Right, time to stop messing about. FINALLY, AT LAST got my license. My 125 has gone to her new home. I'm bike-less and can't possibly stay like this or I shall be very upset when the weather improves

I'm going bog eyed looking at ebay. 

Definitely don't want another cruiser but being a right shortarse, all tourers are too tall. I've got a mate on standby who can do the dog-bonery, jiggery-pokery stuff...so we're looking for a bike with monoshock suspension. Twin shock bikes can be lowered but it means buying a new pair of shocks & this can be up to an additional couple of hundred quid and I'm on a limited budget.

Reachabilty quotient is also important....short arms, guts & knockers all get in the way....you skinny blokes with long legs have no idea of the challenges some of us face

I'm also expecting to have to pay for the seat to be carved out & possibly a gel insert added

Looking for something cheap and cheerful, about £1k or £1.5K tops

I'm really quite nervous because of course I can't try it out until I've committed to all this work....but also keen to get on with it cos I'm aware that I'll have a break from riding and as well as having to learn to ride with foot pegs, gears & back brake in very different position, I don't want the dreaded confidence eroded cos I've been off a bike for ages.

Are there any vertically challenged peeps (probably female) reading this who've gone through it all???

Is anybody thinking of selling a bike that's already lowered??? (eternal optimist)

I've looked at so many online but because of where I live, I've not actually had much opportunity to have a sit on. Obviously better to start off with a low seat height then less lowering needs to be done, & weight is also important.

Some examples from my list so far:
Ducati Monster (lots of sucking of teeth when I mention this one but ooooo I do likey)
Bandit 400/600
Suzuki GS500F
Honda CBF500
Honda Bros 400 (no restrictor needed)
Kawasaki ZZR250
Kawasaki GPZ500

I'm also restricted to 33BHP for 2 years so may as well go for an engine with less cc rather than strangling something larger....the cost of the restrictor kit also got to be factored in......blahhhhh, see why my brain is turning to mush                                                                                                                                                                              

oow difficult one... fortunately being an 'old git' not something I've had to go through... the one good thing is that plenty of others have, so hopefully you should get plenty of advice..   have you looked at SV650's.. ? i know someone who has one of them in 33hp guise... with it being a V Twin its a bit narrower, and also more torquey than the 4 cylinder bikes, producing most of its power at low revs so not 'strangled'.. also they're decent enough bikes to hang on to if you wanted post restriction...   or what about a CBF250? with your budget you may well get a better 'small' bike ?   hope i havent added to your confusion!                                                                                                                                                                              

ya know what your doing , dont buy it till ya tried it ect ect                                                                                                                                                                              

there's the new Kwak 300 or the older 250 - both 33 bhp & quite low - although may need a tad lowering more. Alternatively what about the BMW Gs650 or F650 they've got  VERY low seat heights to start off with but the GS has been deliberately made so that it can be lowered even more for peeps 5ft 2 & shorter! I would have thought that you could get a restrictor kit on it aswell.   check them out on the cycle-ergo site                                                                                                                                                                              

We have a Suzuki GS 500 which is lowered and most can ride it.   I have also ridden a 33 bhp version and it was fine, didnt seem masses of difference compared to the standard.                                                                                                                                                                                 

Hey, well done Minx   Drinks are on me at the next gathering of the norther contingent.

I was going to agree with Holmfirthgirl, BMW F650GS. They can be lowered down to grass hopper level and are reet good fun to ride.
But a quick search through Autotrader shows prices about a grand more than you want to spend.

I know you say your not after another cruiser but give the Yamaha Virago (XV535) consideration. Plenty of then about, good bike, handle well, reliable, shaft drive and plenty in your price range.

Honda CBF500 (or 600 if you fancy 4 cylinders) is good but it might be stretching your budget. The older CB500 is the right price but twin shock so a bit more of a chew on.

What you really need though is a KTM 990 Adventurer.
With nitrous

Nurse says I have to go now and have my medication...
                                                                                                                                                                             

well  done                                                                                                                                                                             

Hey cheers folks

Do you mean the Ninja 250 & 300 hfg?.....would absolutely adore one hunni. Fabby dabby reviews but unfortunately they're all around £3k second hand which I can't stretch to. 

Is the lowered GS500 for sale Rich or is the bike school going to keep on using it restricted?

Mines a rum and coke Steve! Mastering steering a bloomin cruiser round those cones for the slow speed Mod 1 test stuff has left me scarred for life Steve. I've got a bunch of girly mates up here who all started out on cruisers & have progressed onto tourers and never looked back....I've decided I want a taste of that too  I want I want I want! 

Can I have sit on your Triumph Havfun?                                                                                                                                                                              

well done Min told youd do it good luck with the bike search                                                                                                                                                                              

I dont think the school selling any at moment but will PM you if they are.   we had 2 lower ones which were full power but i rode a restricted one on a couple of times and i didnt notice that much power difference between them.   My mates son had one of the older models as his first bike at 17 and he thought it was good, Paid £800 for it sold it year later for £750.   I would imagine you would get a newer model with in budget.                                                                                                                                                                                     

sorry its gone                                                                                                                                                                             

    Yer kept that quiet Norm                                                                                                                                                                                   

it nearly chucked me off iin france  didnt trust it any more                                                                                                                                                                              

Well done Minnie the Minx.

Got to agree with XV535 Yams. Hold their value very well cos much sought after and a really cracking little bike. Could be a stepping stone while waiting for BMW 650 prices to bottom out.

NHM                                                                                                                                                                             

  Don't be put off owning a Ducati MIn   Lots of vertically challenged ladies like them   And they are not that difficult to maintain either   You don't need a Rothschild bank balance to keep one running sweet   It's a myth that they are expensive, put about by Ducati dealers who make handsome profits from folk who know no better   So long as you change the oil regularly and keep the chain correctly tensioned and lubed   The "horror stories" about horrendous bills wont arise   I'm sure you can find a lady rider forum somewhere, that will contain many contrary stories, of happy trouble free owner,ship   I doubt that you'll be riding it hard enough, to create any real stress on the motor or transmission    As always, it's down to personal choice   But it should be based on sound knowledge   Not urban myths or scare stories                                                                                                                                                                               

I must admit - I quite fancy the Baby Monster - it's low seat height & (prob more importantly) NARROW seat width, combined with a short rake front end (don't have to stretch so far for the bars lol) makes it look very appealing to me                                                                                                                                                                              

Couple of people I know have had older ducs, including a 600 monster.
In both cases the owners swore at them.
Neither of them run ducs any more.                                                                                                                                                                             

Really sorry about the triumph havfun

I haven't dismissed the virago 535 easily nhm. I remember the first time I was aware of the virago years ago and thought  that's what I want one day. But I've been riding and learning on a cruiser for 2 and half years and I really understand their drawbacks. Being able to flat foot is great but dealing with longer forks is hard work at slow speeds. An instructor let me practice on a DSA test site and it was him who pointed out to me that the bike was literally fighting with me at slow speed & had held me back. Short arms, wider bars and long forks aren't that good. I can ride a cruiser, but I don't want to any more. I'm eager to get a taste of something else

Sat on 3 x SVR650s yesterday and just didn't feel right. I know several ladies happily ride these but the reach to the bars too far for me. Also tried the SV Gladius which felt far better- the scale was much better for me but they're out of my price range

Also tried sitting on a couple bandits, an older one which is slightly taller, and felt do-able but not as comfy as was hoping.

BUT....walking through the door of one dealers my eyes immediately drawn to this luscious little red thing. Finally got to make botty contact with a ducati monster....I think I may just, could just be....falling in love....
The scale reaching to the bars is great, almost can touch the ground on ballet tippy toes, so lowering is very do-able. Could just feel me riding that with some adjustable levers on it. 

Have a sit on one Stella, it's such a revelation when us smaller people find a bike that's been designed to comfily accommodate us

Of course the person I was with had to come from the "the Italians make good pizzas but..." school of thought. And of course there's the cost, I can only afford a 600 rather than one of the later models, and also been told the original 600 was gutless, blah blah. And of course it will have to live outside under a cover, so would be heartbreaking watching it disintegrate into a heap of rust & failed electrics 

Not very good at doing as I'm told though 

The quest continues today

                                                                                                                                                                             

yep Min - I've sat on the Baby Monster & must admit I did sort of fall in love with it too - also it's a twin which for some reason I quite fancy.... Spesh also says the Buell's are good for shorter people. However they're a bit of a niche market & not that many around so not sure what the prices are like. However being belt driven there's no chains to worry about lol. Have you had a look at the Kwak er6? They are quite low (& Kwak do a lowering kit for them) & again the seat's quite narrow & the bar's aren't that much of a stretch.  However an option for most bikes is that you can get the bars raised. I know Mandy (ninja-Lou) had her Kwak 300 - yep the baby ninja lowered slightly & the bar's raised. I had a sit on it & was amazed! My feet were flat on the floor & it just felt soooooo right! lol                                                                                                                                                                             

Daughter No1 (5'-4") has a Ducati 600 monster Dark (02 plate). She loves it apart from the limited steering lock which caught her out once resulting in toppling over and consequent nervousness thereafter. That's why I didn't mention it. Cousin (4'-11") used to have XV535 that's why I know about popularity of them. Cousin also had VF750 cruiser.

I suggested daughter to be the "boss" on the bike and not let topple over spoil her fun. That would only come with experience and confidence.
She's ok now and has learned to set herself up regarding road positioning so she never needs to turn the bars to full lock. She only weighs a little more than a packet of crisps so she hasn't the strength to haul it round.

I understand about leverage of XV535 (i.e. rake angle, long bars/forks, shortness in stature/leg length, riding position, etc). Tyre pressures can also affect this. Only riding a well maintained one will give you an idea. Sitting on a stationery bike will not give you an idea of how it performs once the wheels are turning. The lower c of g helps also. As someone said, try before you buy.

Emzeds right about Duc dealer scaring peeps that don't know any different. Daughters bike is the easiest thing to work on that we've ever owned in recent years. Just needs a little tlc to keep it tip top.

There is a host of very experienced riders (not only on this site) who are qualified to advise or help. Just shout us if unsure of anything and will give you our fair and balanced opinions.

Hope this helps a little.

We need you to ride comfortably as well as safely.

NHM