Mods for a short rider

So I picked up a left over '08 WRR and am really enjoying it. Now I'm looking to get a ride for my fiancee who is 5'2" and is vertically challenged. Her previous bike as a '99 Suzuki GS500E that I lowered, but I don't feel like she ever really go into it because the steering was slow and the bike was rather heavy. I'm thinking the X may be a good choice for her, but I need to slam it to the ground. My fiancee isn't a super talented rider so I would like to atleast get her a good foot or toes on the ground. Here's where I'm at with the seat height.

4" Yamalink and drop the forks in the triple trees.
1-2" Get the low seat from Wheeling Cycle.
1" Maybe? Set the suspension to to be a bit on the soft side.
2" Get the X and not the R.

So with the help of greer (my good buddy from the F650 boards and here) I'm concluding that you could get to about a 32" seat height with all the above mods.

Is there anyone on the very short side riding the X that can comment?

I think that you are looking for the wrong bike. My WR250R came with the Yamalink installed and all of the lowering done except reducing the preload and I could just flatfoot it. I am 6' and 205 lbs. I have since taken out the Yamalink and put the forks back in the stock position and now I am on the balls of my feet.

The X will be lower than the R will of course, but I think that you should be looking at something lower. I used to have a Super Sherpa and I loved it. I'ts seat height was really low and easy to ride. It was also almost as fast as the WR if you really wrung it out. Another Bike to look for is a XT225 (not XT250 because of 5 speed transmission).

My bike was the underused bike of a wife before I bought it and I believe that she would have had much more fun on a lower bike.

duanew wrote:

I used to have a Super Sherpa and I loved it. I'ts seat height was really low and easy to ride. It was also almost as fast as the WR if you really wrung it out. Another Bike to look for is a XT225 (not XT250 because of 5 speed transmission).

I like the Super Sherpa, but I'm having trouble finding one used. . . not to mention the WRX is a far superior bike in the way of highway speeds.

matttys wrote:

I like the Super Sherpa, but I'm having trouble finding one used. . . not to mention the WRX is a far superior bike in the way of highway speeds.

Super Sherpas are hard to find. The guy that bought mine emailed me and hour and a half after I posted it on Craigslist. He said the same thing.

I don't know how surperior the WR is on the highway as I only have 600 miles on mine and have not wound it out to see how fast it will go. I know that the Sherpa would do 74 mph (gps calibrated) on flat ground with me on it. I know that the WR is faster but I do not know how much faster. I think that far superior is an overstatement, but time might prove me wrong when my motor loosens up more.

Oh yea. Someone give him some feedback about a vertically challenged rider of the WR.

You're not gonna get 4" with Yamalink and lowering the triples.

I got 4". Yamalink, slipping the forks thru the triples, rear shock mount mod, and then setting the sag. 37" stock seat height, I'm now at 33".

I have all the above mods in my X and I know I didn't get 4". I'm 5'7" 170lbs.
According to their website, you will get "almost 2 inches with the link and the shock mod".
http://www.motorcycleloweringlinks.com/index.php?content=yamaha-lowering-link-wr250xr

YamaLink = 1"
Shock mod = 1"

Sag will depend on rider weight. She's 5'2"? Unless she's 200lbs, she wont get much.

Also unless you go to different risers, you will barely get and inch thru the top triple before knobs hit the risers.

The X is almost an inch and half lower than the R.

I'm 5'3"...and definitely not 200 lbs. It was measured without me on the bike.

With the x, the yamalink, stock lowering, & raising the forks, i think you can make it work.. like you said, it would be a superior bike for her.. But this setup would probably only be good for street or easy dirt roads with the x tires. If you put the knobbies on, you lose most of the lowering you get with the sumo tires. I was almost flat footed on both feet with a 30" inseam. Then when i put on the knobbies, i'm on the balls of both feet. ..not a problem.. i could only touch one toe at a time on my last bike.

It also depends on her riding ability.. if she's very much a beginner.. you might consider a tw 200. I know it's not much for highway, but doing a lot of highway isn't what either of these bikes is about, anyway. If the bike starts dropping a lot because it's so tall, she'll lose her enthusiasm about riding with you.. unless that's your plan.

33" with boots is doable, even if you're 5' 2". Good luck with your decision.

scotty

Hmm, I'm thinking if SheWolf is at 33" with all those mods on the R, then -2" for the X and -1" for the seat I may be able to make this work.

Regarding her skill level. . . she is a fairly decent rider although she's not much for dirt or gravel roads.

I wish I could find someone with a lowered X near/in Ohio, that would make this much easier