Lets hear from some short guys with russell seats

[eddie]

Im about ready to pull the trigger on a Day Long seat but wanted to hear from some guys that are short like me. Im 5'5'' with a 30'' inseam. Im a used to being short. So I dont have a problem with bikes being too tall. How do you guys like the day long being a shorted person? I called them yesterday and asked some questions. I have tried several seats and I am not happy with any of them. I really want to be happy with a Russell. Thinking about going leather seat area and vinyl sides. Could do full leather though. I know this subject has been beat to death but just wanted some opinions before I spend the big money.

Thanks

ed

 

[happyPuppy]

I have a 30" inseam. The FJR I think is 31.5" stock , they can make you a lower seat and I can flat foot mine.

 

[crankshaft]

I just ordered mine. Prod Date Dec 14. My inseam is 29" . It's a challenge but I've gotten used to it. I've butt tested a Russell already and it did put me on my toes a little more than usual. However, the seat wasn't built for me. I'm assuming that since they ask for inseam measurements they take that into account when building mine. Otherwise, why would they ask? The butt test is what sold me and my pillion on the Russell.

 

[rickcorwn]

5'6" 30" inseam, my Russell does raise me up a bit but that actually made the ergos more comfy for me, less bend in the knees. Tip toes is all that reach the ground so the only way for me to move my bike is with the motor, gravity or get off and push it. The FJR is real good at slow speed stuff for it size and wieght. Besides touching the ground is over rated.

 

[Jon]

I have a 29" inseam and found the FJR too tall for my comfort level. I tried an aftermarket seat but was not pleased. So I modified the original seat pan, lowering it almost an inch. This mod did not touch the foam, leaving it stock. I removed the seat height adjusting bracket, replaced the rubber feet with shorter ones and then took my die grinder to the seat stands, grinding them down. To give you an idea of how much it is lowered, the small bolts that hold the trim to the tank are now visible.

I have a .pdf on the changes if you'd like to see it.

 

[eddie]

Yeah like I said. Im used to being short. I dont mind the stock height of the stock seat. I just wondered how much worse it is with the wings. I dont mind sliding forward on the seat to reach. I like to set pretty close to the tank anyway.

ed

 

[saltywheels]

5'07" / 30" inseam. Tried out Russel & didn't care for the elevation. Gotta one bad knee & another hip implant. Who says touching flat footed is overrated. Dropped a Concours in the drive way & inherited a hip implant. Went back to the stock oem & now put abt 900 mls a month commuting + abt another 5-6k / year mls for fun. The butt is doing fine thank you. But I find the Heli risers helped a ton towards a comfortable ride

 

[Bustanut joker]

Jus checkin' in to see who's wiener was shorter than mine..

Ah fer crissakes! Fricken wrong forum again..

Damn! Wonder what their thinkin' over at the **** forum... "What to do about the Gerbil colony in my exhaust".. :blink:

:jester:

 

[Grumpy]

5' 10" and with old age shrinkage now a 29 1/2" inseam. I couldn't be happier with the Russell Daylong. While I don't flat foot, I do have most of the sole of both feet on the ground.

 

[n1acguy]

5'5" 29" inseam. I did lower my bike with the Kouba links and raised the fork tubes 1/2".

I never lowered bikes with the same seat height before, but the FJR just felt too top heavy. If I never had to go in a gravel parking lot, I would have left it alone, but putting your feet out when coming to a stop in gravel is a little unsettling when the ground you can touch starts rolling.

I should get my Russel by the middle of Dec. I'll post back once I test it.

 

[twizted1]

5'7" with a 30" inseam...riding on a day-long set up for a guy 5'10", it makes the reach to the ground a bit farther, but I'm sitting on the thing much more than I'm reaching for the ground. I just tripod it like I do all of my other bikes.

 

[fastpappy]

5'5" 29" inseam. I did lower my bike with the Kouba links and raised the fork tubes 1/2".I never lowered bikes with the same seat height before, but the FJR just felt too top heavy. If I never had to go in a gravel parking lot, I would have left it alone, but putting your feet out when coming to a stop in gravel is a little unsettling when the ground you can touch starts rolling.

I should get my Russel by the middle of Dec. I'll post back once I test it.

I'm 5'6" 29" inseam. I installed a Corbin seat which was a marginal improvement but still looking for more I picked up a set of Kouba Links which havn't isnalled yet. I was planning pretty much the same setup as you 7/8" link 1/2" forks and I was wondering how you like the setup?? Does it affect the handling ?? I understand the Center Stand is a bear with this setup. :huh: I'd be greateful for some feedback.

 

[n1acguy]

5'5" 29" inseam. I did lower my bike with the Kouba links and raised the fork tubes 1/2".I never lowered bikes with the same seat height before, but the FJR just felt too top heavy. If I never had to go in a gravel parking lot, I would have left it alone, but putting your feet out when coming to a stop in gravel is a little unsettling when the ground you can touch starts rolling.

I should get my Russel by the middle of Dec. I'll post back once I test it.

I'm 5'6" 29" inseam. I installed a Corbin seat which was a marginal improvement but still looking for more I picked up a set of Kouba Links which havn't isnalled yet. I was planning pretty much the same setup as you 7/8" link 1/2" forks and I was wondering how you like the setup?? Does it affect the handling ?? I understand the Center Stand is a bear with this setup. :huh: I'd be greateful for some feedback.

The longer links act like a pry bar on the rear spring. Might be an issue if you ride two up. I kept my rear spring setting on 'soft' and increased the rebound damping on the front and rear. This mostly negated any negative affects of longer links, and I ride the bike fairly briskly in the twisty stuff. I've never scraped anything.

I ground the stop on the side stand slightly to give the bike a better lean angle. Yes, the center stand is a bear. I have to roll the rear tire onto a 2x4, so I only put it on the center stand at home when doing service. I still have to be a little careful of the ground slope when parking with the center stand. There is another thread where one of the master fabricators on the board ( I forget his name) offered to shorten and re-powder coat center stands. I might try to find an extra center stand to send him so I can keep everything reversible.

I don't regret lowering the bike, and it's all easily returned to stock.

 

[fastpappy]

Thanks for the input, sounds like a plan, now with the weather so sketchy do I wrench or ride?? :blink: I think I'll have to get in as much seat time as I can and wait for winter to do the mods.

 

[dustyrains]

I am tall with short legs. 'Bout the same inseam as you. I can get both feet kinda flat on the ground. If I have to back up while seated, I can do it just barely. Mostly at stops I just put one foot down. Doesn't matter though, because I hate monkey butt and would wear Elton John boots to reach the ground if I had to so I could have my Russell.