Tall rider, small bike. Advice needed

[CasualSteve]

I did some searching but could not find much.

I am a tall rider 6'4 and all legs. After about a hour riding my SV650 my legs start to cramp up. So my question is: what are a few things I can do to my bike/ my riding that will help my legs out?

 

[DefyInertia]

I'm 6'3" and find the SV cramped. Sell it and get an FZ6 or something. A big dual sport like a 640 Adventure with tall seat would be good.

 

[Tri750]

You can make a "ride in" appointment at Corbin and have an extra tall seat made. Like 3 to 5 inches taller. It might be ugly, but will allow your legs to unwind.
Heli bars makes replacement handlebars that are higher, wider, and come back to the rider more too. No changing of cables or hyd lines needed. Where there's a will, there's a way.

 

[CasualSteve]

You can make a "ride in" appointment at Corbin and have an extra tall seat made. Like 3 to 5 inches taller. It might be ugly, but will allow your legs to unwind.
Heli bars makes replacement handlebars that are higher, wider, and come back to the rider more too. No changing of cables or hyd lines needed. Where there's a will, there's a way.

If streaching doesn't help I'll try going to Corbin, thanks! I'm fine with where the handlebars are, since I'm so tall I sit upright even with clipons :teeth

Would a set of rearsets help too?

 

[Ironbutt]

Go sit on a BMW off road/road bike.. their made for tall people.

Here's more anecdotal evidence their made for tall people; I can jack the RT's seat up and down..

It comes up to mid chest when I stand next to it with the seat at it's highest setting. I'm 5'6" with a 29" inseam. I'd say any BMW would be about a perfect fit for you.

I did some searching but could not find much.

I am a tall rider 6'4 and all legs. After about a hour riding my SV650 my legs start to cramp up. So my question is: what are a few things I can do to my bike/ my riding that will help my legs out?

 

[CasualSteve]

Money is a factor (aka no bmw) and I just picked up my bike less than two months ago. I would rather a small mod on the bike and keep it rather than hope to get lucky on CL again.

 

[ScottRNelson]

One of the big reasons I never got another Ducati Monster after wrecking mine ten years ago was the cramped legroom. The ST2 replacement bike was quite a bit better in that regard.

My KTM 990 Adventure has even better legroom than the ST2 had. There is a definite difference in how my knees feel after riding 300 miles.

You could always look at cruisers with forward controls.

Take 600-800 mg of Ibuprofin before riding and it will help quite a bit.

 

[CasualSteve]

The dad has a hypermotard, after riding that and going back on my bike, I felt like going from a high end arm chair to a stool. I'll definately try the Ibuprofin Thanks!

 

[Ironbutt]

Money is a factor (aka no bmw) and I just picked up my bike less than two months ago. I would rather a small mod on the bike and keep it rather than hope to get lucky on CL again.

I paid 5500 for mine with 38K? It comes with heated grips and bags and a moving windshield! What do SV's go for? If you do it proper and get heli bars and a seat that's 1k really quick.. then the heated grips and the wind shield.. more $$ see? It's relative.. you're going to spend the $$ anyway.. Get the bike with all that stuff on it and ride instead of worrying about if your makeshift bags are gonna fly off.

That's my logic after 18 years riding everyday, anyway.. And I can hang with the SV's if I put on a hot shoe.. :teeth

 

[bobl]

I made some brackets to lower the pegs on my GSXR out of 3/16 steel. Moved them down a full inch. Total cost less than 10 dollars for 1x5/16 steel, new 8mm bolts, and nylock nuts. You can adjust your shift lever, or may need to move it one spline on the motor. Cheap and easy. You just use the rearset bracket as a guide to drill your new holes. You can also have someone put a 1 inch piece of rebonded foam and a new cover for about 100 dollars.

http://bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=426063

Third frame down.

 

[CasualSteve]

I paid 5500 for mine with 38K? It comes with heated grips and bags and a moving windshield! What do SV's go for? If you do it proper and get heli bars and a seat that's 1k really quick.. then the heated grips and the wind shield.. more $$ see? It's relative.. you're going to spend the $$ anyway.. Get the bike with all that stuff on it and ride instead of worrying about if your makeshift bags are gonna fly off.

That's my logic after 18 years riding everyday, anyway.. And I can hang with the SV's if I put on a hot shoe.. :teeth

Cost of maintence I believe is more on the BMW and who needs bags/ heated grips? Motorcycles are about bearing the elements and not having storage!

 

[CasualSteve]

I made some brackets to lower the pegs on my GSXR out of 3/16 steel. Moved them down a full inch. Total cost less than 10 dollars for 1x5/16 steel, new 8mm bolts, and nylock nuts. You can adjust your shift lever, or may need to move it one spline on the motor. Cheap and easy. You just use the rearset bracket as a guide to drill your new holes. You can also have someone put a 1 inch piece of rebonded foam and a new cover for about 100 dollars.

http://bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=426063

Third frame down.

Would moving the pegs back make a noticable difference?

 

[Tri750]

Can't tell you if bringing the pegs back will help. RE: the seat, you can mock up a tall seat by using a couple bath towels folded up. You really have to "over build" to compensate for compression of the towels but you'll get the idea. Stack up 2-3 towels, maybe tape them together sit on them, take the bike on a short ride. You'll see how those spider legs feel when they are not bound up.

 

[afm199]

Would moving the pegs back make a noticable difference?

It will push your upper body forward and cramp it more. You actually want to go forward with the pegs as counter intuitive as it sounds. Forward lessens the knee angle. Backward increases the knee angle.

 

[CasualSteve]

Ok thanks for all the input guys, guna see if the stock seat I have in a box is taller than the gel one the previous owner had on it. Also I'll see if the towels help thanks again!