CB1100 and rider's height

[niko597_imp]

Would like to hear from riders in this forum who are 6 ft or taller. Do you find the CB cramped in the leg room department? Especially on long ride with your knees folded for extended length of time.

 

[rboe]

Height is not quite as important is your inseam. I have a 36" inseam, makes fitting a bike a chore. I can flat foot the XR650L, but for the Griso and CB1100 I ordered dropped foot pegs - huge help. I now have raised custom seats so in theory I could go back to stock pegs; but too lazy to do so. Maybe when I retire.
Ah, I see you are from AZ (welcome by the way!) I'm up in the north Phoenix area, if you would like to meet sometime (let me know on Sunday mornings - except tomorrow - guzzi breakfast) and I can bring the CB to The Grotto in Cave Creek. You can test ride it if you like.

 

[niko597_imp]

Height is not quite as important is your inseam. I have a 36" inseam, makes fitting a bike a chore. I can flat foot the XR650L, but for the Griso and CB1100 I ordered dropped foot pegs - huge help. I now have raised custom seats so in theory I could go back to stock pegs; but too lazy to do so. Maybe when I retire.
Ah, I see you are from AZ (welcome by the way!) I'm up in the north Phoenix area, if you would like to meet sometime (let me know on Sunday mornings - except tomorrow - guzzi breakfast) and I can bring the CB to The Grotto in Cave Creek. You can test ride it if you like.

Thanks so much Rboe for your offer to test ride the CB. I am south of you - Tucson or T-town as they call it. Or else, I'd definitely take you up on the test ride. My last bike was a VFR800 and after about 90 minutes, I wanted to stretch my legs out. My inseam is a typical 33" for a six footer.

 

[emptysea]

6'1" and 34" inseam. 14000 miles of riding my CB1100 and sometimes, but not often, I get a little uncomfortable. I'm looking at highway pegs to give me an alternate position on longer rides. Also looking at putting gel pads under the seat cover to gain some support and maybe a fraction of an inch of seat height. I optes out of lower pegs to avoid any hassle with the brake and shifter. I don't think it's bad as is, though.

 

[rboe]

I've ridden out of Tucson on a bike (bought my Moto Guzzi Griso there), but so far have avoided riding to Tucson. I feel safe in a cage on that road.

Gel pads are avoided in AZ as they absorb heat (and we have way too much of it in the summer) which then cauterize your bits when you sit on it. Not recommended. This extra heat tends to harden the gel so it lasts about a year or so.

 

[emptysea]

Good to know, RBoe. I'll remember that as I look for solutions, although, I'm not desperate for a solution since I don't really feel I have a problem with the leg position. I think I'll start with highway pegs and see if that eliminates the minor discomfort I sometimes feel on long rides. If that doesn't work, then I'd look to raising the seat a bit and if that didn't work, then lower the pegs. At least that's how I would go about changing things.

 

[flynrider]

I've ridden out of Tucson on a bike (bought my Moto Guzzi Griso there), but so far have avoided riding to Tucson. I feel safe in a cage on that road.

Gel pads are avoided in AZ as they absorb heat (and we have way too much of it in the summer) which then cauterize your bits when you sit on it. Not recommended. This extra heat tends to harden the gel so it lasts about a year or so.

Wrong road, Rboe State Route 79 to Tucson is one of my favorite winter rides. Also SR 177/77 from Superior to Tucson.

 

[pechorin75_imp]

I'm 6'1" and about a 31-32" inseam. It feels a bit tight compared to my other bikes, but it's not really troublesome. I ended up putting a '14 DLX seat on my '13, mostly for comfort reasons, and that gained me a little bit of height (maybe an inch). I did find it more comfortable in the leg room department after the switch...and the seat was better as well. FWIW.

 

[rboe]

79 is really out of the way for me (I've been on it a couple times with a car). Otherwise; oh heck yes!

Cheaper to go with lowered pegs first, then a custom seat.

 

[gossman_imp]

6'4" with 33" inseam. I would like a taller seat but since I never ride for longer than an hour at a time I don't feel cramped. I have an artificial hip and I love the riding position on this bike.

 

[BIGGREEK_imp]

6'5" with a 33"inseam
really comfortable, took me a while to find a bike that i liked (and fit on, 300lbs also factors in too ) wish i had a taller seat. Looking to buy highway pegs in the spring. So far, ive ridden it about an hour straight (50ish miles) and not too awfully bad.

 

[CB4ME_imp]

I'm 6'1" with 31" inseam. I added adjustable pegs set about a half inch lower and half inch more forward. I have a K&H high seat and solo seat. The high seat is great for extended rides and the solo seat which is a good half inch lower works fine for several hours in the saddle.

 

[the_undecider_imp]

I am 6'1" with 34" inseam and the stock saddle slid me forward making the pegs more rearset. First, I added the K&H Solo seat which keeps me position aft a little better. The foam is also firmer, so I don't settle in as much. I was going to get the K&H double high saddle, but was afraid I would feel like I was on top of the bike more than in the bike. Lower bars also increase the sensation of being on top of the bike.

Most recently, I added some TSR Sport pegs advertised as 10mm up and 10 mm back. While on paper they should have caused a more cramped position, they actually feel roomier. The stock pegs are so wide compared to these, my boot heels actually fit further down around them. I had to readjust my shifter linkage to lower the shifter some.

For someone well into the 6 foot range or with 34"+ inseam, small changes in seat height and peg positioning can make a world of difference.

 

[ClassicVW_imp]

I'm 6'0" with 33in inseam and have never felt cramped, even after 5 hours in the saddle. Numb butt with the stock seat that I swapped out, but that's a different issue.

Like gossman, I think the riding position is perfect for me. And I am very picky. Almost every bike I sat on at the bike show I had a complaint about this or that. Pegs, bars, reach, height, bike too small, seat too small, etc.

 

[emptysea]

+1 on small changes can make large differences. I'd definitely ride some long rides and see how you feel before doing anything and then, if change is needed, work in small increments.

Still don't think you have much to worry about.

 

[RetroSeattle_imp]

I'm 6'4" with a 34 inch inseam. The CB1100 is quite comfortable, but I have decided to buy the K and H Hi seat from Takashi at Samurider. I've found that even an inch or so in seat height can un-kink my knees. As it is, I have to get off the bike every hour and a half or so while on a long trip to trench my legs.

 

[rboe]

Wow! All you tall guys with short legs! oke:

Looks like around 34" inseam the seat/foot peg geometry gets a bit iffy for people.

I have found the Lamm seat is good for about 6 hours. The Russell Day Long is good for all day. Well named. Stock seat, about 90 minutes. Better than the Griso seat by a country mile, about the same as the 650L seat. Not bad as far as stock seats go. But I met a fellow, tall and lanky, butt of iron, rode his Griso with a stock seat all the way from the Pacific Northwest to Datil New Mexico and thought the stock seat was fine. Oiy!

 

[the Ferret]

That's the funny thing about seats. I rode my 13 and my 14 multiple days in a row, 8 to 9 hours a day, to Kentucky, West Virginia, North Carolina, no problem with either seat yet some guys are crying after 50 miles on the stocker. It's the Goldilocks story. Some think they are too soft, some think they are too hard, and some think they are just right.

 

[LiveToRide_imp]

6'1" 30" inseam - 61 year old knees and my knees do bother me when riding. I got the 23mm adjustable peg lowering kit and it made a big difference but I don't like the positioning of my feet relative to the brake and shifter pedals. I'm thinking of selling my lowering kit and trying some highway pegs or engine guard/peg combo. I have a Corbin seat that is perfect for my derriere. I would get tailbone pain with the stock seat at 40 miles. The Corbin did move me back a bit so I got a set of 7/8" risers. One thing leads to another....

 

[hb9400_imp]

Interesting thread, sorry I'm only 5'8" with a 30" inseam and find the bike to be compact but the height for me is spot on so I can imagine you taller riders feeling cramped. Do any of you own adventure bikes? Being a big fan of the Kawasaki Versys I miss it except for having to deal with feet placement when stopping, something that I just don't think twice about on the CB1100.