Short bike suggestions for 5' daughter

[rocker59]

Thanks I'll look for it.  She prefers a standard riding position, light weight and low seat.  Any others?

Suzuki GS500 ?

[SmokinJoe]

  +1 on the Ninja 300. It's enough bike for whatever you want to do. The TU250 is is really fun except on expressways. Smooth but ran out of go at 73 mph with my 170 lbs on it.
A used Ninja 250 can usually be had with low miles for low money. A lowered Ninja 500 has standard seating position and could easily tour or whatever.
  And the lowered sportster is definitely a good option as you can get one cheap and any used or aftermarket part is available as long as curvy roads aren't a priority. My roadster has good clearance but the lowered sportsters as well as a lot of import cruisers scrape pretty easy up here in the mountains.
I test ride about 30 new bikes every year as the young people who are friends of my sons are always asking about bikes and I just love riding especially with other people's gas. Also I like to compare my riding experience with the magazine articles.
  Years of test rides put me on a KLR and the roadster sportster. New model Guzzi test rides just made me like my ev better.

[huub]

find a guzzi monza, and fit straight  bars.
the result rides like a motorized mountainbike....
unfortunatelly without abs....

[Lannis]

It so happens that I'm a big guy physically by nature, and that comes along with some advantages.   However, if I had been (again by nature) the size of your daughter, I really feel like I would have MORE choices in motorcycles than I have now!

80% or so of the bikes I sit on turn out to be cramped in some way without major modifications; and the associated weight, of course, is a disadvantage to both performance and fuel mileage.

There's been lots of recommendations for TU250 and Honda Rebel - BUT those may not be of the "sitting style" that she'd be comfortable with.   Maybe a Ninja 300 or a Honda 300 would be ... just gotta try.

There's a youtube video you can pull up of a guy who is sub-4-feet tall on a street motorcycle, in traffic.   It's inspiring to me to see how people can overcome what other people would see as a disabling situation.   I'd turn the sound off, though - the guy taking the video is being demeaning and snarky, and it's obvious that the guy on the bike is 10 times the man that HE is ...

Lannis

[danedg]

A fresh new Sportster would be a great bike for her. A friend of ours (her size) rode for years after a 1000 cc overbore.

[bad Chad]

Guys, I know your all busy trying to help the OP, but stop suggesting the TU 250!

He stated he lives in CA, and he cannot legally put a TU 250 on the street there!

I tried bit my tongue and keep quite, but it just keeps popping up!

[Darren Williams]

Guys, I know your all busy trying to help the OP, but stop suggesting the TU 250!

He stated he lives in CA, and he cannot legally put a TU 250 on the street there!

I tried bit my tongue and keep quite, but it just keeps popping up!

Is that due to emissions, not 50 state compliant?

[Kentktk]

Lowered Sportster, it is a girls bike.

[stevet]

Is that due to emissions, not 50 state compliant?

http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product%20Lines/Cycles/Products/TU250X/2016/TU250X.aspx

Must be, see the bottom of the description.

That, or it contains materials known to the State of California to cause cancer...

Such a cool looking bike!

Steve.

[oldbike54]

Guys, I know your all busy trying to help the OP, but stop suggesting the TU 250!

He stated he lives in CA, and he cannot legally put a TU 250 on the street there!

I tried bit my tongue and keep quite, but it just keeps popping up!

 And while we're at it , the SR 400 is kickstart only , maybe not the greatest choice for a 95 LB girl .

 Dusty

[yogidozer]

Lowered Sportster, it is a girls bike.

said the guy with the ct90

[Kentktk]

said the guy with the ct90

Nothing better than a CT90 for backwoods exploring. No better Harley than a Sportster for a girl. They all have their niches.

[Mr Pootle]

Indian Scout 60. Low and very easy to ride.

But remember, the V7lll is lower than the ll.

[JeffOlson]

How about a Vespa Sprint 150 ABS? Powerful and quick enough, light weight, tremendous fuel economy, very cool looking, and great fun!

My wife rides a red one (and I ride a blue Vespa 300 GTS ABS). Many smiles.

[Kentktk]

This looks like your best bet in a real motorcycle. Of the utmost importance is they both have ABS available, which If it were my daughter would be be the only way to go.
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/bikes/2017-honda-rebel-500-300/
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/premium/honda-rebel-so-hot-right-now/#more-124890

[oldbike54]

 The Kawasaki Vulcan S might be worth a look . Not too cruiserish , and under 500 lbs wet . Plus ,
ABS , and a really good motor .

 Dusty

[Kev m]

Indian Scout 60. Low and very easy to ride.

But remember, the V7lll is lower than the ll.

I forgot about the Scout, yeah that has a very low seat height.

I forget though is ABS an option yet on that or the Octane?

[Tom]

750 Breva with lower seat and shorter shocks.  Many women buzzing riders have them.

[SaskMick]

Get her a sidecar rig.   Makes no difference how tall or strong she is, she will never have to put a foot down and she will not be able to drop it.

[orion]

Lowered Sportster, it is a girls bike.

What makes a bike a girls bike?

[Orange Guzzi]

Plenty of Buell Blast out there for cheap.  And it is a Harley.  I have one and it is a simple bike, easy to maintain, plenty of salvage parts cheap for repair and  maintenance.  I have done nothing but add gas and tires. 

This is the smallest bike I own,  the other 4 are 1,000 CC or larger.  When ever I ride it, I start out with a bad attitude and come back with a smile.  Nothing like riding a slow bike fast. 

[guzzinka]

The Blast is readily available for great prices around here, so cheap I've considered picking it one up even though I'm way too big for it.  Good modern standard style imo

[Penderic]

http://www.cycleworld.com/2017-honda-rebel-300-and-rebel-500-first-look-motorcycle-review

 

300cc Rebel Honda. Looks low enough.

[Joliet Jim]

There are Buell Blasts to be had for a song.  They had a 27.5" seat height standard, and a 25.5" low profile seat was available.

My daughter has been riding hers for years with the low seat. Great bike

[Joliet Jim]

Ok first off some of these recommendations are just plain silly. She likes a standard riding position and many have recommended cruisers. And of course every new rider should start out on a pricey bike so that first dump is super expensive. I tried the baby breva route when she was looking but her feet dangled way too high. For a new rider tip toeing or one footing should not be an option. My daughters blast has been down three times. I had to replace a turn signal and other than that not a trace of going down. Bike looks as good as it did when she bought it 8 years ago.

[Kev m]

Ok first off some of these recommendations are just plain silly. She likes a standard riding position and many have recommended cruisers. And of course every new rider should start out on a pricey bike so that first dump is super expensive. I tried the baby breva route when she was looking but her feet dangled way too high. For a new rider tip toeing or one footing should not be an option. My daughters blast has been down three times. I had to replace a turn signal and other than that not a trace of going down. Bike looks as good as it did when she bought it 8 years ago.

What are you calling cruisers?

Because say the Sporty has a standard riding position in many versions, including the lows.

And riding position varies with the person in question (sizes).

[Triple Jim]

I can't imagine asking a petite newly licensed rider to start out on a 570 lb Sportster.  (Wet weight of a late model 883)  Having gone through the very same thing with my daughter a year and a half ago, I can tell you that she very much appreciates the low 300s weight of the Ninja 250.  As a performance comparison, the quarter mile times are approximately the same.  I'd bet money the 250 handles better.

[Kev m]

I can't imagine asking a petite newly licensed rider to start out on a 570 lb Sportster.  (Wet weight of a late model 883)  Having gone through the very same thing with my daughter a year and a half ago, I can tell you that she very much appreciates the low 300s weight of the Ninja 250.  As a performance comparison, the quarter mile times are approximately the same.  I'd bet money the 250 handles better.

It's funny but Jenn (5' 4") liked her lighter airhead, but did much better on her heavier BUT MUCH LOWER Sportster. She was much more comfortable and confident on it. Granted years later she prefers her Ducati and I don't blame her.

Our buddy Janice (4' 10") did put some miles on her Rebel 250 before switching to her much heavier Sportster but she was much happier with how easy and forgiving the Sporty was to ride over the Rebel. Not to mention that at her height she literally couldn't ride almost anything else. They couldn't get a T100 low enough, and she tried everything she could find from JAPanInc.

I wonder if a new Street would work for her today.

Speaking of Rebels the new 500 could be an option.

Anyway, I'm not saying the Sporty if necessarily anyone's best choice, but depending on inseam it might be one of the few.

[Rough Edge racing]

 I see many shorter riders balancing while stopped on their toes..Often they are not on bikes with low seats...personally, I'm 6 foot tall and do not feel comfortable unless I can put my feet flat on the ground...But often while stopped I balance on my non shifting leg with the other on the foot peg...
 I agree with Kev on the low seat Sportster being easy for shorter riders......And there's plenty of riders here on 700 pound machines saying the weight is no problem     But if the short rider needs to back peddle a 550 pound bike or off bike maneuvers in tight quarters, that may be may be difficult for a 5 foot 100 pound person...

[Arizona Wayne]

Just spotted a `03 Kawasaki Vulcan EN500LTD with a low padded seat on ebay.   Current price bid is $250. 12K miles & all kinds of pics.  Looks like new.