Tall rider first bike on a budget?

[breakfast biscuit]

Does anyone know of any cheap used bikes suitable for taller riders?

I'm 6'2 with a 34" inseam and the bikes I've ridden give me really bad cramp in my ankle and knee. I'm only 20 and a cyclist so I don't attribute this to poor joints or anything. I rode a CB125f after my CBT which was absolutely unbearable, then did my A2 on an ER6n which had me limping everytime I got off the bike.

Now I'm looking for my first bike, with a budget of £1.5k ideally or £2k at a push. If I had more money I'd be looking at something like a Versys or CB500X but these are out of my budget at at least £3k used.

I'm reading a lot of conflicting information about what to start on, people say you should start on a 250 but no 250 will fit me, other than dual sports but I really don't like the aesthetics of them. I want a sport bike ideally or a street/adventure bike if necessary, but all the cheap used bikes seem to be things like GS500s and CBF500s which are just too small.

Someone recommended a V-strom 650 but apparently they are very heavy and unsuitable as a first bike.

As you can see I'm pretty lost and would appreciate some advice, or I'll just have to get another scooter.

[ThatDippyTwat]

See, I don't get this.

I'm 6' 3" with a 34" IL. I only get problems on bikes with high rearsets. Anything approaching upright is fine. I did get cramps when I first started riding on the road, but it was because I was tense as fuck. Once I chilled out and just rode, they went away.

As for engine size, while going and jumping on a 200BHP Hyper sports is probably a bad idea, throttles don't have to be opened all the way. As long as you respect it and gt used to it, you can ride damn near anything. I wouldn't worry overly much about weight as it's only noticeable at standstill and low speeds. Once your used to it, you'll be fine.
____________________
'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[SkyBadger]

the ER6N is a small bike though. I tried one out for my DAS and it was uncomfortable straight away for me at 6ft2.

Go to a few dealers and sit on a bunch.

[Kentol750]

Cb500x isn't that tall....wife is 5'4" and sits comfortably on one ( and her er6n).
It's weird what bikes fit and don't. Wider tanks make sports/naked versions seem taller. Friend who is of similar stature to you rode a 2004 sv 650 and an er6f without discomfort. Versus and vstrom are not that tall...my colleague rode a vstrom for instructing and she was 5'5".
If you want a bike you can straddle and not feel like it's a kids bike, then a ktm 690/ husky 701 will tick that box. As a first bike...hmmmmmm..my 701 is naughty.
Had a pupil last year 6'3" buy an r6 and loves it!
____________________
Some bikes.

[Kentol750]

A2 is a bit of a smaller field. If you look at bikes you like in budget, look at adjustable rearsets that give you an inch of extra legroom.
____________________
Some bikes.

[NJD]

[linuxyeti]

How about a Versys ...

Here's a few to consider ..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kawasaki-Versys-650-/322406061955?hash=item4b10e61783:g:Jw4AAOSw5cNYjbdr


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kawasaki-VERSYS-650-/291944680229?hash=item43f9424b25:g:UMUAAOSwcUBYLInU

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2008-Versys-650-in-Black-at-Robinsons-of-Rochdale-/152141454268?hash=item236c565bbc:g:fy4AAOSwOVpXbDW3

I would say that potentially the first one especially looks to be a bargain
____________________
Beware what photos you upload, or link to on here, especially if you have family members on them

[Teflon-Mike]

I'm also 6'3" & 34& a bit inside leg.
I'd tend to concur with Dippy; It IS more likely the way yo are sitting on the bike, and being tense, likely nervous and 'fighting' the bike, and that your haven't adjusted bars or controls at all for your posture.

Motorbikes just like pushbikes aught to have the handlebars loosened off and rotated to the most comfy position for your seat, brake and clutch levers likewise positioned to fall to fingers, and similarly the gear and brake pedals.

Ignoring inside leg, body length and arm reach, this can significantly influence where you grip the bars, and f you don't adjust bars and levers, that can make you adopt a more awkward 'seat' to work them.

Engine displacement is merely a metric of the size of hole in the engine where fire happens; it has little correlation to the physical size of a bike, whether tiddler or 'big-bike', where a modern 600cc sports bike can have less mass and more compact dimensions than many a learner-legal!

BUT, aches and pains will like as not be down to your posture and being tense.

I like taller bikes, but high seat height dirt-bikes can work counter intuitively, with only the seat being high off the floor, and commensurately high pegs making riding position 'as' scrunched in the legs, whilst sitting forward, close to wide pars, the upper body ergonomics aren't always the most comfy, either.

Sports-bikes, tend to be short and narrow and low, and scrunched regardless... cruisers, for all the low seat, often have a lot of leg-room to forward set controls, though perverse slow speed handling from it! Regulation 'sit up and beg' commuters and tourers, I tend to find the more comfy, they are certainly usually offer the more natural and neutral ring position more often.

And again, it is NOT something particularly related to engine displacement. I still ride tiddlers for giggles. They are great round town, where light weight and agility counts, as does mpg, whilst they are a lot of fun for a balls-out thrash in the country. Big-Bike is far more serious, and used for any long haul work... and in THAT, reletively recent re-evaluation, had me recognize that the 'one hour saddle time' endurance limit I awarded the 125, in the same sort of use, actually applies pretty much to the big-bike too.... chucking little bike about the lanes or jostling with town traffic IS tiresome, but, using the big-bike for such trips instead, made me realize just how much it IS the type of riding that inflicts that fatigue, not the type of bike. Sitting the big bike at two, three hours at a stretch, wasn't because it's a big-bike, but because I wasn't having to work it very hard on a longer jaunt!

Which brings us back.. nerves, being tense, being a newb, probably fighting the bike, and probably trying to tackle harder work traffic IS much more likely to be the problem here, than ergonomics of the bike.

As said, similar build to you; I ride 125's and big-bikes; they don't need to be particularly cramped or un-comfy.. crikey I have more issues getting into cars, big or small! and having a roof in the bludy-way, and having to sit on the back seat so I can work the clutch without my knee turning on the indicators!
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Holdawayt]

I'm 6ft 2, 25 years old and have a Honda Hornet (an early one).
People say these are small but I've never had any issues, find it really comfy. I paid £750 for it.

You're going to struggle with anything sports bike like (R6, GSXR etc) as they are quite cramped bikes.

[Rogerborg]

V-Strom will be fine, and yes, Versyses (Versii?) are in budget for you now.

Or, and this is a completely serious suggestion, buy pretty much any A2 bike and strap a cushion on the seat. You may want to fit higher bars or rotate them a bit to match, but I tend to spunk £20 or so on replacing bars anyway just for kicks.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[chris-red]

I'm 6'5 and the only issues i've had whilst riding were on sports bikes. Everything else has been OK.

I ride a TDM900 now.

You could probably just get one for 1500-2000. The 850's are cheaper but the 900 is a much better bike.

Ignore what anyone says about something like it being a bad starter bike.

My First bike was a Triumph Speed Four and I felt the TDM is a bike better 'first bike it's a lot more forgiving.

As for weight, the TDM is lighter than a bandit 600 which used to be the go to starter bike also if you are big weight shouldn't matter anywhere near as much.
____________________
Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

[Hong Kong Phooey]

Obligatory link for freakshow giants and dwarves

https://cycle-ergo.com/

Edit: already mentioned above
____________________
'81 CG125, '97 FZS600 : '99 CBR600F4, '09 KTM RC8

[talkToTheHat]

vstrom too heavy for a first bike? MCN says 189kg. I'd say that's pretty good. It's an sv650 (the poster child of cheap first bikes) with adventure kit bolted on, it'll be fine. It's lighter than a bandit which was the go-to first 600 for years because it was as cheap as chips.
____________________
Bandit. does. everything.