Short riders - genuine question

[reddeviljp]

This is not a piss take but a genuine question.

I have an inside leg of 31 inches and stand 6ft tall yet I was surprised to find that an FZ6 and an FZ8 are both 32 inches and when i tried to get astride the FZ8 in the showroom it was a struggle as my left knee isn't as good as it was . Admittedly, it was a narrow gap and I didn't want to fall backward into another bike but ,nonetheless, it surprised me.

What then do riders who are smaller do? Are there bikes that have lower seating or is there a special technique or doesn't it matter once you're on the beast?

Once again, genuine question which I'd like to be reassured about as I'd narrowed my search down to a FZ6 or a SV650 and both have seat height of 32".

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[Paxovasa]

You can get bikes lowered or even getting the seat altered can help.
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Suzuki GSF600 K3 (in the fastest colour, black).

[pinkyfloyd]

I only put one foot on the floor. I've got a 30" inside leg.
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[Fizzer Thou]

My inside leg is 32" but can sit quite happily on all of my bikes.Once you are on the bike the suspension should drop slightly with your weight.If the SAG is not correctly set then you just back off the rear shock preload a bit to compensate.The bike shop should be able to help you with this adjustment.
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Just talk bikes.What else is there?

Always have a 'Plan B'

[hmmmnz]

6ft and a 31in inner seam, you must be all torso,

one of the girls from the scottish section barely pushed 5 ft and she managed her 1000cc thunderace with no issues, technique is all it is,
as long as you can reach the pegs, there is a way
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the humans are dead
I kick arse for the lord
Wiring Diagrams BIDNIP it bitches

[Section59]

Hasn't stopped me riding any bike i wanted to so far, just have to take more notice of how/where i stop. IE - Don't stop over a pothole!

What i normally do is just slide over to the edge of the seat so i can get at least one foot down.

The biggest problem i have is if i have to move the bike backwards. I cant do it while sat on the seat, so i have to get off. But i'd rather get off and push it backwards than have it fall on me due to slipping on a bit of gravel/mud etc.

[Bendy]

[.Chris.]

I've got a 28" inside leg and tend to take Bendy's first option . I never feel secure on something I can't flat-foot (or almost flat-foot). Having a couple of taller bikes topple over probably hasn't helped my confidence either.

As has been said, the seat height isn't everything. I tried a Suzuki DRZ400 supermoto and it didn't feel too bad despite a very high seat, as the bike is so narrow your legs go almost straight downwards from your hip, instead of being splayed out.
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Chris
1985 Kawasaki Z550F

[reddeviljp]

Cheers for the comments, people. Of course my weight on the bike is going to push it down a few inches, no doubt, so it still looks good for my two current bike choices. No doubt there is a technique that people use to ensure the bigger bikes stay upright, I'll just have to sit on a few and see how they feel.

[bacon]

29" inside leg here, i've owned a b1h, cbr600fs and atm a zx7r, im tip toes with both feet on all of them, or one foot flat on the ground.

Its all technique, only time you get issues without both feet on the ground(not just tip toes) is reversing on gravelly surfaces.