why so tall?

[sooner]

i bought an fz6 3 months ago and i went to look at an fjr last week, and i was surprised to find that i could barely touch the ground- i'm 5'7" with an

equally short inseam. so- why so tall? are sport bikes and sport tourers built tall so they have better ground clearance? and are they the same height in

other countries where people are shorter? and finally, are short people only supposed to ride cruisers?

sooner

 

[Windjammer]

are sport bikes and sport tourers built tall so they have better ground clearance?

Yes, this is generally true.

are they the same height in other countries where people are shorter?

For the most part, yes, each model will be very close to the same height in all parts of the world.

and finally, are short people only supposed to ride cruisers?

You said it, not me!! :yahoo: OK, seriously, if you want a sportier model, choose one that has an extensive aftermarket and a good forum with other short people on it. Then you can lower/modify the bike to suit your needs (hint, hint)

 

[Knifemaker]

are they the same height in other countries where people are shorter? .........

Wow, never knew that folks in other countries were shorter than us americans. Perhaps that is why we are so obseessed with the size of things here and like everything so freaking big.

Bikes, much like chairs or toilet seats, are built to follow function and then fit, that fit being whatever the makers deem as "average" .

If you are taller or shorter than that average you should know that you will spend your life trying to adjust to it best you can.

If short, you can lower bikes, add height to chairs and buy lower toilets.

Cruisers are not built for short people. They just happen to have low seat heights as part of the design.

I think they are built for those who wish to learn how to ride before they buy a proper motorcycle like and FJR.

JMHO

KM

 

[sooner]

are they the same height in other countries where people are shorter? .........

Wow, never knew that folks in other countries were shorter than us americans. Perhaps that is why we are so obseessed with the size of things here and like everything so freaking big.

KM

i meant asians... and possibly canadians? j/k.

sooner

 

[Mooseonagoose]

If I had to venture aguess, I'd say that the height is mostly a function of the the bike's overall larger size. Consider that it was designed to carry a load of luggage [often camping gear included] as well as frequently a passenger. Your average sportbike would be hard put to accomodate those demands, much less do so comfortably.

Also, consider this, if you're feeling put-upon by the fact that you have to tippy-toe the FJR at stop signs, ...think about all of us big guys [~6'2'' +up] that just can't get comfy on a sport bike no matter how much we might like to! I feel like the proverbial monkey-f'n-a-football even on the litre-class crotch rockets! In the end, it's much easier to adapt an FJR to fit a shorter rider than vice versa. Count your blessings...

Just a thought, perhaps a lighter but nonetheless tour-worthy bike such as the Honda VFR would suit you better if the Feejer feels too ungainly?

 

[madmike2]

Because it eliminates certain people so the rest of us won't have to deal with their "chip-on-the-shoulder" attitude nor will there be a need for us to spend hours hunched over while in conversation.



:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Silver Penguin]

i bought an fz6 3 months ago and i went to look at an fjr last week, and i was surprised to find that i could barely touch the ground- i'm 5'7" with anequally short inseam. so- why so tall? are sport bikes and sport tourers built tall so they have better ground clearance? and are they the same height in

other countries where people are shorter? and finally, are short people only supposed to ride cruisers?

sooner

It all comes down to how much you want to ride the FJR. I rode a VStar, which was too tall for me to flat foot. I wanted an FJR. Since growing taller than 5'2" (26" inseam) is not an option for me, I had to find a way to make that happen. The FJR was too tall when I got it and is still too big and heavy a bike for me but I've put 26K very enjoyable miles on it in the meantime.

Jill

 

[fjrob1300]

Well now sooner my inseem is 28". Short legged for sure. (and Canadaian) You've got toes for a reason. If you need to the bike can be lowered just over an inch at the front and back. There's a young lady in New Brunswick who comes in at about 5'5" and she manages her lowered bike quite fine. Don't be afraid we have a complete support staff here at the forum. Ask away.

 

[artistonFJR]

You could tape blocks on the bottom of your shoes...

C

 

[MEM]

There's a young lady in New Brunswick who comes in at about 5'5" and she manages her lowered bike quite fine. Don't be afraid we have a complete support staff here at the forum. Ask away.

Hey Rob! IF you're talking about me, I'm 5'4.5" (.75 if I really stretch it out) and like Silver Penguin, I'm lovin' the Feej ! ME

 

[wfooshee]

I think it's just a matter of how much machinery is stuffed under the frame. The bike is tall so you won't have a drive shaft in your crotch getting your ****** caught in the u-joint. Lotsa bikes carry the battery under the seat. Not ours, because there's no room.

 

[wheatonFJR]

I think it's just a matter of how much machinery is stuffed under the frame. The bike is tall so you won't have a drive shaft in your crotch getting your ****** caught in the u-joint. Lotsa bikes carry the battery under the seat. Not ours, because there's no room they forgot about it and stuck it up high.

edit. :lol:

 

[FJRay]

Because it eliminates certain people so the rest of us won't have to deal with their "chip-on-the-shoulder" attitude nor will there be a need for us to spend hours hunched over while in conversation.




:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Good one Mike. I have seen a lot of verticaly challenged folks ride some big bikes so a lot of it must be tecnique. Sure glad I don't have that problem but I would like to overcome the forces of gravity a bit.

 

[RATyrant]

If it makes you feel any better I'm 6'6" and 280 lbs. I have never fit anything off the rack in my life and have plently of dents in my head to boot. No matter how may XXXXs you add to the size it doesn't make it any longer and sooner or later I'm going the end up in jail for squashing the next salesman who suggests it.

I ride an FJR partly because I couldn't even sit on a C14 or BMW without my knees being outside the engine fairing instead of in the cutouts. It was like being in a yoga class. By the time I'm done I'll have forked over close to $2k for ergo improvements includings the tallest risers available and a Russell seat just to make it bearable.

The bottom line is that we live in a world designed for the average, or the lowest common denominator if you are a cynic like me. Those of us far outside the average, in either direction, just have to make do the best we can. Lower it as much as possible, check out the custom seat makers who can recut the front of the seat narrower and so-forth.

Good luck.

 

[PhilMills]

"Tall"? I think your legs need calibrating. Here's my opinion on it:

The FJR is w--i--d--e. An awful lot of your inseam is getting wasted going sideways instead of down on the FJR.

I've got a 32" inseam and with the seat in the high position I can get about 90% of a flat-foot stance. On my F650 (fairly tall dual-sport with aftermarket suspension and a Corbin that made it even taller), my footing was just about the same. The F650's got easily 3 or 4 extra inches in seat height but has a --much-- narrower frame.

 

[ELP_JC]

I don't feel safe not being able to flat-foot on a bike, and fortunately, I can barely do so on sport-tourers like the FJR with my 31" inseam. But other people are okay with the increased risk of dropping a bike due to lack of reach. Or are willing to lower the bike, which I don't, since I ride for the twisties, and most sport-tourers are already somewhat limited in cornering clearance. Another option is to buy boots with a higher heel to increase reach; I'd do that rather than lowering the bike, plus has the benefit that you leave leg room the same. Many options, but there's always a limit. I wouldn't even try an adventure tourer, with its 35"+ reach, period. Good day.

JC

 

[RadioHowie]

Because it eliminates certain people so the rest of us won't have to deal with their "chip-on-the-shoulder" attitude nor will there be a need for us to spend hours hunched over while in conversation.




:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

.....or worry that the proximity of their faces to our groinal area would make us so anxious.

:lol

 

[MotorToad]

IMesHO, touching the ground flatfooted is entirely overrated. (Take this with a grain of salt, with a 34" inseam I don't have an issue with anything but dirt bikes.) Watch Jason DiSalvo on the SuperBike grid, that guy's barely tall enough to reach up and give his wife's ****s a good squeeze and he's able to do standing race starts on a superbike that is (I'm guessing) around 2" higher in the back than a stock R1. When you know you have to stop, get your *** off the side of the seat so you can plant your leg. If you can't control which side the bike is going to lean to, IMO you might want to rethink hobbies. Also, as my dear face-planting brother (and probably two dozen other kind folks here) can tell you, if the bike is leaning uncontrolled to either direction when you're stopped or stopping there's probably not squadoosh you can do about it but pull your groin and/or back while you slightly impede its trip to scrapetown.

As a regular visitor of 29 Dreams, a semifamous motorcycle resort with the infamous deep gravel parking lot, I've seen several guys, mostly cruiser riders, trying to ride through the gravel with their feet close to dragging the ground. They look nervous, uncontrolled, and untalented... because they are. If they do slip there's almost no chance to catch the bike, especially not a 700 lb barge. You can do a lot more for the bike with your feet on the pegs than with them on the ground.

 

[Tenchi]

I laughed when I saw this thread... compared to Aussies, the Americans I have met are on average:

1-2" taller

1-2" slimmer (I live in the PNW and meet a lot of athletic people )

20 dB louder and at least bra size larger ^_^

Back to the topic at hand, I went riding with a 5'6" portly lad on a BMW R12000RT just this Saturday. He literally could not touch the ground on both sides at the same time, even on tip-toes. Didn't make much of an impact though - especially not on the North Cascades Hwy.