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I am Small Woman and Need a Small Bike

by Heather
(Rhode Island)

I am twenty six years old and only five foot. I went for motorcycle classes and I had way too many issues because of my size. They had put me on a Honda Rebel and my legs were not long enough to even shift gears. I need a very small bike to ride and they all seem too big. Does anyone know what bike I could get or has this problem?

Comments for I am Small Woman and Need a Small Bike

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May 14, 2012

small bike for a small lady
by: Anonymous

I am 4 foot 9 1/4 & weight 97 lbs. I am looking for a very small Harley. Not new but used. Is there one out there. I can't hold a bike more than 200 lbs.I am 53 & only seen 1 in my life time. Is there another one out there for my ammusment? Been around bikes all my life just too small to handle one.Who can help me?????

Jan 28, 2012

Bike for small woman
by: Anonymous

I never found one really appropriate...years of looking

Jul 04, 2011

I am 5' and a girl who loves to ride sports bikes.
by: Lizzi

I learned to ride on a Honda 125. Although my feet are not flat I am very comfortable using the balls of my feet. The bike is light and easy to steady when making hard stops. I learned to take a rider with this bike also. There are many little tricks to riding vertically challenged. I have found that because the bike is so light, it is easy to balance flat footed on with one leg. I just tried a Honda 250 sportbike which is much higher and wider. There is no way that I will ever be flat footed with this bike but I have total confidence with using my toes and learning to slow down enough to use just my one leg to hold the bike.

Mar 14, 2010

Small Bike
by: Alystar Mckenneh

A Buell Blast or a H-D 883 (hugger). Don't sacrifice horsepower for small. The Harley Davidson fxdl has a lower seat height than the hugger and has the full engine which is rubber mounted.

Again don't sacrifice horse power because you won't have enough engine to really enjoy the rides except around the neighborhood.

My 72 year old mom rides her own and she has a Honda Shadow. She is 5 foot. You may look into those.

A

Sep 28, 2009

I'm 5 Feet Too!
by: NewRider

I'm 5 feet 100 lbs and I just bought a 2009 Kawasaki 250R. I can comfortably steady the bike on tip toes, but to be on the safe side, I'm getting a lowering kit to drop it another 1 to 1 1/2 inches. It's a great starter bike if you're into sport bikes. Good luck!!

Aug 14, 2009

A Small Woman Bike
by: Anonymous

Hi,

I am only 5 ft too...and I found that the Buell Blast (sold at some Harley dealers) is the perfect size. the cruiser type seats did not sit well with me, but the Blast did...I can sit on it and have both feet on the ground..it is a great little starter bike (500 cc) and can keep up with the big boys (or girls.)

Jul 02, 2009

Small Bikes
by: Donna

In my MSF course they had one smaller bike, I think it was a Suzuki 125cc that they let me take the test on. The Honda Aero 750 actually has a lower seat height than the Rebel. You can do preliminary research on the internet looking at seat heights and weights but you really need to go sit on some different bikes. Harley makes a model with a 25" seat height but they are extremely wide and heavy. I couldn't reach the ground on any bike in our local Harley dealer and didn't want to spend the money to modify one.

There are lots of bikes for smaller women. Suzuki makes several models popular for women (the 125 Eliminator and the S40). Kawasaki had a Vulcan 500 that's pretty easy to handle and Star motorcycles has the V Star 650. Honda has the Aero that's pretty popular because it's big enough most women don't feel the need to 'move up' later. Good luck!

Jun 29, 2009

Small Bikes for Small Women
by: Jacee

You are 2 inches taller than I am. I have ridden a Yamaha Virago 550, a Suzuki Intruder 800, and now ride a Suzuki GSXR 1000.

I also took the motorcycle class on a Honda Rebel. I found it a very difficult bike to ride, even though it is one of the lowest.

The important issue here is your inseam. The Suzuki Intruder (now called Boulevards) was not a really big bike and had plenty of power. All I did was take it to an auto upholster place and he lowered the seat and also made it thinner. That allowed me to get my feet almost flat on the ground. Did the same thing with the Virago.

The GSXR - we did many things to it and I am still on my toes. We lowered & thinned out the seat, lowered the suspension and cut the forks (by a professional!), shortened the kickstand and re-welded it, bought boots that are built up inside (Daytona Ladystars - made in Germany), replaced the stock foot pegs/shift/brake with some adjustable ones so that when my legs go straight down the pegs would not poke into my legs. Expensive to do all that? Yes - but well worth it! I love my GSXR!!

Go to several dealerships and sit on bikes. When you find one that feels right (check the reach to the handlebars, and controls, both hand and foot), talk to the salesman and/or the service people and ask them what they can do to help you reach the ground. Many bikes can be adjusted. Also, there's a Harley that I heard has a 24.5 in seat height. That's a low seat - if you want a Harley.

The dealership I went to when I was looking for a bike told me that most any sport bike can be lowered. A Suzuki SV650 is a really good first sport bike. Some will say it's not a true sport bike. Whatever - it looks like a sport bike and yet it is a V-twin rather than an inline 4 like a GSXR.

If you need to buy a used bike because they're less money, still go to a dealership and sit on bikes. Then search for a used one that you like.

Good luck! You'll find one you can ride - I promise!

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