When I passed my motorcycle test and was looking at buying my first big motorbike, I thought I’d have to ride a cruiser. Not that I didn’t like cruisers. I do! In fact, I had my heart set on a red and black Yamaha Dragstar 1100 though decided that may be a bit too much of a jump from a 125cc bike!
Despite my fondness for the low ride of a cruiser, I felt I didn’t have much of an option when it came to choosing from the wide selection of motorcycles out there. I felt that a cruiser motorbike was my only option. You see, at 5’2″ I belong to the prestigious group of short bikers. Not only that, I’m also a woman so I don’t have the benefit of male strength to wrestle with some bigger bikes that can be too heavy to contend with.
At first I was disheartened until I found that there are some street bikes and sportsbikes out there that are suitable for those of shorter stature. Not only that, there are methods you can take advantage of to help lower your bike or make yourself taller to help fit on those motorcycles that are a little too out of reach.
If you’re reading this and you too are a short biker, then hopefully at least one of these tips will be valuable to you. These tips are suited to those with motorcycles that are just a bit too tall where you can just about get your tip toes on the floor when mounted on the motorcycle.
Wear Motorcycle Boots With Heels
Instead of lowering the bike, add an extra inch to yourself by donning a pair of motorcycle boots with a heel.
The extra leg length the heel provides can often give you the extra reach you need to touch your feet on the floor to help stabilise yourself when the motorcycle is stationary, such as coming to a stop at a junction.
Whilst there’s not a huge range of motorcycle boots with a heel out there when compared to those with flat soles, there are a few brands out there who seem to have boots to cater for those who need an extra lift.
I hear nothing but good things about Daytona Boots and I can personally vouch for Harley Davidson motorcycle boots (the Darren or Hustin style have heels). As always, browse the online shops and read reviews and recommendations to try and find the right motorcycle boots for your needs.
Some styles of motorcycle boots may have different sized heels so, depending on how much of a lift you need, it’s worthwhile taking this into consideration. Though might I suggest that stilettos are probably not the best choice for riding a motorcycle in! 😉
Lowering Kit
If you’ve found the motorcycle of your dreams but it’s a bit too tall for you then find out whether it can be professionally lowered with a lowering kit.
Lowering kits are often labelled up to fit specific models of motorbike so do an online search to find the right lowering links for your motorcycle.
A lowering kit or lowering links modification may not be available for all motorbikes and there may be a significant cost to modifying your bike so it sits lower but a professional lowering job on a motorcycle can make your motorcycle dreams come true if the bike is just that little bit out of reach.
Shave The Seat
An alternative to lowering the motorcycle with a lowering kit is to have the motorcycle seat shaved and recovered.
Bare in mind this means your seat may not be as cushioned as you’d like depending on how much foam has been shaved from the seat. Also, your bum may get a little numb quicker when out for long rides but it’s a small price to pay for being able to touch the floor.
I’ve previously had this done to a motorcycle seat of mine and it helped to give me the extra length in the leg to touch the floor. By shaving it at the inner thigh too, not just the height, allows for the leg to reach that little bit more. Remember, every millimetre matters when you’re short!
You could also use this technique in conjunction with the lowering kit and heeled motorcycle boots to help minimise the height difference between you and your motorcycle.
Lower The Front Forks
A bike I owned previously was a little too tall for me so the mechanics slightly lowered the front forks at the yoke so that the motorcycle sat a bit lower.
I’m no mechanic but lowering the front significantly will no doubt have some impact on the handling and rake and trail of the bike so do bring this up with a professional or someone experienced as you may have to make additional modifications at the rear in order to ensure the bike is balanced and remains stable when riding.
Look For A Motorcycle with a Short and Taller Tank
This isn’t exactly a solution but more of an observation I acquired when shopping for my first big bike in 2009.
Motorcycles like the Honda Hornet and Suzuki Bandit have a short in depth and longer length tank which means you have to reach further to grip and control the handlebars. As someone with shorter arms and torso, I found these particular models of motorcycle just a bit too out of reach.
I had better luck with the Honda CBF 600 and Yamaha FZ6. Both these bikes have a taller depth and shorter length of tank which means less of a reach when trying to grip the handlebars.
These are just a few tips I’ve come across and used in order to make riding taller motorbikes easier and attainable.
I hope they can be of help. Have you got any other tips? Leave them in the comments below!
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