Short riders - read this before you go bike shopping

Being slightly short in stature can prove a headache when buying your first, post-test bike. Salesmen will always try and steer you in the direction of the highest profit margin for them and not necessarily toward the right bike for you.

As with everything, the best way to choose your new bike and to get the best deal is to shop around. Spend time online at www.biketrader.co.uk to find guide prices, do plenty of research into insurance premiums and, most importantly of all, visit plenty of showrooms to get the bike that FITS you.

You might fancy a BMW R1200GS, but unless you’re more than 5ft 10in and strong, it’s just not going to work. Remember it’s not just the seat height that can restrict you, it’s the seat width too…
  
1. Bike cost
It is normal to drop a bike a few times when you are getting used to manoeuvring at slow speeds and parking up. Don't spend 12 grand on a Ducati until you've got over this tendency with your first bike.
It's useful to buy a first bike without a fairing since these are easily scuffed and quite expensive to replace.
It may be useful to buy a fairly common model if you really want a bike with a fairing, then it won't be as difficult or expensive to replace the odd panel or mirror here and there. Consider investing in some crash bungs (www.bsd.uk.com) for your first big bike.

2. Seat height
It's amazing that the huge rise in the number of ladies in biking hasn't yet reflected greatly in bike design, especially since the Japanese creators of so may pocket rockets are generally of smaller stature then us westerners. The most popular bike size in Japan has been 400cc for years, and this is where you find the majority of bikes suitable for shorter riders. Beware the grey import though (see below).
FI International supply seat height reducer kits which can take 35mm off the height.

3. Engine size
A good starting bike capacity is from 250cc to 600cc. Make sure you go for a machine with lowish horsepower. If you buy a Honda CBR600RR with 107 horsepower then you may just be expecting too much of yourself in those early days.
FI International supply restrictor kits for those taking the Light Motorcycle Test (see the CBT section).

4. Bike size and weight
See Point 1 for comments about dropping the bike. Bear in mind that you will have to pick the bike up on your own at some point, and this is likely to be in your own driveway whilst attempting to turn it round. Unless you have a strong partner permanently attached to your hip you should make sure that the bike is light enough and small enough for you to rescue yourself... calling out the RAC in these situations is likely to be highly embarrassing. If you do take a spill on the road, hopefully some kindly driver (perhaps the one who knocked you off) will help you out, or failing that your adrenalin rush will have that bike upright in moments. I have had to pick most of my bikes up at some point for various reasons, usually without any assistance.
And remember the best way to pick up a bike is to pull it off the ground using the handlebar, not to try and push it off the ground.

5. Image
Everyone wants to look good when they’re riding but, as said above, the odds are your first bike will hit the ground and scuffed bikes are not pretty. Your first bike should be a mixture of good-looks and practicality. And beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

6. Insurance premium
Premiums for us ladies will generally be a little lower than the boys, but the higher the insurance category the more unaffordable the bike will be to insure. If you try to buy a Yamaha R1 without at least two’ years experience you are unlikely to get cover at all. This is a major running cost and does push biking well into the realms of being an expensive past-time.

Tips for making bigger bikes fit

Lower the bike with an official lowering kit.

Adjust the rear shock(s) and forks using the pre-load adjusters. This fiddles with the point of spring compression and can be brought down just make sure the springs aren't bottoming out when you encounter bumps in the road.

You can have rear shock springs changed for shorter versions, or softer so the shock will compress much further when you are sitting on the bike.

Go to a bike shop and see if they can make a lowering link for you. It's a piece of metal (either straight or L shaped) with holes on each end. The shock is removed and the new bracket placed between the frame and the shock. This will lower the motorcycle. Alternatively, on some bikes, a new frame hole can be drilled so that when the shock is reattached, it will be at a lower position.

Change the stock seat to something that is either narrower (so thighs are not pushed out) or curved down to lower overall seat height or have the original seat's interior padding shaved down (you can add a gel insert to maintain arse comfort).

Determine if you're leaning forward or reaching for the handlebar controls. If so, it may be shifting you in your seat and hampering foot to ground reach.

Change the tyre to a lower profile, but talk to a mechanic about a possible impact on the speedo reading and handling.

Buy or modify boots for a higher heel. You'll want to carefully consider how your foot is placed in regard to the footpeg and lever, but remember that the lever can usually be re-adjusted to a different angle if the new configuration shifts your overall foot position. You can also consider adding a thick insole for about another half-inch (or more if you buy a boot one size up, more insole, which may be useful).