Other "altitude challenged riders?

[WingVetteStrom]

Anyone else out there with similar measurements currently riding a T7?

 

I'm 5'7", 30" inseam.  67 years young.  If so, what challenges are you facing regarding being able to support yourself adequately with your feet.  Anything from a dead stop on pavement to off road conditions.    I'm on a list for a T7 here in WA State and hope to get the call shortly.

 

Obvious solution would be a lower seat, although have heard the OEM lower seat isn't so comfortable.  (Seat Concepts, etc?).  Although any lowered seat is obviously going to lose padding.

 

Other option would be to lower the bike with taller dogbones and lowering the top triple tree, but I really don't want to do this, as I ride in LATAM in the winters (Mexico through South America) for 2-3 months at a time, and really need as much ground clearance as I can get.

 

Anyone with these similar measurements please chime in with your opinion about the feasibility of the bike, your experiences and recommendations.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Edited August 15, 2022 by WingVetteStrom

[norei]

Hallo,

 

I am also 170 cm tall (rather a little less), have the same inside leg length as you, weigh with equipment about 71 kg (66 kg net) and am 75 years old. My Tenere is lowered with original Yamaha parts (bone and seat), and the triple clamp is pushed through maximum (15 mm). I test rode the bike without lowering, and there it was a bit too high for me when stopping; I didn't have a safe feeling.

 

If you need a secure footing even in difficult situations (rough terrain), the bike is still too high for me (and too heavy because of the high center of gravity); but that's not what I bought it for, although it seems to be made just for that: I recently rode a dirt road to a quarry pond, when suddenly a dried-up creek bed crossed the path, about 70 cm deep with steep banks on both sides and about 4 meters wide. With my previous bikes I would have turned back; I took heart, rolled up and accelerated in the bottom and I was already on the other side of the creek bed.

 

The bike is much more manageable than my previous BMW 1150 GS and also my first motorcycle, an Africa Twin RD07. I get along with it so far on normal paths well. But I have not - and will not - yet driven anything where the suspension or ground clearance comes to the limit. Your plans seem to be a bit different.

 

If you lower the bike, you will need a shorter side stand (I have the Camel ADV), otherwise the bike is already often very straight.

 

Good luck

 

Edited August 15, 2022 by norei

[WingVetteStrom]

12 hours ago, norei said:

Hallo,

 

I am also 170 cm tall (rather a little less), have the same inside leg length as you, weigh with equipment about 71 kg (66 kg net) and am 75 years old. My Tenere is lowered with original Yamaha parts (bone and seat), and the triple clamp is pushed through maximum (15 mm). I test rode the bike without lowering, and there it was a bit too high for me when stopping; I didn't have a safe feeling.

 

 

Have you (or anyone else) thought about buying elevator pads for inside your boots?  I tried it and it worked well re: pushing my heel closer to the ground, but they hurt my feet.   Thinking about buying larger boots to accommodate the elevator pads.  Although new boots would cost a lot, I'm willing to do it to feel more comfortable, especially off road.

[Ray Ride4life]

I think the Touratech lifted the bike a bit and i can just reach with my the ball of my feet but i have no problem with that.
Maybe i will even get the rally seat too which is even higher.

[WingVetteStrom]

9 minutes ago, Ray Ride4life said:

I think the Touratech lifted the bike a bit and i can just reach with my the ball of my feet but i have no problem with that.
Maybe i will even get the rally seat too which is even higher.

The Touratech what?

[Ray Ride4life]

1 hour ago, WingVetteStrom said:

The Touratech what?

Sorry, got distracted and forget to type "suspension".

I have the World Travel Edition Extreme set installed and if i remember correct it raises the bike 20mm.

[WingVetteStrom]

2 hours ago, Ray Ride4life said:

Sorry, got distracted and forget to type "suspension".

I have the World Travel Edition Extreme set installed and if i remember correct it raises the bike 20mm.

Don't think you suffer from "the altitude sickness".