| Author | Message | ||
     Macbuell |
I'm vertically challenged at only 5'9" but I weigh about 195 in full gear. I currently have my suspension set-up perfectly. The bike handles great, feels planted and smooth through all types of corners on all types of pavement. So what's the problem, you ask? At a stop light I'm standing on the balls of my feet. While this really isn't a big deal since I am used to it after many years of riding, it can be annoying at times. Is there a way I can mod my bike so that I have the same suspension performance and be able to flat foot it at stops. Would buying this Penske shock with Ride Height adjustment help fix this? http://www.americansportbike.com/shoponline/ccp0-p rodshow/9051.html Thanks for the help. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
The Penske is a great shock, and will probably improve your handling. It will not, by itself, deal with your problem of not being able to flat foot on your bike, because if you lower your rear suspension without a lowering your front suspension a corresponding amount, you will drastically affect the handling of your bike, and not in a good way, (the fork angle and trail will be increased and the bike will steer much slower). If you want to lower your bike and keep the handling the way it is, the solution is replace your shock AND forks with a Buell Sg set. This will lower the bike about an inch, and reports are that the handling is not adversely affected. Fitting a Low seat will get you another half inch or so, at the expense of some comfort. Thus the seat height will be reduced from 30.1 t0 28.6 inches according to the Buell web site. Occasionally members are able to trade their stock suspension with some one who has an Sg model, and would like have the standard set up. | ||
| Uawjesse |
Try the low seat from an xb12 cg, also do a search here on badweb about doing a scg suspension swap. Probably expensive but it should get you almost 2in lower to the ground. Xb12r seat height: 30.5 Xb12scg seat height: 28.6 Hope this helps!  | ||
| Uawjesse |
Damn, beat me by a minute!!!! | ||
| Cgocifer |
I'm 5'6" and fitted the low seat to my XB12S. Still barely tippie toe with both feet, but, whatever, every bike I've had has been like that. Just ride it and get some frame pucks in case you fall over.  | ||
| Fullpower |
hey MAC...5 foot 9 is not vertically challenged. Go to a local motocross, and see all the 14 year old boys and girls riding 125 and 250's with 37 inch seat heights. The XB isnt really the ideal platform to build a chopper. | ||
| Macbuell |
Like I said, it's no big deal. Just a minor annoyance. If my only options are as posted in this thread, I'll just deal like I have been for years. I'm used to it now anyways. | ||
| Bake |
Ride any modern dirtbike for a day and your Buell will seem 6" shorter  | ||
| Phantom5oh |
5' 9" is vertically challenged?! Now that's funny!!! Does 5' 5" make me a dwarf? I'm on the balls of my feet with the XB12Scg. Since you have the R model you can't use the Scg seat. Which would only lower the seat height by 1 inch. The suspension lowers the bike another inch giving the Scg almost 2" lower seat. With that said your next easiest option is to swap to the Scg suspension. | ||
| Macbuell |
I'm more like 5'8 1/2". I just round up to 5'9". Most of my friends are over 6 feet so I guess i just feel vertically challenged. Anyway, like I said, I'll just stick with things the way they are. I'm used to being on the balls of my feet at a stop light. | ||
| Roadrailer |
Another option would be to do some custom shaping to your current seat foam, or even replace a section of it with a more supportive foam (which would allow you to do more shaving without losing too much comfort. I did that to the passenger seat of my SV. It was really easy and my wife loved the result. I bought the foam directly from Sargent. FWIW, the average height for American males is 5'9.5". http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/04news/americans .htm | ||
| Midknyte |
5' 9" is vertically challenged?! Now that's funny!!! Does 5' 5" make me a dwarf? nah, u's still biggr than me (tri-poddin at 5'4") | ||
| Old_man |
Overall height is not as relevant as your inseam measurement. Some relatively short people have long legs. I would not be considered short at 5'11" but my 29" inseam means I can't flat foot it on tall bikes. I test rode a Uly the other day - very nice, but I can't get my feet flat on the ground. I could live with it but I would prefer to be able to have my feet flat on the ground. | ||
| Phantom5oh |
nah, u's still biggr than me (tri-poddin at 5'4") Well that's with my riding boots on. So I'm probably closer to 5' 4".  | ||
| Freezerburn |
Mac I'm the same height as you, well I used to be.... but anyhow, I have the 12S and my wife the Scg. For me the Scg seems so small. I really notice the seat to peg distance change and makes the bike feel like I'm in a little go-kart. The suspension change won't affect that, but the seat height change will. I suggest you throw your leg over a Scg and go for a ride before you start changing things. | ||
| Dustybueller |
nah, u's still biggr than me (tri-poddin at 5'4") Well that's with my riding boots on. So I'm probably closer to 5' 4". Knowin you two are shorter then me (I'm 5'6"-ish) makes me stop worryin about doin a tap dance at street lights | ||
| Midknyte |
I worried about it for a time, then just got used to it... | ||
| Buellere |
HA!! I think the 5'9'' guy needs to meet with us real vert challenged guys Im 5'5'' also and there ain't a sportbike in the world Im flat footed on! believe me I got the strongest toes out there. Im thinking this guy has crazy short legs though so I feel you pain. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
you could compress the shocks the old fashion way. beer & pizza. What nature took from me in height, I am making up for in width  5-7 & two fiddy with a 29 inch inseam | ||
| Diablobrian |
Only being able to get one foot down is not so bad. At least you get to choose which foot goes down. I'm stuck with only being able to put my right foot down. It's either that or give up riding, and that just aint gonna happen. | ||
| Macbuell |
I can't believe this thread is still going. It's not really my height that's the problem but the fact that I'm 195 lbs. in full gear and only 5'9". With the suspension set up for that weight, the tail of the bike is elevated by the rear shock. It's no big deal. I've been dealing with it since I bought my first XB in 2003. I just thought that I'd see if there was something that I could do that would be a relatively easy mod to fix it. There isn't so that's that. No big deal. Thanks for the help and the suggestions though. | ||
| Wantxbr |
I might have one more idea for you. Bare with me i'm new to the forums and also new to Buells. But have you tried to lower the triple trees and then get your adjustable rear shock? I noticed on most front ends you can lower the trees atleast and inch if not more, provided you lower the rear aswell. | ||
| Midknyte |
If you want to lower your bike and keep the handling the way it is, the solution is replace your shock AND forks with a Buell Sg set. this is the real answer, and it'll get you about an inch | ||
| Diablobrian |
I did the scg suspension swap on my firebolt. An inch doesn't sound like much, but it feels like a huge freakin' difference. If you can, find a dealership with both an scg and a regular s in stock and compare them. You'll have to factor out about 1/2 inch because of seat differences, but it'll give you the basic idea of how much of a change you'll get. | ||
| No_rice |
more like an inch and a half difference in height with the low seat AND low suspension of an scg since there is now low seat for the firebolt | ||
| Diablobrian |
I hadn't seen a low seat for the 'bolt. Not that I'd give up my Corbin anyway  | ||
| Midknyte |
need link for that seat | ||
| Glitch |
What will I do? I have a 34 inch inseam, and can't seem to find a bike tall enough, my knees are always bent when at a stop. Is there any way I can raise the seat height of my XB9SR?  | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Well, aside from having your legs shortened, there is always the Buell Custom Seat. Not only raises you butt about an inch, but it is a helluva lot more comfortable that the stocker.  Cost about $150, but I got mine on ebay for about one third of that. | ||
| Buell_41 |
Maybe its not the safest practice but with my 28" inseam, I just put my right foot down (flat) and keep my left foot on the peg... makes the shift from N to 1st quicker and doesn't roast my left ankle. PS - I stop and get balanced with both feet then shift over to the one while I wait. Now, backing up... thats still a challege.. rock to one side puuuuush rock back puuuuuush. LOL. | ||
| Cgocifer |
Ha, I do the same thing. I've never been able to flat foot any bike I've ever owned. I usually just put one foot down and keep my right foot on the rear brake so I can relax my hands for a minute. It's what feels natural to me now. One thing that does bug me though is that when I look at a reflection of me in a window, I look like a little kid on the bike, even the quite small XB.  | ||
| Altima02 |
Well I'm only 5-9, but weigh 50 lbs less, so I don't drop the suspension as much as you. But I can easily flat foot my Low model 9S with the select seat. The low seat was even lower. Me and my bike are a perfect match. |
