Sportsbike for 5 feet beginner?

[SJTrance]

My girlfriend wants to get into riding. She's ridden a cruiser a few years ago, but that doesn't mean much. She's very much a beginner. The only issue is her height. Even with the 250 sportbikes out there like the Ninja 250 and the CBR 250, reaching the ground with both feet will be a difficult thing. I hate lowering bikes, but what other options are out there? She really doesn't want a cruiser but if that's the only way to go, then I guess we'll consider that.

[arcticamt6]

Older style ('07 and older) 250's have a narrower seat than the newer ones. Helps to touch down. Get one of those and shave an inch or two off the seat.

Also, the Buell Blast is pretty low to the ground.

[SamanthaSchou]

Shave/narrow the the seat and learn to one foot the bike. There is really no need to have both feet down.

[acura9927]

Ninja 300 is better for the shorter rider. Its narrower seat creates easier lean angles to one side at stops. Just avoid really sloped hills at lights and it should be OK.

[Nero Diablo]

Does she "have" to have fairings? Ducati monster is pretty low an lot of the retro bikes are pretty compact as well Moto Guzzi V7, Triumph Bonnieville/Thruxton.

[Sequentialshift]

+1 on the monster , they are very low indeed . My friends wife is down around the 4ft9 mark and rides one of those .

[SJTrance]

She actually likes the Monsters a lot. I do too. Hell, I've got a Duc now. I figured that the seat height on the Monster would have been taller than the 250 sportbikes.

[Wayne's Striple]

Most sporting motorcycles have a seat height around 30-32 inches. Most short riders simply lean the bike slightly to one side when coming to a stop, hell ask any high-seat enduro bike rider what they do when sitting on the bike at a stop. I don't know what is the big deal about needing both feet on the ground at a stop, and quite often I just use one foot. The only caution is to beware of sand on pavement when putting the foot down.

[mrphotoman]

If you search a little, you will see that every time someone asks this question they get the same unhelpful answers. "what is the big deal needing 2 feet down" "Dont lower it or you will die/bad handling/etc" and other regurgitated answers that people have read elsewhere and just spew to fit in.

She can do the following:

shave the seat (gain 1/2" to 2") depending on the seat
lower the bike (front and back with a lowering kit/drop front forks) and or get a lowering spring for the shock (hyperpro for example sells front and rear lowering springs)
get motorcycle boots and buy a set of $10 inserts to give her 2" or more
example:

Amazon.com: WSWS 3-Layer Height Increase Taller Insole Shoes Pad Air Cushion for MEN (approximately 2.5 inches)+ WSWS Shoe Shine Cloth: Health & Personal Care

Amazon.com: WSWS 3-Layer Height Increase Taller Insole Shoes Pad Air Cushion for MEN (approximately 2.5 inches)+ WSWS Shoe Shine Cloth: Health & Personal Care

Amazon.com: height increasing insoles

Amazon.com: height increasing insoles

GO to a shoe repair store and have them add height to the sole of the boot
get a slightly lower profile tire (gain about 1/2")