am I too small???

am I too small???

by Ashley Nash
(Kansas City)

Okay I am wanting to buy a 2006 YZFR6 I stand 5 foot 1 inch and they can be lowered from what I understand. I want a sportbike. Any smaller girls with answers for me ?
Thanks Much,
Ashley Nash

Comments for
am I too small???

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May 06, 2009

Too Small?
by: Anonymous

Good for you!

I am 5' and own a Gsxr 600. I got it slammed to the ground obviously. I can't wait to take it out!

Apr 02, 2009

Too Small?
by: Anonymous

I am a 6 foot tall man. Glad to hear you are thinking of cycling. I rode Kawasaki triples in the 70's at speeds in excess of 125 mph. I am now 55 with a severe back problem. I bought a used Suzuki Savage (LS650P) after 35 years off motorcycles. The Savage has a seat height of around 27 inches. It weighs 352 pounds. It has enough power to ride on the highway if you don't mind the vibration of one big piston. Try your best to ride and compare. The Savage is easy for me to handle with my back problems. I get a kick out of everyone calling it a girl's bike. 55-60 mph is good cruising for me now. Caution: 50 mpg with a 2.8 gallon tank. Otherwise, bulletproof.
Best wishes.

Sep 10, 2008

No, you're not too small but . . .
by: Jacee

You didn't say if it's your 1st bike. If it is, take Quicklimegirl's advice and try a Ninja 250 or even a Suzuki SV650, which is very forgiving.

Do not get a 600cc - not a Yamaha, nor Suzuki, nor Honda. Most have twitchy throttles. Ever hear a motorcycle go by and it's only going about 35-40 mph but the engine is screaming? It's most assuredly a 600cc sportbike. That's because they have very little torque so they have to keep the rpms high to move the bike. One mistake with the rpms that high and it's a crash for sure. 600's should be just for racing - they are hard to control at low speeds around town.

About lowering a bike. It can be done - I did it. I ride a GSX-R1000 (I'm 4'10"). However, Quicklimegirl is not quite correct about the handling. It really has nothing to do with the bike being finely tuned, it has to do with having an expert suspension mechanic doing the work. The mechanic who lowered mine was an expert. Not only did he lower the suspension but he cut the forks and, more importantly, he tuned the suspension to my weight. That's what determines how it handles. My husband also has a GSX-R1000 and he says my bike rides like it's on rails - it's so smooth and turns so easily compared to his stock bike. (He only rides my bike to the shop and back as he can easily bottom out my suspension. Not good.) The handling is important to me because we ride the canyons with lots of curves.

So, bottom line is, if you are not an experienced rider, try a Ninja 250 or a Suzuki SV650 or something like that. Rather be safe than sorry.

And do go sit on bikes. Inseam IS the determining factor rather than height.

Sep 09, 2008

listen to advice
by: Gina

I own a honda rebel which is a small m/c, I can stand flat footed and pick up the bike if I drop it. I rather start out small and be able to upgarde to a bigger m/c. As a new rider who never rode before I can tell you I "love" my m/c. I would listen to the advice of the person who spoke from experience, the controls on a smaller m/c are more forgiving if you make mistake than you can live with it.

Sep 09, 2008

More info needed..
by: Quicklimegirl

First of all, Ashley, if you intend this to be your first bike RUN FAR AWAY and don't even THINK about it. At all. Period.

I have been riding for over 30 years, I ride sport-oriented bikes and fast vintage 2-stroke Cafe Racers, so I have a good perspective on the issue. EVERY YEAR I see new riders with "stars in their eyes" regarding wanting a new sport bike. An R6, and other hyper-sport bikes are ABSOLUTELY NOT good for learning on. They have hair-trigger responsiveness to throttle, braking and handling input that will magnify any small mistake tenfold from what a proper learner bike would do.

Also, height is not important, but INSEAM LENGTH is. To be more confident on any bike, it is important to be able to manuever with your feet, optimally with at least one being able to be flat on the ground. You CAN learn on tiptoes, but it will make life difficult if you have to stop in places where pavement is uneven.

You need to go sit on bikes and see what comes closest to fitting you, but I recommend a used Ninja 250 or something similar. I bought one for my Nephew to learn on and I liked it so much I almost bought one for myself.

One thing about lowering a bike. It can be done, but it does change the chassis dynamics and because all-out sport bikes like the R6, GSXR600, etc., are so highly tuned it may make them worse handling than is optimal.

In any case, I hope you take this to heart. Start on something NOT meant for all-out racing.
It's a lot easier to learn on something more forgiving, that won't scare the shit out of you anytime you make a mistake. It can literally mean the difference between life and death.

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