Keeway rkf125 lowering for short rider

[vysie]

After all, it’s been a while!
I bought my mrs a 2020 keeway rkf125 for her birthday along with a cbt! The plan is to do a few ride outs etc without her on the back and in control of her own wheels!
Well she passed her cbt insured the bike, I have to say it’s a proper hoot to ride every gear pinned hoping for an extra mph!!!
Stepping off a sports bike to this is different to say the least but still fun.
The Mrs is vertically challenged to say it politely at 5 2 she’s on her tippy toes and does not like it, she wants to flat foot it.
So the question is what options do I have as I can’t find the shock length to replace with a smaller shock so need your help

Thanks in advance
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Every day is a learning curve

[jaffa90]

Hi,a cruiser model if available? Cheaper than a taller wife?

[Robby]

If it's a twin shock bike, you need shorter shocks. You can trawl through listings of shocks from similar power and weight bikes to find something that might fit. Alternatively, Hagon will probably make you up a set.

If it's a single shock bike, you could get some different length dog bones made up.

I doubt you're going to find an easy, off the shelf solution. You will be limiting suspension travel whatever you do. It's also important to drop the yokes over the front forks by a similar amount to stop the bike leaning back when you drop the rear.

[WD Forte]

cos I has no idea what a KYRFK whatevs is I can only suggest letting the tyres down

Why don they let us put pitchers on here?
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[stinkwheel]

You are goig to be quite limited on how much you can easily lower that because it has upside down forks so you can only drop them through the top yoke on the wider section of fork. Looks like there's a potential 3/4 to 1".

As Robby says, you can drop the rear by having different linkages made but you'd want to drop the front a similar amount then check you aren't running into clearance issues (both with bits of the bike rubbing other bits and bodywork touching down, especially if you go over a bump while leaned over).

Probably a poor pick of bike style for a shorter rider to be fair. It's got a dual beam alloy frame and sportsbike style seat and plastics, all of which consire to make it quite wide. This probably affects the ability to flat-foot a bike way more than the actual seat height because it kicks your thighs out sideways. A more traditional spine-frame bike with a "normal" saddle is much easier to flat-foot.

Standard reply though is she really just needs to learn to ride it confidently. Being able to flat-foot a bike is not necessary. You need to be able to get one foot down to stop it falling over, the rest of the time you ride it. I'm 6 foot but I've had bikes I could only get one toe down on, and even then by leaning it over a bit.
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[Easy-X]

Here's the bike:

https://www.keeway.co.uk/new-bikes/bike/2023-keeway-rkf-125cc-745

https://bikes.motobank.co.uk/storage/keeway/rkf-125-745/i/photo-745-12328.jpg

If you had to lower it, a case of replacing the dog bone link in the rear suspension and dropping the front forks a bit. Probably have to modify the kickstand to compensate too. Sounds like a lot of hassle for a 125.

Looking at the specs, 770mm seat height isn't particularly tall. I'm 5'5" and manage bikes >830mm Probably better off swapping it for the Keeway V-Cruise (690mm seat height.)
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[stinkwheel]

[WD Forte]

The CG-ish X lite looks eminently suitable for a new rider
and easy to mod for shorter legs.
the rk thing looks like an ill thought out form over function choice.

It's important to have a bike the rider can be comfortable on for better control and to build up skill and confidence.

https://bikes.motobank.co.uk/storage/keeway/x-light-125-1287/i/photo-1287-12467.jpg
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bikers smell of wee

[to v or not to v]

a couple of other alternatives are to lower the seat by removing some padding from it and to wear thick soled boots.
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current bike Yamaha Thunderace.
its old and fat, but its a damned good ride. the bikes not bad either.

[stinkwheel]