I really want to get a streetbike of some sort. the only problem is that im really short, at 5'3. I was wondering if anyone knew any bikes that sat lower, or have any suggestions. Ive been looking at 80s street bikes like the Honda Nighthawk.... anyone know how tall those sit?

 

Should I refer you to one of the many threads about bikes we have had on GDD in the last month... Cliffs: Most of the drivers of those bikes are no longer with us.

If you want an answer to your question perhaps ask in the motorcycle forum.

 

Ninja 250R.

 

get a scooter mang lol

 

I know other girls just like you that ride bikes. Some even on hayabusas.

 

^^ Hayabusas sit lower to the ground than regular sport bikes.

If you're looking for a shorter 80s nighthawk style bike, then just get any cruiser. Most cruisers are pretty low to the ground anyway. The nighthawk is actually a bit taller than other cruisers. If you're looking for a sport bike, get a Ninja 250 and move your way up once you've become more experienced. I know a girl who is 5'4 and rides an R6, she just had to get it lowered at the dealer when she bought it.

 

The GSX-R600 seat is less than a half an inch higher than the Hayabusa, so I don't really think that's a good reason to buy the Busa.

It's almost impossible to pick out a good fit based on specs listed. Ergo's have way more to do with it and those are hard to read about. Your best bet is to find some dealers/craigslist advertisements and sit on them yourself.

IMO short has something to do with it, but how heavy of a bike are you comfortable with is another. A smaller girl handling a 400lb R6 had better be careful especially learning because there are times like turning the bike around or after your foot slips in a parking space when you might have to keep it from dropping and that's when you don't want to have too much bike.

 

lower the bike, shave the seat, one cheak sneak

 

Get a GSX-R and drop it 2 inches. Sure, everyone will think a girl drives it .... but that's the price you gotta pay.

 

do not lower a sport-bike, you'll ruin it's handling characteristics. i know a girl that is 5'2" (if that) and she rides a K7 GSX-R 600 with no problems and does it well.

 

The problem with /26 is that they assume everyone is out to get a sportbike

To the OP, what kinda bike are you looking for? If you're looking for a cruiser, most of them have pretty low seat weight and shouldn't have any problem. Sportbikes I would start with a Ninja250.

Or maybe look into nakeds (standards)...they have pretty comfy ergos.

 

thanks for all the responses. as far as what im looking for, id love to get something like a r6 or CBR600, but i dont have the budget for it and id probably kill myself. Ive been looking on craigslist and found nighthawks that are more in my price range.

something like this, maybe a different color.
http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/mcy/1180815881.html
I really like this one, but i think its kinda fast by the looks of it
http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/mcy/1181507139.html

 

hey he said "streetbike". that's a slang term for sportbike, isn't it?


this is the wrong attitude to have, if you're looking to getting any sort of bike. it doesn't matter what kind of bike you're on, anything can happen at anytime so just keep that in mind. just be smart about it, and leave yourself a lot of room when out on the road and always, ALWAYS plan for the worse. dress for the accident, not the ride. i know it may come off as harsh, but riding a motorcycle is serious, but also very fun and rewarding.

 

It seems like you're looking for a naked bike. You should just go out and sit on them...see how you feel. Those bikes generally have low ergos compared to a sportbike, and are good beginner bikes.

Look out for GS500 or EX500 (Ninja500R), they're both great beginner bikes, you should be able to find one for cheap, lots of parts for them going around and you should be able to sit comfortably on one.

It depends. Here in Venezuela a 2 smoker MX race bike can be considered street legal

 

We should note that said girl started on a Ninja deuce-fiddy.

I think she can ride circles around me already. :sad:

MSF! Gear! Insurance! (only because no one's said it yet)

 

if you're considering getting the second bike, you might as well get an f4i if you want a sportbike. you can find some good ones for ~$2500. the r6 and 600rr have really high seating positions so you should probably rule those out. best thing for you would probably go to a dealership and sit on a bunch of bikes to see which fits you best.

 

No it's not, he said kill himself which most would interpret to me simply grab too much throttle or brake or give in to the temptation to race it. That's not the wrong attitude that's a healthy one. If he's smart enough to know his limits then redundant advice probably isn't helpful.

As to ^^ where in the world do they sell nice F4i's for 2500? I want to go to the magical place of half KBB value for my next bike purchase.

 

ya you pretty much have it right as to what i meant. I know i need to go test fit a bunch of them out, but i was mainly wondering if I could get some examples for some smaller bikes.

 

true, and i agree. i guess i didn't word what i was trying to say correctly. what i was trying to get at was that "grabbing to much throttle" can happen on any bike, not just a R6, CBR600, etc...

 

But "grabbing too much throttle" on a fiddy won't have the same effect as in a 600

Still, crashing into a hard object at 60 MPH is the same, be it a scooter or a R1. And big SUV's don't recognize the difference between a 50 moped and a liter superbike.

Just be very aware of your surroundings all the time. I guess that's what Rob was trying to say.

 

There are plenty and your Nighthawk idea is probably a good one if you like that style of bike. That's what we took the MSF course at Honda on and there were quite a few small people who had no trouble, and then a few of us were over 6 feet and we fit on the thing too, pretty impressive.