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Best 500cc+ motorcycle for 5'1" rider?

Triumph Street triple. Right at 400 lbs, wet.....About the same as most 600cc sport bikes, but easier to ride and carve corners. It can be adjusted to sit lower if necessary. Has stupid amounts of power, but really easy tq at low rpms, and you can get off the line with just the clutch. If you have a good throttle hand, you can live with it. And can get IT done if you need to. It was my first bike. Might have been dumb, but I lived.
 
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Big E said:
You might want to check out the Yamaha FZ6R and maybe a Corbin seat to help lower the seat height rather than lowering the bike.
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I second this! :ride

I am 5'3" and have the original seat. This bike fits me perfectly.
 
RebelGirl said:
Hmm, maybe I'll check out the Sportster more. I'm a bit hesitant to get a Harley.
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If you're under 100lbs, the Sportster is likely 6x your weight--modern ones are close to 600lbs wet. Older ones less.

The S40/Savage 650 I mentioned is under 400lbs wet. Not especially powerful, but like most bikes other than yours it's fine with freeway speeds.

Harder to find a good Sportster within your budget, but it can probably be done.

RebelGirl said:
I couldn't find any on sale on Craigslist in the whole SF Bay Area.. I'll do some more probing, though. Thanks!
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Here's one: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/mcy/4668354062.html

Those seem a bit old if you want a reliable bike that doesn't need much attention.
 
Street Triple. Just do it. Pure naked fun. You can't go wrong with naked fun. And it makes an FZ-07 (new version of FZ06) look like something you get in a happy meal.

Regards,
 
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I think the Kawasaki Ninja 300, Honda CB1 and Suzuki Bandit 400 would be best options.
Some grey imports like the GSX-R400 should be low and narrow enough. Not easy to find though.
FZR 600 in a FZR400 frame with a handelbar conversion would be just the ticket I bet. Narrow, light, low, fast enough and great handling. But a full on custom job so not that realistic.

Edit Also Yamaha SRX600. Very narrow, light small but fun thumper.
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/mcy/4662990810.html
00505_gau0c4pSXSk_600x450.jpg
 
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Bit of an oddball bike, but a friend who is around your height has a BMW F650CS

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/mcy/4666324741.html

They only made them a few years - single cylinder, 50 HP (it can carry me at +225lbs at >freeway speeds, no problem) ABS and belt drive, nice handling (well, compared to my Bonneville, so that's a relative term), and it has [drumroll] Grip Heaters! (which I've appreciated blasting up 280 on cold nights).
 
A dissenting opinion....

Honda hawk: good bike. Way over priced due to cult following. Due to age, expect that some parts will be difficult to locate in a hurry if needed

Cb1: not quite as cult afflicted as the hawk but only imported to the US fo 2 years. Worldwide distribution was longer but that doesn't make parts any easier to find stateside. I have one in my garage and sold the right foot peg bracket off of it to a deperare cb1 owner that couldn't find one anywhere. It had broken after a minor right side fall. Many parts are available as easily as any other bike, but do you really want to be sidelined for weeks while you wait for some should-be-common part to show up on eBay? If you want to come sit on mine to checknergos you're welcome to try, it doesn't run so no test rides!

They are durable though, they're friggin hondas afterall

I have the same reservation about any bike that has achieved cultish status.

Cliche as it is, I would recommend the newest cleanest nicest sv650 variant you can find. Fuel injected, plentiful news/used/aftermarket and a well proven utility bike
 
I'd put taller shocks on the rebel and rip off the air box and pipes.. it'll get up to highway speeds in a hurry! It's the cheaper option.

Have a taller rim laced for the rear too. You have options.
 
My wife is 5"2 and about 112lbs. She is on a low profile seat and her CBr250r is lowered as well. It was her first bike but she is looking into a Monster 696 next along with these

http://www.bikebandit.com/riding-ge...e-boots/joe-rocket-women-s-heartbreaker-boots

I think on any sportsbike you are gonna have to get a low profile seat and/or lower the bike to flat foot it but the boots might eliminate lowering the bike

The monster has a really low seat height, lower than the cbr250 stock vs stock. It is also relatively light for a 600+cc bike
 
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Inseam is a better meter stick then height, I'm 5'6" but with a 28" inseam I just learned to tip toe.
 
I think SV might be too big for her. I'm 5'6 ( maybe 5'7 on a good day ) and still have to tip toe stock seats.
 
phocup said:
I think SV might be too big for her. I'm 5'6 ( maybe 5'7 on a good day ) and still have to tip toe stock seats.
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hmm, are there any bikes that are non cruiser with lower than 30" seat heights? perhaps a lowering link?
 
Ninja 250/300 could be a real good choice. I have ridden friends 250s on the highway and in twisties and have no problem with lack of power and I'm 180lbs. Never ridden one but the 300 would be even better. Unlike the rebel the Ninjette is actually a respectable little bike that will perform for anyone from newbie to highly skilled rider. I actually seriously considered getting one as a daily driver/commuter but can only have one bike right now and needed something that was happy touring two-up.

If you like the W650 the Triumph Bonnevilles are pretty much the same thing as far as looks and ergos, but cheaper used and a lot easier to get parts for.

I would stay away from the Hawks, cb1 etc since you will pay a pretty solid premium for something that is older and will be tricky to source parts for. Great little bikes but not something I want to rely on getting me to work every day.
 
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littlebeast said:
you can ride almost anything if you learn to shift your body off to one side at a stop.
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Troof. As a fellow 5'1"er, you can ride practically nothing worthwhile if you're hung up on flat-footing.

I would recommend a Ninja 650R over an FZ6R. The FZ6R is fat and heavy for such a middling middleweight. The Ninja 650s are narrow and closer to the weight a middleweight should be.


RebelGirl said:
Thank you for the suggestion, but I am a poor college student surviving on Financial Aid and meager income from a part-time job. :(
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Ha, I rode a bicycle and took public transport when I was in the same situation. With a career in hand and my student loans paid off, I can now have Nice Things.

Have a sammich, lift some weights, crank up some hills, get those leg muscles going, and you can ride anything at our height.

Now get off my lawn. :afm199
 
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