Adventure bike for short legs!
 

My girlfriend is keen to start riding on an adventure bike, she is just 5'2" though, any ideas of bikes that can perform and carry some gear and let her toes touch the floor!!
We will not be going RTW, but hopefully could go across Morrocco next year and certainly looking at trips across Europe.
any help gratefully received

Thanks...

I rode 340 miles today on my Serow. If you're happy at 60mph it'll take you anywhere and back with all your gear. A little bike with with a big soul.

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/b...h/DSC00173.jpg

F650gs Lowered
 

My wife is the same height and under 50kg. She rides a F650gs lowered it has a seat height of about 760mm when its bare she can get half both feet on the ground, when loaded with panniers etc, she is virtually flat foot on the ground. (thats with boots on of course) however being sml in statue the weight of the bike loaded can be a bit of a problem, but I tend to take most of the heavy things on my bike. From what I can gather it is the only dual sport bike that low, the other alternatives would be a 250 yamaha (Serrow I think there called) I can not comment on them as we do not have them in OZ. I do know my wife sat on a lot of those sort of bikes before coming up with the decision of the F650 I think the comfort and height was the biggest
factors for her.:thumbup1:

Happy Hunting
Paul:scooter:

Blind
 

Just letting you know I had a laugh when I submitted my post above, as when I started it there were no replies and the flydoctor must of been doing his at the same time. In away that is the Serrow I was talking about !!
Cheers
Paul:scooter:

Also have a 5ft 2in lady who rides a F 650 GS which is factory lowered with a low seat option and can flat foot it easily..also the weight is no problem..also sat on a factory lowered, low seat option 1200GS and was comfortable with the height..a bigger heavier, bike obviously..using risers also helps and the seat can be made even lower on both with some work..she also had about 1/2 inch added to her boots..go for it ..it is alot better than having them hang onto the back of you

I am 5' 2" and recently test rode a R1200GS which had a factory lowered suspension and low seat. I was still tiptoe when balanced equally or balls of one foot if leaned over a bit. A good seat repairer may have been able to take another inch out of the seat. When on the road, the bike is effortless to handle but stationary and in awkward road situations (adverse cambers, gravel car parks, campsites etc), may be too heavy especially when loaded up.

Today, I sat on, but didn't test ride:-
- a F650GS Single which had a lowered suspension and low seat and found this a bit too low but probably ok with just a lowered seat
- a F650GS Twin with standard seat and found myself tiptoe but the bike was quite light and I could imagine this to be a better bike so have arranged a test ride once they obtain a low seat for it

There are many second hand 650 single's about too so you could find a bargain out there.

Why not try a Vstrom 650, with lowering links and some seat work they are quite low.

Cheers
TravellingStrom

Im a wee shortie and Ive ridden a honda XR250 which i lowered on a long journey and currently I ride a DRZ-250 which im in the process of lowering.

Short bikes for offroad
 

I have sat on lowered F650 and it is still too high- have 25 in inseam - any suggestions????? Joanjenn

Have you looked at a xt250 they can go pretty low, also the X-Country have a new lower version out and apparently you can lower it further !

Hope this helps

Cheers
Paul:clap:

Are we looking for bikes that'll go places or bikes that look like they'll go places? Serows do the job but are slow. Lowered F650's are great on the motorway but start to struggle off road to the point where a CB500, or ER-5 with knobblies can do just as well. It all depends how good you are at mods (you have to make a CB500 bash plate), what you want to spend and how bothered you are about being seen on what looks like a dispatchers cast off.

Don't believe the manufacturers, that roadbike won't explode on contact with dirt.

Andy

I am not talking BMW here, I am talking about a Suzuki Vstrom DL650

Cheers
TS

I am 170 cm (5'6" feet) and can easly handle dl650 v-strom. if you lower it i am sure she can also handle it. it is a bit heavy thou.

If the bike is for going off road, you want something lightweight.

Not something that she can pull up on at the trafficlights without collapsing under the weight of it, something that she can pick up on her own, and hold leant over and bring it back upright rather than let it drop.

Sure you can off road on anything, even something way too heavy, but if you want to enjoy the experience you want something that you're physically able to dominate. If you give her a 650 she's going to be afraid of dropping it everytime she sees dirt.


Just my opinion.
Some women do happily ride long distance on bad/off road on huge bikes.

Light Bike
 

Xt 250 (122kg):thumbup1:

For getting from A to B via trail XYZ it's fine. Add 40 KG of tent, clothes, tools, a 300km stretch of blacktop where the trucks run at 120 kph and a decent head wind before the trail and things don't look so rosy. We need more info, you can't just pick a bike on the spec sheet.

Andy

Mornin',

I'll give the thumbs up for the XT250 Serow. Mines passed 71,000 miles in the last 4 years and has been the most reliable bike I've ever owned.

What the Cameraman isnt telling you though, is that he shares his bed with that serrow and treats it like a lady..

And by that I mean he gives it a good ragging at the weekend ;)



:Beach:

I bet their children will be right ugly!! :scared::scared::scared:

And ride BMW C1's !! :innocent:

Met up with the flying Doctor and the cameraman at ripley last year- they are both so enthuiastic re the Serow they convinced my wife she wanted one.

It was not easy to get hold of but she now has one and loves it - it has been a great bike for confidence building. Stella is 5' 4'' by the way and currently we are pretty sure that she will use this when we embark on our big trip. She has ridden bigger bikes such as cbr400, cbr600 and xt660 (lowered) but enjoys the serow more and clocks up the miles just as easily. I am even considering one myself (i am 5' 11''and currently have a GS)

Chizz

I've ridden a Serrow, and it was a hoot off-road, but would be a pain over any great distance on-road, and as others have said, might start to struggle with luggage etc.

I'd also say that given the choice, a Kawasaki Super Sherpa is better than the Serrow in virtually every respect (actually, make that every respect...)

Personally if I were looking for a low seat hight, dual-sport bike that could comfortably handle a lot of both on-road and off-road riding, I'd look at a DRZ400 SM (the supermoto version), and consider re-lacing the front wheel with a 19 inch rim, so you could fit Continental TKC80's front and rear.

I'd suggest that combo would be ideal for the sort of trip you are envisaging - the the SM version is noticeably lower than the stock DRZ, the 400cc engine has plenty of power, there are lots of accessories available (luggage racks, skid-plates and larger fuel tank for example), while I'd suggest the TKC80 is arguably the best compromise tyre out there for dual-sport use?

J xx

Which would be cheaper ? re-lacing a DRZ400 SM or changing the shock and springs of a DRZ400 ? considering all the off road bits that come with the later ?

I think the new rim is probably the cheapest option (compared to the price of a complete new shock at least)... There is not a lot of difference 'off-road' wise between the bikes, other than the 18/21 inch wheels on the S/E models, and slightly longer travel suspension - the frame and bodywork are the same.

Conversely, the SM also comes with better quality forks, Renthal fatbars, bigger front brake, and slightly stiffer springs front and rear, which might prove better for carrying luggage and general touring/on-road manners?

Of course you can get lowering links that will fit either/all DRZ models - a friend of mine in the USA has a SM with a kubra link on the rear, and together with dropping the forks through the yokes, it now feels as low (or lower) than a Serrow, but has far more performance (both engine and suspension wise) for longer distance riding?

I agree that the stock SM 17" rear wheel rim is pretty wide, but their is a TKC80 (150/70) that will fit on that rim nicely, and coupled with the corresponding 19 inch front, I'd say it would have all the attributes you'd need for a travel bike, while still being lower than an S model that had been lowered?

Fundamentally though (in the UK at least) there seem to be a lot of secondhand low-mileage DRZ400SMs for sale at a good price - presumably bought by people who thought they were more fire-breathing than they actually are? - and the SMs on the whole will never have seen dirt or serious off-road use which is a bonus?

xxx

The point about small cc bikes like the serow being a struggle travelling distance on tarmac with luggage...

It all comes down to the speed you want to travel at. If you're happy never riding above 100kph, and cruising at 80kph, then there is no problem. To some people riding for months or years at these speeds or less would be torture, but I perfectly happy doing it, as are plenty of others.


My DR350 was as happy cruising on the tarmac with a pillion and all the luggage and camping equipment for two people, as it is riding unladed with just the rider. And the DR is about the same weight and power output as the serrow.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/steven....womongolia.jpg

Very good point about the cheap SMs I didn't even think about that. Sorry when I said replace the shock, I meant the linkage. You are right though, throw a bash plate, some bark busters and maybe one or two other bits on the SM and you have a fine all-rounder.

Thanks Guys!

Hurry up and fix that C1, my pizza's getting cold!! :scooter:

Hi Doc,

just waiting for the valves to be fitted, then I can check what sized shims are needed.