I can tell by your bike, you put in a good season of riding. That skid plate is a testament of how much abuse your frame rails and engine cases did not receive.
I'm 5'4" and my current weapon is a 2017 YZ250X with a SmartCarb, Stealthy flywheel weight and a Scotts stabilizer. Been riding for 30 years and I've never let my height stop me from doing what I love most.
@@frankiesiwinski1494 the only thing I did to the forks and shock was a revalve and re-spring for my weight and riding style. I ride mostly wide open desert and occasionally vet MX tracks, but I'm not trying to clear triples or anything like that lol. When it comes to off-road, I've never lowered the suspension or seat height on any of my bikes. For me, as long as I can reach the pegs and foot controls comfortably, I'm fine. The only time I've encountered height problems is when I ride street, especially with tall adventure/Enduro models because I can't flat-foot those. Ironically, I can ride a Gold Wing due to how the rider cockpit is laid out. Go figure lol.
My top short rider upgrades….. #1 suspension work (600$) to lower 50mm…… at KB5 industries in PA. They replaced springs to my weight and it’s amazing. I also got EVERYTHING else you listed. Good vid
I tried PR2 in PA., and would not use them again. I am redoing it myself, (I have a little machine shop), and found that they did do the forks well, (the guy on the phone told me wrong), but they could not figure the right spacer for the shock, so I have to figure out the curve and make my own. You lowered your 2", that is huge. I thought my .75" at each end was a bit short, but I cut an inch off the seat too. I have ridden dirt bikes for a long time and raced for about a decade in the 80's and 90's, and the manufactures made the 2-strokes as tall as the 4-stroke. Anybody under 5'10" could ride a shorter bike better than offered today. The Guys at PR2, who I talked with on the phone, could not "think past their script". They really had no idea how this stuff works, and their limited communication skills with the guys on the floor doing the work, (who may be good), can lead, (and did with my shock), in the wrong work being done. I had fairly easy questions that they could not answer,or answer correctly.
The suspension tuning for your weight and riding style is well worth the money! Follow that up with a riding coach session. I improved so much with a weekend training class that the cost of the class was easily paid for by the lack of mashed up bike parts.
Broken bones too probably. I learned how to ride the hard way, still pictures of pros in magazines in the 70's and 80's. I am sure I would have learned faster with a good school, like Gary Bailey. That little Canook gal, "Meggs Braap", has some pretty good tips too.
I had my suspension lowered 2 inches on my yamaha yz250f by a suspension shop and it made a big difference I feel way more comfortable riding the tight trails now
Im 5’5, 141lbs. I really don’t want to bring my bike into a shop. Im hoping to do it myself. I can straddle my 250f tippy toed. Would like a Just a bit lower if possible. Anything you learned after taking it into the shop?
@@ThenZ6 it cost me $700 but also they set it up for my weight and type of riding I do. If you plan on keeping the bike for several years it is worth the money.
That Emperor Racing radiator guard is a beast. I dropped my bike on a big rock right on a place that would have crushed my radiator from the bottom corner. Now there’s a tiny little dent in the guard and zero impact to the radiator. Good stuff.
I have had this problem in the pass, my solution was a bike with a lower seat height. The bike may not perform quite as well, but it definitely reduced the number of times I was dropping it due to the fact my feet didn't reach the ground properly. Depending on where you are riding, too tall of a bike can be dangerous to the rider. A side benefit is that the bike is more fun to ride.
A nice & cheap way to freshen up colored things like the black bar ends is to use black (color appropriate) finger nail polish. There are 100's , 1,000"s of colors and cheap nail polish. It is durable also. I have met many street bike riders (guys) with a bike part in hand color matching in a nail polish retail store. Works great on wheels & steel frames also. ARC levers has guaranteed to not break levers that many, most professional racers use (AMA motocross, supercross; enduro,...). They will replace it if you ever break one for free.
Just started watching. That dented pipe is the reason why I don't use chrome pipes, you can't fix the dents with out hurting the finish. You can fix painted pipes to look perfect again, and just repaint black exhaust pipe paint, (high temp paint). I am an older timer, started riding as a kid in the Hannah days. I had 5 250 MX bikes and quit for 20 years, and just picked up a 2019 YZ250 2-stroke in almost new condition. Damn, they got tall. I am 5'9" and never had a problem touching toes or ball of my feet on the ground. I shortened my suspension about 6% on each end, and had a shop cut an inch off the seat. If you really like riding,---even today, you will change the bike the way you want it. I am heavier now, but this is the worst set up bike out of the box I ever bought. I don't like today's plastic either, broken bird beak front fenders with a transformers cartoon look to them, and I cut the silly "arrow" shape off end of my rear fender. Looks better already. :) Nice bike you have there. Michigan has some great trails called the "CCC trails" (Cycle Conservation Club). I think they added wider trails for the side by sides, but they have some very whooped out single track with a berm in every corner ("Little-O trail", to tight stuff like "Tin Cup") Bring a camper. Great local restaurants. Baldwin/Peacock/Evert area.
You can also throw on the pro circuit linkage that's 3mm shorter and it'll drop the tail a little bit buy doesn't affect your ride at all if anything it makes it better I put it on my kx250 to get rid of the stink bug affect and I'm short and it made a good difference
Well, TBH, if your bike doesn't get scratched, banged up, scuffed, or otherwise take damage...you aren't crashing. And, if you aren't crashing...you just aren't riding hard enough :)
@@AGirlandHerBike Until you are 30 and don't bounce off the ground very well anymore. I spent over 2 decades going as fast as I can, crashing at the limits. At 58, I think I will stick to riding under my limits. I lowered my 2019 YZ250 2-stroke by taking off 6.35 % of the suspension travel, (.750" in the front, and about .788" in the rear), and had a local upholstery shop take 1" off the seat. Now, it is just a touch lower than my last 250cc MX bike, the 97 KX250. I blame the 4-strokes for bikes getting too tall of even a 5'10" rider. Now the new YZ250 2-stroke 2022 bike looks to have a thin seat that may not be able to be cut down. It just gets dumber and dumber in this increasingly dysfunctional world that we have to live in.
The only thing I would change is using something like Barkbusters rather than bar ends. As well as protecting the grips, barkbusters protect the hands with an aluminum or hard plastic guard. Keeps levers protected as well.
All true. But if you would crash and flip over the bars they will break your wrists. I ran bark busters all of my career, but I always had that fear in the back of my mind.
Thank you for this video, I found it extremely helpful to find out what my future bike will need to keep it protected. And Im also a short guy so thank you for the seat and suspension info to lower both but not drastically affect the suspension geometry.
@@Paula-wx9cl I have a Benelli TNT 125 - since i've posted that comment i've passed my test and got myself a Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 too (That's a tall bike) - it's all about confidence :)
Good video! I also had my suspension lowered and tuned for my weight. Although I have a 32" inseam, I am over 200#, and felt really uncomfortable tippy toeing on my WR250R. I was dropping it several times a day when riding double or single track, especially stopping off camber and when tired. Putting a foot down expecting dirt and getting air sucks! Lifting the bike up is tiring, and being tired makes me more likely to drop it. Nasty spiral of misery... I would also add that if your rear suspension has linkage, there is usually a lowering link available. You also need to slide the front forks up a few milimeters in the triple clamps when using a lowering link.
I went from a KLX140g to a KDX 220r and it's been great. I shaved the seat to get a little lower to the ground, but I'm 5ft 2 and I can kick start it just fine. I do have to find places to stop a bit carefully to not tip over. But buy a used bike that already has some wear and tear on the plastics so you don't feel so bad if you do drop it. I waited to get the KDX until I had completely mastered the 140 and was maxing it's potential out. I still only ride in 3rd gear max on the KDX right now, but every trip out I get more confident with the weight and power.
I’m short & have a lower seat, a lowering link & fork tubes slid up in triple clamps. My inseam is 30” & I tippy toe at stops. Thank you for your opinion on the suspension, I’ve been considering a 2” lowering, but love the current suspension, as long as I am in motion.
There's some cool videos on how to reexpand your bikes pipe using a pressure washer and a torch to heat it up, ( block end of pipe, fill with water, heat the dent, use rubber grommet/on pressure washer tip hold with hand in place, press trigger feathering until pipe dent gone.) Hope this is useful for you.
I don't use water in the pipe, and it would cool off the dent if it touched it. I just use a bit of compressed air, (seal the pipe), and then heat the dent with a torch, (even a decent propane torch will work.). As the dent turns red and moves out to the normal shape, I stop its movement with a wet rag. I learned one thing when working on my bikes. If it turns out pretty good the first time you do it,---it is a good process. :) I can't remember how much air pressure I used, but I am sure it was under 30psi. Starting at 10psi is safe. If you can make the dent red with the propane torch, and the dent is not moving, you can up the pressure a bit.
Better than bar ends is bark buster type products...without which you could EASILY brake levers or master cylinders EVEN with bar ends...My Cycra hand guards have already saved me several times I am sure....and I use the handlebar clamp inner mounting point which braces the ENTIRE handlebars making them SUPER hard to ever bend or snap....THIS IMHO s/b the number one product for shorter riders! Followed by engine case guards the skid plates and disk guards are useful for ANY height rider even tose who rarely crash IF one rides in the bolder strewn. log strewn type areas....but if not? If only riding in actual dirt/sand without such obstacles? frankly one could even get away with no aftermarket skid plates or disk protectors....but even less threatening rocks can still break your engine covers in a crash leaving you stranded after hemoraging oil
I was trying your forward rotated handle bar set up, (not as forward as yours), and went back to rotated back to me. I know it is a personal preference, but I don't think I would have my bars rotated that far forward if I were tall. An inch off the seat makes them even higher. I feel more comfortable dropping into a berm or rut, and I can keep my elbows up easier. I think overall, that bar set up and your arm reach keeps your body weight a bit to far forward. Try rotating the bars back until the ends of the grips are pointing down a bit when the bike is standing straight up and steering straight, (and readjust your levers of course.). I think you will like it better. Easier to keep your head over the bars with out getting front heavy.
why havent you lowered the rear and front WP's? you can do it easily by 2-3cm by changing the rear link to a longer one, and front spring supports to shorter ones
Lowering links should be a last option, since they only affect the rear suspension, it can change how the suspension works together. Much better to start with the seat and tuning and see where you get IMO before putting a lowering link on.
btw IMHO skid plate damage is more due to fearless riding than crashing....a lot of skid plates get severely scarred even though the bike is rarely dropped....it's just a matter of being crazy enough to haul ass through boulders and over tree trunks etc...arguably much of this sentiment applies to disk guards.....no need to even crash to scar those up...yes?
Hi,I use to ride a Husqavarna back in the late 80’s and I love your bike. But I’m a Honda person and now have a Honda xr650l. I have IMS foot pegs that extends farther out than the stock pegs. My question is from lowering the suspension 2 inches do you think the pegs will do any scraping when cornering,I lean into the curves moderately but don’t overdo it. Thanx for your input if you can help
2" is a lot to take off suspension travel. Remember, with the same bottoming resistance, the overall suspension stiffness will go up, which is not good for the small stuff like tree roots and small chatter bumps. I am 5'9, and had not had a bike since my 97 KX250. That was probably the tallest MX 250 bike I have had to that point, but properly set up, I could touch both toes on the ground pretty good. I could not touch them at all with the new YZ. Just .75" off the front and a bit more off the rear, (6.35% on both ends), and my seat cut down 1", and now it is slightly shorter than my 97 KX. It lowered it a bit more than I thought it would, and I might add a bit more to the suspension if it is too harsh. I think they best suspension set up is a heavy spring, (with very small preload, like 5mm, for the forks), with little to no compression dampening, and rebound valving that can handle the heaver spring, (if needed). It is usually the compression dampening that makes suspension harsh.
How tall are you? I'm 5'4" . Got a kawasaki kx250. Definitely too tall for me and my short guy friends. I plan to take an inch with the seat. Some suspension stuff. I think 3 in is good. Wanted a better idea, since you took 3 inches off. If you're taller than me, I might need 4 inches
Sister, can you do a video on that type of endoro/offroad riding safety wearing and that type of pants and tshirts... Not jackets.... I mean like which kind is used in dakar rally... Etc.
way togo girlfriennd! My brother passed away leap year day of 2000 down in phoenix (I was werkin down there as a golf pro) & hehadthis effin HONKIN kawi 750 Enduro Bike (Sry my space bar got smtn spilt inthe fkr - it's either 5 spaces or zero) & the morning after I took it outfor a ride on abrisk spearly spring morning out in theboonies in the deseert in southeast Phoenix.Chandler & whatnot.... I'm 5'9" after a week of traction (i've actually hadthatshit & yup, I was flipping taller) - HE was 6.2 with crappy lazy posture. With my left toe.foot down at a stoplight, I literally had to kick/Jump the s.o.b. upright & release the clutch as the bike returned to perpendicular... it HAD tobe hilarious to see, & was legit ridicyulous to have to do. All 5 bikes I had prior to that were crootch rocket 600's ('cept for a ninja 750, my 1 st bike that blew a motor b4 i put a hundo on the damn thing... after that, 2 different CBR600s, a YZF600r & an R6.) Compared to what Iknew how to ride, it felt like a cross between my grandpas tractor, & one of those weird bikes from the 20's with the 8 foot front tire & wheel, & the tiny little scooter wheel on the back, where yousat 6 feet up & would break your arm trtyna get offthe thing (& thewomen wore dresses & thedudes all had wool suits &shit - what was going on in the 20's, for real -that was someweird shit right.... or isitjust me?) Anyway - 'preciate ya! Maybe some day Ican getlucky enough to meet a girl thats cools as fuck like you - i been single 7 damn years &ikinda don't think it'll happen. Cheers
This bike was really easy to assemble ruclips.net/user/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA and required very few adjustments out of the box. The wheels did not require any truing/adjustments. The frame had some small scratches, but nothing major.I did replace the seat though - the seat it came with was very uncomfortable. The tires need to be re-inflated every 4-5 days, but this appears to be quite common for the narrow 700x25 tires.Overall, in my opinion, this bike looks and rides like a much more expensive bike.
I'm not exactly short, but if I get a WR450 like you and Josh recommended, I'm probably gonna need to use some of these upgrades. The seat height is listed at 38 inches...and my inseam is like 31.5 lol
I agree. I was reading how some of the after market seats don't fit very well. So I made a cardboard template for the side of the seat, and sent it to an upholstery shop to take off an inch. She only charged my $80.00. I gave her $100.00. Cheaper, and better quality, (fits like it is suppose to every time), than after market.
i always had bad luck with radiator guards cus radiators are rubber mounted so the flex back even when bent the problem with the guard was it made it solid mount so when the guard got bent the bike was annoying to ride
Harley added a really heavy option on their new Pan America 1250 adventure bike that automatically lowers the seat at low speed/stops and then jacks back up under way. For the life of me I cant understand why manufacturers of various long suspended bikes dont provide such gismos....most street legal bikes already have a computer of some sort so why not have some kind of radically variable preload that allows the load/rider to squat lower if super slow or stopped? How hard could it be to engineer?? Maybe as simple as the preload nut has gear teeth on the outside engaged by a servo motor with sensors that give the computer the ride height and bike speed? For the forks the servo motor could be inegral to fork caps...maybe a $500 option? Adding 10 pounds to a bike? They could sell a LOT more bikes is my guess! My 690 is about 36" seat height and with my short inseam and the bike weighing 350llbs it gets VERY precarious in the slow going stuff! I am almost ready to go kuba link or whatever but I have to give up suspension performance/travel
There was a day in the USA when we were free to compete, but those days are gone, so we beg for what we want. But, if you only want to touch your toes to the ground or a bit more, (I am assuming your toes don't touch the ground), stack up magazines on both sides of the bike of equal height to put your toes down on to the "toe bend" you want. If the thickness is less than 2" IMO, you can dial the bike in and not lose suspension performance, (will be the same performance until you bottom out a bit easier with no changes). I would take it off the seat (Upholstery shop), before the suspenders (internally), make sure you have the right spring rates for good balance, and it will handle better I am sure. I just lowered a YZ250 2-stroke MX bike, (man, way too tall today), by taking 1" off the seat and .75" off the suspension, and it handles like a dream in all kinds of corners now. Finding a good shop to do the work might be a trick, (I don't know what is available for adventure, but call Enzo Racing and Race Tech, 2 top notch MX/off road suspension tuners to see if they can help, or know somebody who can). My bike is such a joy to ride now, and that makes all the effort worth it IMO. We are suppose to enjoy life. :)
I'm planning on changing the subframe & seat so it will be like the older bikes with ABSOLUTELY LOWER SEATS. DON'T BELIEVE IDIOTS SAYING SEATS HAVE TO BE TALL BECAUSE OF THE LONG TRAVEL SUSPENSION!
I can see the use of taller seats for taller riders when it comes to using less leg muscle to transition from a seated position to a standing position. Doing daily squats help, too.
im also a short rider and only rode citybikes. I always wanted to buy a dirtbike but bcause how tall they are it kept me from buying 1;(...how tall are you???
Dirt bikes got to tall after the 4-strokes were forced on the industry. The head of a 4-stroke engine is about 4" taller, so the frame had to be made taller. For some stupid reason, (I blame the modern brain dead magazines), they made the 2-strokes just as tall. 5'9" here, and I no longer fit on a modern dirt bike. I lowered my suspension by about .75 inches, and cut the seat 1". It made a huge difference, and is actually a bit lower than my last MX bike, a 97 KX250. I knew sales would suffer even more because of the bikes being too tall today,--and you just confirmed it.
Ha Ha, how is 5ft tall for ya. I know it was a long time ago but in 1996 I won the women’s Rocky Mountain enduro Circuit year end award. Plus short people have less wind resistance!
@@AGirlandHerBike I’m 5’5 so around the same height. Been wanting a dual sport but since I live in the city I wasn’t sure how hard it would be to ride In stop and go trafic with my feet barely touching the ground lol
I think it's safe to say that none of this information pertains to making a bike more friendly for a short user, with the exception of a lowered seat. Which is basically your only option short of suspension modification loosing ground clearance or getting a different bike. I'm not saying the upgrades are bad, just the contents of the video does not have anything to do with the intended purchase....
None of what I've heard so far, (7 min) is due to being a short rider, or non-expert rider, the only people that go out for a day of single track/enduro etc, are Trials Champs.
@@AGirlandHerBike exactly my daughter’s height, I really want to put her on a good bike like a mx 250 or husky like yours, not a heavy trail bike like a crf150 or klx140 not that those are bad bikes but just soo heavy for what they are. Thank you
I can tell by your bike, you put in a good season of riding. That skid plate is a testament of how much abuse your frame rails and engine cases did not receive.
HOW BOUT HER PIPE
I'm 5'4" and my current weapon is a 2017 YZ250X with a SmartCarb, Stealthy flywheel weight and a Scotts stabilizer. Been riding for 30 years and I've never let my height stop me from doing what I love most.
@Sanguine_Addiction did you do any mods to the suspension to lower seat height, or did you leave stock seat height?
@@frankiesiwinski1494 the only thing I did to the forks and shock was a revalve and re-spring for my weight and riding style. I ride mostly wide open desert and occasionally vet MX tracks, but I'm not trying to clear triples or anything like that lol. When it comes to off-road, I've never lowered the suspension or seat height on any of my bikes. For me, as long as I can reach the pegs and foot controls comfortably, I'm fine. The only time I've encountered height problems is when I ride street, especially with tall adventure/Enduro models because I can't flat-foot those. Ironically, I can ride a Gold Wing due to how the rider cockpit is laid out. Go figure lol.
My top short rider upgrades….. #1 suspension work (600$) to lower 50mm…… at KB5 industries in PA. They replaced springs to my weight and it’s amazing. I also got EVERYTHING else you listed. Good vid
I tried PR2 in PA., and would not use them again. I am redoing it myself, (I have a little machine shop), and found that they did do the forks well, (the guy on the phone told me wrong), but they could not figure the right spacer for the shock, so I have to figure out the curve and make my own. You lowered your 2", that is huge. I thought my .75" at each end was a bit short, but I cut an inch off the seat too. I have ridden dirt bikes for a long time and raced for about a decade in the 80's and 90's, and the manufactures made the 2-strokes as tall as the 4-stroke. Anybody under 5'10" could ride a shorter bike better than offered today.
The Guys at PR2, who I talked with on the phone, could not "think past their script". They really had no idea how this stuff works, and their limited communication skills with the guys on the floor doing the work, (who may be good), can lead, (and did with my shock), in the wrong work being done. I had fairly easy questions that they could not answer,or answer correctly.
The suspension tuning for your weight and riding style is well worth the money! Follow that up with a riding coach session. I improved so much with a weekend training class that the cost of the class was easily paid for by the lack of mashed up bike parts.
I actually never thought of it that way haha
Broken bones too probably. I learned how to ride the hard way, still pictures of pros in magazines in the 70's and 80's. I am sure I would have learned faster with a good school, like Gary Bailey.
That little Canook gal, "Meggs Braap", has some pretty good tips too.
Dropping the suspension on my Beta 390RR and getting it set up for me has made the bike so much easier to ride for me.
Looking into dropping my 390 as well right now. Any tips?
@@im4buzz I paid a suspension specialist to do it for me, which they did internally to the front and rear units.
I had my suspension lowered 2 inches on my yamaha yz250f by a suspension shop and it made a big difference
I feel way more comfortable riding the tight trails now
I had my Beta 390RR dropped by 2" too, made me so much more confident!
Im 5’5, 141lbs. I really don’t want to bring my bike into a shop. Im hoping to do it myself. I can straddle my 250f tippy toed. Would like a Just a bit lower if possible. Anything you learned after taking it into the shop?
@@ThenZ6 it cost me $700 but also they set it up for my weight and type of riding I do. If you plan on keeping the bike for several years it is worth the money.
So what’s the seat height come out to? Up to in this case?? Sorry if you said it & I didn’t catch it…!!!
#44
@@jefferymentzer1240 the seat height is approxiametely 36 inches now
Stock height is 38 inches. It really helped me since I'm around 5'7 inches tall.
The intro hooked me. The music and your trouser fit sealed the deal.
That Emperor Racing radiator guard is a beast. I dropped my bike on a big rock right on a place that would have crushed my radiator from the bottom corner. Now there’s a tiny little dent in the guard and zero impact to the radiator. Good stuff.
Thank you for your efforts in growing this group of off-road bike enthusiasts with your tips.
What is your height
I have had this problem in the pass, my solution was a bike with a lower seat height. The bike may not perform quite as well, but it definitely reduced the number of times I was dropping it due to the fact my feet didn't reach the ground properly. Depending on where you are riding, too tall of a bike can be dangerous to the rider. A side benefit is that the bike is more fun to ride.
A nice & cheap way to freshen up colored things like the black bar ends is to use black (color appropriate) finger nail polish.
There are 100's , 1,000"s of colors and cheap nail polish. It is durable also.
I have met many street bike riders (guys) with a bike part in hand color matching in a nail polish retail store. Works great on wheels & steel frames also.
ARC levers has guaranteed to not break levers that many, most professional racers use (AMA motocross, supercross; enduro,...).
They will replace it if you ever break one for free.
This content was very helpful. My wife wants to learn so she can go on rides with our son and I. This gives me some ideas.
Glad I can help!
Thank you - very helpful - Im barely 5'8" and ride street, but street and single track are two very different scenarios.
Hope all is well. Found your channel for tips to set up my daughter's bike. Need more content! Your comments are so funny when you ride!
Enduro engineering makes a great rad guard. Just installed mine on 2022 ktm 350
Just started watching. That dented pipe is the reason why I don't use chrome pipes, you can't fix the dents with out hurting the finish. You can fix painted pipes to look perfect again, and just repaint black exhaust pipe paint, (high temp paint). I am an older timer, started riding as a kid in the Hannah days. I had 5 250 MX bikes and quit for 20 years, and just picked up a 2019 YZ250 2-stroke in almost new condition. Damn, they got tall. I am 5'9" and never had a problem touching toes or ball of my feet on the ground. I shortened my suspension about 6% on each end, and had a shop cut an inch off the seat. If you really like riding,---even today, you will change the bike the way you want it. I am heavier now, but this is the worst set up bike out of the box I ever bought. I don't like today's plastic either, broken bird beak front fenders with a transformers cartoon look to them, and I cut the silly "arrow" shape off end of my rear fender. Looks better already. :) Nice bike you have there. Michigan has some great trails called the "CCC trails" (Cycle Conservation Club). I think they added wider trails for the side by sides, but they have some very whooped out single track with a berm in every corner ("Little-O trail", to tight stuff like "Tin Cup")
Bring a camper. Great local restaurants. Baldwin/Peacock/Evert area.
Your height and inseam would be helpful to put it in perspective
She's 5'3 don't know her inseam.
You can also throw on the pro circuit linkage that's 3mm shorter and it'll drop the tail a little bit buy doesn't affect your ride at all if anything it makes it better I put it on my kx250 to get rid of the stink bug affect and I'm short and it made a good difference
Well, TBH, if your bike doesn't get scratched, banged up, scuffed, or otherwise take damage...you aren't crashing. And, if you aren't crashing...you just aren't riding hard enough :)
#truth
@@AGirlandHerBike Until you are 30 and don't bounce off the ground very well anymore. I spent over 2 decades going as fast as I can, crashing at the limits. At 58, I think I will stick to riding under my limits. I lowered my 2019 YZ250 2-stroke by taking off 6.35 % of the suspension travel, (.750" in the front, and about .788" in the rear), and had a local upholstery shop take 1" off the seat. Now, it is just a touch lower than my last 250cc MX bike, the 97 KX250. I blame the 4-strokes for bikes getting too tall of even a 5'10" rider. Now the new YZ250 2-stroke 2022 bike looks to have a thin seat that may not be able to be cut down. It just gets dumber and dumber in this increasingly dysfunctional world that we have to live in.
The only thing I would change is using something like Barkbusters rather than bar ends. As well as protecting the grips, barkbusters protect the hands with an aluminum or hard plastic guard. Keeps levers protected as well.
All true. But if you would crash and flip over the bars they will break your wrists. I ran bark busters all of my career, but I always had that fear in the back of my mind.
If you adjust them correctly, that won't happen very often.
Thank you for this video, I found it extremely helpful to find out what my future bike will need to keep it protected. And Im also a short guy so thank you for the seat and suspension info to lower both but not drastically affect the suspension geometry.
Small world (no pun intended) because I just watched the other one you made several years ago, just few days ago 👍🏻
This is why I ride a tiny bike 😂 This is a great informative video 👍🏻
what bike do you ride?
@@Paula-wx9cl I have a Benelli TNT 125 - since i've posted that comment i've passed my test and got myself a Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 too (That's a tall bike) - it's all about confidence :)
LOVE IT, it's great to see you back on RUclips. Hopefully you got your subframe fixed!!
Good video!
I also had my suspension lowered and tuned for my weight.
Although I have a 32" inseam, I am over 200#, and felt really uncomfortable tippy toeing on my WR250R. I was dropping it several times a day when riding double or single track, especially stopping off camber and when tired. Putting a foot down expecting dirt and getting air sucks! Lifting the bike up is tiring, and being tired makes me more likely to drop it. Nasty spiral of misery...
I would also add that if your rear suspension has linkage, there is usually a lowering link available. You also need to slide the front forks up a few milimeters in the triple clamps when using a lowering link.
Very informative 👏
I really loved the way you customized your bike. Thank you for sharing. Enjoy the ride and be safe.
I had an xtrainer and loved the size as I’m 5’6”, now looking for something else I’m curious how hard it was to transition to a full size bike?
I went from a KLX140g to a KDX 220r and it's been great. I shaved the seat to get a little lower to the ground, but I'm 5ft 2 and I can kick start it just fine. I do have to find places to stop a bit carefully to not tip over. But buy a used bike that already has some wear and tear on the plastics so you don't feel so bad if you do drop it. I waited to get the KDX until I had completely mastered the 140 and was maxing it's potential out. I still only ride in 3rd gear max on the KDX right now, but every trip out I get more confident with the weight and power.
I’m short & have a lower seat, a lowering link & fork tubes slid up in triple clamps. My inseam is 30” & I tippy toe at stops. Thank you for your opinion on the suspension, I’ve been considering a 2” lowering, but love the current suspension, as long as I am in motion.
Awesome info, great looking bike and your enthusiasm and dedication to having a fun and safe ride is inspiring.
There's some cool videos on how to reexpand your bikes pipe using a pressure washer and a torch to heat it up, ( block end of pipe, fill with water, heat the dent, use rubber grommet/on pressure washer tip hold with hand in place, press trigger feathering until pipe dent gone.) Hope this is useful for you.
I don't use water in the pipe, and it would cool off the dent if it touched it. I just use a bit of compressed air, (seal the pipe), and then heat the dent with a torch, (even a decent propane torch will work.). As the dent turns red and moves out to the normal shape, I stop its movement with a wet rag. I learned one thing when working on my bikes. If it turns out pretty good the first time you do it,---it is a good process. :) I can't remember how much air pressure I used, but I am sure it was under 30psi. Starting at 10psi is safe. If you can make the dent red with the propane torch, and the dent is not moving, you can up the pressure a bit.
Excellent video! I appreciate your insight so much.
Better than bar ends is bark buster type products...without which you could EASILY brake levers or master cylinders EVEN with bar ends...My Cycra hand guards have already saved me several times I am sure....and I use the handlebar clamp inner mounting point which braces the ENTIRE handlebars making them SUPER hard to ever bend or snap....THIS IMHO s/b the number one product for shorter riders! Followed by engine case guards the skid plates and disk guards are useful for ANY height rider even tose who rarely crash IF one rides in the bolder strewn. log strewn type areas....but if not? If only riding in actual dirt/sand without such obstacles? frankly one could even get away with no aftermarket skid plates or disk protectors....but even less threatening rocks can still break your engine covers in a crash leaving you stranded after hemoraging oil
I needed this, thank you!
You’re welcome! Glad it helped!
I love your bike!! Awesome!! Thanks for the video.
lowering dirtbikes is a must especially if you use the bike daily in a Southeast Asian City
I was trying your forward rotated handle bar set up, (not as forward as yours), and went back to rotated back to me. I know it is a personal preference, but I don't think I would have my bars rotated that far forward if I were tall. An inch off the seat makes them even higher. I feel more comfortable dropping into a berm or rut, and I can keep my elbows up easier. I think overall, that bar set up and your arm reach keeps your body weight a bit to far forward. Try rotating the bars back until the ends of the grips are pointing down a bit when the bike is standing straight up and steering straight, (and readjust your levers of course.). I think you will like it better. Easier to keep your head over the bars with out getting front heavy.
Oh, you do a good vid.
Great video. Thanks for sharing.
I came here thinking id learned how to GHB my date lol....close enough
@@emilys2849 it was a joke you must be a simpleton. The channel is called AGHB.
So sorry for asking a dumb question. Should your feet be flatten on both sides or should I be on my toes.
It’s better if you can flat feet, but most people can’t so tiptoeing is fine.
Great video, but misleading title. Good job overall 👍
Agree. Only the seat and suspension changes were truly for short riders.
Glad im 6 foot i have a hawk 250 luckily have never tipped over or crashed
Great video and clean shots of the products
why havent you lowered the rear and front WP's? you can do it easily by 2-3cm by changing the rear link to a longer one, and front spring supports to shorter ones
How about a lowering link install ? They make them for all makes and models . You get 1" to. 2" lower depending on what link you get .
Lowering links should be a last option, since they only affect the rear suspension, it can change how the suspension works together. Much better to start with the seat and tuning and see where you get IMO before putting a lowering link on.
@@jacquelinekemp4897 .... Did my seat .... Then lower link .... Raised my front forks .... My bike feels and works tons better now .
How about using a pipe guard to prevent smashing your exhaust
She’s baaaaaack
What does a disc guard have to do with being a short rider?
Thank you for this
Went to Emperor racing to check out the radiator guards for my bike, they were 70% off... I put them in the cart as fast as possible and ordered.
Dang really? Come up!
btw IMHO skid plate damage is more due to fearless riding than crashing....a lot of skid plates get severely scarred even though the bike is rarely dropped....it's just a matter of being crazy enough to haul ass through boulders and over tree trunks etc...arguably much of this sentiment applies to disk guards.....no need to even crash to scar those up...yes?
On the other foot, maybe 2" thick boot soles would work, and a modified shift lever. ha
What does skid plates and disc guards have to do with short riders, every rider needs them.
Very informative video. Still prefer to be flat-footed though. Cool bike
Watching this for fun because I'm 6'4
🤣🤣🤣
What is your height/inseam/original height of the bike?
Also trye choice, lower profile tyres
Hi,I use to ride a Husqavarna back in the late 80’s and I love your bike. But I’m a Honda person and now have a Honda xr650l. I have IMS foot pegs that extends farther out than the stock pegs. My question is from lowering the suspension 2 inches do you think the pegs will do any scraping when cornering,I lean into the curves moderately but don’t overdo it. Thanx for your input if you can help
2" is a lot to take off suspension travel. Remember, with the same bottoming resistance, the overall suspension stiffness will go up, which is not good for the small stuff like tree roots and small chatter bumps. I am 5'9, and had not had a bike since my 97 KX250. That was probably the tallest MX 250 bike I have had to that point, but properly set up, I could touch both toes on the ground pretty good. I could not touch them at all with the new YZ. Just .75" off the front and a bit more off the rear, (6.35% on both ends), and my seat cut down 1", and now it is slightly shorter than my 97 KX. It lowered it a bit more than I thought it would, and I might add a bit more to the suspension if it is too harsh. I think they best suspension set up is a heavy spring, (with very small preload, like 5mm, for the forks), with little to no compression dampening, and rebound valving that can handle the heaver spring, (if needed). It is usually the compression dampening that makes suspension harsh.
You're doing great pls post some videos it would be amazing
Good video!
How tall are you? I'm 5'4" . Got a kawasaki kx250. Definitely too tall for me and my short guy friends. I plan to take an inch with the seat. Some suspension stuff. I think 3 in is good. Wanted a better idea, since you took 3 inches off. If you're taller than me, I might need 4 inches
how’d it feel after 3 inches bro?
Sister, can you do a video on that type of endoro/offroad riding safety wearing and that type of pants and tshirts... Not jackets.... I mean like which kind is used in dakar rally... Etc.
What does a skidplate have to do with ride height?
way togo girlfriennd!
My brother passed away leap year day of 2000 down in phoenix (I was werkin down there as a golf pro) & hehadthis effin HONKIN kawi 750 Enduro Bike (Sry my space bar got smtn spilt inthe fkr - it's either 5 spaces or zero) & the morning after I took it outfor a ride on abrisk spearly spring morning out in theboonies in the deseert in southeast Phoenix.Chandler & whatnot....
I'm 5'9" after a week of traction (i've actually hadthatshit & yup, I was flipping taller) - HE was 6.2 with crappy lazy posture.
With my left toe.foot down at a stoplight, I literally had to kick/Jump the s.o.b. upright & release the clutch as the bike returned to perpendicular... it HAD tobe hilarious to see, & was legit ridicyulous to have to do.
All 5 bikes I had prior to that were crootch rocket 600's ('cept for a ninja 750, my 1 st bike that blew a motor b4 i put a hundo on the damn thing... after that, 2 different CBR600s, a YZF600r & an R6.)
Compared to what Iknew how to ride, it felt like a cross between my grandpas tractor, & one of those weird bikes from the 20's with the 8 foot front tire & wheel, & the tiny little scooter wheel on the back, where yousat 6 feet up & would break your arm trtyna get offthe thing (& thewomen wore dresses & thedudes all had wool suits &shit - what was going on in the 20's, for real -that was someweird shit right.... or isitjust me?)
Anyway - 'preciate ya!
Maybe some day Ican getlucky enough to meet a girl thats cools as fuck like you - i been single 7 damn years &ikinda don't think it'll happen.
Cheers
This bike was really easy to assemble ruclips.net/user/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA and required very few adjustments out of the box. The wheels did not require any truing/adjustments. The frame had some small scratches, but nothing major.I did replace the seat though - the seat it came with was very uncomfortable. The tires need to be re-inflated every 4-5 days, but this appears to be quite common for the narrow 700x25 tires.Overall, in my opinion, this bike looks and rides like a much more expensive bike.
What do radiator guards have to do with ride height?
I'm 6'6
How tall are you and what is your inseam?
Im not sure a 27-28 inseam guy will work for a 35inch super moto seat height, advice?
I go over some tips and tricks for short riders while on my Supermoto in my other video.
ruclips.net/video/fcdRKoDzrdU/видео.html
You really have to upload again. Ur vids are good!
Great video. Thank you.
hi im 5’6 height whats best street bike motocross fits for me, any suggestion
You can change the suspension and swap the seat for a lowered seat to help any bike fit you
Lowering Links?
I don't need no upgrades, I watch joey mac!
I'm not exactly short, but if I get a WR450 like you and Josh recommended, I'm probably gonna need to use some of these upgrades. The seat height is listed at 38 inches...and my inseam is like 31.5 lol
Should help quite a bit!
Love that bike!
I liked this and I am buying everything in here good think my budget 13 to 15 thousand
When you say short what height are you? If you don’t mind me asking
Why buy a lowered seat when you can cut the original one
I agree. I was reading how some of the after market seats don't fit very well. So I made a cardboard template for the side of the seat, and sent it to an upholstery shop to take off an inch. She only charged my $80.00. I gave her $100.00. Cheaper, and better quality, (fits like it is suppose to every time), than after market.
Good job enjoyed it
i always had bad luck with radiator guards cus radiators are rubber mounted so the flex back even when bent the problem with the guard was it made it solid mount so when the guard got bent the bike was annoying to ride
Harley added a really heavy option on their new Pan America 1250 adventure bike that automatically lowers the seat at low speed/stops and then jacks back up under way. For the life of me I cant understand why manufacturers of various long suspended bikes dont provide such gismos....most street legal bikes already have a computer of some sort so why not have some kind of radically variable preload that allows the load/rider to squat lower if super slow or stopped? How hard could it be to engineer?? Maybe as simple as the preload nut has gear teeth on the outside engaged by a servo motor with sensors that give the computer the ride height and bike speed? For the forks the servo motor could be inegral to fork caps...maybe a $500 option? Adding 10 pounds to a bike? They could sell a LOT more bikes is my guess! My 690 is about 36" seat height and with my short inseam and the bike weighing 350llbs it gets VERY precarious in the slow going stuff! I am almost ready to go kuba link or whatever but I have to give up suspension performance/travel
There was a day in the USA when we were free to compete, but those days are gone, so we beg for what we want. But, if you only want to touch your toes to the ground or a bit more, (I am assuming your toes don't touch the ground), stack up magazines on both sides of the bike of equal height to put your toes down on to the "toe bend" you want. If the thickness is less than 2" IMO, you can dial the bike in and not lose suspension performance, (will be the same performance until you bottom out a bit easier with no changes). I would take it off the seat (Upholstery shop), before the suspenders (internally), make sure you have the right spring rates for good balance, and it will handle better I am sure. I just lowered a YZ250 2-stroke MX bike, (man, way too tall today), by taking 1" off the seat and .75" off the suspension, and it handles like a dream in all kinds of corners now. Finding a good shop to do the work might be a trick, (I don't know what is available for adventure, but call Enzo Racing and Race Tech, 2 top notch MX/off road suspension tuners to see if they can help, or know somebody who can). My bike is such a joy to ride now, and that makes all the effort worth it IMO. We are suppose to enjoy life. :)
I'm planning on changing the subframe & seat so it will be like the older bikes with ABSOLUTELY LOWER SEATS.
DON'T BELIEVE IDIOTS SAYING SEATS HAVE TO BE TALL BECAUSE OF THE LONG TRAVEL SUSPENSION!
I can see the use of taller seats for taller riders when it comes to using less leg muscle to transition from a seated position to a standing position. Doing daily squats help, too.
I might have missed it but did you mention your hight in the video? Just curious for reference: )
I’m 5’3 and a half 😬
@@AGirlandHerBike lol darn now I got no excuse! I'm 5'8"
What size is the back wheel?
What's the both front and rear tyre +rim size of your bike?
Please do let me know
im also a short rider and only rode citybikes. I always wanted to buy a dirtbike but bcause how tall they are it kept me from buying 1;(...how tall are you???
Dirt bikes got to tall after the 4-strokes were forced on the industry. The head of a 4-stroke engine is about 4" taller, so the frame had to be made taller. For some stupid reason, (I blame the modern brain dead magazines), they made the 2-strokes just as tall. 5'9" here, and I no longer fit on a modern dirt bike. I lowered my suspension by about .75 inches, and cut the seat 1". It made a huge difference, and is actually a bit lower than my last MX bike, a 97 KX250. I knew sales would suffer even more because of the bikes being too tall today,--and you just confirmed it.
Ha Ha, how is 5ft tall for ya. I know it was a long time ago but in 1996 I won the women’s Rocky Mountain enduro Circuit year end award. Plus short people have less wind resistance!
How tall are you if you don’t mind me asking ?
I’m 5’3 😁
@@AGirlandHerBike I’m 5’5 so around the same height. Been wanting a dual sport but since I live in the city I wasn’t sure how hard it would be to ride In stop and go trafic with my feet barely touching the ground lol
I think it's safe to say that none of this information pertains to making a bike more friendly for a short user, with the exception of a lowered seat. Which is basically your only option short of suspension modification loosing ground clearance or getting a different bike. I'm not saying the upgrades are bad, just the contents of the video does not have anything to do with the intended purchase....
Ive always wanted a dirt bike but never could get one bc im only 5’5 and 16yo
Plenty of great bikes for you. Just research.
YOU CAN DROP THE SIZE OF YOUR BOTH TYRES
No uploading....Hope everything is ok..let us know
A kawasaki klx 140 L or 140 G would be a better bike for you in my opinion
None of what I've heard so far, (7 min) is due to
being a short rider, or non-expert rider, the only
people that go out for a day of single track/enduro etc,
are Trials Champs.
K. Subscribed!
How tall are you?? Tryn to set up a bike for my daughter
I’m 5’3
@@AGirlandHerBike exactly my daughter’s height, I really want to put her on a good bike like a mx 250 or husky like yours, not a heavy trail bike like a crf150 or klx140 not that those are bad bikes but just soo heavy for what they are. Thank you
what is ur seat height at?
Lol, haven’t even cleaned it and it looks immaculate
Whats your height?
Where did you go?