[Prunus]

Hi, I am considering buying a motorcycle when I get the chance (it's actually two years until I can get the license but I like to see what you guys would recommend anyways). I really like yamahas line up of both super naked and sports, but I think a real sport bike is something I will look into in the far future. My problem with looking for a bike is the fact that im tiny. With a height at about 5'5" and 125lbs give or take finding a bike is instantly a bit harder. I believe my innerseam is about 31~32" so it's not like I cant find any bikes with the right seatheight. My biggest concern is how heavy the bike is going to be and my actual seating position. I dont want to look to awkward on the bike. So far I have found some really good bike(s).

KTM Duke 390 - seems like a pretty good bike, it has a nice amount of power and I dont see myself starting off on something with more torque. I can get around cars somewhat easy because of how light it is making the handling smoother. I also like the idea of having a bike that can ride offride. Really think this is a fun bike, but is it too fun for a beginners bike?

Yamaha XSR 900 - This is not something im thinking of getting as my first bike, but maybe as a second? It supposedly has great seating position and is very comfortable. It has more power but still isn't a beast some say. Seems like a great commuter bikes and for longer distances but is it worth having this in addition ot the 390 perhaps? Actually read somewhere that this could be a bike to start on if you take it easy, what do you mean?

Thanks

 

[AloRaptor]

Dang,man if you are 5'5" with an inseam of 31-32". You must be all leg.:shock: I'm 5'11" with a 31" inseam. As far as beginner bikes goes, put it the search tool and you will get 100's of threads.:mrgreen:

 

[Easy Rider]

Yep, same old question ........and the answer will be no different.

Assuming that you are about 14-16 years old now, maybe the biggest question is: How will you pay for this new toy ??

Your first bike should be a temporary one, for training purposes only, and you should keep it for about a year; at least 6 months of actual riding.
It should be: Small, used, and inexpensive. Sport style bikes don't qualify except maybe for the Ninja 250/300 but even those are expensive to fix if they fall over.

You shouldn't worry about getting the bike you really want until the second or third one.
You shouldn't worry about "looking awkward" on a bike; worry more about it fitting you good.
There are a LOT of them that fit a small person good (you aren't even close to being tiny).

And given your wildly wrong (likely) assumption about your inseam (I'm 5'5" and have a 28 inseam), you shouldn't be assuming other stuff either.

Take it easy; get some training. Road rash HURTS.

 

[Boulevardier]

There's a good website at <cycle-ergo.com>, I think you can size bikes up by adding your measurements. My suggestion for a first learner bike would be something in the 300 cc range, small sportsbikes are very light and this gives you enough power to weight to learn on or do yourself some damage. But I would recommend time and time again - DO A COURSE!!! I think the MSF over there is recommended, but do some formal course - it might get you time off a learner permit or a reduction in your insurance, but it could save your life.

 

[Prunus]

Haven't been active for a long time but decided to log on again. I looked at your answer again and have some things to add. I'm from Europe and use a different metric system so I'm sorry that I got the inseam wrong, but I do have a 30" inseam for sure. I do have enough money for a new "toy" and even a completely new mt-07 (no, I wont buy that as my first bike, im not stupid). What I meant about "looking awkward" on the bike was of course weirdly worded but I did mean how I would feel on the bike, like you're stating. Since I have never been sitting on a bike but just looked at them I just assumed that some of them would be too big for me. i'm also considered kinda "tiny" in my country or at least in my area. I will of course get training and I will do every course and wear riding gear.

 

[Boulevardier]

Prunus, if you feel that you'll be too light then make sure you get a bike on which you can sit completely flat footed at stop and feel confident on. Having good solid foot placement is very important.

I agree with what Easy Rider said. Get a second hand bike, small capacity, take as many courses as you can. When I started riding at 60 (different end of the age spectrum from you but still a complete novice) I rode 25,000 km (15,000 miles)/ 20 months on a second hand learner 250 cc cruiser - I dropped it several times, forgot to put the stand down, slow speed turning and gravel on the road, low sided on a wet white line at a traffic island when a car indicated it was turning off then came straight through. But I ddn't have to worry about it being a new bike, it had a couple of scratches when I first got it, and I still was able to sell it two years later and get most of my money back.

I know several people who have started on Yamaha Scorpio 225 cc and had tons of fun. In fact I'd suggest that you look for something like a second hand Kawasaki Ninja 300, Honda Hornet 250, Susuki GSX250, Imazuma or even a GN250, I've had friends start on Hyosung GT250s - there's loads of smaller capacity sports bikes out there. You may be able to survive on a bigger sports bike, but you're light so don't bring too much weight in to the equation to start with and big bikes can be so unforgiving (5 mm on the throttle and you're suddenly at warp factor nine!).

And if you should be so lucky, find a mentor. Not some hairy arsed rocket merchant but someone experienced who you trust and you can ride with. beware picking up someone elses mistakes, so do as many safety courses as you can get.

 

[Easy Rider]

Since I have never been sitting on a bike but just looked at them I just assumed that some of them would be too big for me.

The bike might be too tall maybe but the seat/bars/controls usually are built for some arbitrary "average" sized person and it sounds to me like you are right in that range.

It can be too big if you can't maneuver it around in a really tight space when it's not running......or on a slight incline.
I got myself in a bind at a campground just a few days ago and ended up having to "off road" a bit to get back in the trailer. My present bike probably IS a bit too big for me.

 

[Prunus]

I have used a simulator so that I can get an idea of how I would be seated on the bike. On the high-end sportbikes im really far down with my whole body. My dream bike is probably a ducati monster or panigale, but oh my that new R6. I think I will most likely start on something with a more comfortable and seated position than a race ready one. I dont think I would like the R3 because there is so many there thay say that they grow out of it so quickly and it doesn't seem as fun as other bikes (e.g Duke 390..).
What bike do you own?

 

[uprightshark]

I'm just going to add a few cents here, because this discussion hits pretty close to home. . I've been riding dirts since 12 and had a street bike licence before a car licence and I am 52 now. Over the years I have had lots of bikes of different types and I believe before you get hooked on the look of a bike (i.e the monster), you need to take your safety course and get some riding experience to figure out what YOU will be comfortable on and can manage safely.

In my younger days, I was a "crotch rocket" jockey and loved the speed. My favorite bike of all times was my 1984 Honda CBR 1000R Interceptor and my old Yami RD 400 (2-stroke), but I know that today my body could not handle that riding position, nor do I have the required high level of acuity and reflex to handle a machine at that speed. SO today I ride a cruiser, with the associated cruising comfort attitude in biking style, but still driving metrics .... :mrgreen:

The reason that I am saying all this is that you cannot figure out what you need from a computer simulator. You will need to gain some experience, try some machines with some experienced people helping you, then make a choice. To ride safe (I know this is going to sound sappy), you need to feel like your one with your machine. This includes seating position comfort, balancing weight and center, with power that matches your riding skill and experience.

My rant here is because I was a "rocket jockey" and have seen to many friends want to look cool and get on bikes that were way to much for them and get themselves into big trouble. One no longer has legs below the knees. This happened to an inexperienced friend riding a brand new 2 week old Katana (the big machine of the time) taking a curve at high speed on wet pave. He ended up in the guard rail and was in the hospital for months. He was bike 2 and I was bike 5 on that run .... still haunts me today.

Motorcycles are my passion and I love them and with training, lots of experience and good defensive driving, I actually feel safer than in my car. But when things happen on a bike, they happen quick (even though you feel at the time that you're in slow-motion) and you need to have the trained skills and a machine that matches those skills to see the other side.

This would not be, given the description you gave us, a Ducati Monster or a Panigale as a first, second or third bike, unless you keep that training bike for a few years. Not trying to be harsh, nor am I trying to steer you away from eventually owning a sport bike, just want you to have the best chance to have a very long, healthy and fun biking life. Even a "big scare" from an almost incident can ruin your biking experience and get you out of biking for the rest of your life.

For that, you need to take Easy and Boule's advice to heart. Sorry for the preaching