I'm 5'2", but my legs are very short. As I'm an older rider, I no longer have the strength to hold up a heavy scoot. So I ride a Honda Reflex 250 which is perfect for me. My riding boots do have a heel, but I can flatfoot enough to be safe at stops.

I also have a Honda Silver Wing 600 that I had a Tow Pac trike kit installed on. The Wing, (we call it the Mod Quad) is way too high and too heavy for me to ride without the "training wheels". I would not be able to get a foot down at a stop in time to prevent the scoot from going over and at 550 lbs. dry, there is no way in heck I could ever lift it back up.

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The JOY is in the journey.

Thanks for all the help. I decided to go with the Genuine Buddy 50 with the Low Profile Seat and some Dr. Marten boots that give me an extra inch in height. I can't flat foot, but I feel safe and comfortable on my new scoot!!!

I ordered Seafoam Green and had her delivered last Monday. She's a beauty and I am very happy with my choice! I am signed up for the MSF course and hope to get my license soon, for now I am riding up and down my street to get comfortable.

Thanks again for all the help!!
Angela

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What about this one? I saw it on another forum. Has a seat height under 30":

http://www.bintelli.com/49cc/breeze-49cc

I'm about 5'0" and I recently bought a Vespa GT200. . .yes it's tall seat height it about 32". When I bought it I could not touch the ground at all. However, I really wanted a Vespa and I wanted one that had more power than my previous Yamaha 49cc scooter. Granted the Yamaha was easier for me to handle when I was on the ground, but the Vespa handles SOOOOOO much better when riding. Anyways. I took the GINORMOUS seat that the Vespa came with stock and had a local upholstry guy make it a custom leather seat for me. He lowered it A LOT and even stitched in a super cool skull into the leather. He also pleated the front of the seat for a groovy retro look.

I can now get the balls of my feet both securely on the ground. I am considering also getting some "chunky" boots to add a little more stability. I do sti farther forward when I stop but when I am moving I am able to sit back on the seat comfortably. The Vespas are very, very well balanced and it doesn't take much at all to keep them upright. Just wanted to share my experience for those who want (lets admit) the ultimate style in scooters which is a Vespa. Not everyone is a "Vespa" person but they are desirable and with a few modifications can be something even us "petite" riders can have.

Jamiebug
*Save a life* Be someone's Hero* Be an Organ Donor!

Hi Jamiebug and welcome to the forum.

Looks like you have the problem of being height challenged pretty well whipped. I'm a member of the club also and you seem to have discovered a well kept secret about scooters and motorcycles in that heavier=better handling. Unfortunately it isn't something short riders discover simply because of the height factor being figured into scooter design. I think I read somewhere that the average height for an adult female is something like 5-5 to 5-8. Duh, did I miss that one. Unfortunately, so have the manufacturers and designers because there are very few motorcycles or scooters out there that accommodate a short female rider. If you find one it is so over sized and heavy a small woman will usually shy away from it.

The chunky boots will definitely help you out, and shopping for them is half the fun!

Have fun out there with your Vespa and keep the plastic side up!

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There are two types of people in this world, people who ride scooters and
people who wish they could ride scooters.

Thanks for the welcome I have had fun looking at fun chunky (goth) boots haha, I'll find a pair, my challenge with boots is the same with scooters. . .I have tiny feet (women's size 5) most boots start in a size 6. ugh, so the hunt is on. lol

i'll post some pics of my scooter and my seat when I get to my laptop so ya'll can see the difference it made.

Jamiebug

I realize this topic is older now, but I also know that many shorter riders look for this kind of information across the web. I'm 4'10" and have an inseam of about 26.5." I'm an expert at "not reaching."

My Honda Elite 110 natively has a seat height of 29.1." I couldn't even come close to the balls of my feet touching the floor/ground when I sat on Vespas. I didn't care for the looks of some of the other manufacturers' scooters and ones that I was interested in trying couldn't be found anywhere in my area. I was spoiled because my Honda Rebel motorcycle had a seat height of 27.1, and I was able to lower the shock just a bit and flat foot it with my thicker-soled boots.

Professional auto/motorcycle upholsterers shaved down the Honda Elite's seat for me and installed a gel pad to compensate for the lessened comfort due to the lost foam. I used boots with soles that were about an inch thick that I have since replaced with similar. All that plus putting over 500 miles on it now have made for a comfortable and familiar ride. I still move forward a bit when I stop just because I can flat foot from there and I was used to that from my Rebel. Otherwise, I have the majority of the balls of my feet touching the ground now. I am of the mind that both feet planted firmly on the ground feels and seems safer in a variety of ways. Period.

Petite women can seldom do things/wear things/ride things etc. the way that everyone else can without some type of modifications or compensatory measures. It sure does get frustrating at times!

I got Buddy 150 cc and in June got LoPro seat. I am barely 5'1" and the seat is much more comfortable and I can flat foot now. For colder weather I have Harley boots which provide slight "elevation". For summer I have sneakers looking riding shoes which do not increase my height so LoPro seat works great for me.

As far as the boots, I found some that aren't really "platform" but do have a thicker sole than some. They are the Siren style, lug sole, motorcycle boots by Xelement on Leatherup.com. I get lots of complements on them. They were only $75 after doing tons of searching and only finding decent ones over $150. I really like the added sole thickness and can comfortably have the balls of my feet on the pavement (still not flat footed) at stops. It's never been a problem now with these new boots, even with a 300+ lb. scooter.

I know this conversation is old, but my partner just found this really cool website where you can put in your height and inseam, and pick different bikes, and it will show you how you fit, both with your feet on the ground and your feet on the pegs:

http://cycle-ergo.com/

They don't have every single scooter, but maybe it will be helpful to some of you in the future to help narrow down your choices!