*sigh* I'm too short for most sport bikes.

[fuzzybabybunny]

So I went to a bike dealership just for shits and giggles and I was able to sit on a number of bikes:

My Ninja 250R: I can put both feet on the ground, but not flat
GSXR 600/750: I could put two tip toes on the ground
Honda CBR600: I can't touch the ground: both about 1.5 inches from the ground
R6: I *really* can't touch the ground: both about 2 inches from the ground
ZX6: I can't touch the ground: both about 1.5 inches from the ground

I like the CBR600 because of the reviews and all around performance. What can I do so I can put both feet on the ground?

 

[Atty]

Boots with a lot of lift? Also, height?

 

[Greenman]

Obvious answer is don't get a sport bike. There are plenty of bikes that sit low and have more than enough performance. Most bikes will travel in excess of 100mph, and corner at near twice the posted limit. It really is all you need.

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

Boots with a lot of lift? Also, height?

this.
Buy 3" platforms boots.

 

[lavaheadache]

you can lower a bike real easy you know

 

[Kroze]

So I went to a bike dealership just for shits and giggles and I was able to sit on a number of bikes:

My Ninja 250R: I can put both feet on the ground, but not flat
GSXR 600/750: I could put two tip toes on the ground
Honda CBR600: I can't touch the ground: both about 1.5 inches from the ground
R6: I *really* can't touch the ground: both about 2 inches from the ground
ZX6: I can't touch the ground: both about 1.5 inches from the ground

I like the CBR600 because of the reviews and all around performance. What can I do so I can put both feet on the ground?

You can lower the bike and problem solved

 

[Howard]

You can lower the bike and problem solved

There are reasons to make fun of him but I don't really see that this is something he needs to be ridiculed for.

 

[Zap]

Maybe lower the bike (suspension mods?) like others have said. Maybe go smaller on the tires and/or wheels and smaller on the rear sprocket (to keep same final gearing)? Thinner seat cushion?

 

[RiDE]

You can shave the seat foam a little.

Dani Pedrosa is only 5'2" and he can ride the wheels off a motogp bike.

There are reasons to make fun of him but I don't really see that this is something he needs to be ridiculed for.

What's with the attitude towards him anyway? Did I miss something?

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

You can shave the seat foam a little.

Dani Pedrosa is only 5'2" and he can ride the wheels off a motogp bike.




What's with the attitude towards him anyway? Did I miss something?

I have read some VERY strange FBB posts in ATOT before. It is really confusing for noobs like me to read one as straight forward as this.

 

[jlee]

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=27138

The Ninja 650R (ER6F) is maybe not exactly what you want but the seat height is the same as the 250R and gives a good comfortable position with a SS look.

Steve

Maybe look into that?

 

[Doppel]

tip toes, how adorable!

 

[jaha2000]

Why do you need to put both feet on the ground?
But if you must
http://www.soupysperformance.com/homepage.html

 

[MotF Bane]

Just how short are you?

 

[guyver01]

 

[satyajitmenon]

So I went to a bike dealership just for shits and giggles and I was able to sit on a number of bikes:

My Ninja 250R: I can put both feet on the ground, but not flat
GSXR 600/750: I could put two tip toes on the ground
Honda CBR600: I can't touch the ground: both about 1.5 inches from the ground
R6: I *really* can't touch the ground: both about 2 inches from the ground
ZX6: I can't touch the ground: both about 1.5 inches from the ground

I like the CBR600 because of the reviews and all around performance. What can I do so I can put both feet on the ground?

FBB, check out http://cycle-ergo.com

It allows you to put in your measurements (height, inseam, etc) and shows you what the riding position would be on different bikes of your choice.

 

[the DRIZZLE]

Like Ride said you can shave the seat a little. I sent mine to a seat maker in Florida. He stripped the seat down to the pan, rebuilt it with less foam but a higher density, and put the stock cover back on. I think it was around $90. That got me the inch I needed. But you don't really need to be able to get both feet on the ground anyway. Lot's of average height people ride KLR's that have really high seats.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Shave the seat and/or lower the bike. Both are cheap and easy to do. Can't believe the dealership didn't mention that to you...they must have some real morons working there.

 

[Tsavo]

http://www.minipocketrockets.com/

 

[yottabit]

Being small is a good thing for a bike! Power:weight ratio baby

 

[Zap]

http://www.minipocketrockets.com/

Heh, those actually look pretty fun.

EDIT: Ok, now I know why you linked it, because these are small, haha.

Apparently people out there are able to get some of these street legal, and some have done massive modding (engine swaps) to these, including stuffing crazy 250cc 2-stroke engines in them.

The larger ones (around $700?, with 110cc 4-stroke) are pretty big, and probably a good 3/4 the size of a normal super sports bike. They also sell the really tiny ones ($180-250?) that make people look ridiculous.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Lunch post..

It's generally a bad idea to try and lower a supersport, even just an inch or two. It messes with the geometry of the rear suspension (particularly if using dogbones) and there are a lot of 'gotchas'. Kickstand needs shortened, you lose precious ground clearance, have to deal with chain binding since you've lost the most important first few inches of travel. You need to also lower the front, which isn't possible on many sportibikes.

A good upholstery shop can shave a few inches out of most bike seats. I bought an SV for a girlfriend and was able to get almost 4 inches out of the seat pan. Something to keep in mind is that it's not just the height but also the width. A 'car shop' will just shave it flat, but you need someone to give your legs a straight path down


You can safely ride a sportbike with just one toe on the ground, it's really just an issue of confidence. You need to keep your 250 until you're comfortable enough to completely stop the bike before your boot hits the ground. You need to inherently know which side to put your foot down when the ground is leaning. You need to learn how to comfortably push the bike around when you're not on it.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Lunch post..

It's generally a bad idea to try and lower a supersport, even just an inch or two. It messes with the geometry of the rear suspension (particularly if using dogbones) and there are a lot of 'gotchas'. Kickstand needs shortened, you lose precious ground clearance, have to deal with chain binding since you've lost the most important first few inches of travel. You need to also lower the front, which isn't possible on many sportibikes.

A good upholstery shop can shave a few inches out of most bike seats. I bought an SV for a girlfriend and was able to get almost 4 inches out of the seat pan. Something to keep in mind is that it's not just the height but also the width. A 'car shop' will just shave it flat, but you need someone to give your legs a straight path down


You can safely ride a sportbike with just one toe on the ground, it's really just an issue of confidence. You need to keep your 250 until you're comfortable enough to completely stop the bike before your boot hits the ground. You need to inherently know which side to put your foot down when the ground is leaning. You need to learn how to comfortably push the bike around when you're not on it.

It beats falling over at lights. And you can lower the front a bit just moving the fork tubes up in the mounts, be very careful not to go more than a cm or so because you don't want the tire to jam into the lower triple clamp under hard braking. Obviously, you'd have to lower the rear of the bike by the same amount.

I'd start with shaving the seat though for sure and leave the suspension setup the way it was designed if at all possible.

I'm 5'11" so lowering a bike isn't something I've ever had to do but I do know a few riders who have.

 

[waggy]

hell im 5'6 and i used to ride a CBR 600

you can get a custom seat (lowers it a bunch) and that was enough for me.

 

[Kroze]

Lunch post..

It's generally a bad idea to try and lower a supersport, even just an inch or two. It messes with the geometry of the rear suspension (particularly if using dogbones) and there are a lot of 'gotchas'. Kickstand needs shortened, you lose precious ground clearance, have to deal with chain binding since you've lost the most important first few inches of travel. You need to also lower the front, which isn't possible on many sportibikes.

A good upholstery shop can shave a few inches out of most bike seats. I bought an SV for a girlfriend and was able to get almost 4 inches out of the seat pan. Something to keep in mind is that it's not just the height but also the width. A 'car shop' will just shave it flat, but you need someone to give your legs a straight path down


You can safely ride a sportbike with just one toe on the ground, it's really just an issue of confidence. You need to keep your 250 until you're comfortable enough to completely stop the bike before your boot hits the ground. You need to inherently know which side to put your foot down when the ground is leaning. You need to learn how to comfortably push the bike around when you're not on it.

TLDR
But I am 5'5 and ride a 2009 ZX6R, I had the bike lowered 1.5 inches and loved it. I don't see any negative effects in lowering it, contrary to all the keyboard warriors on the internet claim.

I ride the bike lowered for about a year now and I loved being able to flat foot it. I do not regret it one bit.

Lowering it is like a 20 minutes affair that cost like $50 to do, compare to all other who suggested cutting the seat or getting a shittier bike.

Just get it lower and be done with it, you'll thank me later.