- This topic has 6 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 11 months ago by gitchy42.
A bike for a 6’4”
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May 7, 2010 at 1:10 pm #3934danijelbParticipant
Hi everyone,
I am Danijel from Slovenia (Europe). I am looking to buy myself a beginners bike to ride for a year or two, to then pass on to heavy rides.
I was advised Suzuki GS500. Is this bike ok for a 193 cm (6 feet, 4”)?
What are the alternatives to Suzuki? Ducati monster, any Hondas…?My preferences are naked (due to crash probablility) and 2 cyl.
Thx for the advise,
D.May 7, 2010 at 2:01 pm #26259JackTradeParticipantGiven your height, a lot of us here would suggest a dual-sport, as they tend to be quite tall and so you’ll be more comfortable. Suzuki DR-Z400s, both the S model (standard dual sport knobby tires) and the SM (supermoto model with pure street tires), are quitely highly rated.
Of course, it depends on if you like the off-road look/style, but they’re considered great all-around bikes, and they’re wonderful for urban riding.
May 7, 2010 at 3:19 pm #26254madjak30ParticipantI’m 5’11”, and I can’t quite flat foot with both feet at a stop, so it should be a good fit for you. It is quite a comfortable bike, with a 650cc parallel twin…the same engine that is on the Ninja 650R with different tuning, more low to mid torque…I ended up buying a GS500, and it is a little small (height wise) but I am comfortable on it with my feet on the pegs. My inseam is 32″, I would imagine yours is more like 34″…so your knees might sit higher than the releifs in the tank and that might make it uncomfortable.
The dual sports or adventure bikes will be the tallest of bikes, but most of the adventure bikes are 800cc or larger (thinking of BMW GS bikes). The new KLR650 is a pretty nice bike and has a good reputation for durability and go anywhere, just depends on whether you like the styling or not.
Good Luck!
May 7, 2010 at 4:11 pm #26266CBBaronParticipantI’m 6’2″ and found dual sports to have the most room of the light weight bikes. KLR650, DRZ400, WR250R and several older models all have plenty of room. Only the small entry level DS bikes were a little tight like the DR200 and TW200.
The Versys would fit nicely but I found it quite top heavy compared to the lighter DS bikes and smaller sport bikes like the Ninja 250 and GS500. Probably not a problem with experience but simple little mistakes often made by newbies can result in a drop. With the light bike it is much easier to “catch” the top heavy Versys is more likely to end up on the ground. The GS500F was also a good fit.
Small cruisers and beginner bikes like the TU250 and Rebel will probably be really cramped. I find the Ninja 250r very fun to ride but my knees are quite bent and get cramped after an hour or so.
Your best idea is to go to several dealers and just try sitting on the bikes. Have someone hold the bike up so you can put both feet on the pegs.
Craig
May 7, 2010 at 8:27 pm #26267eternal05ParticipantI still stand by my assertion that the Suzuki DR-Z400sm is the greatest city bike ever, especially for a tall person (I’m 6’4″). It’s quick in the legal speed range; you’ll have a hard time finding a car that can beat you to 60mph, mostly because all of those cars cost several hundred thousand dollars. At the same time, it won’t go much over 90mph, so if you’re looking to break the law and end up with your head in a railing, this isn’t the bike for you. It also has no wind protection at all, so it’s not a very good highway cruising bike, but then again, if you’re the type of rider that’s looking at this type of bike to begin with, you’ll be bored out of your mind on the super slab, so no matter.
On the other hand, the DR-Z makes everything that’s hard about motorcycling very easy, provided you’re tall enough to tame it (which you are). It is super light, has very friendly and predictable steering geometry and handling characteristics, and thanks to its 400cc single-cylinder engine and strong but not overpowering front brakes, you’ll find that you won’t be at risk for rocketing yourself into a telephone poll when you accidentally twitch the throttle or flipping the bike when you grab too much brake. If you do drop it, you can lift it yourself without using any crazy tricks or leverage, and because it comes pre-equiped with axle and peg sliders, you can drop it plenty without scratching it a bit. If you do, the bodywork is minimal and cheap, so you have no fancy $2,500 fairings to replace. More than anything, it’s just a fun bike that makes you want to ride the crap out of it. Honestly, it’s as easy as riding a bicycle, but you don’t have to pedal and you can do everything a lot faster/harder
May 7, 2010 at 10:52 pm #26271IBA270ParticipantMy good friend has two for sale here…very clean…
May 8, 2010 at 12:36 am #26274gitchy42ParticipantWelcome to the group Danijel.
If you go with the GS500, make sure you look for the older GS500E, or whatever the same model is called over there. The newer GS500F has a full fairing.
However, being in Slovenia, does your country have a progressive/tiered license structure? If so you will be limited to the 250cc class, or maybe the 150cc class for a year or two and that will completely change the types of bikes you have to choose from.
Nate
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