Seat height

[Shaun]

I’ve been for a test ride today at Padgetts in batley, well it didn’t go as planned as the demo bike had the pack on with the taller seat and I could just touch the floor!! I am 5ft 8 with a 32 inch inside leg,so I tried the standard bike in the showroom and it was too tall for me especially as the bike is abit top heavy,I said to salesmen it feels top heavy he replied well they’re 218 kg fully fuelled,I thought they were 205 kg.the T7 is a nice looking bike but it s bigger than I thought it would be and it doesn’t feel light, nice bike but not for me.

[Stephen H]

You can get a lowering link for them and like you say the T7 is a tall bike. I’m 6’2” and I find it tall but easy to manage.  As far as the weight is concerned i find it good and not top heavy like you say. Comparing it to my previous Super Tenere it is narrower and lighter which is fine for me. I test rode the Ktm 790 and found the bike to be a lot lower than the T7 and the riding position was not for me so that’s why I chose the Yamaha. 

[MGG]

@Shaun, ... I am not sure what you are talking about. I am 5'7" and 30-31" inseam and I am quite OK touching the floor with the balls of my feet. Of course the T7 can't be flat footed if you have short legs, but that is not a huge deal as most riders will want to get higher position once they feel more comfortable on the bike.  The T7 I tested was the regular seat, but you could buy the low seat and low suspension until you get you more confident in your abilities. There is no reason to get a lower bike. Since you tried the rally seat, you should at least try the low seat so you will feel the difference, then you will buy the normal seat and enjoy every moment of it. Maybe the suspension had preload all the way up and was too stiff for your weight.

[cabby]

Me thinks you need to man up.

 

I'm 5.9 and owned the xt660z as standard, now that is/was a top heavy bike but I managed. I've also just traded my Africa Twin Adventure Sport in for the T7, which has a 20mm higher seat height and if you think the T7 is top heavy, go ride the AFAS round the Alps and you'll know all about it.

 

When I swapped them over I couldn't believe how much lighter the bike is compared to my Honda, almost to the point it was liek there was nothing there in front of me. 

[Phaedrus]

Shaun, never allow these callous men ruin your day.

Here is your solution. Just need to find the right style, and you'd be all set.

 

[Shaun]

2 hours ago, MGG said:

@Shaun, ... I am not sure what you are talking about. I am 5'7" and 30-31" inseam and I am quite OK touching the floor with the balls of my feet. Of course the T7 can't be flat footed if you have short legs, but that is not a huge deal as most riders will want to get higher position once they feel more comfortable on the bike.  The T7 I tested was the regular seat, but you could buy the low seat and low suspension until you get you more confident in your abilities. There is no reason to get a lower bike. Since you tried the rally seat, you should at least try the low seat so you will feel the difference, then you will buy the normal seat and enjoy every moment of it. Maybe the suspension had preload all the way up and was too stiff for your weight.

 

your right about the suspension not having much give in it, I’ve sat on a Africa twin which had much softer suspension and I could flat foot it.

 

 

 

[Shaun]

2 hours ago, MGG said:

@Shaun, ... I am not sure what you are talking about. I am 5'7" and 30-31" inseam and I am quite OK touching the floor with the balls of my feet. Of course the T7 can't be flat footed if you have short legs, but that is not a huge deal as most riders will want to get higher position once they feel more comfortable on the bike.  The T7 I tested was the regular seat, but you could buy the low seat and low suspension until you get you more confident in your abilities. There is no reason to get a lower bike. Since you tried the rally seat, you should at least try the low seat so you will feel the difference, then you will buy the normal seat and enjoy every moment of it. Maybe the suspension had preload all the way up and was too stiff for your weight.

How much do you weigh?.

[Shaun]

2 hours ago, cabby said:

Me thinks you need to man up.

 

I'm 5.9 and owned the xt660z as standard, now that is/was a top heavy bike but I managed. I've also just traded my Africa Twin Adventure Sport in for the T7, which has a 20mm higher seat height and if you think the T7 is top heavy, go ride the AFAS round the Alps and you'll know all about it.

 

When I swapped them over I couldn't believe how much lighter the bike is compared to my Honda, almost to the point it was liek there was nothing there in front of me. 

I don’t really just want to manage I want to feel confident, I’ve done a lot of off road riding and not being able to touch the floor comfortably will result in the bike being on its side regularly.

[cabby]

If you're riding it off road then I agree, on road shouldn't be an issue. 

[norcal616]

MX boots will at least add a few inches to leg length... we can't really help out much as its a mental thing for you to flat foot a dirt bike...there are solutions available... testing suspension on showroom floor that may not be set to your weight will give wrong impression, people can be tricked into buying a different bike because it felt so plush just sitting on it vs actual riding&setup for you.. best of luck...

Edited November 11, 2019 by norcal616

[Shaun]

I’ve contacted another dealer today who’s ordered a low seat for there tenere 700 demo because quite a few are being put off by the high seat so I’ll go try it when it comes in, I also mentioned that the bike I tried was very stiff not much give in the rear suspension,he said there bike drops when you sit on it much like a Africa twin so fingers crossed this bike will be better.

[Phaedrus]

11 hours ago, norcal616 said:

... we can't really help out much as its a mental thing for you to flat foot a dirt bike...

norcal616 hit it on the head. This is your issue Shaun. You are placing yourself in the almost impossible position of having to flat foot it in order to feel confident on a bike. This approach would limit your range of bikes to very small ones or cruisers. Forget adventure bikes.

 

On the other hand, I suggest you start experimenting with light but tall off road bikes. They are tall simply due to suspension and clearance requirements. You would notice that there is not need to flat foot anything, tip of the foot would suffice. As you gain confidence, the next steps would be try heavier bikes, but with the confidence gained with the off road bikes, it would be a piece of cake.

 

How do I know? My inseam is 30" and in many off road bikes I have to literally move my ass off the seat in order to reach the ground. Good luck mate.

[norcal616]

I even have a 34" inseam and still have to do this when I come to a stop on any full sized(250cc+) dirt or adv bike with one foot down... I'm so used to it, I even do it on my street  bikes even tho I can flat foot the street bikes...

 

Edited November 12, 2019 by norcal616

[Shaun]

1 hour ago, Phaedrus said:

norcal616 hit it on the head. This is your issue Shaun. You are placing yourself in the almost impossible position of having to flat foot it in order to feel confident on a bike. This approach would limit your range of bikes to very small ones or cruisers. Forget adventure bikes.

 

On the other hand, I suggest you start experimenting with light but tall off road bikes. They are tall simply due to suspension and clearance requirements. You would notice that there is not need to flat foot anything, tip of the foot would suffice. As you gain confidence, the next steps would be try heavier bikes, but with the confidence gained with the off road bikes, it would be a piece of cake.

 

How do I know? My inseam is 30" and in many off road bikes I have to literally move my ass off the seat in order to reach the ground. Good luck mate.

You talk like a right twat.

[Bror]

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[MGG]

On 11/11/2019 at 4:11 PM, Shaun said:

How much do you weigh?.

Shaun, ... my weight can't change how you will perceive the bike. Suspension has to be adjusted for both comfort and control since it's a personal thing.

   The bike will have a static SAG when it is vertical without load, and when the rider gets on it should have more SAG. This RIDER SAG should be approx. 30% of the total available travel but I suppose it will depend how you use it and how hard you push the limits.

   The way you "feel" on the bike is as important as proper ride height and sag. Try to wear all the gear you would normally carry and get the dealer to adjust the preload when you sit on it. That way you will have a better feel for the T7 real height, and keep in mind that the height will change with the amount of fuel in the tank, tire wear and what you had for lunch .

Good luck.