Tippy Toes

[rasta]

I plan on getting a Ninja soon, and I really wished I could flat foot on my first bike, but I juuuuust can't quite on Ninja's. I'm somewhere between my tippy toes and the balls of my feet, just a few inches short.

When coming to a stop, is there a specific technique to do so I don't drop the bike? Do I slow with both feet out, tip toeing on both? Or do I just put my left foot out?

The LAST thing I want to do is drop a bike at a stop light, or even drop one that I'm test riding from a craigslist seller

[csmith12]

Yes, there is a skill to do that.

Right before you stop, turn the bars to the right a lil bit and the bike will fall to the left. Your body weight can affect this too, so it's not a 100% thing. You can get the feel for it pretty easy though.

[tfkrocks]

Pick a side to stop on and only put that foot down. You can lean off the seat a little to plant your foot more firmly on the ground.

[LittleRedNinjette]

Don't know if your planing on lowering the bike but i put roaring toys lowering links and the blocks fro the front on mine. I also just put a zx600 rear shock off a 87 on my bike. I'm 5'1" and can get the balls of my feet on the ground now. And i still have 2 more holes i can go down on the links.
My bike is a 2012. I don't know if the 300 has the same shock, just haven't done the research yet, but if it is i would guess that the zx600 shock would work on that too.

Anyway, thats my
Good luck with whatever you get!

[fr1dayn1ght]

I can flat foot on a ninja but only if 1 leg out at a stop, if both legs out then i will tip toe on both feet. I used to think like you that I need to flat foot on my first bike, but now after 2 months Im perfectly fine with tip toe really
I use my left foot down so the bike will lean a bit to the left, lately I have been putting both leg out when stopping because I just felt like doing it and I have never dropped my bike at a stoplight like this

[Whiskey]

Pick a point where you want to stop & can put your left foot down cleanly. bring it to a stop on the rear brake (to avoid having the front dip) and when it's below walking pace put your left foot out & push the left bar
Same principle as countersteering the bike will fall to the left

[LittleRedNinjette]

My problem with tippy toes was when i'm trying to park. You have no room for error if you slip on a stick or something.....

[rasta]

Alright, those tips make total sense. Thanks!

As far as lowering the bike is concerned, I'm worried about the effect that has on the bike's geometry. I know it changes the bike's cornering. But the question is....does it only effect the most extreme cornering? Since this would be my first bike, I probably won't be cornering too many canyons. So I won't be maneuvering the bike in a manner that will would be effected by adding links, right? Is my thinking correct? I have so much to learn..

[tfkrocks]

Originally Posted by LittleRedNinjette

My problem with tippy toes was when i'm trying to park. You have no room for error if you slip on a stick or something.....

I just get off the bike and walk it.

[LittleRedNinjette]

I have no problem with maneuverability or anything. The only thing to keep in mind is to lower the front and back evenly. I learned this the hard way....
When i lowered my bike the first time we just dropped the back. I think this is part of why I dropped my bike at a gas station. we dropped the front and it fixed that.
it took some adjusting but i have no problems. The bike responds very well. Not sluggish at all.
I can rave more after i go riding this weekend with the new shock.

[LittleRedNinjette]

Originally Posted by tfkrocks

I just get off the bike and walk it.

true, but that's the easy way out!

[rasta]

Originally Posted by LittleRedNinjette

I have no problem with maneuverability or anything. The only thing to keep in mind is to lower the front and back evenly. I learned this the hard way....
When i lowered my bike the first time we just dropped the back. I think this is part of why I dropped my bike at a gas station. we dropped the front and it fixed that.
it took some adjusting but i have no problems. The bike responds very well. Not sluggish at all.
I can rave more after i go riding this weekend with the new shock.

How much did that cost you? (including labor if you didn't do it yourself)

[tfkrocks]

Originally Posted by LittleRedNinjette

true, but that's the easy way out!

Less embarrassing than dropping the bike or looking silly while unsuccessfully trying to move the bike!

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by rasta

Alright, those tips make total sense. Thanks!

As far as lowering the bike is concerned, I'm worried about the effect that has on the bike's geometry. I know it changes the bike's cornering. But the question is....does it only effect the most extreme cornering? Since this would be my first bike, I probably won't be cornering too many canyons. So I won't be maneuvering the bike in a manner that will would be effected by adding links, right? Is my thinking correct? I have so much to learn..

As a new rider, you will notice nothing.
As you get better you may notice a handling different between a lowered bike vs a non lowered bike.
As a track rider, you will need the ground clearance.
As a racer, you will think of ways to get more ground clearance than stock.

Simple as that...

Lower it if gains you confidence, then do it and raise it as your skills grow. The only real downside is ground clearance in an emergency situation. You may not have the lean that you need but then again... most n00bs do no lean it to max anyway. Even in an emergency situation. No offence.

[LittleRedNinjette]

The shock i picked up on e-bay for $56 shipped. Just have to look for one in good shape. Here's the article we went off of: http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Installing_a_ZX600_shock

They say to use 15wt oil but we put 10wt and its good.

The links and blocks i found on amazon, the links are around $40, the blocks $60.
Don't get the matching kickstand unless your dropping the bike as far as the links allow. you can get adjustable ones if necessary. It will lean the bike to far over. My boyfriend made a custom one for me

He also did all the work. Its fairly easy if you have some talent with a wrench but i wouldn't know what a shop would charge.

[LittleRedNinjette]

Originally Posted by tfkrocks

Less embarrassing than dropping the bike or looking silly while unsuccessfully trying to move the bike!

Again true..... But my bike is a lowrider and i love it!

[NevadaWolf]

On thing I've taken to doing is pulling up to a stop light in the left hand groove made by the heavier trucks. It lowers my bike while giving me a higher surface on the left to put my foot down.

Downside to this though: if you park in the right groove, your foot ends up in the slime dropped from the cars. The sensor in the lane most likely won't pick you up. Sometime the asphalt is so warped from the trucks, it's really really rough in there.

I've never been able to flat foot on both sides. With my boots, I'm on the balls of my feet or tip toes depending on how I'm sitting when I stop. If I need to flat foot I just lean the bike slightly to the left and drop my foot down.

Re: Parking. I read a great bit of advice that I have used ever since. You choose your parking place. If everyone else is parking on a slope, park somewhere else. If you have to circle the lot a few times to find the spot that makes it where you can safely control your bike, so be it. I love finding those spots I can either pull straight through, or use a neighboring space to u-turn in and park so I'm pointing out.

[LittleRedNinjette]

Originally Posted by NevadaWolf

Re: Parking. I read a great bit of advice that I have used ever since. You choose your parking place. If everyone else is parking on a slope, park somewhere else. If you have to circle the lot a few times to find the spot that makes it where you can safely control your bike, so be it. I love finding those spots I can either pull straight through, or use a neighboring space to u-turn in and park so I'm pointing out.

I'll do this too.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by NevadaWolf

On thing I've taken to doing is pulling up to a stop light in the left hand groove made by the heavier trucks. It lowers my bike while giving me a higher surface on the left to put my foot down.

Downside to this though: if you park in the right groove, your foot ends up in the slime dropped from the cars. The sensor in the lane most likely won't pick you up. Sometime the asphalt is so warped from the trucks, it's really really rough in there.

I've never been able to flat foot on both sides. With my boots, I'm on the balls of my feet or tip toes depending on how I'm sitting when I stop. If I need to flat foot I just lean the bike slightly to the left and drop my foot down.

Re: Parking. I read a great bit of advice that I have used ever since. You choose your parking place. If everyone else is parking on a slope, park somewhere else. If you have to circle the lot a few times to find the spot that makes it where you can safely control your bike, so be it. I love finding those spots I can either pull straight through, or use a neighboring space to u-turn in and park so I'm pointing out.

Dat's experience talkin' right der.

[LNasty]

Guess I take for granted being able to flat foot both feet on any bike (with room to spare). I have seen people at stop lights moving front wheel side to side to balance for the entire light so that they don't have to put legs down. I can do this for a few seconds but not a whole light.

[NevadaWolf]

Originally Posted by LNasty

Guess I take for granted being able to flat foot both feet on any bike (with room to spare).

On behalf of all of us who have to look at the "seat height" column of the bike specs first...

[LNasty]

Originally Posted by NevadaWolf

On behalf of all of us who have to look at the "seat height" column of the bike specs first...

lol, sorry guys

[Jiggles]

How tall is you?

If you're shorter than @CycleCam303 then maybe you should get a scooter

[CycleCam303]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

How tall is you?

If you're shorter than @CycleCam303 then maybe you should get a scooter

Ain't that the truth. I'm pro at being a midget rider. The ninja 250 is plenty short and the seat isn't wide so it's pretty easy to slide off to firmly plant a foot. I generally use my left foot at a stop but I choose based off of terrain and road angle. But on the ninjette I can get away with two tip toes on either side.

Go to the dealer and start sitting on stuff. That will help your confidence.

[LittleRedNinjette]

munchkins like riding too!!

[Rogue]

I am barely 5' 1" with my riding boots on; I tippy toe when I stand my bike upright - always have, always will because I refuse to lower it. When I stop, I put my left foot out/down and tip the bike slightly to the left while keeping my right foot on the peg and rear brake.

I'm also a very new rider and my Ninja 300 is my first bike. One of the first things I parking lot practiced after getting my bike was stopping - both controlled and short stops. I did it over and over until I felt comfortable doing it on the road. Now I have no problem stopping for traffic lights, stop signs, and idiots drivers when necessary.

You'll practice and come up with a variation that works for you. We're short, we've been inventing ways to deal with the height issue for years!

[Lychee]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Yes, there is a skill to do that.

Right before you stop, turn the bars to the right a lil bit and the bike will fall to the left. Your body weight can affect this too, so it's not a 100% thing. You can get the feel for it pretty easy though.

This worked for me when I first started riding on the GSXR. The front wheel kind of trips over itself.

Definitely practice switching feet. Push down on your ground foot and give yourself some momentum to rotate over the top, then put your other foot down and land on it. Practice generates confidence.

[This Girl Rides]

I ride at stock height, i'm 5'3".

I'm up on the balls of my feet but I feel stable enough to control my bike, main thing is finding your comfort zone. Maybe some nice riding boots with a thick sole could help?

[NevadaWolf]

I'm 5'4" which is on the tall side of short. So, you can see @rasta, It just takes patience with yourself and practice with the bike to manage our little Ninjettes when you're short.

When you go to test the CL bikes, since you don't have much/any riding experience (?), try duck walking it lightly up and down the street to get the feel for the bikes balance, then switch to easy and slow rides with your feet up. That's what I did when I test rode before buying mine. Just a few laps of the street to make sure the newgen style still fit me and I could maneuver easily.

[Lychee]

Dang... 5 short girls telling the OP to man up.... Yep. There are a few femme fetales on this site.

[Aggrotech]

just adjust your ass ever so slightly to whichever side you're comfortable with before you stop. that'll give you that extra lttle inch you need to not tip over.

example ur coming to a light and ur comfortable with ur left foot down..before you stop simply adjust ur ass an inch or 2 to the left before making the stop. should definitely help.

[Driddle]

Originally Posted by LNasty

Guess I take for granted being able to flat foot both feet on any bike (with room to spare).

+1
Thank god (or genetics) for being almost 6'3, so I can flat foot with my knees bent.

[rasta]

Originally Posted by Lychee

Dang... 5 short girls telling the OP to man up.... Yep. There are a few femme fetales on this site.

So I just test rode the Ninja, and we can all calm down now lol. Starting and stopping was really no trouble at all. I just had a mental block thinking I might stall it than be screwed if I couldn't flat foot. But it turns out, it wasn't a problem.

[Driddle]

Originally Posted by rasta

So I just test rode the Ninja, and we can all calm down now lol. Starting and stopping was really no trouble at all. I just had a mental block thinking I might stall it than be screwed if I couldn't flat foot. But it turns out, it wasn't a problem.

Well look at that! There was no need to worry at all

[NevadaWolf]

Originally Posted by Lychee

Dang... 5 short girls telling the OP to man up.... Yep. There are a few femme fetales on this site.

Naw, just five short gals offering advice on how we've made it work and what you need to do different if you've got the legs of a Pomeranian. No manning up needed or intended, just experiences being shared.

Originally Posted by rasta

So I just test rode the Ninja, and we can all calm down now lol. Starting and stopping was really no trouble at all. I just had a mental block thinking I might stall it than be screwed if I couldn't flat foot. But it turns out, it wasn't a problem.

Yay! Congrats on the purchase!! Mental blocks suck and life is epic once experience teaches you they were only holding you back. Can't wait to see pictures!

[LittleRedNinjette]

Nice! good luck!

On a side not, a riders overall height don't necessarily = the stand-over height. another chick that's 5'1" may still have a taller stand-over and not have to lower the bike like i did.
Lowering a bike to make it rideable is not a "bad" thing. Its still working with what you got. Unfortunately i was not blessed with long legs. I'm stubby all around!

[funky_beatz]

I am 5' with an inseam of 27" - when I stop, I shift my but to the left & put that foot down while i cover my rear brake with my right. Keeping my right foot on the rear brake was drilled into us at the MSF beginner coarse (as we were always told to stay in gear at stops and lights & keep that foot on the brake).
As for "backing up" the bike, I will either shift myself to one side of the seat so I can touch the ground better and push it back OR if not, I have no qualms about getting off and walking the bike back then getting back on.
At first I would feel a bit embarrassed, (being so short I had to get off the bike to back it up) but the more I ride, the more fun I have and the less I care what others have to say (if its negative)

[adouglas]

When you're out on the road make sure you pay attention to where your foot is going to wind up. Since you're not firmly planted on the ground a slip is more likely to cause a tip over.

Watch for broken pavement, sand, gravel etc.

Also, use the crown of the road to your advantage. Put your foot down on the uphill side (left side if on the road, but in a parking lot it can be either side).

I rode with a forum member who shall remain nameless a couple of months ago and he dropped his near-new Ninja 1000 with his GF on the back because we'd pulled into a sloped parking area and he put his downhill foot down.

As a side note, if you plan on changing the ergos of your bike (clip ons/rearsets) you'll find that rearsets help with your reach to the ground. The stock pegs force you to put your leg out farther. With the peg moved back you can put your leg in front of it.

Not that any of this is worth fussing over. I've heard it said many many times that you don't need to get your feet firmly on the ground… always from people who don't know what it's like to not be able to.

PS: I'm 5'7" with a 30" inseam, which puts me in questionable territory for larger sport bikes. Yamahas are out of the question for me. Hondas marginal. Suzukis fit me like a glove.

[LittleRedNinjette]

Originally Posted by adouglas

As a side note, if you plan on changing the ergos of your bike (clip ons/rearsets) you'll find that rearsets help with your reach to the ground. The stock pegs force you to put your leg out farther. With the peg moved back you can put your leg in front of it.

Hmm, i think i have to try this.....

[Rogue]

Originally Posted by LittleRedNinjette

Hmm, i think i have to try this.....

I was just thinking the same thing. I'm going to have someone hold in my pegs and see how much it helps. If it improves my reach, I'll definitely be investing in a pair of rearsets.