Adventure Bikes for Shorter Women

[NordStrom]

Good luck with StromSisters - good on ya', Janice. Hope you are able to deflect/ignore the misogynist babble out there. I think most Stromtroopers think StromSisters is a valid and useful sub-forum for the site. I'd encourage you to just get on with it and start posting threads about women-related biking issues. So here's mine to help get it started.

I've recently come to the light and traded my cruiser for a K8 Wee. Now my wife would like to do the same with her cruiser (K7 Honda Shadow Spirit) and get a similar bike so that we are in sync again and can jointly plan and go on "adventure-touring" kind of rides. But she's in-seamed challenged - 5'4", 29" in-seam. So, my question to any similar-statured women bikers is - what have you ridden or seen out there that might fit the bill? We're mostly interested in riding on slab but definitely see some gravel in our future as we would like to explore Alaska and Northern Canada. However, we don't see any true "off-road" riding involved. So far the only bike we've looked at that seems like a possibility is a lowered BMW F650GS. I suppose BMW's new 650 would also be a possibility but we'd probably like to stay away from untested technology (particularly if its got a roundel on it!). Any comments about experiences with the old F650 or any other possible bike that might work for he, from the point of view of a short-statured rider, would be appreciated.

[janiceclanfield]

One of my Amazon sisters is about 4'10 and all of 90 lbs. Tiny doesn't start to describe her. She has a 400CC sport bike that was lowered for her. I know it sounds like a bit much, but the top of the seat comes up to the top of my knee. It's seriously lowered. Seat height is about 24" to 26" I'll give her a call and get you the name/model of the bike if you'd like. Let me know.

Here's a photo.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2396/2432486132_7fa79f1037_b.jpg

[Bitter Born]

Not a sister but answering based on my wife's experience.

Here is her bike next to mine..
http://a289.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/12/l_07030f5488cbeb5ea2e7daf9f0026280.jpg

She is also 5'4 I figure her inseam is near your wife's size. The bike is an 07 sv650, it was lowered by the dealer and then we had the seat shaved by a local upholster who was reccomended by the BMW shop. Shaving the seat was $35.00 and well worth it. Final seat height without any one on it is about 26-27". It looks stock unless you are intimately familar with the SV. The SV engine and the DL650 are based on the same block, lots of interchangeable parts if you need to. Down sides are (1) the bike stands almost straight up now on the kickstand and has blown over. (2) when I ride it I get cramped as the distance from the seat to the ground is less than the distance from the seat to the pegs on the DL650. (3) lower ground clearance on any lowered bike. The lowered sv650 clears speed bumps but not by much.

Best help is sturdy boots with thick soles. Redwings make an engineering boot that has great soles, they are a bit pricy, the wife ended up getting Harley branded boots that did the trick.

If you need further info or want pics of my wife next to and or on it, let me know and I will get pics taken, pm me your email address

[tstrom]

My friend who is also short statued bought a Triumph Bonneville. She is about 5'3" and maybe if she is lucky has a 28" inseam. The bike is a 850cc and is alot of fun to ride.

[Motera]

I also have a 29" inseam. I have never owned a bike I could flatfoot, so naturally I thnk the concept is overrated :)

As long as you can get a leg over and stop the bike with one foot down without dropping it, then you can ride it. The reallly high seats, 34" and the like are too high for me, so I would need to look at lowering options on one of those. As for the F650 GS with the BMW factory lowering, I can flat foot it. It probably is the best adventure bike for a short rider. The new 650gs may be the same in this regard, but I do not have experience with it. I do have a friend with an R1150GS who is 5'6, and she does fine with the bike, unlowered, so I think a 5'4 rider could handle it with lowering the seat and or the suspension.

Motera

[sempervee]

My S/O rode my 03 DL1000 for a year before graduating to her current FJR1300.
She is 5 ft 6 with a 26 inseam.

I used 1 in lowering links, forks raised 3/4 in and purchased a 650 gel seat and she was fine altho did not flat foot the bike..

On the FJR1300 she is flatfooted and very fast!!

[Green427]

One of my Amazon sisters is about 4'10 and all of 90 lbs. Tiny doesn't start to describe her. She has a 400CC sport bike that was lowered for her. I know it sounds like a bit much, but the top of the seat comes up to the top of my knee. It's seriously lowered. Seat height is about 24" to 26" I'll give her a call and get you the name/model of the bike if you'd like. Let me know.

Here's a photo.



That is a nice looking Suzuki, looks small enough for my wife. I would like to know what model that is. If it is new, it may not be available in the US.

Thanks

[Colin]

Don't discount the WeeStrom.
When I was looking at the Wee in the showroom I asked the salesman about problems related to it being so tall. He said "look at me, I'm 5' 5" and I ride one". I suspect however that he was also a very good rider.

I personally don't like riding a bike I can not flatfoot but there are a lot of Wee riders out there who have overcome the height problems by lowering both the suspension and the seat. I have a 31" inseam and can flatfoot the Wee so you may find that the lowering options for the Strom could get you pretty close to the height you want. The previous advice on thick soled boots would also help a bit. Although lowering the Strom can cause clearance issues for knarly off road use if you plan on paved touring with some gravel the Strom is a very, very nice bike for that.

The new BMW F800 is listed as having factory lowering options to 29.9". The F650GS is listed as being able to be lowered to 30.1"

[janiceclanfield]

That is a nice looking Suzuki, looks small enough for my wife. I would like to know what model that is. If it is new, it may not be available in the US.

Thanks

It's a Suzuki GSF400 Bandit. She had it lowered here in Toronto, but I'm sure any competent mechanic could lower it.

Hope this helps...

[oldstrom]

My 4'10" wife rides (35,000 miles last year) an SV650 that we cut way down.

1" lowing links with a 1" shorter Wilbers shock, Fork tubes slid up. and the seat pan lowered about 3/4 of an inch and covered with a gel pad.
She get the balls of her feet down with built up boots and flat out loves the bike.

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee196/darkness29er/sv6.jpg

This might be a little off topic ( adventure bikes ) but a hundred pound lady on the SV equals rocket which is an adventure in itself.

[janiceclanfield]

That is a very cool bike. It'll be on my mind next time I see my Amazon sisters. Right now they're all riding cruisers (mostly Viragos) 'cause of the low seating.

If a 4'10'' woman can ride one of these, pretty much any woman can.

Thanks for the post.

[NordStrom]

Thanks, gals, and guys who care about gals, a few ideas for my wife to chew on. I think the BMW F650 still best fits the adventure touring or enduro touring category she's looking for, but maybe some of these other bikes deserve another look. The lowered SV650s look interesting.

[Green427]

It's a Suzuki GSF400 Bandit. She had it lowered here in Toronto, but I'm sure any competent mechanic could lower it.

Hope this helps...


Thanks, Janice! That bike looks brand new, and from what I've read, the last year of production for it was '97. I don't think I will find a used one in that condition. May have to stick to a Rebel for now. ;)

[randyo]

the lowest stock seat height adventure bike I have ever seen is a MotoGuzzi Quota

Monster 600s the first year imported to the US (2001?) were lowered for the US market specificly targeting women, they had a special paint color avalable that was a shade of Revlon pink. MY ex sat on one and could flat foot it at 4-11

[Kammi]

First time on this forum and so far lots of great information. I am a little on the short side -5'3"and I bought myself a wee strom 08. I was concerned initially about the height and size of the bike, rightly so as it turned out , dropped it the 2nd day I had it because I could only touch the ground with my tippy toes. Top heavy, tight corner at a stop and over she went. No major damage sustained luckily. Since then I have subsequently had the bike lowered both through my Suzuki dealer and by doing a few modifications i.e. lowering links and shaving the rubbers down under the seat. I must say these little things have made a hugh difference.. I can now touch the ground with the balls of my feet and this has made a big different in handling and maneuvering the bike when I am stopped. My husband was hoping that I couldn't get it lowered enough to suit me so he would inherit it, but unfortunatly he's missed out. I do love this bike and find it so easy to ride. Plan on doing alot of touring on it with my other half (When he buys his V Strom). Hope this is of some help to anyone who is short statured and considering buying a wee strom.

[KimR]

One of my Amazon sisters is about 4'10 and all of 90 lbs. Tiny doesn't start to describe her. She has a 400CC sport bike that was lowered for her. I know it sounds like a bit much, but the top of the seat comes up to the top of my knee. It's seriously lowered. Seat height is about 24" to 26" I'll give her a call and get you the name/model of the bike if you'd like. Let me know.

Here's a photo.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2396/2432486132_7fa79f1037_b.jpg

My daughter is taking the MSF course. She's 5'0" and 90 lbs. This Suzuki would be perfect for her. What all was done to this bike besides lowering links and sliding the tubes up?

[janiceclanfield]

It's a Suzuki GSF400 Bandit...

My daughter is taking the MSF course. She's 5'0" and 90 lbs. This Suzuki would be perfect for her. What all was done to this bike besides lowering links and sliding the tubes up?

[SaPPeR]

My wifes rides a DL650 / Wee - she is 5' 7 - we lowered it an inch in the front and rear and had the seat cut down. She loves it.