Bike for my 18yr old baby girl

[GasGas]

Originally Posted by wheelie

ok...I have a 01 YZ 125 (that she has rode), but she is tippy toe with her riding boots and cant get started without the bike almost falling over..lol or has to use a stand on one side. I feel (as some pointed out) that in the woods she will need to be close to flat footed for all issues she may come through around or over..lol

Since some of you have lowered a bike before, could you give me the steps on how you would go about it? Thanks for all the helpin.

We lowered her fist husky by installing a 1/4" spacer on the shock with the stock 4:1 linkage, that lowers the rear an inch. We also shortened the spacer in the forks to shorten them an inch. You could easily gain some more cutting the seat foam. The reward of the full size wheels and suspension far out weighs going with the mini to be flat footed. With some practice she won't mind not being completely flat footed. As long as she can touch enough.

[Jakobi]

Originally Posted by wheelie

ok...I have a 01 YZ 125 (that she has rode), but she is tippy toe with her riding boots and cant get started without the bike almost falling over..lol or has to use a stand on one side. I feel (as some pointed out) that in the woods she will need to be close to flat footed for all issues she may come through around or over..lol

Since some of you have lowered a bike before, could you give me the steps on how you would go about it? Thanks for all the helpin.

I'm a bit of a baby girl and don't have much luck touching the ground on just about anything (including my gasser). I can tip toe both side on pretty much all the brands. Thats as good as it gets.

I honestly find sitting on it in the workshop the hardest as out on the trail, while you find situations where you fall off camber and can't touch the ground you also have the other side where you can. If you're in a rut the bike is lower. If its cased on a log you can reach the log. Sliding your ass cheeck over to the side where you want to reach gives that leg extra legth too. I'm sure with a little practice she'll have no issues making the height work (especially if you lower it a bit). Thats assuming she can hold the bike with only 1 foot planted. A 125 shouldn't be too heavy though.

[AZRickD]

No. Don't compromise for your daughter. I've seen that mistake over and over again (three times, actually). Girls who have a 125 for motocross and a smaller bike for enduro... then one day they say, "Ya know, I'm going to use my YZ125 for the hare scramble this weekend." Every-single-one of them found it to be a mistake. They went back to the small bike for off-road -- and they liked it.

Get her the right equipment.

If she's spending most of her time on the monotony of the track, the 125 is fine. If she's spending most of her time in the woods or desert single track, get her a bike she can use when nature throws her a curve.

[GMP]

I don't follow your logic of the KTM105 and CRF150R. Skid and GasGas are right on and expanded on my point exactly. Any 125 is going to have more of everything than a KTM105, in a lightweight chassis that will smooth the terrain a lot better than the super mini chassis. Sure you can expand that scope to include the 144 and 150 variants. If you read the original post closely you would see she has been on an 85, one without a power valve no less. ANY 125 is worlds easier to ride in the woods than one of those 85s, so there is a higher skill level there. Its the natural progression and would be a good choice. Like skid said, tons of them in the technical rocky woods of New England.

My nephew was 5'4" when we got him a GG125 to replace his KX100. Like the bigger GGs the 125 starts off lower in seat height than most, but we dropped the rear slightly with 124mm pull rods and raised the fork a few mm. Added a 10 oz FWW and jetted the bike for the best torque possible. He rode that bike in some of the nastiest terrain you can imagine and became an excellent rider because of it.

Find a nice, used YZ or Husky 125 and have it lowered and set up for her height and weight. It will fit well, and be easy and cheap to maintain.

Stay away from the KTM105. They have crank lubrication issues with the stock parts.

[AZRickD]

Read the needs he noted for his daughter.

The KTM105 has a power valve. We have dozens out here in Arizona running our enduro series. Not a single problem.

The KTM105 is a joy to ride in the crud compared to a 125.

You can't compare a 5'4" boy to a 5'2" girl. Not the same.

[GMP]

I was talking about his daughter's 85. Only 85 with a PV is the Kawasaki, others are tougher to ride. All the KTM105s around here have had lower ends done or are sold off prior. Wheelie, if you doubt me google it. The rod lower end design has one set less grooves than most bikes that causes oil starvation. Aftermarket rod kits fix this.

Its simple physics, much smoother ride with larger wheels. A 5'3" 18 yr old experienced female rider is a lot closer to a 5'4" 14 yr. old boy than you think. There are some really fast, short, athletic young girls in our hare scramble series on 125s.

I would agree that a 250F is a bit much, but a 125 no, it will be fine. Plus, it can be raised again if desired instead of buying another bike.

[AZRickD]

My daughter's 2007 KTM85 has a powervalve.

There are some really fast, short, athletic young girls

I have no reason to believe that she is one of them.

She could be, but if she's not, keep her on a bike that's fun for her (not some imagined view of her).

[jeffs2200]

I agree with Rick. Do not forget the 125 will be 50 pounds heavier as well. If you are going full size and lowering you will be much better off on a KTM 200. That is what my wife rides but she is pretty tall. They are much smoother power than any of the 125's.

[AZRickD]

Actually, 58 pounds heavier (dry).

From Bikez.

2011 Yamaha YZ125 -- 208 pounds dry. Seat height 39.3"

2004 KTM 105 -- 150 pounds dry. Seat height 35.4"

[Diggs345]

How about building one of these
http://servicehonda.com/honda-2010-models/junior-x