[vampris3585]

i have a question. i am 4'11 do you think i have to lower a ninja 300

 

[AdamJH]

I'm 5'6" and I just have my feet flat on the ground. Go sit on one at the dealership and see if if you fit.
Your inseam is more important than your overall height though, the seat sits about 31 inches high i believe.

 

[1Loyal]

It's depends on how long are your legs. But best advice, go to a dealership and check out & try out the bike you want. Just from the internet, the result is not going to be 100%. Try it out at the shop, then ask for professional tips and advice. I know a friend of mine got her ducati monster lowered, and it messed up the suspension.

 

[Kurt]

You will definitely need to lower it. Tippy toe reaching on a bike isnt much fun.

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[old3]

Are you athletic? The only thing you need at a stop is the ball of one foot down, the butt scooted to one side is a common practice among shorter dirt riders who deal with 32-38" seat heights and uneven terrain. Comfort stopped, demonstrated by sitting on one in a showroom floor, sells a lot of uncomfortable motorcycles.

Proper training and practice are the key. I am 6-01 and regularly rode a 420 lbs. KTM 950SE off road, best I could do was a single foot down as the bike was tall, (even fitted with a custom tall seat), and very wide. I couldn't even reach the toes of both feet to the ground.

Balance, control and most of all, confidence are all you need, that means PRACTICE!!!

I'm not a big fan of lowering bikes like the 300 that are already pretty low. Try holding one up with a single foot down.

 

[cruizin]

i would lower the bike for sure, you need to be able to hold the bike upright correctly when stopped. i would hate to see you drop the bike cos you cant hold it up

there is a few threads on this already

http://www.kawasakininja300.com/for...52-i-want-lower-my-bike-need-lower-links.html

if you lower the bike you will need an adjustable sidestand as well

http://www.soupysperformance.com/ninja_300.html

 

[cruizin]

this web site might also help you

http://cycle-ergo.com/

click add motorcycle & then kawasaki, then select the ninja 300

 

[kels]

Im 5'2 with inseam of 26", i had to have my 300 lowered about 3" and i can barely tippy toe on both feet. But then again 99% of time when i come to a stop, i just put out my left foot.

Its all about inseam, a buddy of mine is only 5'3 with a inseam of 31" and he can literally flat foot both feet on my 300. On the other hand im only 1 inch shorter with a inseam of 26" and i can barely tippy toe with both feet.

hope this helps!

 

[tfkrocks]

I'm the same height. Lowered the bike 2" and I'm still on my toes. That being said, I actually don't think I'd go quite as low on a next bike. Just be sure to set the rear suspension on a higher setting if you lower one because my rear tire would occasionally rub the undertail on the default setting.

 

[JoeT347]

A lot of people here are saying you only need the ball of your foot to reach the ground at a stop. Sure that's fine, but what if you park on a hill and need to back up? How do you propose they move the bike backwards without getting off the bike and pushing it, which causes a greater chance of dropping it.

 

[maestro]

I would advise against lowering a bike more than an inch as it messes with the geometry and handling of the bike. I would start with shaving the seat if you can and if you have to kower it best to have a professional set up tge suspension to your bodyva and weight.

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[kels]

A lot of people here are saying you only need the ball of your foot to reach the ground at a stop. Sure that's fine, but what if you park on a hill and need to back up? How do you propose they move the bike backwards without getting off the bike and pushing it, which causes a greater chance of dropping it.

if you park on a hill and need to back up, use gravity and brake control. I do this all the time when taking my bike out of the garage for a ride.

I usually tilt the bike more on each side when im pushing off my feet so i can have more traction. I have been in situations where i cant back the bike up due to gravity working against me, i just get off the bike and move it by hand.

-Adapt, Improvise, Overcome-

 

[kels]

I would advise against lowering a bike more than an inch as it messes with the geometry and handling of the bike. I would start with shaving the seat if you can and if you have to kower it best to have a professional set up tge suspension to your bodyva and weight.

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This is my first bike so i dont know how a stock height bike feels with turning and handling. But even with my bike lowered 3" i can turn on a dime and take knee dragging turns with np.

 

[maestro]

This is my first bike so i dont know how a stock height bike feels with turning and handling. But even with my bike lowered 3" i can turn on a dime and take knee dragging turns with np.

Glad it worked out for you although I'd like to see pics of those knee dragging turns as it would seem that you would also be dragging plastics with the loss of ground clearance. I have never had a lowered bike myself but have had several track junky friends that have lowered their bikes only to raise them back up do to loss of clearance and handling issues.

 

[Muilisx]

A girl I know is about as tall as you, and she had it lowered no problem, and now she fits it perfectly.

 

[Revol]

I think you may have been born to ride a cruiser. For example, the Honda Rebel with 26.6" seat height. You can get these bikes real cheap used. If you do decide to look at cruisers, don't be afraid to look at larger displacements than you would when looking at sport bikes. A 650cc cruiser will have much lower performance than a 650cc sport bike.

Like Maestro said, lowering a bike can mess everything up. This is your first bike, and you'll be much happier if you can flat foot it.

 

[kels]

Glad it worked out for you although I'd like to see pics of those knee dragging turns as it would seem that you would also be dragging plastics with the loss of ground clearance. I have never had a lowered bike myself but have had several track junky friends that have lowered their bikes only to raise them back up do to loss of clearance and handling issues.

maybe knew dragging turns was to much. Lets just say i can still take turns at a pretty good angles.

 

[maestro]

maybe knew dragging turns was to much. Lets just say i can still take turns at a pretty good angles.

Haha fair enough...When I first started riding I too thought my lean angles were greater than they actually were

 

[old3]

A lot of people here are saying you only need the ball of your foot to reach the ground at a stop. Sure that's fine, but what if you park on a hill and need to back up? How do you propose they move the bike backwards without getting off the bike and pushing it, which causes a greater chance of dropping it.

Use gravity and lean into the hill. This isn't rocket science. If the rider has any disabilities then they might need a different set of parameters but a reasonable/minimally fit person can support the 300 with a single foot easily. It is all about your skills and confidence. Proper training and technique are critical, as is practicing good skills, like stopping and clutch control.

Lower away, but it is a false sense of security. If you are afraid of tipping over, your BASIC riding lessons aren't nearly finished and you need more one on one instruction with a good teacher.

 

[maestro]

If you are afraid of tipping over, your BASIC riding lessons aren't nearly finished and you need more one on one instruction with a good teacher.

I agree with this statement too. I am a short rider myself and have never had to lower a bike. If you can ride one you can almost ride them all, just slide that but over and drop a leg. I did end up shaving the seat on my r6 but thats as far as I would go to get a foot down. If you do have to build your confidence some how and end up lowering it you may find yourself also raising it back up once you get used to balancing the thing.