a 250 cc would suit me. I'll do some more research, I'm not in a hurry

Vale

Discussion Starter · #9 · Dec 7, 2019 (Edited)

roflol said:
Welcome to the forum!

The specs I find online on the YBR250 show a seat height of 805mm, or 31.5ish inches. I'm 5'2" and that'd be unpleasantly tall for my short legs, but maybe if you have longer legs it'd work. It's going to depend on what is available in your area and price range (is that a Croatian flag under your name? EDIT: Oops, that's Slovenia blush), and how it feels to you. :}

The Vulcan 900 I ride has a seat height of 26.8 inches with a low center of gravity and it fits me perfectly now, but I'm not sure I'd have been comfortable learning on it or taking the license test; it's not light.

The bike I took my test on (through a motorcycle basic riding course) was a Honda Rebel 250 (a cruiser) that was provided by the company doing the training and the testing at the end of the class. It was plenty low for me. They also had a sport bike of some sort, not sure what it was. If there's anything like that near you, I'd recommend it so your purchase test ride is a real one and not just a sit-test. You cannot really tell what a bike is like when it's not moving; just being able to flat-foot a stationary bike is not an accurate way to decide (ask me how I know lol).

Best wishes :}

Hi, and thanks for the warm welcome

I think you're right.. If I measured my inseam correctly (to the bottom of my ankle), it measures 26''. It was a quick measure so I might have to recheck it x) But it seems every bike is too tall..
Is the height of the seat measured before it gets lowered due to a person seating on it?

I'd definitely want to buy a bike on which I'd learn to ride because I'd feel more comfortable riding it on my own later on (since you already have a basic feeling on how it behaves).

I'm also really light so a heavy bike would probably not be appropriate for me, especially as a beginner.

Okay, thanks for the tip. Not sure how I'll manage to do a test ride since I've never ridden a bike before. I'll check with some driving schools. I should have started there anyway, but haven't really made any calls yet. It's still winter so I still have a lot of time to get informed. I think a forum is a good start to gather as much info, especially from people who had to deal with the same issue when looking for a bike.

Thanks and all the best to you too x)

One more thing... The Rebel for example weighs 190 kg... I know bikes were heavy, but, I probably should take weight into consideration as well?.. I'm really light. Not that I'm not strong or anything, but I probably am not as strong as a man with the same height would be..
How hard is it to pick up a bike if it happens to tip over?..

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Vale

Discussion Starter · #10 · Dec 7, 2019

slick nick said:
https://powersports.honda.com/street/cruiser/rebel-500 low seat height. under 500 lbs. enough power to learn .i think your limited to a cruiser type, low seat height. after a year of learning you can figure what other bikes can fit your style and desires.

You're the second one to mention the Rebel. It looks like it could be a good start. Thanks for the input!

leximon

· #11 · Dec 7, 2019

You might want to consider a Suzuki TU-250X. It was the bike everyone used in my motorcycle safety course. I'm sure it can accommodate shorter riders.

roflol

· #12 · Dec 9, 2019 (Edited)

Vale said:
snip
1) Is the height of the seat measured before it gets lowered due to a person seating on it?

snip

2) How hard is it to pick up a bike if it happens to tip over?..

1) Yes seat height measurement is without the rider, but it doesn’t really get much lower when you’re on it, not the bikes I’ve been on anyway. Seat width is a consideration as well.

2) There’s a technique to getting a dropped bike back on two wheels and it has more to do with leverage than brute strength. I’ve seen videos of light weight women getting full size (really heavy) motorcycles upright by themselves. And I personally have gotten my Vulcan up off its side (because kickstands don’t put themselves down ?).

I hope you find a riding course nearby! ??

hogcowboy

· #13 · Dec 9, 2019

roflol said:
(because kickstands don’t put themselves down

I found that out too.

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Vale

Discussion Starter · #14 · Dec 9, 2019

Thanks again @roflol !

and thanks to everyone giving advice

I'm gonna gather some more info until summer and then get on some bikes to get the feel for it xD and of course join a course

Reactions: 1

JaxKingpin2010

· #15 · Dec 13, 2019

I think a 250cc cruiser could be fine for a small person who is learning. You can pick one up for a grand or less. They aren't all that suitable for highway travel, but you can cruise backroads for a while learning the basics and probably sell an old cheap bike again for what you paid. My first bike was a 1634cc, but I'm a 6'3" tallboy and only wanted to purchase a bike once, while also having something nice enough to show off while learning, but that road isn't for everyone. About 3 weeks in after never riding a bike prior I was making trips on the highway across town. You'll learn quick.
If you want something a little more but not overly large, just something you won't quickly grow out of, you can find lots of Honda Shadow 600cc-750cc cruisers for sale for 2k or less. For some people that's all they need and they stick with a bike of that size for years.

Bokobob

· #16 · Dec 14, 2019

I'd consider the Honda Rebel 250. It is very nimble...Seat is very low. Weighs 320 lbs with full tank of gas. At 5'2" in height, you'd look like a guy 5'9" on a bigger bike - just right. . I am 5'9" and have a Rebel 250...I am 83 years old and need a very light and easy-to-handle bike...The Rebel 250 was manufactured from the mid eighties until 2016 or so and then phased out. There were VERY few changes in the bike in all that time. It has a bullet proof engine, gets 75 mpg on gas, and is very easy to work on. Engine is air cooled so no antifreeze to mess with. Plus they are widely available for general range of $2000, with some older ones going for $1500 or so. The new 300 and 500 Rebels are nice, but pricey relative to the Rebel 250....

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