Can a Short Person Ride a Motorcycle?

Undoubtedly, riding a motorbike is challenging for anyone, but riding is even more challenging if you’re a short person. People are literally searching whether a short person rides a motorcycle or not?

Riding a motorbike requires some height, but fortunately enough, manufacturers are now focusing on short riders. It means nowadays, motorbikes come with excellent stability, which enables short people to ride a motorcycle. In easier words, anyone can ride any motorbike irrespective of their height with some tricks.

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

While writing this post, I leave no stone unturned so you can get all the essential knowledge about some tricks through which you can ride any motorbike. 

Can a Short Person Ride a Motorcycle? 

Yes, anyone can ride any motorcycle irrespective of any height.

I don’t know why short people are insecure about riding motorbikes. Dude! Riding motorcycles isn’t rocket science, and you can also ride any motorbike.

I know you can’t change your genetics, but you can ride any motorbike with some tips and tricks.

Earlier, even motorbike manufacturers didn’t bother to produce motorcycles for short people, and now the scenario is completely changed. 

I’ve covered all tips and tricks below through which you can ride any motorbike. 

Tips for Short Person to Ride a Motorcycle: 

Tips for Short Person to Ride a Motorcycle: 
Always wear riding gear. 
Tailor your motorbike boots. 
Learn leaning left. 
Decide where you need to stop. 
Have a walk with your motorbike. 
Practice! Practice! Practice! 

Before reaching the tricks part, I want you to know some tips. So without any further delay, here’re some tips that I need you to keep focused on. 

Wear Motorbike Gears: 

I understand that many of you are already aware of this, but I want to emphasize the importance of wearing appropriate motorbike gear, especially for novice riders.

Riding a motorbike that is designed for taller individuals can be challenging and potentially dangerous if not approached with caution.

I strongly recommend wearing a high-quality motorcycle helmet, boots, and rider pants to minimize the risk of injuries. For more details on how motorbike gear can save your life and what gear items should be included in your list, you can refer to my previous post by clicking here.

Tailor Boots: 

You might wonder, why would you need to tailor your motorcycle boots? The answer lies in the necessity of adding thick soles to them. This modification allows you to have a better grip and contact with the ground, ensuring stability while touching your feet, balls, and toes to the surface. You can either visit a professional cobbler to have your motorbike boots tailored with thick soles or simply purchase boots that already come with thick soles.

Learn Leaning Left: 

An important aspect often overlooked is the technique of leaning left while riding. This skill is crucial because it ensures that you have a firm footing when coming to a stop by enabling you to press the rear brake pedal effectively. Additionally, it’s essential to evenly distribute the weight of your luggage to maintain the center of gravity and stability during left-leaning maneuvers.

Decide Where You need to Stop: 

It is vital to acknowledge that having solid ground beneath your feet is essential for coming to a stop on your motorbike. Unfortunately, there may be instances where you find yourself in a location without a stable surface. To prevent such situations, I recommend planning your stops ahead of time and being diligent in finding solid ground before coming to a complete halt.

Have a Walk:

It is vital to acknowledge that having solid ground beneath your feet is essential for coming to a stop on your motorbike. Unfortunately, there may be instances where you find yourself in a location without a stable surface. To prevent such situations, I recommend planning your stops ahead of time and being diligent in finding solid ground before coming to a complete halt.

Practice! Practice! Practice!: 

Lastly, I cannot stress enough the significance of practice. It is crucial to dedicate time to practice on a smaller motorbike until you have mastered the art of proper balance and riding techniques. There is simply no substitute for practice, whether it involves hardware, planning, or any other aspect of motorbike riding.

By following these tips and investing time in practice, you can enhance your riding skills and enjoy a safer and more fulfilling motorbike riding experience.

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 reach your feet on 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 under the influence 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 so much 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 unless 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. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Do motorbike manufacturers are now focusing on short people?

Yes, manufacturers are now seeing short people as an untapped market for their motorbikes.

How thick boots can help short riders?

Tailored motorcycle boots have added thick soles in them. The thick sole will help you touch your feet, balls, and toes. 

Why you should learn leaning left?

It’s because you need tough ground below your feet while you stop your motorbike, and for stopping, you need to press the rear brake pedal. 

Why should you practice riding a small motorbike?

Always practice on a small motorbike until you’ve learned the proper balancing and popper riding techniques.

Why wearing riding gear is crucial?

Riding a motorbike designed for taller people isn’t an easy task, and it might injure you that’s why it would be best to wear riding gear.

Final Verdict: 

Can a short person ride a motorcycle or not? Yes, anyone can ride a motorcycle irrespective of their height with some tips and tricks. I recommend tailoring your motorbike, learning to lean left, and deciding where you need to stop your motorbike. 

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. 

Please learn how to ride short motorcycles first if you don’t have much experience in riding. And later on, you can swap your short motorbike with a tall motorbike.