short rider recommendations ?
 

hey there,

i own ktm super duke 990, and right now im planning for RTW trip and i seriously have to get a smaller bike to fit me.

im 160 cm without boots, and i seriously can't find the best fit for me.
i need low seat height to fit me.

i did google it and found many options but whenever i check it on cycle-erg and get shocked that i will be standing on my toetips doh

so, do you guys have suggestions for me ?

Cycle Ergo is not always exact.
First off the seat heights quoted are often incorrect
Secondly they don’t allow for suspension sag when you get on a motorcycle.
Best option is, as always, to try for size.

RE Himalayan is good option for shorter legs.
For a smaller bike a Serrow - I would avoid the Honda NX250, a great bike but the tyre sizes are not standard and difficult to get hold of.
For something a bit bigger I used to go trail riding with a chap who had a BMW650 twin which was lowered and he put a 21” front wheel on it - a very capable bike, the 21” front wheel may not be necessary for your requirements.
Good luck with your hunt.

Check out some of the BMW GS models. I have a 2007 F650GS with regular seat and suspension and it was only a tiny bit tall with me being at 168cm in height. They did come with a lowered option so that might be an option if you can find a used one since they're no longer being made. Other used options would be the G650GS and the F700GS which also came in lowered versions.


This summer I bought a brand new 2019 F750GS and if I set it for one rider, no luggage I'm flat footed before I even add the weight of my gear. Maybe a lowered version of this one might work for you.


...Michelle

Just to stress that it's your inseam length and the width of the front of the seat that are just as important as the listed seat height. I'm of average height but longish in the torso and shorter in the leg so the reach to the ground has always been a factor for me.

50 plus years of riding and numerous bikes have taught me that, for an ordinary rider, being able to get your feet flat on the ground is important for reasons of safety and confidence. The world is full of endless off camber curves, potholes, gutters, ditches, and all other manner of surface variations and imperfections just waiting to cause a foot to be dangling in the air when it needs to be on the ground. Try to back a fully loaded motorcycle up even a short distance on even a slight incline if you're on tip toes. If you're heading off around the world you will doubtless encounter these situations repeatedly.

Some will tell you that a short rider can adapt to a tall bike. Just learn to slide over to one side when coming to a stop etc. Having tried that approach with a couple of taller bikes I can say that this technique becomes very stale very fast and, unless you're a trials riding phenom who can bounce from boulder to boulder, it's not a reliable method for regular riders who did not grow up on tall dirt bikes.

Respectfully submitted.

Good luck with your search.

Agreed. Riding a tall bike is not always a problem but wheeling it around or backing it up fully loaded is and these are things you will be doing time and again on a RTW trip.
My wife rides a 1200 GS and loves it but would not take it on a RTW trip.

Height is unimportant, what matters is inside leg measurement and shoe size. When you are trying to touch down your foot is angled at about 45º and the longer your foot (bigger the shoe size), the further it stretches to enable you to touch down on the balls of your feet. I'm guessing you have small feet.

Outside of Europe and North America you don't need anything bigger than 500cc. The Serow (XT225/XT250) is an excellent suggestion. Serow XT250 is 130 kg dry. Go for as light as possible, so aim at a maximum 150 kg wet weight before you start adding racks and stuff.

Lots of other bikes are suitable or can be lowered.

thank you, everyone, for your suggestions and help.

I went to our local authorized dealer for Royal Enfield, and checked the Himalayan unfortunately there was only one piece I couldn't test drive it but for now, its the best option for me and I'm planning to get 4 cm lowering kit for it.

did someone tried to lower their adventure bike and was there any difference in the offroad performance?

My wife bought a second hand, lowered F800gs - it was not factory lowered. Road handling was okay but not brilliant, off road handling was poor.
But this is just 1 example

oh, thank you for letting me know, i belieave i saw a video that talks about sag and how to adjust it. it was very helpful.