Tips for short folks with FJRs

[timk]

Several friends of mine have visited a shoe repair, and added thicker soles to their riding boots.

 

[oldryder]

one trick for backing a big bike (whether you are short or not) not mentioned.

compress the front end and then use the bounce of the forks to help get the bike moving backwards. I have a slight ridge on my garage floor where the door comes down and this trick gets me past that ridge.

Otherwise I did lower my FJR and never regretted it.

 

[MarFJR]

Hey Dennis,

How’s the Corbin working out for you? I have about 500 miles on mine…

I still feel it’s very hard

So far I have had the bike lowered

Added a heli triple clamp riser

Changed the seat to the Corbin

Changed the windshield to a sergeant +3/+4

I may not be the most aggressive rider in the bunch but still find I have enough clearance in the tight corners.

 

[Dennis in NH]

one trick for backing a big bike (whether you are short or not) not mentioned.

compress the front end and then use the bounce of the forks to help get the bike moving backwards. I have a slight ridge on my garage floor where the door comes down and this trick gets me past that ridge.

Otherwise I did lower my FJR and never regretted it.

Interesting -- I'll give that a try sometime. I'm think to get more bounce in a pinch, I could just soften the front rebound damping (since it doesn't require tools) and tighten it back up when it's time to ride again.

Thanks,

Dennis

 

[Dennis in NH]

Hey Dennis,

How’s the Corbin working out for you? I have about 500 miles on mine…

I still feel it’s very hard

So far I have had the bike lowered

Added a heli triple clamp riser

Changed the seat to the Corbin

Changed the windshield to a sergeant +3/+4

I may not be the most aggressive rider in the bunch but still find I have enough clearance in the tight corners.

I got maybe 200 miles on mine -- so far, it's ok. I think it gets better over time.

So far, ...

I think I feel more balanced (maybe because there's more platform for my butt and it keeps me more stable)

My stops seem more refined and getting my foot down requires less effort.

It lowers me a little but not as much as removing all 4 rubber bumpers from the stock seat.

Hanging off the bike feels weird because the seat is a little wider; I've had to adjust but can't hang off as far.

My butt feels nestled nicely on all that leather so it certainly is more comfortable.

I'm considering using it mainly for long trips but we'll see how it goes as it breaks in. I like to hang off and not crazy about the feel of it; but maybe I'll get used to it.

It was a little tough to get installed but I already knew it needed to break in for that too.

I'm not crazy about how it seems to want me to sit back (all the butt foam is towards the back). I can still scoot up towards the tank and don't feel scruched up as much as the stock seat made me feel. Again, I guess we'll see how it goes

I'm not sure it needed to come in that big of a box. I got one in a week (they had one for FJR in stock).

https://gallery.me.com/dperique#100022/IMG_2098

You can really visually tell that you're butt is going to like it:

https://gallery.me.com/dperique#100022/IMG_2099

Regarding lowering, ... I'm considering what Ionbeam mentioned -- to lower the bike and ride and if you scrape, raise it a little until you don't scrape anymore. At this point, this Corbin and other expenses has relegated me to cutting back on expenses (Corbin's aren't cheap). But eating only oatmeal everyday for a week (to save money) is good for you right? ) I've had a few other expenses putting a damper on the farkling -- like kid's braces.

Dennis

 

[Two-Wheeled Tourist]

Hey Dennis,

How's the Corbin working out for you? I have about 500 miles on mine…

I still feel it's very hard

So far I have had the bike lowered

Added a heli triple clamp riser

Changed the seat to the Corbin

Changed the windshield to a sergeant +3/+4

I may not be the most aggressive rider in the bunch but still find I have enough clearance in the tight corners.

I got maybe 200 miles on mine -- so far, it's ok. I think it gets better over time.

So far, ...

I think I feel more balanced (maybe because there's more platform for my butt and it keeps me more stable)

My stops seem more refined and getting my foot down requires less effort.

It lowers me a little but not as much as removing all 4 rubber bumpers from the stock seat.

Hanging off the bike feels weird because the seat is a little wider; I've had to adjust but can't hang off as far.

My butt feels nestled nicely on all that leather so it certainly is more comfortable.

I'm considering using it mainly for long trips but we'll see how it goes as it breaks in. I like to hang off and not crazy about the feel of it; but maybe I'll get used to it.

It was a little tough to get installed but I already knew it needed to break in for that too.

I'm not crazy about how it seems to want me to sit back (all the butt foam is towards the back). I can still scoot up towards the tank and don't feel scruched up as much as the stock seat made me feel. Again, I guess we'll see how it goes

I'm not sure it needed to come in that big of a box. I got one in a week (they had one for FJR in stock).

https://gallery.me.co...100022/IMG_2098

You can really visually tell that you're butt is going to like it:

https://gallery.me.co...100022/IMG_2099

Regarding lowering, ... I'm considering what Ionbeam mentioned -- to lower the bike and ride and if you scrape, raise it a little until you don't scrape anymore. At this point, this Corbin and other expenses has relegated me to cutting back on expenses (Corbin's aren't cheap). But eating only oatmeal everyday for a week (to save money) is good for you right? ) I've had a few other expenses putting a damper on the farkling -- like kid's braces.

Dennis

I'm a little under 5'6" with a 29" inseam. Only adjustments I made for height was a Corbin seat and the Yamaha touring windshield (+4" height, +0.5" width). I've never found a need to flat foot the bike at all, balls of the feet comfortably on the ground when evenly straddled is just enough. If I want a foot flat, I shift my weight a little to the right or left. I've done it so many times that I don't think about it anymore.

You won't feel a Corbin to be "broken in" until you put about 2000-3000 miles on it. I've had mine on for the last 112,000 and it's just like putting on a familiar pair of shoes. Give it some time, it'll feel just right eventually.

 

[MarFJR]

Wow, 2-4k break in.. Should be there around the NERDS ride in Aug. :yahoo:

 

[bucky]

The closer you can get to being able to flat foot, the better. Unfortunately, not always are you stopping or parking on nice a smooth hard surface. Gravel, sand, oil/grease, grass or whatever can really cause your foot to slip, and the smaller your footprint, well you know. And you can't always anticipate or have control of where you are going to park or stop.

Those risks at least double when you are riding two up in my opinion. Short of spending a huge amount on a custom seat to lower my butt, I have done everything I can: kuba links (3/4 inch) with dropping the front 5/8 inch, redone seat by the florida guy (name escapes me) that dropped me 1/4 to 1/2 inch, taking all the 4 rubber things and the other black support thingey off the bottom below the seat (1/2 inch), boots with thick soles and inserts (1/2 inch).

I have a 28 1/2 inch inseam and I can now flatfoot easily with the wife on the back and can with minimal extra effort flatfoot without her. All for about $250 including the boots.

 

[nkavanau]

5'9" 30/31 inseam

I ordered a set of Soupeys lowering links and a set of 1 inch bar riser. They haven't arrived yet, but I decided to take the rubber stoppers (all 8) off from under the seat. WOW!! What a difference. Not flat footing, but since I don't drop my right foot unless I have to it's not a big deal. That little extra makes a noticable difference and feels a lot more secure with the reduced stretch. Maybe I'll take the lowering tray out as well and see if that helps. Maybe not use the lowering links after all. Just have to wait for the rain to stop so I can take it out for a spin and see how it feels in action.

Overall, some excellent tips on lowering the seating positoion. Thanks all.

Next, seat shave..

 

[n1acguy]

Regarding lowering, ... I'm considering what Ionbeam mentioned -- to lower the bike and ride and if you scrape, raise it a little until you don't scrape anymore. At this point, this Corbin and other expenses has relegated me to cutting back on expenses (Corbin's aren't cheap). But eating only oatmeal everyday for a week (to save money) is good for you right? ) I've had a few other expenses putting a damper on the farkling -- like kid's braces.

Dennis

Well, quit wearing kid's braces then :eh-smiley:

Seriously though, I used Kouba links for the rear (7/8" lower), and with both the Heli-bar triple clamp and riser blocks it allows the front fork tubes to be raised in the triple clamp to lower the front the same amount. The stock setup wouldn't allow raising the fork tubes because they would hit the bars. I felt that lowering the front and rear the same amount wouldn't upset the bike's geometry and handling. I haven't noticed any difference in handling, and since I ride solo, no ground clearance issues either. Except speed bumps. I have to granny over those so the header doesn't hit.

I have the Russel Day Long seat that didn't help with seat height, but the comfort is outstanding, so I won't compromise comfort by messing with it.

Biggest problem was shortening the stands, which I did about a year ago and detailed in other threads.

I'm pretty happy with this setup.

 

[beacher]

Less than a year after I go my '08, I decided that I couldn't deal with the stock saddle, so I got a Corbin from one of the guys here, and it helped me reach the ground a little better (I'm 5'7", with probably a 30" inseam), but it still felt pretty hard, so about 6 months later, I traded my stock seat for a Rich Meyer, and man, talk about an improvement! Not only am I still about 3/4" closer to the ground, but man, is this seat comfy! I just can't imagine what the Russell Day-long must feel like, but there's no way that I could deal with being higher than a stock seat! I am a happy camper!