A question to all of you bikers here

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I've been toying with the idea of getting a motorcycle for quite a while and getting really keen to do all the training and license required and whatnot. problem is I'm only 165cm/5'5" tall and petite, and out of shape at that. I'm afraid that I won't be able to hold/lift the bike when needed or even to touch the ground with my feet

any advice on how I should prepare for the course, if at all? or should I just forget it and stick to bicycles?

Well, I'm not a biker, but I own a broken motorcycle I gotta repair one day, never actually rode it. But uh, yeah, I guess well read?

What you'd want is a lower displacement bike that'd be smaller. Maybe 125-250cc or so to start with? You'll go slower on a smaller bike like that, but really, you should be fine keeping up with traffic with most bikes over 125cc or so, especially if you're small.

Also, you're lucky you're in Europe, there's a lot more choice in the smaller bike market there. In USA, there's like a few small displacement standard bikes available, and only one small displacement sportbike, the Kawasaki Ninja 250cc. That's it. Everyone in America wants at least 500cc, and most buyers of new sportbikes simply go for the 1000cc bikes, there's very few smaller more efficient bikes on the market here.

I don't know how your place in Europe works, but in where I am in USA, it's pretty lenient as far as learner's permits. You need a car license to get a learner's permit, which is sorta "wtf" but ok. After you get the learners permit, it's valid for a year, and you're only restricted to not using the highway, not riding at night for the first few months of it (I think...) and not having passengers. So you get the opportunity to practice and/or ride it to work for a year before you test. So as long as you're smart about it, get yourself well acquainted with the bike, how it controls, etc, you should be fine.

Just yeah, don't buy something huge and ungodly powerful for your first bike. Bikes today are insane, 200hp from the factory, between your legs, crazy.

Oh, and if you want more physical strength, well, get in shape, maybe forearm exercises? But I would just try a motorcycle and see what you can do. Have any friends with bikes they'll let you try out?

They do make short people bikes, and scooters.

It has to do with your price range. Then how much you like reading about them and taking them apart. They take a bit more service than cars.

Vespa and look alikes are making some good ones. Electric start, and if run often, regular oil change and spark plug, they hold up well.

The downside is small wheels, good in the city, but do not have the power or stability for highway. Little wheels, pot holes, dangerous.

Highway calls for big wheels, and power, and some weight. 250 cc is about the smallest I would go play with trucks on the interstate with. When they pass they push a lot of air, to stay in lane you steer into it, and after they pass it reverses, air gets sucked behind the truck, and you are steering that way too. Light bikes get pushed around.

To start, a 125 cc dirt bike with lights, street legal, but with oversize tires, brakes, with lots of get up and go. it is in the scooter range, gas mileage, but those 10" wheels and tires are only good on well paved roads, low speeds.

With the basic little dirt bike you can do off road racing, flat dirt track, motocross, and run the roads. Better shocks, big wheels, tires, brakes, and training that applies to even bigger bikes. They are built tough because they are raced. They come in child sizes.

To join a major biker gang you need something bigger.

It is hard to tell from your post what style appeals to you, Gina Lolabridgitta in a short skirt on a vespa, Unisex Dirt Devil, The Trans Siberia to Bejing run with the pack or solo.

Mine is a well kept antique, it is fast, goes anywhere.

More info, it is style, I never saw a Hells Angel on a Vespa.

thanks for your replies guys!

@1000Knives round here you need to pass a really, really hard exam to get the license (no need for a driving license first) but after that, you're done, no limits, no learners permits people hardly ever pass on their first try though.

one of my managers is an avid biker, I did try mounting his bike once but my feet were dangling about halfway through its height so yeah, I definitely want to try with smaller bikes first but would like to avoid the child-size stigma ;P

@Inventor scooters are out of the question. I'm not really into joining Hells Angels either I'm not *that* much into speed, more into long-distance travel but not really on dirt roads, just regular european autobahns. I don't drive and I'm a bit sick with public transportation so mainly I'm looking for a fun way to travel where I could pack a bit of stuff to carry around with me. it would be nice if I could haul ass every now and then on an empty road though


also - my coordination and balance are not that great, do you guys think it would be a big issue? is there a way to train those skills? (please don't say "juggling" )

Just get a bf into biking . I say it in the nicest way but maybe u need to become a biker b***h

I've known a good few bikers, my dad/uncle always used to be involved with the outlaws and i have a tendency to get on with that type of person.

Bikes are great fun though yeah. I can't drive because i can't seem to get a feel for the dimensions of the car. Bikes are great for me for that, i need the feeling of control.

You probably just need to take the plunge, kinda daunting atm but 6 months from now it'll be normal. I remember I couldn't go on the motorway for a long time, it scared the bejesus out of me, now i wouldn't think twice.

Why are scooters out of the question? They would get you used to the road, improve your balance and they're a great stepping stone to greater things.

I'm in Europe, not Saudi Arabia



I find them annoying for some reason. would rather start with the good stuff straight away

Hehe, i could introduce you to a few really really nice biker guys. Bikers are really respectful of their women, you shouldn't make fun .

As for scooters, gawd, why'd you have to judge whether you like them with a preconception rather than actually trying one? Scooters are enormous fun. And everyone has to start somewhere, they're a great place to start.


My first was one of these. And it has a spot under the seat for shopping!

respectfully calling them "biker b*****s"?

I'm sure they're lovely, but when you say stuff like "just get a bf" you might as well tell me to pursue a Ph.D. in rocket science. it's an aspie forum after all ;P



it's not a judgement. they just annoy me, they have a higher pitch don't they?

Hmm, maybe so about getting a bf, just bikers are kinda outsiders too so it might not be as hard as it sounds. I certainly find bikers really easy to talk to, and they're not always entirely what you'd expect. One biker guy i know is really really exceptionally cool, everybody loves him, yet he's also into that table top gameplay thing and a bit of a (not so secret) nerd.

For the sound of scooters, if you're talking about a 50cc then maybe. Try a 125, it has a much nicer sound to it and if you're in the uk it's the max u can get with only having a CBT and a provisional license.

Oh and to add, bikers are more likely to call their gfs their old ladies rather than biker b*****s, that was just a friendly poke to see what you'd say .

I thought so

I'm not in UK right now but that might change very soon, so I'm looking at the options I have and maybe it'd be easier to get a license in here or in some transitional place.

as to scooters though, the office building where I work right now is right next to a busy road and I can always tell a scooter from a motorcycle for the distinctively annoying high-pitched buzz-like sound

2 stroke engines for ya. My first scooter was 4 stroke, there's quite a bit of a difference.

Google - bikes with low seat height - and you'll find a few ideas.
Common mentions are Suzuki SV650 and GS500.
400cc bikes tend to be small, but are a bit more "grown up" than 125/250 bikes.
Also, look at replacement seats for bikes - some are sculpted, reducing the height.

I'm aware of the existence of Google but in things as crucial as personal safety I'd rather consult experts looks like there's quite a few maniacs on WP so I'm hoping for some good info & words of encouragement (I'm probably the last person on earth who should do this )

I got my first bike young, and have heard from several people here that riding they did better than walking, Awkward on their feet, graceful on a bike.

Now we are closing in, big wheels, 4 cycle, and hitting the autobahn. Packing a bit of stuff, does not like ringdingdingding bikes.

Honda makes some low slung models, and the 400 to 500 cc models have some weight that keeps you in place when you hit a slipstream from a Benz doing 200 kph.

No link, I read a blog from a Russian girl, She biked Chernobal.

A quote you might goggle and find her, "Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go to hell, girls with big bikes go wherever they want."

They all have low speed power, and at speed just enough to keep going.

The faster you go the more weight you want. Having some reserve power is good. You do not want to be running flat out in top gear, it is hard on you and the bike.

Bikes with fifth gear give you an overdrive, lower engine speed, better gas mileage, for cruising. Hit the mountains, you slow, down shift, and have more power.

Warning! These things are addictive, and a tank of gas goes a long way.

Like anything, try one on for size. You should stand with both feet firmly on the ground, and some air between you and the seat. Leave some wiggle room, for if the seat is holding you, it can lever a foot off the ground.

You are looking for something in scale, easy to mount, and the biggest bike you can lift if it falls over. This is done by turning your back to it, bending your knees, grab under the seat and gas tank, and lift with your legs.

Now are we talking new or used?

I've been riding motorcycles since age 13, and I guess I have a little experience... The bottom line is that if you're feeling unsafe in traffic, you need to overcome that, or you could get in trouble in a fast-thinking situation on the bike. And the other thing is, that just as with a car or truck, anyone WILL SOONER OR LATER HAVE AN ACCIDENT. That's just logic and statistics. So with that said, you also need to know how to protect yourself as best possible, and always use the best safety equipment and use your brain.

As far as a first bike, I'd go with something you definitely can easily hold upright, and that you can lift in the event you do go down around a corner, or anything minor happens. Street bikes are easier to handle (on pavement) than enduro or on-offroad dual sport bikes. Also, dual sports are much taller than street bikes, and harder to balance. My first street bike was a Yamaha 650 Special (1978 model), and it was 3 years old at the time. Today, I'd probably get a 500 or so, and probably a sport bike due to easier handling than a cruiser (Harley-style) bike. Currently I have three street bikes: One I ride regularly; my Yamaha R1, and two collectors item bikes that I ride occasionally. One is a 1985 Honda VF1000R; the first "crotch rocket", and also a 1985 Yamaha V-Max cruiser/muscle bike (engine bigger than many small car engines). Any of those would likely lead to a terrible accident with a new rider, so please don't get something that high of performance just yet. I'm almost afraid of that V-Max, and I've been riding big powerful bikes for over 25 years.

In traffic, I have a fairly simple set of extra "rules" that I ride by: (1) I assume that EVERY oncoming car, is going to suddenly turn left in front of me (or turn Right if as in England). I plan an escape, and I always know whether or not there is traffic or obstacles in my way if I have to suddenly swerve and there might not be time to look in an emergency. (2) I always assume that when riding along any road where cars are parked at the curb, someone WILL pop out and make a U-turn in front of me. Again, I have an escape, and I look ahead to see if I see any parked cars with a little flash of the brake lights, or any motion indicating someone's inside and might be putting the car in gear. If I'm closeby, and I see a parked car start, I'll give a polite toot of the horn, just to let them know, but not to blast them and annoy.

But no matter how well you plan, or how careful, there is always a risk. Be careful, but also have fun!

Charles