[mrconfident]

Hi guys,

I was wondering what the correct stance should be on your bike when held upright, should you be on your tippy toes if you're short or should you be flat footed?

I have a 2008 R1 that I believe might be a little bit too high for me and I would like to drop it. Can someone show me how this is done correctly or point me in the right direction?

Thank you everyone!

 

[Jboat]

I'd shave the seat if I was you...

Do a search for a how to. It's as simple as removing the staples under the seat and using a hacksaw blade on the foam...

Lowering links (dogbones) is what is used to lower the rear. The front can be lowered by raising the fork tubes in the triples.

Be aware that lowering the bike affects the handling and ground clearance. Do so at your own risk. You can turn a sweet handling machine into a tank slapper if you're not careful...

IMHO lowering the bike is not a good idea unless you plan to drag race...

 

[mrconfident]

Yeah I was afraid of hearing that....But I mean...I'm a pretty short guy, I'm 5'6 maybe 5'7 and I'm on my tip toes when I stand the bike up right....I just don't feel very comfortable with this....What would be the correct stance for someone my height? Flat foot or tip toes?

 

[Paytheon]

If shaving the seat doesn't work, or is something you don't want to do, you will need to get lowering links.

 

[Jboat]

Yeah I was afraid of hearing that....But I mean...I'm a pretty short guy, I'm 5'6 maybe 5'7 and I'm on my tip toes when I stand the bike up right....I just don't feel very comfortable with this....What would be the correct stance for someone my height? Flat foot or tip toes?

I know people who are shorter than you who have no problems with the height of a sportbike. You should be fine by just tippy toeing at stops or lean to one side and flatfoot. Most people only put one foot down at stops anyways...

 

[mad271r1]

Yeah I was afraid of hearing that....But I mean...I'm a pretty short guy, I'm 5'6 maybe 5'7 and I'm on my tip toes when I stand the bike up right....I just don't feel very comfortable with this....What would be the correct stance for someone my height? Flat foot or tip toes?

im 5'7 with an 04 r1 and im running a 190/60 rear and im doing fine!!!

 

[franikk]

I am 5'8" with a 30" inseam and depending what shoes I am wearing sometimes just my hel is off the deck. In your case, you should be fine with your heal off the ground.

This is just one of the things you have to deal with riding a SB. If you really tip toe then I would lower it, but I would avoid it if you can. When you lower any bike you will change the handling characteristics. Depending on how you ride will determine what you will get out of it. The bike is meant to be at a certain height for optimal handling.

Shaving the seat is a good idea and isn't hard to do. All you need is a hack-saw blade and a staple gun.

On a side note, wearing loose fitting jeans will make the stance better as well. I say this because I know an ex-mullet head who thought that is was still cool to wear tapered jeans and his junk looking like a camel toe. He was always complaining that he couldn't move around the tank to monkey-fack the seat trying to lean off the bike.

** As long as you can have positive control of the bike at all times, your height won't matter. If you want comfort look at getting a different bike.

 

[RomeoOne07]

if im using my Oxtar LCS im predominantly off my heels when stopped at lights with both feet on the ground. im 5'8", i noticed since i got my xmas present boots by M2R (they look almost like Teknic Freestyle boots) that i got positive contact on the ground with one leg and about half inch raised heel if i got both feet down. me i wouldn't mess with the height so much. probably try a different pair of boots to use if you ride your bike daily like i do.

 

[JohnnyMono]

hack saw...

:sneaky

 

[mad271r1]

if im using my Oxtar LCS im predominantly off my heels when stopped at lights with both feet on the ground. im 5'8", i noticed since i got my xmas present boots by M2R (they look almost like Teknic Freestyle boots) that i got positive contact on the ground with one leg and about half inch raised heel if i got both feet down. me i wouldn't mess with the height so much. probably try a different pair of boots to use if you ride your bike daily like i do.

:rant HEY santa hasnt came yet wtf!!!!!!

 

[BLUE99]

You could learn to left foot it like I did. This way your right is always on the rear brake so hopefully cagers will see you better at lights.

 

[mrconfident]

Hm...I will take you guys advice and not lower the bike. I only wanted to lower it because I would feel more comfortable backing the bike out that way. It's a little hard for me to balance backing the bike out when its only the tip toes on the ground. Sometimes when you're by just a small incline *I mean small*, not having much force on the ground makes the bike so much heavier...

I will look into hacking away at the foam...

Thanks guys appreciate the help.

 

[R1STEVEN]

Yeah I was afraid of hearing that....But I mean...I'm a pretty short guy, I'm 5'6 maybe 5'7 and I'm on my tip toes when I stand the bike up right....I just don't feel very comfortable with this....What would be the correct stance for someone my height? Flat foot or tip toes?

LOL IM SHORTER THAN YOU AND I LEFT THE BIKE AS IS

 

[R1STEVEN]

I am 5'8" with a 30" inseam and depending what shoes I am wearing sometimes just my hel is off the deck. In your case, you should be fine with your heal off the ground.

This is just one of the things you have to deal with riding a SB. If you really tip toe then I would lower it, but I would avoid it if you can. When you lower any bike you will change the handling characteristics. Depending on how you ride will determine what you will get out of it. The bike is meant to be at a certain height for optimal handling.

Shaving the seat is a good idea and isn't hard to do. All you need is a hack-saw blade and a staple gun.

On a side note, wearing loose fitting jeans will make the stance better as well. I say this because I know an ex-mullet head who thought that is was still cool to wear tapered jeans and his junk looking like a camel toe. He was always complaining that he couldn't move around the tank to monkey-fack the seat trying to lean off the bike.

** As long as you can have positive control of the bike at all times, your height won't matter. If you want comfort look at getting a different bike.

:stpd:
IM 5'4" AND I LEFT IT ALONE
ONCE YOU MESS AROUND WITH THAT, THE BIKE WONT HANDEL LIKE IT SHOULD AND IT WILL MOST LIKELY FEEL LIKE SH!T.

 

[R1STEVEN]

Hm...I will take you guys advice and not lower the bike. I only wanted to lower it because I would feel more comfortable backing the bike out that way. It's a little hard for me to balance backing the bike out when its only the tip toes on the ground. Sometimes when you're by just a small incline *I mean small*, not having much force on the ground makes the bike so much heavier...

I will look into hacking away at the foam...

Thanks guys appreciate the help.

I WOULDNT EVEN MESS WIT THE FOAM EITHER
THEN YOUR ASS ISNT GOING TO BE COMFY FOR THEM LONG RIDES.
IVE GOTTEN USE TO THE TIP TOE THING SO MY LEGS CALVES EVERYTHING EVEN MY TOES HAVE GOTTEN STRONGER
SO IM USE TO IT NOW

 

[1longR1]

get fully adjustable lowering links.. that way u can lower front and rear same and keep same rake/trail. u will just loose some ground clearance. if ur not roadracing... and just street riding..well do what makes u comfortable. properly setup u wont know difference other than u can touch.. but u have to get fully adjustable link and not just 2 or 3 hole link. it will lower it too far. i come from riding lowered bikes, not sure how many people that say its handles like truck have every ridden lowered bike. yes stock one will handle better.. but once u get used to bikes characterists.. u wont know difference. but its up to u what u want to do. if u do lower it, u dont need to blast into every corner u come to without knowing what bike will do and whats going to touch if ur leaned over far enuff.

 

[RomeoOne07]

:rant HEY santa hasnt came yet wtf!!!!!!

haha sucks to be you. i got mine early plus xmas starts early where im from. :sneaky