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Next bike for my 5'2" wife - light weight dirt oriented long distance capable Next bike for my 5'2" wife - light weight dirt oriented long distance capable
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Which Bike? Comments and Questions on what is the best bike for YOU, for YOUR trip. Note that we believe that ANY bike will do, so please remember that it's all down to PERSONAL OPINION. Technical Questions for all brands go in their own forum.
Photo by Lois Pryce, schoolkids in Algeria

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Photo of Lois Pryce, UK
and schoolkids in Algeria



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  #1  
Old 7 Nov 2015
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My respectful advice - don't underestimate the unhappiness that a too high bike can cause, especially if ridden day in and day out. The world is full of off camber curves, gutters, and a myriad of other city and country surface imperfections that can leave a foot dangling in the air if you have to stop beside or on top of them, with precarious results. Try backing up a loaded motorcycle even a short distance up a modest incline if all of your traction comes from a couple of toes (or one) on the ground. And the laws of physics dictate that a small person will have less of a chance of keeping a heavier, taller motorcycle upright once it starts to drop, even at very low speeds, or no speed at all.
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Old 7 Nov 2015
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Originally Posted by normw View Post
My respectful advice - don't underestimate the unhappiness that a too high bike can cause, especially if ridden day in and day out. The world is full of off camber curves, gutters, and a myriad of other city and country surface imperfections that can leave a foot dangling in the air if you have to stop beside or on top of them, with precarious results. Try backing up a loaded motorcycle even a short distance up a modest incline if all of your traction comes from a couple of toes (or one) on the ground. And the laws of physics dictate that a small person will have less of a chance of keeping a heavier, taller motorcycle upright once it starts to drop, even at very low speeds, or no speed at all.
Ain't that the case!

Just to add, the quoted overall height dimension of the rider rarely includes their even more significant inside/inseam leg measurement.
Then there is the design of the bike seat itself which contributes, greatly, to how easy it is to reach the ground with one or both feet while mounted on the bike.
"Reach the ground" does, naturally, mean different things to different people.
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  #3  
Old 7 Nov 2015
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True that - great reminder. She is a 29" inseam. Currently her Super Sherpa has kouba links (came that way) and seat measures 31.5" and is plenty low. I think we could up it a bit safely but need to be careful how much. All bikes DRZ400SM on down start around 35" (except xt250) so my current thinking is a if we can get it 32.5 to 32". My gut is leading toward the DRZ. The CCM looks amazing - seat height is variable from 31.1" to 37.4"!!
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Old 7 Nov 2015
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Originally Posted by markkerschbaumer View Post
True that - great reminder. She is a 29" inseam. Currently her Super Sherpa has kouba links (came that way) and seat measures 31.5" and is plenty low. I think we could up it a bit safely but need to be careful how much. All bikes DRZ400SM on down start around 35" (except xt250) so my current thinking is a if we can get it 32.5 to 32". My gut is leading toward the DRZ. The CCM looks amazing - seat height is variable from 31.1" to 37.4"!!
29" inseam? Wow! That's quite good for a person just 5'2".
29" is my inseam. (I'm 5'6") I've ridden dirt bikes since age 14 and they were ALWAYS too tall for me. You learn to adapt to keep from toppling over.

Tricks to consider when on tip toes:

1. Always pick your stopping place, use curbs berms, rocks or whatever to help.
2. Always SLIDE forward as far as possible to narrowest part of seat to maximize reach with your legs. (leg)
3. Always slide over onto one Butt Check to allow that leg to reach further down.

All seem obvious but very few "short arses" know above tricks. You DO NOT need both feet flat on the floor to control a heavy bike. But you DO need to be aware that you're on a heavy bike. If it starts to go over ... DO NOT try to save it ...
just jump clear of the bike. (get your leg out of there!)

32" seat height is certainly doable on MOST of the bikes you've listed. Kouba
make great stuff! (if a bit expensive!). Many companies make lowering links.
But contact Kouba to see about links for the DRZ400S. And FOR SURE do something about that HORRIBLE seat ... it will cripple her ... trust me on this one! WIDE IS GOOD!

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Old 7 Nov 2015
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yeah it will take some work, but i think we need to invest and build something hing from the ground up, new seat, bigger tank, adjustable fairing/windscreen, bigger stator heated grips etc etc, it seems like i am gaining comfort with drz sm , now just need to find nice low mileage unit, bummer our dollar sucks so bad
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Old 8 Nov 2015
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Xt 250
Have a look at this film, my wife is only 5'2 and about 48kgs & she rode this from Cairo to Cape Town & it was perfect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7lnlhFyMYg
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  #7  
Old 8 Nov 2015
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Interesting - We were just taking a close look at this bike again over morning coffee - We used to have a xt225 and didnt have a close look at the xt again - hmmm this is maybe the right bike! Would save a lot of fiddling with a DRZ to get it down to size.

Will crack a later this aft and watch the vid - Thanks!
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