Bike sizing

OCRacing
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6/21/2013
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Alexandria, VA, USA
OCRacing
Edited Date/Time 1/18/2014 10:34am
Long time lurker, first time poster. I'm by no means a new rider, but have always had one question that I'm hoping someone with some insight, not just an opinion could answer for me. Why do dirtbikes only come in one frame size? Do the manufacturers really believe that someone 5'7" and someone 6'2" ride the same size bikes? Shouldn't they be taking another cue from the bicycle industry (SFF and SFF Air forks) that they should offer the same bike in a few different sizes? If they truly believe you only need one size bike, should we be taking anything they say about ergonomics seriously?
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TX24
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San Antonio, TX, USA
TX24 1/18/2014 9:41am
1/18/2014 9:41am
I believe it is probably two main reasons. One is money, I'm sure it is cheaper to make more frames all the same then different ones.
Two is many of the important parts are designed with the frame to make the package handle a certain way.
The speed a mc is used makes the package very important.
There are more aftermarkets parts than ever for making a bike fit a rider. Bars, bar risers, seats, foot pegs, longer shifters, ect.
OCRacing
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6/21/2013
Location
Alexandria, VA, USA
OCRacing 1/18/2014 10:34am
1/18/2014 10:34am
Understandable, especially the money part. It just seems to me that the body mechanics of how different sized riders are positioned over the bike would cause it to react differently in various situations and the engineers at the manufacturers would address that fact. Kawasaki, I believe, put adjustable footpegs on some models, so they seem to know there is some issue with fit. At 5'6" with a 28" inseam, even with seatfoam cut down I can't sit on a 250F and put it in gear, I have to ride a supermini with beefed up suspension, taller seats, and hi-rise bars just to get it to almost fit. When I raced I would be giving up 25cc's to my competitors on a 2-stroke and 100cc's on a 4-stroke. My small size is what makes me so sensitive to this obviously, but I feel that larger riders must run into the same thing with bikes feeling too short from pegs to bars and/or pegs to seat. #shortpeopleproblems

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