c r x_s i

I am a little over 5'6" and I am in the market for a Sports Bike.. I have experience with a cruiser type of bike, but am now looking into getting an R6. I just wanted to know if there are any riders out there that are 5'6" or under riding an R6. I know an R6 is one of the tallest sports bikes in comparison to the GSX-R and the CBR. I am looking to purchase an 07 R6.. I've sat on the bike already and I can not get both tippy toes on the ground while the bike is up.. so it will be kinda hard for me to back the bike in while on the bike... And from what i understand, lowering the bike is not the best thing to do, since it throws off the dimensions of the bike and will not be capable to do what its supposed to do (dealer guy told me this)... any thoughts would be great... thanks

MSchu

Why do you need the tippy toes on both your feet to touch... heck... why do you need more than one toe to be quite honest. You have riding experience? you dont need two feet down... Cheek sneak if you have to, at 5'6" you should be fine.

c r x_s i

i am more worried about coming to stops and backing into spots.. ive heard people getting off bikes and backing their bike into place... but thats about it.. and i definitely don't want to shoot my bike in.. just trying to find easier ways to do that..

MSchu

still only need one foot a majority of the time... well maybe in a few more years riding you'll feel more comfortable with bike maneuvering. If you need help backing a bike in, learn to bounce the front suspension... this helps shoot the bike backwards, coordinate this with front brake control and you can back in almost anywhere including up an incline.

I still think at 5'6" your good

c r x_s i

alright cool... have you ever heard anything about lowering bikes? costly? safe?

backlash

I'm 5'5"-5'6". I can back my bike in w/out getting off. I just use one foot, although it's easier to get off and back it in. For stopping, just one cheek sneak it. Move your *** over to one side of the bike and just put one foot down when stopped. It's all you really need.

bad-monkey

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by c r x_s i &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">alright cool... have you ever heard anything about lowering bikes? costly? safe? </TD></TR></TABLE>

you can lower a bike fairly easy, but for a bay area rider (with such great roads) it'd be a waste of a wonderfully designed suspension: lowering ruins the suspension geometry set up from the factory. 1-cheek-sneak is the answer

MSchu

'm not the tallest bloke on a bike, but at 5'10" I am towering over you... still this is how I usually am at a light:



I know I know funny stuff, but I dont really need more than a toe or two to balance. I let the bike do the work... keep it upright and you could balance a 500lbs motorcycle with little more than your pinky. But for bikers with limited years of experience, I suggest the ball of the foot

MadnessRacing

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by backlash &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I can't back my bike in w/out getting off. I just use one foot, although it's easier to get off and back it in. For stopping, just one cheek sneak it. Move your *** over to one side of the bike and just put one foot down when stopped. It's all you really need. </TD></TR></TABLE>

+1

ghettoSi

I have an 01 R6 and I am 5'7'', I am on my tippy toes if you try to put both feet down. The one cheek sneak is a good technique but backing up the bike is still kinda difficult.

Evs-One

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MSchu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Why do you need the tippy toes on both your feet to touch... heck... why do you need more than one toe to be quite honest. You have riding experience? you dont need two feet down... Cheek sneak if you have to, at 5'6" you should be fine.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think it's very important to touch 2 feet easily when on a bike. I'm constantly using both feet to stabilize when going through very small spaces/backing out of parking spots/maneuvering through the garage/shop, etc...

c r x_s i

Thanks a lot guys.. Would you guys suggest getting frame sliders as a first mod? Just in case I may somehow drop the bike?

backlash

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by c r x_s i &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thanks a lot guys.. Would you guys suggest getting frame sliders as a first mod? Just in case I may somehow drop the bike?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Frame sliders are always a good investment.

c r x_s i

Any preference on the types of frame sliders? There are so many brands out there.. And there are no-cuts and some cutting necessary...

big pete

I'm 5'7" and never had a problem with any sport bikes. I only use one foot when I stop.


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by c r x_s i &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Any preference on the types of frame sliders? There are so many brands out there.. And there are no-cuts and some cutting necessary... </TD></TR></TABLE>

Don't get the no-cuts, they do more damage than good when they bend/break. Check out Intuitive, Sato, R&G, Yoyodyne

backlash

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by c r x_s i &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Any preference on the types of frame sliders? There are so many brands out there.. And there are no-cuts and some cutting necessary... </TD></TR></TABLE>
The ones that Big Pete mentioned are good. Don't get the generic crap off eBay though, stay away from the carbon fiber stuff and the ones that have metal on the ends/caps. Delrin is good.

leeminho86

I think the difference in seat height is minimal, gsxr's and cbr's are like 31.9" while the r6 is slightly over 32"...I'm only 5'3 and started out on a f2...one cheek sneak definitely works wonders...plus I always wore boots.

Lowering costs like $600+...and MAX lowering suggestion is like an inch maybe an inch in a half...but tbh I've only met short girls who lower their bikes most guys can handle the weight and balance just fine.

For parking I always just planned ahead...like for school I had early classes so always got a pull through spot...mall and stuff just parked further out to pull through...etc. otherwise I definitely would of had to get off the bike and back it in (not a huge fan of). Inclines kinda suck...but as long as you hold the rear brake and know the friction point you'll be fine...but parking on steep grades was the worst...dunno any tricks for that lol. But good luck to ya

c r x_s i

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by leeminho86 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I think the difference in seat height is minimal, gsxr's and cbr's are like 31.9" while the r6 is slightly over 32"...I'm only 5'3 and started out on a f2...one cheek sneak definitely works wonders...plus I always wore boots.

Lowering costs like $600+...and MAX lowering suggestion is like an inch maybe an inch in a half...but tbh I've only met short girls who lower their bikes most guys can handle the weight and balance just fine.

For parking I always just planned ahead...like for school I had early classes so always got a pull through spot...mall and stuff just parked further out to pull through...etc. otherwise I definitely would of had to get off the bike and back it in (not a huge fan of). Inclines kinda suck...but as long as you hold the rear brake and know the friction point you'll be fine...but parking on steep grades was the worst...dunno any tricks for that lol. But good luck to ya </TD></TR></TABLE>

Lol.. Thanks for the advice.. Man people that are shorter than me riding and handling these bikes I give mad props to.. For the cutting frame sliders.. What exactly do you have to cut? Sorry guys.. Super noob at bikes

MugenHonda

Lowering does not cost 600 bucks that is pure bs.
It costs 50 bucks for some links and all you gotta do is lower the front two forks and adjust the triple tree.
it's cheap if anything.
I am 5 5 and I ride a 03 gsxr 600 and a 05 r1.
I always have one foot down and one foot on the peg when coming to a stop.

leeminho86

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MugenHonda &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Lowering does not cost 600 bucks that is pure bs.
It costs 50 bucks for some links and all you gotta do is lower the front two forks and adjust the triple tree.
it's cheap if anything.
I am 5 5 and I ride a 03 gsxr 600 and a 05 r1.
I always have one foot down and one foot on the peg when coming to a stop.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Oh, I dunno all the people that do it/or have had it done around me said it was $600+ or so to have it done properly...front and rear...with kickstand adjustment and mostly labor since links are cheap.

!xobile

I don't intend to sound like a dick and I really hope I don't come across that way, but if you're that concerned about being able to maneuver the bike with just one foot.....maybe you shouldn't be looking into that nice of a bike just yet. You shouldn't want to have to get frame sliders because you're worried about tipping the bike over; they should be meant for what they're named for: sliding.

I'm 5'3" (28" inseam) and only ride an F4i, and for the most part I do just fine stopping, maneuvering the bike forward and backwards out of spots with just the ball of one foot, but to be honest there have been a few times where I would lose my footing on something slippery and be almost overwhelmed by the tilted weight of the bike, or space out and lose my balance point and have to quickly switch legs to keep the bike falling over on the other side.

I'd say get a smaller sport bike first; get used to how the position is different from a cruiser, and for a while practice only with one foot until you're more confident, then get the bike you want fully knowing that you can handle it with confidence. Once you get used to one-footing it, it's just a matter of getting used to the reach.

Being able to keep a CB1 vertical looks a lot cooler than having to pick an R6 up off the street.




Modified by !xobile at 3:45 PM 2/12/2008

Vovchandr

You would have no problem touching feet on an SV

1st mistake you want a new bike
2nd mistake you want an R6

Nameless Warrior

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by leeminho86 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I think the difference in seat height is minimal, gsxr's and cbr's are like 31.9" while the r6 is slightly over 32"... </TD></TR></TABLE>

More wrong information

GSXR 06+ are 31.9, CBR are 32.3 and 06+R6 are 33.2.

Ross

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MSchu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">still only need one foot a majority of the time... well maybe in a few more years riding you'll feel more comfortable with bike maneuvering. If you need help backing a bike in, learn to bounce the front suspension... this helps shoot the bike backwards, coordinate this with front brake control and you can back in almost anywhere including up an incline.

I still think at 5'6" your good</TD></TR></TABLE>

This is terrible advice...at 5'10" you are in a different world of bike maneuverability than those of us under 5'6". Remember that not only are our legs shorter, but our torsos and arms as well, which really kills your ability to shift your weight, especially on a sportbike.

MSchu

well there ya go...

So what part is terrible, let a new rider in on a technique that 90% of riders will never learn? or perhaps it was the part where I believe a rider 5' 6" in height can ride a sportbike?

Maybe it was this part:

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MSchu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">'m not the tallest bloke on a bike, but at 5'10" I am towering over you... </TD></TR></TABLE>