[Ammadien]

Hey guys,

Someone linked this site from customfighters.com, I have a 01 gsxr600 streetfighter that I love. Once I saw a fightered tard, and then going through a lot of this site's supermotard pics, I just fell in love with these bikes. Bad, hooligan machines.

So, I have been riding for two years in august, Had a 89 ex500 for about 1000 miles, then sold/gave it to my little brother and bought my 01 600. I'm 5'9", but I have short legs. I think my 600 has about a 31" seat height. And it is fine, I feel very comfortable on that bike. I want to do some off/on road stuff with this bike, mostly riding just on some trails every once and while and then being able to rip it around town and some twisties.

As I'm sure you know, i found in my research that most of these sumo's have pretty tall seat heights, due to longer suspension travel. So is this even going to be possible to find a pseudo comfortable motard out there? The couple I was looking at:

husky sm610
Suzuki Drz400sm
Dr650se
Honda xr650r

Now I went and looked at the local dealer around here and they did have a 08 drz and it looked friggin tall. I realize that they seem tall when you sit on it, but once you're riding it, that really doesn't matter. But i do want something that is decently comfortable.

This kind of puts the dr650 at the top as they offer a short seat, 33 ish inches, which seems like something I could very well deal with.

Thoughts on altering things to make the above bikes more short-guy accessible? Shaving seat? Lowering the bike seems like a bad idea for a machine designed for suspension travel. Any opinions/ideas about getting the seat height a bit lower on the taller bikes would be great.

Site looks great, thanks for reading Here is a couple of pics of my 600:

Nate

 

[tallboy350]

welcome to the site! i like your bike alot

 

[Grim_Smoker]

Welcome!
I too am short, I'm only 5'8" also with short legs, only a 28" or so inseam. I've been riding since I was 5 and have dealt with the whole "tall seat" thing since...On my '00 CR125 I can just barely touch tip toe's with both feet.
The 17's on a supermoto lower the bike a little, but not much. I sat on an 08 Husky 510 recently and was able to get more then tip toe's on the ground, but a little less then the ball of my feet. You can shave the seat down some, and have your dealer lower the bike a little. Lowering it won't affect it much, and unless you, for some reason, plan to be hitting 60' triples, you won't notice it. In addition, as a short person on a dirtbike, you just naturally and get used to, very slightly sliding to one side and planting a foot. For me, I might slide an inch or two to the side, plant myself flat footed, and lean the bike slightly...it's not a huge lean or anything. You get accustomed to it. Don't fret it! It's really not a big deal:thumbup:

 

[Ammadien]

Thanks for the replies fella's. I figured it wouldn't be a big deal, but I didn't want to get one and find out I can't stand riding it lol. Any idea how much lowering you can get away with w/o affecting geometry/ground clearance/travel, or would it be best to have them do it about an inch, then deal? Thanks again!

Nate

 

[Grim_Smoker]

Not sure exactly how much they could lower it. However my local dealer was willing to lower the Husky I sat on a 1/2 inch (same bike I could get more then tip toe's, less then the ball of my feet, on each foot) without a noticeable difference. Between the 17's, a slight lowering, and shaving down your seat, you should be plenty comfortable. You'll find a couple posts on the board about shaving a seat down.

Sit on the bikes if you can to see how it is. Even if you can't flatfoot them, I don't see how that'd make you not enjoy them. Hell even if you can barely tip toe one side, I don't see how that'd make you not like the bike. When you ride it, that's when you'll enjoy it!

Personally I can't stand crotch rockets, all my buddies have them, when I sit on one I feel like I'm straddling a fat chick. I've converted one of my friends, he's about to pick up a DRZ400.

You'll be fine, I promise!:thumbup:

 

[Ammadien]

Got it, thanks for your expertise!

 

[152 Sumo]

Sit on the bikes if you can to see how it is. Even if you can't flatfoot them, I don't see how that'd make you not enjoy them. Hell even if you can barely tip toe one side, I don't see how that'd make you not like the bike. When you ride it, that's when you'll enjoy it!


You'll be fine, I promise!:thumbup:

I have another question regarding this. If you are already an experienced rider, it would probably be easy to overcome the tippy toe thing. What about a beginner. I am 5'8" with short legs (barely 30" inseam). I have almost zero experience. I am interested in the
DRZ400SM, but I am worried about zero experience combined with not being able to put my feet on the ground flat is a bad idea.

Any opinions?

 

[tallboy350]

They do sell lowering links for the drz400. I think it only drops it about 1-2", but that still can make a difference. The other thing you can do is pick up or make the seat into a step seat, and shave the front part down some. Again you'll only pick up 1/2 - 1" but it can still help.

 

[Ammadien]

^ right, cool guys, I guess the search begins.

 

[quackers]

152 sumo has a valid concern. If you are a beginner there are way too many things that you would be having to deal with. Lowering the Bike removes some of tasks to do just to stop. Shorter seat (DRZ - facotry, Corbin), Lowering links (kouba link), sliding the forks up a little, backing off the pre-load a little to get a little more sag, tall boots.

I would recomend not lowering a bike if you are experienced. I am 5'6" with a 27" inseam 170 lb and I ride a unlowered KTM 640 smc and have ridden a unlowered DRZ. The seat height is a non-issue even though I have to lean to one side to reach the ground.

Quack

 

[rowdy]

5' 7" here, welcome to the mini rider sumo club

 

[chrishillwashere]

I'm 5'7" with 29" inseam and ride a stock hight, with stock seat DRZ. I can touch toes on both sides at a light, perfect hight for me. You don't really want to be able to put both feet flat on the ground with bent knees when you are just sitting there.

I love the fighter! Looks sick!

 

[Ammadien]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. Seems my fears were unfounded, thanks again.

Nate

 

[Artyfo1]

I'm a towering 5'2.5" (yes i claim the half inch) and have ridden pleanty of tall bikes. You get used to it. (Make sure it has the majic button and not a kick starter) I'm about to buy a husky 510sm and am dealing with the same issues. It hasn't stopped me before and it won't this time either.

 

[beavisblack]

since when is 5'8 short? hell, the average height
for a Roman was about 5'5'. but i'm not really sure
what my point might be for spewing that factoid.
i do tippy toe at the light on my 4fiddy doe...

 

[mmulisha1022]

When i started racing harescrambles and enduros on a yz80 i had milk crate to stand on at the start when having to do a dead engine start. But either way man a motard sits lower then a dirt version of the bike seeing that it has 17" tires. Im 5'9" and i touch pretty good but i was a small kid up untill about 16 years old and only being able to touch the ground with one foot never stopped me in the woods. (except when i stopped on a high spot) which made for some funny jump offs. But on the street you will do fine!