honest opinions: lowering a CB1100
- Thread starter misterprofessionality
- Start date
pekingduck
Road warrior
Seat height is only one indicator. As many have said, the shape of the front is equally important, as is the shape of the rear of the tank. The Street Twin is pretty narrow and low at the front.
V-twins like the Ducati Scrambler and SV650 are inherently tall in that area due to the vertical rear cylinder.
V-twins like the Ducati Scrambler and SV650 are inherently tall in that area due to the vertical rear cylinder.
misterprofessionality
Road warrior
Thread starter
that probably explains why she's been so specifically drawn to bonnevilles and other parallel twins like the z400. they're just the right design for her. as far as width, she's well aware of that. we've been looking for things that are especially narrow at the middle, and even checking the aftermarket for flatter side covers in some cases to make it even more narrow.
pekingduck
Road warrior
Looking at the Kawasaki Z400, how can someone of short stature swing a leg over that rear seat?misterprofessionality_imp said:
the Ferret
Road warrior
step on the near side peg when mounting
pekingduck
Road warrior
Yes, of course, but really, you should be able to stand on the ground and swing a leg over it. Bad design, as it's all for looks.The ferret_imp said:
I remember the wonderful 2007 Triumph Tiger 1050s, but even standing on the peg, I couldn't swing a leg over it. Ridiculous design.
the Ferret
Road warrior
LOL, there are a ton of motorcycles I can't mount standing on the ground and swinging a leg over. I'm a short, stubby legged 69 year old with bad knees and I mount a lot of motorcycles by standing on the near peg. Either that or I approach from the low side and do the karate front kick, and hop through over the front portion of the seat. I prefer the standing on the near peg method as there is no chance I'll Bruce Lee my bike over on it's ride side by not kicking high enough with the latter method.
I remember the wonderful 2007 Triumph Tiger 1050s, but even standing on the peg, I couldn't swing a leg over it. Ridiculous design.
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I had a Triumph Tiger 1050 but after a few years and I couldn't throw my leg up like a Dallas cheerleader I tried the stepping on the clutch side peg. That worked for a while but after getting pinned to the ground twice I said this bike is for sale. Might have been my fault but I wont try that again.
[/QUOTE]
I had a Triumph Tiger 1050 but after a few years and I couldn't throw my leg up like a Dallas cheerleader I tried the stepping on the clutch side peg. That worked for a while but after getting pinned to the ground twice I said this bike is for sale. Might have been my fault but I wont try that again.
misterprofessionality
Road warrior
Thread starter
actually i can answer this definitively! she has no problem with it at all. she just bends her knee and it doesn't give her any trouble. the z400 is really one of the bikes that's at the very top of the list, because the sitting position on it is *just barely* too tall in its stock configuration. it remains one of the primary contenders for her replacement bike in the future for that reason. that bike is really really friendly to short riders, compared to some others out there.pekingduck_imp said:
She can manage anything:
the Ferret
Road warrior
Lol I've done that too, but stop signs, traffic lights and stop and go traffic are a real bite with that method.
misterprofessionality
Road warrior
Thread starter
not to mention that method is straight up dangerous and assumes an expert rider and probably requires ABS to be safe. i'd like to see him make an emergency stop with the rear tire locking up with that tomfoolery...he'd be on the pavement.
nah. it's much safer to have good footing.
nah. it's much safer to have good footing.
I read MOST of the responses....You know, there's a limit to what the CB1100 can be for riders and who it can accommodate. Discounting Cormanus' video to the contrary demonstrating what can be overcome by a short statured rider with highly refined bike handling skills your wife is at a significant disadvantage from the git-go with this particular bike due to its 540-560 wet weight and her 5.2 height. Between those two factors it doesn't leave a lot of room for error on inclined driveways, moving the bike at awkward angles in the garage, when putting your foot or feet down and losing traction in unexpected gravel/rocks under you feet, backing bike into a parking spot etc. Any of those occurrences will require immediate and significant upper body strength to rectify the bike wanting to go down once that process starts. You want your wife to enjoy riding and not worry about her safety or the bike every time she gets on or off or while riding it at slow speed. I hope it doesn't come across as 'mansplaining'. I think there are probably more suitable platforms out there to accommodate her. I wouldn't be surprised if some of them provide better performance.
Quite right to discount the video I posted. It was meant for amusement.
I’d seen it before and went to YouTube to track it down. Searching for “short people and motorcycles” threw up a few videos that may be of interest, a couple of them by shorter women. On the only one I watched there was a focus on smaller capacity sport bikes which I suspect is of limited interest to MrsP; however, there were others.
I’d seen it before and went to YouTube to track it down. Searching for “short people and motorcycles” threw up a few videos that may be of interest, a couple of them by shorter women. On the only one I watched there was a focus on smaller capacity sport bikes which I suspect is of limited interest to MrsP; however, there were others.
GoldOxide_imp
Road warrior
I liked the video Cormanus. Prior to your posting, I thought anyone can mount a m/c like a horse - simply set-up and swing da leg - side stand, center stand, or on-the-move.Cormanus_imp said:
As said before, I think the larger issue is managing the top-heavy weight when the static CB leans a bit too far left or right.
- - -
Hmm, maybe I am too tall for the CB. :huh:
Who is the tallest here at the CB1100 Forum? Still have and liking your lump?
Django
Road warrior
Well, I guess the difference is, a horse can maintain its balance actively by itself, no matter how awkward the rider tries to get into the saddle...GoldOxide_imp said:
alprider
Road warrior
or
FLYTYM_imp
Been there
I’ve got a 2014 Standard that I lowered a lot,purely for aesthetics. You basically throw out the window all the engineering that went into the development of the the thing but lowering the bike was in the plans even before I got it. I’m in the process of sending the shocks back because the bike isn’t low enough,the front is stock height. I shortened the side stand and use a small ramp to get the bike on the center stand. My philosophy is,I wouldn’t own something if I couldn’t screw it up. I’d post a picture but like a complete moron I forgot how. There’s a few pictures of my bike floating around here in other threads.
FLYTM, I'm sure we're all keen to see what you did, so have a look at this thread for some help on posting pictures.
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