Beginner Bikes for Shorter Riders
This is my recommended list of beginner motorcycles for short riders that combine a comfortable set of ergonomics with a lighter weight ride. Just because it’s shorter doesn’t mean it’s easier to ride!
So what do Ergonomics have to do with it?
Everything. Ergonomics have everything to do with it. Because our limbs are shorter, it’s far more comfortable when the controls are easily within reach. With that the Center of Gravity is going to be your gauge as to how manageable the weight of that bike is going to be.
If I want to lean over on my motorcycle, how could it be any lower? I’m already so close to the ground. This is why you must be so careful about lowering a sportbike, doing it improperly will result in damage, or worse, injury because you’re bottoming out.
The fact that your arms are 3-5” shorter than someone else brings you much, much closer to the tank. So you want to search for bikes that bring everything within easy reach.
Just a word about Sportbikes. Next to Adventure bikes, sportbikes are tall because that’s the idea. When you ride a sportbike, it’s #1 job is to drive into a corner and then accelerate out. In order to do that the most efficiently and quickly as possible, it must transfer the weight from the back to the front. There are far more technical and detailed answers to this, so I urge you to google and see why exactly they need to be taller than your average motorcycle.
Me, test riding a friend’s Honda Grom 125. SO much fun, and one of the best beginner bikes for smaller riders. Even if you don’t flat foot, you can easily learn on this bike.
A few of my favorite Beginners:
Honda Rebel 300 or a gently used Rebel 250
Motorcycles are like relationships. You probably won’t just end having one your whole life.
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