daft naive question. i’m only 5ft 7, if i wanted to buy a bike would i ever be able to get on it??! anyone else short’ish, any recommendations

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201116385530652/sort/priceasc/usedbikes/make/ktm/quicksearch/true/radius/30/page/2/postcode/gu273js?logcode=p

Can you ride a bike? Once you are confident only being able to touch down with one foot is fine. Supermotos tend to be high in the seat although I don’t know that one for sure but you might well struggle. You might be better with something with a lower seat.

er6 / cb 500 are good bikes for less experienced

Look at stand over height & bikes ridden by girls (as they tend to be shorter)
I’m over 6′ but had an SV650S a few years ago & it felt very low in the seat.
Also companies like Corbin & Diggerseats will reprofile the foam in a seat to make it lower.

I’m 5ft 5ish and did trail/enduro etc. Seat height is an issue (esp with seat width), but you can compensate with skill and experience. I’d suggest starting on something low (and cheap) and making sure you are good at slow speed trickle and footing/dabbing (sticking a foot out very quickly to push you back upright as the less vertical they are the heavier they are).

From a mechanical perspective you can:
– get a rear suspension lowering link but a custom one would be expensive
– drop the forks down the yokes
– get a custom seat, less padding, thinner profile

On enduro bikes I was literally tiptoe(*in motocross boots), so I used to always get off left(when under control), slide across seat so right thigh was on seat and left foot fully down and to go, jump up, gear and off, practise is your friend.

Those BMW F650s look quite low and had a Fazer at the back end of last year which seemed too small for my 1,80m frame, stiff knees after about 50-60km.

Test rode a KTM supermoto a fews years ago and found it a bit tall but manageable. I’m 5′ 10′ with 31 inside leg so make your own judgement as to whether it’s to tall for you.

But loads of bike that will fit you or could be made to fit, sit on some and find out.

Those BMW F650s look quite low

From new, BMW will lower (or, I think, raise) the bike according to the height of the purchaser. I’ve got a mate who’s vertically challenged and he bought a 650GS with a lowering kit.

Second hand, different bikes are different heights. Plenty of girls ride, for a start.

Your first step, though, isn’t to buy a bike, it’s to get your CBT done (assuming you’ve already got a licence).

The only problem I had with my KTM 690 was with her majesty’s constabulary. I’ve never had a bike which made be behave like such a tit. Got rid of it to save my license. Fireblade was been find since.

Some bikes are quite low as standard – cruisers like a Virago etc and Jap 400 imports. But there are plenty of more modern bikes that have low seats or have readily available suspension dog bones / linkages that lower the seat height. SV650s have a reasonably low seat height but can be lowered further with such a kit for £20 and it is not a big or difficult job – I went the other way and jacked mine up as I’m 6 foot plus.

Have a look here list of tips and bikes

But 5 ‘ 7″ isn’t really short so you should be all right on a sports bike – just avoid trail and supermoto bikes.

motorcycle news did a write up on this very question, the bm got a good rating if i remember rightly.
best thing to do is get yourself down to a dealers. not sure what image you want to portray but harley davidson do very low seat levels but they’re a very niche bike.

Most sports bikes are pretty low, just avoid trail and supermoto (like everyone else has said!)

I’d make sure you can get both feet down: if you’ve only the one foot on the ground it’s a lot more likely that at some point that one foot will be standing on gravel or sand and down you go…

A guy I used to regularly ride with is only 5′ 1″

He used to easily manage the big old superbikes – Z1/GS 1000s etc.

My Hornet is tiny. Im 6ft and i’m well folded up on it

Seriously: Have you tried using stilts ? I have heard they can make a big difference.

“Have you tried using stilts ?” 🙂 i could try high heels. thanks all, for replying. when i was 13-14 i rode a few scramblers and old honda 50’s around a farm field. but i’m 39 now, and getting sick of petrol prices for commuting. no bus to get on, too hefty a bicycle commute. no trains. so i’ve been trying to ponder a logical solution…the adventure bikes seem to take a bunch of metal panniers and stuff and i just love’em… but yeah, i’m 5ft 7. so maybe take my cbt, which’ll be fun to do, and get a scrambler type thing… ha, no idea what i’m talking about but will look into your suggestions here..

i was in haslemere tuther day with my littlun, and saw a chap pull into waitrose carpark on this, and thought , damn, that’s the bees knees …the solution to my commute problems!

not even sure what ktm it is. should’ve talked to him i spose but brain was too slow… it did seem a big bike though, which prompted this post

fink that’s a KTM 250SXF.

Not something I’d want to commute on!

I’ve got a KTM Duke 690 and I’m 5ft 10 but as someone above said it tends to bring out the hooligan in you. It doesn’t have that high a top speed (just over 100) but it gets there quite quick, it’s also quite unpleasant to ride slowly through town.

You should be able to get a lower seat from KTM .They are bonkers fun although i preffered my old 660smc .

You do not want to commmute on that 🙂

If you want a commuter – depending on distance a scooter or something like the CB500. KTMs are not commuter bikes. You want a fairing, decent tank range, easy to ride, economy

You will not save significant money either unless you use something like a cb125. or a c 90. insurance is expensive, all the kit is expensive and they don’t do good MPG. Trail /supermoto bikes are not commuters.

I’m 5’7″ and ride (read – toy with) a Honda Bros 650. Great town/commute bike IMO. Cheap as chips too. Similar to this but with a short exhaust.
I know somebody from here who’s ridden her Bros 400 from Eire to Spain.

(just spotted this thread looking for something else!)

@hairychested I’d like to point out that I made it back too 😛 I went over in the snow/freezing fog and back in 40degree heat.

I’m 5’4″, selling the bros as I’ve just bought a vfr750 – i wanted something with a bit more wind protection, and got three times as many horses in the process.

Being of a shorter persuasion, I find it difficult to walk the vfr forwards and backwards (walking it backwards is slightly easier). The bros was fine though, as it has a lovely low seat. There’s a lowering kit you can get for the vfr for about 400dollars or so, but I just bought boots with a bit of a heel, I’m not even sure they’re necessary.

There are disadvantages to having a motorbike though – you’ll never be able to sit in a traffic jam again. I even find queueing in a shop difficult. Once you own one, you’ll probably never be able to get it out of your blood – each springtime you’ll feel the urge to take off on one. You’ll always get people asking you about your motorbike, and telling you tedious stories of their own motorbikes.*sigh*

5’7″ shouldn’t be a limitation. My lad wasn’t much over 5′ when he got a 125 motorcrosser. That’s about as tall as bikes get. I doubt he was 5’6 at 15 when he took my VTR1000 for a spin.

I would learn to ride on a 125 road bike first though. Low and light so you can actually use strength to hold it up when you lose your balance. I’m 6’4. If I overbalance at a standstill on a 1000 I’m going to drop the bike almost as quick as the skinniest shorty. Size isn’t a big issue.

i have a mate whos less than 4 feet tall and BMW built a GS specially for him… it was an extra 30k i think…

i have a mate whos less than 4 feet tall and BMW built a GS specially for him… it was an extra 30k i think…

Have have to post a photo 😯

That KTM in your photo is an EXC enduro competition bike, surprised it was left in the supermarket car park as they tend not to have any form of ignition, just get on and go (unless there is a sneaky disk lock hiding up there at the front).

They are a lot of fun but the 4 stroke EXC’s need an oil change every 10-20hrs and a new piston every 70hrs – so not a commuting vehicle. 2 Strokes are even worse!

The 690 you picked out above is a bit more of a proper bike with more reasonable servicing. There is a 690 Enduro as well as the SMC which I think this is a bit lower and would allow some green lane fun on the way to and from work.

All offroad bikes are tall to some degree, most people just learn how to manage them by dropping the bike a fair bit. For something cheap, a reasonable size and commuterable a Suzuki DRZ400 would be a good place to start.

Get on with that CBT and see how you like it.

Any modern sportbike. They are getting smaller every year.
Wife has a VFR800 and has no problems she is 5’6″ ish

They are a lot of fun but the 4 stroke EXC’s need an oil change every 10-20hrs and a new piston every 70hrs – so not a commuting vehicle. 2 Strokes are even worse!

About 1/2 the service interval but it takes 1/4 the time to do the service 😀

@jackoinmoss VFR ftw 🙂

my dad is 5’5 and rides an sv650 well enough. He tried an f800, an S model and could get both feet on the deck. Not sure if it had been lowered or not though.

I am about 5`6″ but only a 29″ inside leg.

Had various supermotos over the years without too much bother
Currently have a 2004 Fireblade

Have hired a KTM Adventurer for a week in Tuscany, had no bother riding it, also had a KTM 990 Super Enduro for a days off road riding…. 200kg 100hp dirt bike with a 995mm seat height !!
Was ok you just need to think about where you stop 🙂

As has been said, its not just height, seat width has far more bearing if you have little legs like I’m blessed with….

Lowering links mess up the geometry, mod the seat would always be my first choice if the standover is marginal
HTH
Dom