Tigit Sam gives a useful "how to lesson" on how short riders can ride big bikes. Tips and tricks to learn to ride motorbikes that are too big. ADV bikes or Dirt motorbikes. Also useful for road bikes!
But how tall are you? What is your inseam? I'm an actually short person (147cm/4' 11") desperate to find some good advice but all I see are people who are 5' 6"-5' 9" calling themselves short, when really they are not and it's so hard :(
Amen! I am 5' 2" with a 28" inseam and I chuckle at every video I watch of "short" people who are several inches taller than me. At this point I am just considering getting a normal sized bike and learning to shuffle like a champ!
5'2 with 28" inseam here, and I ride a ktm 390 adventure with no lowering kit + mods (adding more weight to it). Been told by dealers and other people that I am too short to ride the bikes I wanted to try. Now, I could ride the bike many told me I couldn't at 880mm seat height with stiff enduro boots. So, I don't have the flexibility on my lower limbs, but at the cost of saving my leg from damage and rolling my ankles badly. Also, adventure bikes are taller and a lot heavier than dirt bikes. I also mostly ride it on dirt including trails, rocks, gravel, pea gravel, water crossing, and sand. The funniest part? I've only been riding about a year and a half. Prior to that, I didn't even know what a clutch does or how to use one. I've crashed my instructors's bike and hurt myself when I was learning. I had bruises from the falls and from dropping my bike 10x a day (a royal enfield himalayan) when I was learning how to do tight u-turns for my prac test. I rode that bike harder than most people who have that bike, and have graduated to the ktm I have now. I got hurt a lot, but I am thankful I don't have scars to show them because I dress for the slide, not the ride. I'm saying all of this because I want you all to know that no matter what anyone else says, no matter how hard it may look, you CAN do it. If I can do it, so can you. I believe in you! Remember, the first battle you need to overcome is in your head. I still fight my demons everytime I get on my bike, they don't leave you. I just learn to quiet them and use those voices to drive me to say "YOU GOT THIS!!!"
Get yourself a bike that fits you, even if it’s a kids bike. Learn to build your skill level then progress to a taller bike as you build confidence. I was riding KX250’s at 10 years old. I use to have to lean the bike up against a fence to get on it. If there is a will, there’s a way.
Nice tips. I'm new to dirt bikes. I bought the Honda 300L Rally and started playing with it. It's quite tall at 893mm seat height and taller than its dirt bike siblings. It's a bit tall for me as I'm only 5' 10". There are instances that I'm having trouble with muds, single tracks. Regarding the geometry, you mean to say that if I order the BMW 900 GS eduro or anything on the GS line, which they offer varying seat height adjustments, will they ruin the geometry? Edit: at 07:32, it made me smile xD
I've riding my G650GS for about 6 months and luckily for me, it has a centre stand when/where i can do a cowboy mount as from there to push forward onto the wheels is super easy. To get off, side stand down, stan up on the pegs, and get off to the right. Also aaaaaaaalways have it in first gear BEFORE stopping and putting the left toe down and right foot on the brake.
You didn't mention getting on with the kickstand down, putting left leg on the peg, and using that as like a step .... I think this can work really well, especially if you have a bag strapped on the back to clear. Maybe works better on the Honda's, with a stronger kickstand?
Unfortunately when we get older we get less flexible. I would have all kinds of pulled muscles attempting this. I buy bikes with the lowest seat height I can and then order a Seat Concepts low seat. I agree with not using lowering kits. Beta can lower the suspension without messing with the geometry, but it sacrifices suspension travel.
I am tall, so I come from a position with not much understanding. However in my opinion a good rider can basically ride any bike regardless of their height. I am not saying it is easy, but practice, and lessons will get you there.
I’m as short as the other chick in your video.. your way taller. And I barely got to see how she did anything on the bike.. so… I don’t think you apply as a short person.
It's all relative :) Compared to Jon and his KTM, everyone qualifies as short! We chose just quick clips of the training as it was the customer's first lesson on the basics. Didn't want to add to the nerves!
I’m 5’3 and just picked up a 2015 yz250f. Trust me it gets easier. I can literally just barely touch the ground with just one foot. What I do is lean the bike towards the opposite side of my shifter. So if my shift is on the left side, I lean the bike onto my right. It helps me put the bike into first gear. You could also do this to kickstart it
@@Tigitmotorbikes You're almost 5'9"? I'm a 5'7" male with a 28" inseam and I REALLY struggle on the new bikes (have a 2023 KTM SX-F 350 MX bike). I did a 1" lowering link professionally through a suspension shop who did the front as well. I don't ride enduro so could care less losing ground clearance. I STILL struggle with getting on the bike and getting my leg over. Been stretching for months! LOL Your student looks short but she can easily get her leg over the bike. Point being, it's not the height, it's the leg length (inseam) that matters.
Very difficult to do a tight turn and use your boot to compensate the center of gravity. Also, very difficult to kick start a tall bike. Leaning a bike to start it is simply bad logic. Bottom line, find a bike that fits your height.
