June 21st, 2010, 05:13 AM | #1 | |
Cat herder
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Shoe lifts as a solution for high seats
As much as I love my 250, my next bike is probably going to be something larger. Seat height is an issue for me. I can deal with a GSXR, but something like an R6 is simply too high. The zx6R is marginal. The 250R fits me perfectly when wearing normal (relatively thin-soled) boots.
Please, none of this "just get used to it... there is no problem" stuff. I have a sloped driveway that requires me to back the bike up while sitting on it. Just accept the fact that some of us are short enough that we need to get a good chunk of our feet down. Personally I think lowering kits are not the best solution for a variety of reasons. So I've been looking at places that modify shoes and boots for orthopedic reasons. What they do is remove the outer sole, put a tapered layer of rubber in between the outer sole and the boot, and reassemble. It's not that expensive (cheaper than lowering the bike) and increases your effective leg length. Apparently a lot of people do this. Here's an email from one place, American Heelers http://www.orthopedicshoelift.com/ in response to a question about raising boots with wraparound soles: Quote:
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June 21st, 2010, 05:29 AM | #2 |
IC2(SW)
Name: Kerry
Location: Pensacola
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Dude in our shop is like 5ft tall, he rides a cbr1000rr. I was watching him on the way home the other day, he just leans over on one foot. Seems like he has it down pretty good..... think it would suck having big shoes on the pegs/shifter/brake trying to ride. How often on a ride are your feet on the ground anyway???
When he has to back the bike up, he just hops off to get both feet on the ground |
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June 21st, 2010, 05:42 AM | #3 |
ninjette.org member
Name: K
Location: NJ
Join Date: Dec 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Yamaha Fz6R Posts: 119
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Have you considered the ducati monster's. The 696 or 796 it has a low stock seat and you can get it with abs if you want, and it isnt much more then the cbr's. I had to lower my ninja and the ducati fits me perfect, just need to save some money now.
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June 21st, 2010, 06:43 AM | #4 |
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I dunno. I can't get my feet down on the RT, tiptoes on both sides at rest, and yet prefer to ride it with the seat in the high position and keep it there. I can back it up slowly on level ground, but if it is sloped and I find I don't have enough leverage with my toes to move backwards, I just get off and pull the bike back.
Whatever works best for anyone is certainly OK by me, but I don't see how adding even a full inch on the soles of both shoes would allow someone who isn't comfortable backing the bike up, to suddenly being able to. Seems like the priority should be comfort while riding the bike, along with performance capabilities while riding the bike (i.e. not lowering it any more than critically necessary). How the bike feels when we're duckwalking it seems less critical in the scheme of things.
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June 21st, 2010, 08:18 AM | #5 | |
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Quote:
Which part of the OP request to leave that out of it was not clear? I'm looking for discussion about the practicality of this as an alternative to other approaches, not tales of how Bridget the Midget can ride a hypermotard just fine. I have no doubt that there are short people out there who love their tall bikes. Rceezy comes to mind. But I truly believe that the height of those bikes IS an issue for those folks. The average height of an American male is 5'10". I'm 5'7" (barely). I have a 30" inseam. I don't care what anyone says, this is a challenge when trying to deal with many (not all) sportbikes. Here's something I'd like you guys of average or greater height to try. I'm serious here. Put something on your seat to make the reach to the ground similar to what us short folks have to deal with... a rolled up towel, a phone book, a ream of paper, a pillow... anything that forces you to have only your toes in contact with the ground... and try maneuvering the bike around while sitting on it. Back it up an incline. Try rolling it backwards over a half-inch-high pavement irregularity. Come to a stop at an intersection with loose gravel underfoot. See what it's like. You have no idea how frustrating it is to be just a BIT too short to reach something until you've experienced it yourself. You'll find that riding is no problem at all. Moving the bike around when you're NOT riding is the issue. It's not a matter of being comfortable not getting my heels down. I've been riding bikes since before most of you were born (1985) and I am comfortable just getting my toes down... IF the road is flat and IF the surface is not loose and IF I don't have to manhandle the bike over pavement irregularities/slopes, etc. This is nothing more or less than a matter of real-world practicality. In the real world we have crowned roads, and gravel, and potholes, and slopes to deal with, and -- trust me on this one -- it's a GREAT BIG PAIN IN THE NECK. All it takes is one zero-speed drop because you had to lean the bike over too far to catch before you could support its weight to make this crystal clear. Regarding comfort on the bike... well, since my legs are between two and four inches shorter than the average American male, I've got plenty of extra room to play with. All I'd be doing is making my leg length closer to what most of you already have. |
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June 21st, 2010, 08:23 AM | #6 | |
Cat herder
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Quote:
I'm trying to broaden my choices, especially in the direction of sportbikes. The Monster is no sportbike. |
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June 21st, 2010, 08:35 AM | #7 | |
Cat herder
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Quote:
I've added gel insoles to them that add another 1/4" to my height. Wearing these makes an R6 feel like my 250 does when I'm wearing my normal riding boots. When I'm in these boots, I actually have close to average leg length. So why don't I just wear these and why the thread? - The aggressively lugged soles make it tough to move my feet around while riding. - The high-profile steel box toes (higher profile than motorcycle boots) make shifting interesting (though it is possible). - I was hoping to start a discussion that other short folks might find useful. |
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June 21st, 2010, 08:44 AM | #8 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Remy
Location: Moncton
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Well if you really want an R6 I'd go with those shoes you need to wear everytime. If it's that much of a big deal why not just go with the gsx-r? They are very similar bikes anyway, like all the 600's.
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June 21st, 2010, 08:55 AM | #9 | |
Cat herder
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I hear you on how similar that class of bikes really is, though. When you read the rags they try to make a big deal out of the differences, but at the level of your average rider (which I most certainly am) I suspect that the differences are minimal. I don't know. I've never ridden one. |
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June 21st, 2010, 09:46 AM | #10 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Greg
Location: Rhode Island
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Andrew,
The CBR I just got is also a bit taller (and heavier). My driveway has a slight grade at the end of it and I do find it a bit tricker to maneuver the bike while sitting on it. Getting off and pushing/pulling hasn't worked great as I have been doing alot of yard work (digging stumps, re-edging flower beds) which have strained my wrists abit. I've been looking for a boot that will give me a bit more height, but most of the riding boots are thin soled compared to work boots. BTW 5'9" here. Scary moment the other day when a shorter friend of mine who rides an 883 low, wanted to sit on my bike. He had major trouble getting off it. I told him to think of it like getting off a 10 speed, lean it to the left, and I held the left side of the bike to keep it from going down. At least he probably won't want to try it now!! |
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June 21st, 2010, 10:07 AM | #11 |
ninjette.org member
Name: SaM
Location: Houston
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NEVER where converse worst shoes ever even for walking (flat bottom) i wore it on my normal bike (cycle) and stopped with my foot the whole thing wore out got a hole in them and let wood in which gave me a splinter.
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June 21st, 2010, 10:11 AM | #12 |
Cat herder
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Yeah, bike weight is a big one. The shorter you are the more you have to lean the bike to the right to support its weight when lowering the kickstand... and the more you lean the bike the more weight you have to support... and the heavier the bike is the quicker that weight goes up with each additional degree of lean...
You can see where this is leading. When you've got short legs, the margin between being able to hold the bike up and having it go down because it's too much to support starts to get very very narrow. This is IMHO why riding dual-purpose bikes and dirt bikes that have super-high seats is no big deal. It's because they weigh a lot less so you can lean them over a fair bit and still hold them up. Try that with something that weighs 500 pounds... |
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June 21st, 2010, 10:53 AM | #13 | |
IC2(SW)
Name: Kerry
Location: Pensacola
Join Date: Nov 2008 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: A lot.
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Quote:
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June 21st, 2010, 11:09 AM | #14 | |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
Name: Greg
Location: Rhode Island
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Quote:
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June 21st, 2010, 12:52 PM | #15 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Tree
Location: Mira Loma, Ca
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try shaveing down the seat for a better fit on the bike
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June 22nd, 2010, 09:07 PM | #16 |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Jessica
Location: Calgary, Canada
Join Date: Jul 2009 Motorcycle(s): '09 Metallic Diablo Black Posts: 298
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Do you intend to move the shifter so that you can get your foot under it with ease? I tried on some Daytona Ladystar boots (sport riding boots with a built-in platform) and found that they were too thick and clumsy to fit underneath the shifter.
I feel your pain. I'm 5'2". The Ninjette is a bit taller than I'd like (can't back it out of my driveway without dangling completely), and I am pretty much doing ballet pointe feet when sitting on a GSXR. For upgrades, I believe the Ninja 650 has a low seat option that brings the seat height very close to the Ninjette's. Not sure if that's something you'd like, but it's an option. |
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June 23rd, 2010, 03:54 AM | #17 | |
Cat herder
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Quote:
I can shift in those big clunky workboots, but it's definitely different. One thing about that service is that the lift is not uniform. They taper the insert so the toe isn't like Frankenstein's boot. |
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June 23rd, 2010, 08:33 AM | #18 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Tin
Location: NJ
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http://www.increasingshoes.com
Here's another solution. They have many different styles. I will probably pick a pair up in the near future. |
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June 23rd, 2010, 08:39 AM | #19 | |
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June 23rd, 2010, 05:44 PM | #20 |
ninjette.org newbie
Name: Lynn
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Here are some links to the Daytona Ladystar boots. They come in a men's version which is the MStar, I think. You have to buy them from the Helimot website: http://www.helimot.com/shopexd.asp?id=73
They're $450! I did consider them but decided against it due to the price. Here are some reviews (of the women's version/men's are the same, only bigger sizes): http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcyc...dy-star-boots/ http://www.motorcycle.com/products/d...oots-3263.html |
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June 23rd, 2010, 06:57 PM | #21 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Scott
Location: DFW TX
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I don't have the short leg problem so I've never had an issue with length. I did buy a pair of Joe Rocket Boots which had a pretty thick sole. While they probably would have been fine for a cruiser, they were a bit clunky for the sport bike. I did find it hard to shift. Ended up returning them. I've been struggling with trying to find some decent boots that would also look good with a pair of Jeans for wearing around after riding (like at work).
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June 24th, 2010, 05:18 AM | #22 | |
Ninja chick
Name: Allyson
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Ninja 650
Quote:
We're going to have to sell it, and don't get me wrong, I LOVE my "Lil' Ninj", but it is a bit disheartening to think that I'll never be able to ride anything with just a little more HP. I feel your pain, Andrew. EVERYTHING you described fits what I feel on taller bikes. Everyone always tells me to just get comfortable, relax, one-side it, blah blah. It is NOT that easy for all of us. Anyway, thanks for the post. It makes me feel like I'm not so alone out there. :-) Ally
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June 24th, 2010, 06:32 AM | #23 | |
Cat herder
Name: Gort
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Quote:
That's nothing more than a shoe lift, and those are cheap. Just get a pair of boots one or two sizes larger than what you normally wear (for the extra room inside), and get a $20 pair of lifts. the boots won't be any clunkier than those worn by someone with larger feet and you'll get the height you need. Here's the insole of the Ladystar boot: And here are some relatively inexpensive lifts that claim to boost your height by two inches. Look pretty much the same to me.... With the right pair of boots this could be a good answer that doesn't interfere with shifting. It's good that we've got options... seat shaving, shoe mods, etc. |
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June 24th, 2010, 08:12 AM | #24 | |
ninjette.org guru
Name: Jessica
Location: Calgary, Canada
Join Date: Jul 2009 Motorcycle(s): '09 Metallic Diablo Black Posts: 298
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Quote:
The stock seat height for the 650 is 790mm. The low seat is "approx 30mm lower and 20mm narrower than the OEM seat", according to the Kawasaki website. That would put it lower than the Ninjette, which has a stock seat height of 775mm. Maybe see if any of your local dealers have a low seat they can stick onto a floor model and see how it feels! You can probably keep that 650. |
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