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do people ride motorcycles?
Aren't motorcycles Dangerous?
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Calendar of national motorcycle events
What protective gear do I need?
How do I get my motorcycle license?
What is a good first motorcycle?
Advanced training for motorcyclists
List of national riding clubs & organizations
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Great Bikes for Learning to Ride (aka Great Bikes for the Vertically Challenged)
Street
Bikes
If you are a rider under 5'4" tall, there are several challenges to riding, but it's not impossible! First, subscribe to the Short Biker's List (http://www.ki.org/sbl)
Here is some basic information borrowed from the SBL that suggests motorcycles for different height ranges.
List
of Short Bikes
* = may be less suitable for total beginners
under
5'0" manage
5'0 - 5'1" flatfoot
Honda
CMX250 Rebel
Honda CM250
Kawasaki KZ250 LTD
Suzuki GN125
Suzuki GN250
Suzuki Savage 650
Yamaha XV250 Route 66
Yamaha Virago 535
5'0
- 5'1" manage
5'2 - 5'3" flatfoot
Honda
CB-1 400
Honda CMX450 Rebel
*Honda Shadow 500/600/700
Honda Twinstar CM200T
Honda CB250 Nighthawk
Honda V30 Magna 500
Honda VTR250 Interceptor
Kawasaki Z250
Kawasaki KZ 250 CSR
Kawasaki KZ 305 CSR/LTD
Kawasaki 250 Eliminator
Kawasaki EL250HS
Kawasaki EX250 Ninja
Suzuki GSF400 Bandit
Yamaha SR185/SR250
Exciter Yamaha SRX250
Yamaha XS400 Special & Special II
Yamaha XS400 Maxim
5'2
- 5'3 manage
5'4 and up flatfoot
Honda
CM400T Hawk
Honda CM450
Honda FT500 Ascot
Honda NT650 Hawk
Honda GB500 Tourist Trophy
Honda NX125
Honda NX250
*Honda VT500 Ascot
Honda VT500C Shadow
*Honda VF500 Interceptor
Kawasaki EX500
Kawasaki GPz 305
Kawasaki KZ440 LTD
Kawasaki KZ450 CSR
Kawasaki KZ550 LTD
*Kawasaki KZ550 Spectre
*Kawasaki KZ550 Zephyr
*Kawasaki Vulcan
*Kawasaki EN454 LTD
Suzuki SP250
Suzuki GN400
Suzuki GS450T
Suzuki GS450A (semi-automatic shaft drive?!)
Suzuki GS500E
Suzuki 600S Bandit
*Yamaha XS550 Maxim
*Yamaha XS650 Maxim
Yahama YJ600 Radian
*Yamaha SR500
Yamaha XT225 Serow
5'4
- 5'5 manage
if you flatfoot, you're not short
(note: no '*' "less suitable for beginners" markings here)
Honda
CB450/CB550 Nighthawk
Honda XR200R
Honda XR200L
Honda XL250 (older)
Kawasaki GPz 550
Kawasaki KZ 650 CSR
Kawasaki ZX600R Ninja
Suzuki GN440
Suzuki GR650(X) Tempter
Suzuki GS450E
Yamaha Fazer
Yamaha RZ350
Yamaha Seca II
Yamaha XT200
Yamaha XZ550 Vision
Any of the 600cc sportbikes and sport-tourers:
Honda CBR600
Kawasaki ZX-6R, Ninja 600
Suzuki RF600R, GSXR600, Katana 600
Yamaha FZR600
Classifications
Cruisers
Honda
CX250/CX450 Rebel
Honda VT500C/600/700 Shadow
Honda V30 Magna 500
Kawasaki EN454 LTD
Kawasaki KZ250 LTD
Kawasaki KZ 250/305/450/650 CSR
Kawasaki KZ 250/305/440/550 LTD
Kawasaki Vulcan
Suzuki Savage 650
Yamaha Route 66
Yamaha Virago 535
Yahama XS400/XS550/XS650 Maxim
Standards
Honda
CB125
Honda CB250/CB450/CB550 Nighthawk
Honda CM250
Honda CM200T Twinstar
Honda CM400T Hawk
Honda CM450
Honda FT500 Ascot
Honda GB500 Tourist Trophy
Honda NT650 Hawk
Honda VF500 Interceptor
Honda VT500 Ascot
Kawasaki Z250
Kawasaki 250 Eliminator
Kawasaki EL250HS
Kawasaki EX500
Kawasaki GPz305
Kawasaki GPz550
Kawasaki KZ550 Spectre (shaft)
Kawasaki ZR550 Zephyr (chain)
Suzuki 600S Bandit
Suzuki GN125
Suzuki GN250
Suzuki GN440
Suzuki GS450E
Yamaha XS400 Special & Special II
Yamaha SR185/SR250 Exciter
Suzuki GN400
Suzuki GR650(X) Tempter
Suzuki GS450A
Suzuki GS450T
Suzuki GS500E
Yahama YJ600 Radian
Yamaha SR500
Yamaha Fazer
Yamaha Seca II
Yamaha XZ550 Vision
Sportbikes
Honda
CB-1 400
Honda VTR250 Interceptor
Kawasaki EX250 Ninja
Kawasaki ZX600R Ninja
Suzuki GSF400 Bandit
Yamaha SRX250
Yamaha YSR50
Dual-purpose/dirt
Honda
NX125
Honda NX250
Honda XL100
Honda XL250 (older)
Honda XR200R
Honda XR200L
Suzuki SP250 ('89 and older)
Yamaha XT200
Yamaha XT225 Serow
Short Rider Survey
Most short riders will not need this list for their second bike. By the time you are ready for your next bike, you'll have a good idea of what you want, and seat height will probably not be the only factor anymore. Every rider's motorcycle options vary with experience, skill, and perseverance. With experience, willingness and modifications, short riders can manage most motorcycles.
Here
is a sample of what some short riders on the "short" mailing list ride.
Notice they're not all riding 250s, though some choose to (after all,
250s are a blast!).
* = custom/modified seat (note this may be for comfort, not just lowering)
+ = custom/modified seat + other mods
Carol
4'11.5" Yamaha SR250, Harley ?
Sheri 5'0 *Ducati 750SS (had Suzuki GS500E)
Beth 5'0 +Kawasaki Ninja 250
Betty 5'0 +BMW R65
Cath 5'0 Suzuki Savage 650
Elaine 5'0 *Kawasaki Zephyr 550
Seline 5'0 Yamaha SR250
Donna 5'0 Honda VTR 250
Caron 5'0 Honda 450 Rebel
Susan 5'0.5" Suzuki Intruder 700
Noemi 5'1" *BMW R80G/S, *BMW R65LS
Laurie 5'1" +BMW R100GS
Karen 5'2" Honda GB500, Yamaha SR250, Harley Sprint SS250
Caroline 5'2" +BMW R80 G/S, HD XLH 883
Mia 5'2" *Honda VFR750
Jennifer 5'2" Suzuki Bandit 600, Suzuki Intruder 1400
Sherry 5'2" Yamaha XT600, Suzuki Bandit 600 (had Katana 750)
Cat 5'2" Ducati 916 (!), Honda CB650
Paul 5'2" BMW K1100RS
Alvian 5'2" Kawasaki ZXR 750, Honda CBX 250
Lisa 5'2.75" *BMW R100R (had Yamaha Radian 600)
Rose 5'3" *Honda Gold Wing 1100
Secil 5'3" Honda VT500 Shadow
Akkana 5'3" Kawasaki EX500, Honda XR200R
Katie 5'3" *BMW K100
Susan 5'3.5" BMW K75C, BMW R65
Beth 5'3.75" *Ducati 750SS, Yamaha YSR50 (hee)
Joanne 5'4" Kawasaki KLR 650
Fran 5'4" BMW R65
Avinash 5'4" Kawasaki GPz550
Sarah 5'4" Ducati 750
Lee 5'4.5" BMW R80/7, Ducati 900SS CR, Moto Guzzi LeMans III
Steve 5'4.5" Honda Pacific Coast (PC800)
Bonnie 5'5" Yamaha Radian 600
Cathy 5'5" BMW R100RT
Rick 5'5.5" BMW K75
Rich 5'6" Yamaha YX-600 Radian
Dirt Bikes
Whether you are planning to ride off-road or motocross, the best way to develop off road skills is on a 4-stroke that is low to the ground. Not that you have to ride this bike for a long time, but it will be easier to practice and perfect your skills on a bike that is easy to ride so you aren't concentrating on the lightswitch power of a 2-stroke throttle. These are the bikes used in the MSF Dirt Bike School:
4-Stroke
Honda XR 80
Honda XR 100
Honda XR 200
Honda XR 250
Kawasaki KLX 110
Kawasaki KLX 125
Kawasaki KDX 200
Kawasaki KDX 225
Suzuki DRZ 110
Suzuki DRZ 125
Suzuki DRZ 250
Yamaha PW 80
Yamaha TTR 90E
Yamaha TTR 125
Yamaha TTR 225
Yamaha TTR 250
Yamaha WR 250F
Yamaha YZ 250F
Dual
Sport (Street Legal 4-Stroke)
Honda XR 250L
Kawasaki KLR 250
Suzuki DR 200SE
Yamaha TW 200
Yamaha XT 225 Serow