New rider needs some help....height problems =P

Hey everyone, first time posting. Anyway, I will be 19 in June and would love to buy myself a bike around that time. Only problem is I am only 5'3" maybe pushin' 5'4" and 105-110 lbs. I really don't know what bike to get with my height. I have sat on a few of the 600 class sport bikes and admittedly I'm pretty intimidated by their size and I am definately unable to get both feet on the ground (I think I managed to tip-toe an R6.)

I just got into benching seriously 2-3 weeks ago, and do have experience riding dirtbikes (TTR-90 and KX100) when I was younger. I'm trying to pick up some weight through benching and I do bench my own body weight after only a couple weeks of lifting, but that doesn't seem that impressive when I look at the 400+lbs some of these bikes weigh.

Anyway, what bikes would you guys reccomend I look into? I'm definately going used for my first bike unless I end up buying something like an SV or new Ninja 650. Neither of which I've got a chance to sit to know if they'd be too big or not. I don't want to go too small like a Ninja 250 (mainly cuz I hate the way they look), but any 500cc reccomendations would be considered. I'll take any advice I can get though, no matter what the reccomendation.  

Short legs too?

Did you go to the IMS?  There you could have seen and sat on just about everything that Japan, US, and Europe has to offer....  And maybe found something that wasn't too tall.  

For a new rider, being comfortable is a big priority.  Then you'll be able to concentrate more on riding and technique.  For an experienced rider, tippy toes isn't such a big deal.  They know how to balance and handle a bike.  I am not sure what has/had the lowest seat height...  Maybe a Ninja 250/500, GS500, Buell Blast, a cruiser.  

Get something used, something you can learn the basics on.  And then when you have some skill and confidence, you can get a bike that you tippy toe and ride it with confidence.  Also, a lot bikes can be lowered some.  It will affect cornering clearence, but you will be able to put more of your feet on the ground instead of just your tippy toes.

Oh, and take the MSF course.


Chris  

Have you tried a Honda 599 yet? take some growth enhancing pills, eat calcium rich food & gain a couple of inches.    

Lol well, I'll have to try to take some supplements to grow some, won't work though I've already been tested my body has the proper number of w/e nutrient and hormones you need for growth. I actually HAVE to eat to stay at my weight and if I don't I lose 1-3lbs per day, so I can't just eat to pick up some weight. Extremely fast metabolism I guess. My family has a history of late growth spurts though, so I'll just keep hoping.

Anyway, I have a 31in. inseam and no haven't looked at the 599 but it does look like a bike I'd like so I'll check into it.  

when all ealse fails you can always have your hands tied to a post & have a tractor pull you from the legs, do this everyday & take measurements i'm sure you'll gain a few mm everyday.  

i think 599's a good learner bike i just hope it fits you, ive seen people your size riding liter bikes in my place they look like horse jockeys mounted on top of thoroughbreds & i wonder how can they handle the power on those things.    

I must be missing something???  If you have a 31 inch inseam...you should be able to get your toes down on everything.  I'm 5'5" with a 29 inch inseam and weight 123lbs.  As you can see I'm taller but have shorter legs and when it comes to seat height...your inseam is more important than anything...at least for new riders.  My first bike was a 2001 KAWA ZX6E and I was able to get my balls of my feet on the ground.  This bike has a 30.7 inch seat height.  As you may have already noticed...how does one with a 29in inseam get his balls of his feet down on a 30.7in seat height bike????  Well, there are many factors e.g. body weight (I'm only 10 pounds more than you), seat foam compression, suspension compression.  I grew up with dirtbikes too and my first street bike was the zx6e.  In retrospect, I wished I had bought a sv650.  I chose the zx6e because I could put my feet on the ground but I sacrificed weight.  The sv650 weighs a lot less.  The seat height was only an issue for about a month.  I don't care what anyone says...if you feel comfortable on the bike, then buy it.  I don't agree with buying a beater bike either (mainly because I don't have the money).  If you ride a beater, you may be more inclined to take more risks (because you don't care about the bike as much).  

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  ive seen people your size riding liter bikes in my place they look like horse jockeys mounted on top of thoroughbreds & i wonder how can they handle the power on those things.

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Maybe they have some skills.  I'm guessing Jason DiSalvo could spank you like a little girl...or at least your scooter.  

Maybe they have some skills.  I'm guessing Jason DiSalvo could spank you like a little girl...or at least your scooter.

or it's just peer pressure & they bought a liter b'coz their buddies have one also. well he can (jason Di Salvo) & he will spank me like a little girl  i'm not a full time racer but i practice & race on a scooter in preparation for the RR. these little screamers have only 70cc but pack a 20+hp wallop & it can reach 140+kmh & outaccelerates most 600's & 1000's on the first 50m & they are very twitchy especially at long fast sweepers, it also takes skills to ride them really fast. it's a great way to learn racing before you step up to bigger bikes, personally i like racing these better than full size bikes b'coz it's an auto & you just twist the throttle & let'er rip, no downshifting, no rear tire chatter only you have to excercise throttle control b'coz giving it a handful can literally lift the front wheel skyward. on a small course these scooters can beat a 600 or a literbike.  





sport riding ain't complete if you have not experienced one of these.  

I just checked again real quick and I'm just a tad under a 31 inseam. The bikes I have sat on are the r6 and ninja 636. I was able to touch with both feet on the r6 but didn't have too much leverage, but on the 636 I couldn't put my other foot down at all. As far as the seat going down, susp. sag, etc.  with my weight I dont' think they went down at all  .  

That looks like some fun!!!  I need to get one of those.  Of course I'm giving you some crap.  I agree with you...I see so many people riding the top of the line...the best of the best...whatever, and all they do is cruise at less than 10 mph (so everyone can see) or straight line wheelie.  The fact remains that a 600 supersport is more than enough bike for 99% of all riders out there.  

As for the newbie...get the sv650.  Weight is more important than seat height.  If touching your feet flat is most important, you can also get the seat customized on any bike.  What I mean is...you can get the seat foam shaved down.  You can lower a seat height by almost 2 inches.  

have you tried sitting on a CBR600RR? i've sat on both R6 & CBR & i had to tip toe on the R6, the CBR has a slightly lower seat height i think you should give it a try you might like it.  

I think you are making to big a deal out of having your feet on the ground. I too am height challenged, have to tippy toe at stop lights, but you ride with your feet on the pegs.  

start doing a lot of leg presses at the gym and you can one-foot it like i do.  i am 5'8" with a 30" inseam, but i have very strong legs, so i can hold up the bike on one foot.