HELP:Short Female needs help finding a suitable bike!

Hi there! I'm desperately hoping someone can help guide me. I just learned street riding two years ago (Ninja500) and tried my hand at dirtbikes (Honda 150) a year ago. I found I love both and want a dualsport to compliment my street bike, however I am financially (2K) and height challenged. Any suggestion on a good starter bike in general for a short female? Not looking to do major off road or tricks just get out there to have fun. From what research i found I like the power of a 400 but the height is too much. Anyone have any input on how low you can go on a 400 and what the effects it would have or a good 250 that can get on the freeway without feeling I'm on a stick about to blow away? Yeah I know I'm asking a lot but as much input or if you have a bike you think would fit my needs let me know! I joing the group in hopes of riding with you someday!

Welcome, HI!

*There are shorter bikes available or really, there are ways to shorten existing bikes. Would you happen to know what the highest seat height would work for you?

welcome, there were a couple good starter bikes on craigs list in th e wenatchee area. like inspector said, you can make almost any bike fit you. even my DR 650 can be droped in height.

Welcome to the forum!

A Yamaha TW200 is a great bike, it has a low seat height and it's a ton of fun! You can get some great deals on Craigs List etc if you watch for them.

Hodakaguy

I\"m not sure on true seat height but from what I have sat on through friends or at RMC and such the xt225 crf230 DR200 xt250 all work. Some street version 400s I fit kinda but still a tad too tall and I am told they are not worth a crap for off road so why even look at that kind. The TW200 I\'m not so sure about whats with the fat tire in the back? None of the other dual sports have that?

In general I\'m all for lowering but I have no understanding of the effect and what is smart and what isn\'t. Not a mechanic..love to learn but not so great on my own. I need a bike with power yet managble for my height and weight (a 130lb chica) oh and did I mention cheap. I am told the 250s just aren\'t really fun or safe on the freeway so get a 400. I cerntainly do not want to buy something I can\'t even fit on then spend all this money to lower only to find its still too much. Does anyone know how low a 400 can go with say a gel seat and lowering kit? Would it get to the seat height of one of the ones I can fit on in the 200 to 250 (Kawi dirt version 250s are too tall) range?

Also does anyone have any input on those knock off versions I see some on craigslist that are soo cheap 200 supermotos and such. Newer doesn't always mean better though so sum thoughts on that would be great too! Thanks for all the help I REALLY appreciate it!

I'm probably one of the least knowledgeable ones on here, so I'll let others help better. Whoever said 250's aren't fun or safe hasn't ridden one, (at the very least hasn't been on anything new).

You can lower almost any bike and it will handle great. It's just a time/money/skill thing. Cut down a seat and you can lower it 2inches, just takes skill. Buy a lowering link and that brings it down 1 to2 inches(depending on bike), that just takes money.

Also need to decide what kind of riding you want to do. Lots of bikes will do freeway, but not very fun. At your weight it wouldn't be too bad thou.

*personally i like the idea of a tw200 or xt250 as a first bike. Mostly because of the price. From there you can get something you really want later on.

i'm short too, at 4' 13'' with a 60'' inseem all i do is wear my size 14 high heeled stripper boots when i go riding my dirt bike. a 225 yamaha is a pretty good bike, an are very capable of highway speeds, a buddy of mine ran the snot out of one, with alot of tarmac miles an it did just fine. there are alot of lowering links available for the rear suspension, different seats,an shocks for the ''vertically challenged'', so if you can find a good deal on a bike, just make it fit.

A yamaha xt225 or 250 (after 2007) has my vote too. I have one and it goes right down the road @ 60 even with a 14 tooth front sprocket. the 14 tooth sprocket gives pretty good off road power as well. I have a 650 klr also but often find myself on the 225.

check out koubalinks.com they make lowering links for almost every dualsport out there, i know several people that have used them, an they feel much more comfortable, and confident.

Hey welcome to the forum and good luck with your bike search.

I was poking around the other night and killed my post before I had a chance to hit the send button. Sounds like that little 400 lb Ninja probably has you spoiled on the street. At 155 lbs, a CRF150 dirt bike has you spoiled in the dirt too.

Let me explain (I hope this helps),

You've got yourself into quite a conundrum, as fun on the highway with a 250 or even 400cc dualsport is a bit of a stretch. That's just the way it is. Nothing will come close to the thrill you might have experienced on the street with that little zinger ninja. There are 250cc bikes that will pull highway speeds just fine, but they will be twitchy, have tire vibes if you run knobbies and get blown around in the wind regardless of your 130 lb frame - just sayin'...

Secondly your price range kind of puts you into the 250cc market and under unless you can do some wrenching. You can confirm this for yourself by spending an hour searching Craig List for "dualsport." That's not to say an older DRZ400 might pop up with a street legal kit or something, but they're getting rare. I still see street legal bikes pop up now and then, but right now they are few and far inbetween with spring fever in full swing, especially for two grand.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say you might consider two scenarios:

• More street than dirt - DR200/Super Sherpa/XT225 all you might find in the $2k range
  
• More dirt than street - TTR250 with lowering link/CRF230/KLX300? but pushing the $2k envelope.
  

If you are a novice rider you can always trade up if a 200-250cc bike doesn't work for you. For example, when I teach kids to ride on 50cc bikes, they outgrow them quickly and lust for "more power" or a bigger bike to fit their growing body. As experience builds they want more power, etc. trade up...

You should also be aware that "dirt capable" from a 150cc bike to a 250cc bike has one indisputable fact - they are going to weigh 100 pounds more. A CRF150 weighs 154 lbs dry I think, a Ninja 500 street bike weighs 434 lbs, a XT225 weighs 240 lbs, a DR200 weighs 250 lbs, CRF230 weighs 250 lbs, a TTR230 comes in at 240 lbs, super sherpa 282 lbs (better on street). A DRZ400S comes in at 291 lbs dry, over 300 stock tank fueled and oiled.

What happens if you tip the bike over? No offense, but can you power lift twice your weight to pick up a sleeping bike? I have a heck of a time if I let my bike nap and have to pick it up. Got my leg stuck under it once and layed there laughing for five minutes because I couldn't squirm my way from under it and couldn't pick it up while laying under it.

I guess what I'm saying is their is no one "does it all" dualsport. I can assure you even a DR200 will be funner than the county fair roller coaster because just riding something is light years ahead of not riding. It sounds like you are petite at 130 lbs so even a 125cc dirt bike would most likely be fun to you. A good set of knobby tires on a 225 and maybe some cheap sprocket gearing changes will make them into a mountain goat but not a motocross table top jumper. The XT, sherpa, crf230 and DR will be fine on surface streets but might be interesting on longer highway jaunts. Steering ergonomics, wind cross-section, suspension are just night and day vs. a full time street bike. They're still fun, but can be a handful on the highway - just being truthful.

I ride a five speed. I am always looking for sixth gear but don't want to go up to 15/48 gearing. Something with six gears should be nicer for your highway service needs. You can always adjust the sprockets to your needs.

I wouldn't discredit the DRZ400S as a capable dirt machine. The design may be ten years old, but they are one of the most popular dual sport motorcycles ever and there are plenty of ride reports to prove they are dirt capable.

I hope this blurb helps you solidify your search. Having multiple bikes, one for each purpose is the only way to cover all bases.

Stay away from the "knock-offs" - they are primarily 30 yr old technology copies, poor quality control and no support. You want quality when you're trusting a bunch of bolted together parts to safely deliver your body to and from your destination.

Best regards,

griz

Search for pretty much all bike specifications here: Bikez

Shane wrote:

welcome, there were a couple good starter bikes on craigs list in th e wenatchee area. like inspector said, you can make almost any bike fit you. even my DR 650 can be droped in height.

WTF would you want to put a lil gal on one of those for?

TW200 for sureeeeeeeeeeeee

my wife has a gas gas pampera which is an awesome trailbike for a lady, its light, has a low seat height, and a super torquey motor. the only downside is they are hard to find, they are not much of a street bike (we have a wa plate on hers) and no electric start.

I found a bike! I went with an 06 XT225 for my first dual. I got it for just under 2k and the time I did get to take it out had a blast..off road, street, and freeway. Yah so not the power of a 400 but at least I know I can"woman" handle the bike off road. Its more for off road anyway (i got my ninja for street play).

NOW I have some questions:
What psi do you go by on the tires? The bike/manuel or the actual tire? I have knobbies and the manual says 18 to 22 psi and the tire says 32 psi cold. (might be a lil off going by memory)

I need a mentor or cheap mechanic reference on learing how to maintain and work on my bike. I rode the bike, did great, parked it, sat for 3 weeks now won't start. I've already gone over the basics but reviewing the forum and lubing and greasing and cleaning air filters that has to be done on regular intervals I need assistance. Who likes to teach?

Lastly I don't like nor is it safe to explore alone..Anyone in the South end that rides every once in a while? Need peeps to ride with as well as knowledgable.

Thanks again for everyone's input over the kind to buy it really helped! Looking forward to riding now!

Definitely go with what the owner's manual says. The PSI rating on the side of the tire is what is needed for the full weight rating of the tire, which is probably much more than what you plus the bike and all your gear weighs.

teal4angel wrote:

I need a mentor or cheap mechanic reference on learing how to maintain and work on my bike. I rode the bike, did great, parked it, sat for 3 weeks now won't start. I've already gone over the basics but reviewing the forum and lubing and greasing and cleaning air filters that has to be done on regular intervals I need assistance. Who likes to teach?

Glad you were able to find a bike. If I were closer to you, I would definitely help out with the maintenance. Any chance you are making it to the gathering in August? The 20-22 in Natches, see here https://pnwdualsport.forumotion.net/upcoming-rides-meet-ups-f8/pnwds-naches-camp-and-ride-august-20-22nd-t777.htm

If you are, I am more than happy to spend some time showing you how to maintain your ride. Those XTs are bullet proof, and run for just about forever with some simple maintenance. Even the valve adjustment is super easy on them.

If you can't make the ride, feel free to ask for any help. I will do what I can from here.

Congratulations!!!

Woohoo..spent the weekend tinkering with the bike. A buddy who knows about bikes, more street than off road, but hey take what you can get, helped me and I'm HAPPY! PRoblem ended up being connections. Dirty electric connections. After som TLC on the ignition coil connections and other electronic areas under the seat she purrrs like a kitten I even learned how to change the oil and clean the fuel filter..NOW I have to get the rear tire true and explore the tire pressure recommendation..

Why is the psi so vastly different on the tire (32 vs 18 to 22 in the manuel?) I was told to go by the tire because each tire is made different & the manual is basing it upon the standard tire it came with. What if they don't manufacture that exact tire? Is it true to recommendation then? Then there is a dirt tire vs a dual sport tire..I have a dirt tire on it and this whole tire thing has me Please explain why I'm getting different answers?

If you run on blacktop most of the time, you would run the tires at a higher pressure. Lower pressure on dirt. If you do both you would split the difference. The lower the pressure the better the traction off-road. I would say anything below 11 psi you can run the risk of pinch flats. This comes from say hitting a rock just right and it would mash the tire against the rim or rim lock and pinch the tube. This is just my .02 cents. Maybe others have a better explanation of it. A post I found an ADV Rider http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=484814

Hows the XT working out for you by now?? theres plenty a tricks out there to help ya out. Now that your a dual sporter, you must seek out any little thing that annoys you, rant and rave, complane bitterly to all that'll listen, trow a buch a money at it, then go on with life untill somthing else...........