Can a 5-Feet Woman Ride a Motorcycle?

Now we’re living in a world where both genders share the same opportunities to some extent, and it’s also valid for motorbike riding. And that’s why the question arises, can a 5 feet woman ride a motorcycle? 

Motorcycle manufacturers are now considering expanding their market share, and that’s why they’re making motorbikes that anyone can ride. And with the proper motorbike handling techniques and some boots and seat adjustments, a 5 feet woman can ride a motorcycle easily.

Let’s look at what it means and what you can do about it.

In this post, I leave no stone unturned so you can understand how short it is to ride a motorcycle and how you can ride a motorcycle.  

Can a 5-Feet Woman Ride a Motorcycle?

Probably it’s the biggest question which I guess every 5 feet woman thinks about before riding a motorcycle. Earlier, short women couldn’t ride a motorcycle. 

But in this 21st century, motorbike manufacturers are now considering short women as their potential buyers too. In easier words, short women can also ride motorcycles irrespective of engine size and height but with some adjustments. 

No worries, in this article I’ve mentioned some ways and techniques through which you can ride a motorcycle if you’re a short person.

Why Short People Find Difficult to Riding Motorcycles? 

Before mentioning the way through which you can ride a tall motorcycle, you must know some challenges that you will face while riding a motorcycle. 

Short people say they find challenging to ride a motorbike when their feet can’t reach the ground while slowing or stopping the motorcycle. If you’re a short person, then you may likely face this problem too. And to tackle this situation, you’ll have to make some adjustments to your motorbike. 

Although some adjustments are not that safe and may cause motorcycle unbalancing. And that’s why you should only make motorbike adjustments under expert supervision. 

Steps/ Tricks for Short Person to Ride a Motorcycle: 

So far, you have learned some tips to ride a motorcycle. Now here are some steps and tricks through which you can ride a tall motorcycle.

Steps/ Tricks for Short Person to Ride a motorcycle:

Prepare yourself.

Be resourceful

Sit on the motorbike.

Have a walk with your motorbike.

Prepare Yourself: 

The first step to riding a tall motorbike is to prepare yourself and add extra sole in your motorbike boots to touch the ground.

Many motorbikes come with a facility to reduce suspension linkage, which can lower motorbike height. However, I won’t recommend it, as reducing suspension linkage would decrease your vision and handling. 

Or some motorbike also comes with a reducing seat height feature which will lower your motorcycle height. Again doing this will also reduce your vision. 

Be Resourceful: 

When riding a tall motorbike, I’d recommend being a little resourceful. For instance, when stopping your motorbike, you can use a curb on the roadside to balance your motorbike. 

But please be careful when removing your feet from the curb.

Sitting on the Motorcycle: 

Sitting on a motorbike can be hard if you’re a short rider, and it’s even harder when you’ve worn tight motorcycle gears or have weight on your back. 

And I’m going to tell you the most popular trick to sit on the motorcycle seat. Warning: Before doing this trick, please ensure the ground below you is solid. 

Next, stand on the right side of your motorcycle, then put your right foot on the right footpeg. Carefully start putting your whole weight on the right footpeg while maintaining the center of gravity and pressing the front brake. 

Now the motorcycle will start to push down and stand up because of your body weight. 

It would be best if you don’t put your weight on the side stand, since manufacturers don’t make side stands to bear your and your motorbike weight. 

Now swing your left foot, sit on the motorbike seat, and place your left foot on the ground. This trick needs a bit of practice but believe me, sitting on a motorbike with this method is like riding a bicycle. 

Walk with Motorcycle: 

The above technique works fine if you don’t have luggage on the seat, but it would be a different story if you can’t swing your feet for any reason. 

Warning: Now your motorbike engine will be running, and the clutch is engaged, so please be careful before doing this trick. Also, I’m assuming that you can easily push your motorbike as you do if your motorbike tire is punctured.

• Start the motorbike with both hands on the handlebar. 
• Now engage the gear with your right foot and press the clutch with your left hand. 
• Don’t forget to place your right hand on the front wheel brake and around the throttle. So that you can engage the throttle wherever necessary. 
• Now start leaving the clutch slowly so that your motorbike can move at a slower pace. Don’t forget to push your motorbike a bit so that it can catch a good pace. 
• Now place your right foot on the left peg. And please ensure the position of the left peg before placing your right feet on that.
• Slow the motorbike a bit to swap your right foot on the left peg with your left foot. And now swing your right foot and place it to the right peg.
• While doing the above step, don’t forget to push your motorbike away from you to counteract your body weight.  

The best advice I can give you is to wear your motorbike gear and don’t look at the ground while placing your right foot on the left peg. These steps may look simpler to you, but believe me, you might need a lot of practice to attain perfection.

Watch this YouTube Video for a better understanding. 

Can Boots Help You to Ride a Tall Motorcycle? 

So far, you understand why some short people find challenging to ride a tall motorcycle. And that’s why the question arises, can motorcycle boots help you to ride a tall motorcycle? 

Since you need to touch your feet on the ground while riding a motorcycle, modifying boots can help you do that. You just need to make the motorcycle boot sole thick enough from the cobbler to touch the ground properly while slowing down the motorbike. 

Some short riders believe modifying motorbike boots is the cheapest and most effective way to increase sole thickness. But if you don’t want to modify your motorbike boots, you can also buy ready-made thick sole motorcycle boots. 

How Tall Do You Need to Ride a Motorcycle? 

There’s literally a debate on it; some say you must be more than 5 feet to ride a motorcycle. But is it really true? Let’s find out. 

There’s no height requirement for you to ride a motorcycle. There’s no height issue as long as you can easily touch the ground while slowing and stopping the motorcycle and with a small motorbike and boots adjustment, you can ride any motorcycle easily. 

I know it’s a bit shocking, but it’s a reality and the biggest punch to those who always say you need to have to be more than 5 feet to ride a motorcycle.

Why Should You Learn Leaning Left? 

You must hear from experts that you need to learn to lean left while stopping or slowing the motorbike. But have you wondered why they say so? 

Experts recommend you to lean left while slowing or stopping the motorcycle because it will help you balance the motorbike. Most importantly, it will help you to touch your feet on the ground. Also, while leaning left, you can bring the motorbike on neutral quickly. 

If you’re a short person, you must be resourceful and take advantage of the situation as much as you can. 

Also, read my previous post where I’ve discussed whether motorcycle female boots are worth it or not. Click here to read.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Final Verdict: 

Can a 5-Feet Woman Ride a Motorcycle? Motorcycle manufacturers are now considering expanding their market share, and that’s why they’re making motorbikes that anyone can ride. 

And with the proper motorbike handling techniques and some boots and seat adjustments, a 5 feet woman can ride a motorcycle easily.

I’ve also mentioned some tricks or steps through which you can sit on the motorbike. Here I’m expecting that you have the basic skills of balancing your motorbike.