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My first bike was a Norton 850 Commando, it was comfortable and I felt very stable on it. After that I was into cruiser styles, - Honda Shadow, Harley Sportster, Harley Wide Glide; all comfortable rides, but the Wide Glide was pretty heavy and I didn't like the balance as well as the others. I recently purchased an '83 r100rt BMW and have found my 'dream bike' . Has a low center of gravity, beautiful lateral balance, and is light for it's 1000cc size, as well as being nimble and fast...I can ride in comfort all day long. Feels a lot like the Norton only better. Tried some sport bikes out and have always felt top heavy and off balance with my feet higher and behind me.
Great information in this video. One thing that worked for me as a woman I was having terrible neck pain and shoulder pain. I thought man I can't change this bike anymore, the seat is lowered, changed the handlebars. I love this bike. A 2012 Harley Davidson Fat Boy. I love it, bright yellow it is me!! But I was in pain within 10 minutes of riding. Everyone said relax, let off on the grips, put smaller grips on. Hmmm, nothing was working, then one day I was remembering what my chiro said, he said its not your bike, it is not your helmet it is your neck!! Ok so how do I fix that, I can't get a new neck. So I thought what if I am leaning too much to see through the windshield or stretching too much to see over the windshield. One site mentioned woman have much weaker necks than men. Ok so we out by hubbies older windshield and it is very high I look right through it instead of over it. Just like that, no neck and shoulder pain!!!!! Yes, I have more bugs but that is easy to stop and clean. The pain is gone and I am in heaven. Thanks for all your tips maybe this one will help some other riders ride with out pain.
Boy (girl) you better thank your doctor as you most likely would have been selling the bike in no time and taken a loss. Glad you found the answer to fix your issue and enjoy your ride!
Thanks Kevin, good site. I have two Harleys...94' Wide Glide and 2003 Ultra Classic. I lowered the Wide Glide by about 1 inch by changing rear shocks. I re-sculpted the foam on both bike seats by removing the seats, peeling back the top material and using a long sharp knife to cut away some of the inner medium density foam to make a better "bucket seat" which conforms to my backside. Then I stapled back the vinyl to the plastic seat base. Lowered about another inch and improved comfort. J K
I was going to trade bikes for a few days with a friend my sv650 for her gsx-r600 in less than 10min of ridding I had a hip pain I’d never felt in my life. Two days later the other hip hurt. I’ll stick with upright seating positions !!
As a new rider, I was looking for a smaller engine size to cut my teeth on. A 250 was a perfect option for me. In that size, EVERYONE said I should get the Honda Rebel. So, I went looking for one. Went to the dealership, found the updated 300 and it looked great, until I sat on it! My big booty did NOT fit on that tiny seat, and within 5 minutes, my fanny was hurting! Next... The V-Star felt a little better, but there was something about it I just didn't like. I was about to leave when the salesman says, "Not sure if you would like this, but we have a Suzuki TU 250. It's taller than the others, but try it." The second my fanny hit the seat, I heard the angels sing! It is designed more like a Cafe Racer, but the seat is wide and very comfortable! The seat height is about 3 inches taller than what I trained on, but I am flat footed on it, and the placement of the pegs, brake, and gear shift are perfect for me. I fell in love and brought her home. I LOVE this bike! Plus, it is fuel injected, has a wide passenger seat that I use for storage bags, and rides like a dream. Added bonus, it was $800 less than the V-Star It don't git no better than that! 😊
Kevin I too am a red motorcycle guy. I would always go red when I have the options. My 04 Goldwing and my 99 VFR or both red. The VFR is called Italian red and the 04 Goldwing is a flare red which is just a tiny shade lighter than the VFR and it's hard to tell them apart in color. My 06 Suzuki it's called anthracite which is a very dark charcoal Pearl paint which is the exact opposite of my favorite red but it was the right bike that I wanted at the time at the price I wanted to pay and although I dislike the color I love the bike dearly. All terrific information on ergonomics that I learned over the years as well. I liked the look of the Suzuki V-Strom when it first came out and when I sat on it, both engine sizes, I could barely get tippy toes on the ground and I was smart enough then at least to know that bike was not for me. The weight of a bike is extremely important. Like a Goldwing and even you know the Honda VFR is a term the original Sport Touring bike but with a 25 L tank full it's a little top-heavy and can easily pull you over if you lose balance. This I did a few times when first getting that bike in 2002 but I fixed all the problems with the scratches and replaced all the Plastics that I screwed up. When I got that VFR the foot pegs and my knee position and riding angle of my back didn't bother me at all it was quite comfortable. As the years rolled on I started to have a little bit of problem with the arms so I put the risers on it which helped. Before the aching in the knees and the hips begin. The first day I had the Goldwing not comfortable with it operation yet, the first dried out I dropped it over trying to make it turn into a parking lot where I was thinking the bike was continuing to turn I would always go read when I have the options. My 04 Goldwing and my 99 vfr are both read. The vrf is called Italian read and the 04 Goldwing is a flare read witch is just a tiny shade lighter than the vfrr and it's hard to tell them part. My 06 Suzuki is called anthracite which is a very dark charcoal parole paint which is the exact opposite of my favorite red but it was the right bike that I wanted at the time at the price I wanted to pay and although I dislike the color I love the bike dearly. All terrific information on bikes. When I got the VFR in 02 it was comfortable and I could ride it for hours and hours and hours. Actually one day I wrote it 14 hours but that almost killed me. As the years have worn on the bike has remained the same but my body has worn and can no longer ride it more than four hours at any given time because of the knee and hip pains as you described. But I love it so much I just can't get rid of it. When I got the Goldwing in 06 my first ride out I wasn't accustomed to the clutch and the feel of the bike and that first ride I pulled into a parking lot and I thought I was turning into a spot and the bike just stopped in the turn and over it went. With fuel in the bike that thing weighs 900 pounds. And not being educated in how to pick up a Goldwing it is freaking heavy and I wrenched my back. But when you're riding it and you can handle it, it rides as sporty as the VFR and it is a dream to spend all day on. So yeah this is all good information that I learned the hard way over the years and I hope that some of the beginning Riders who watch your videos take this information at full value.
Kevin, have you done a video on the different types of motorcycle motors and what they are best used for in your past videos? Such as V-Twins for torque, inlines for speed, boxers for combo of both speed and torque. V4 for great combo also. Across the frame crank shaft vs inline crankshaft motors (inline 4s vs Rocket III or Boxer motors vs Moto Guzzi V-Twin with an inline crank). Inline cranks have a "torque reaction" like the BMW R motors, vs Goldwings that cancel the torque with counter rotation motion parts. Comfort is one thing, but motors make the "feel" of the ride and "purpose" of the ride special.
Kevin, believe me, you are a lot better than I would ever be on a video. Over the years, I have found that a lot of riders have no idea what kind of engine configuration matches their riding style, they just buy what their buddies buy. Age also changes the type of motor that fits you best. Keep up the great work.
When I bought my first bike, it was suggested by the dealer to swing your leg over as many bikes as you can from your shortlist. I wanted to be able to totally flat foot the motorcycle. With some experience, I don't think its as necessary as when you are a new rider.
Hi Kevin, I greatly appreciate this video. I have a question for you as a follow up. I'm a new rider, 40 years old, 275 pounds and 6'1 (32 inseem). The hinda rebel was pushed hard for me, but 15 seconds after sitting on it I knew it wasn't. I found the Vulcan S with ergo fit. Since I want a cruser, this was a better fit and more comfortable. The Vulcan 900 is much more comfortable, but I don't want to start with that much power and weight. My question is, should I start with the Vulcan S and get my miles in and upgrade later to the 900 or do you have any suddgestions on other bikes that fit the cruiser style like the Vulcan S? I plan to ride back roads all over nc, SC, VA, TN for enjoyment. The biggest city near me has a population of 100,000. Thanks!
Definitly handlebar risers can be a miracle worker. A friend used risers to turn his ZX14 from a oversized crotch rocket, to a comfortable sport touring bike. Just be careful because control cable length, tank clearance along with windshield clearance can affect new handlebar turn radius and full lock positions.
As a side bar Kevin, I'm now in my mid fifties. I've been riding since I was a young lad. I've had all sorts of bikes from sports bikes/Dual Sports bikes to my current Triumph Thunderbird LT (Cruiser). But I've had some thoughts recently....when do you reach that day and hang up your helmet for the last time. Retire from riding. Personally...I hope that day never comes. I purchased my Triumph Thunderbird off an elderly gentleman who had his knee replaced and he could no longer hold the bike up. So my question to you is...when do you call it quits with motorcycling. And...I hope you get the opportunity to come over to Australia and ride our magnificent roads/highways.
If you can't hold up a bike any longer, get a 3-wheeled one like the Polaris or Harley-Davidson. I think they're ugly but on my recent 5k Mile road trip I've seen dozens of them, a lot even hauling a small trailer. They've become quite popular here in the US.
I'm a 56 year old former rider, I was away from motorcycles for 30 years. I watched your video of my demographic being the most dangerous for fatalities. I'm lucky because I let my license lapse some 28 years ago, and I took your advice on taking the safety course in NH. I had very old skills and some bad habits that were corrected by taking this weekend motorcycle learning course, it was awesome. I now wear a helmet and body armor and I will not ride without it. I bought a Suzuki S40 652cc and this bike is everything I dreamed of, I usually ride the By-Pass roads but I can achieve highway riding easily for 30 to 40 miles if necessary. This thumper cruiser is the ultimate ride for my age and I would strongly suggest this bike for a second purchase, it's a little torkie ; but after a person rides a 250cc bike and wants to move up to a lite cruiser than this is the ultimate reliable bike with a great price tag.
Thanks for the video and the link. I own a 2001 Road King that fits me comfortably. When I took my beginning rider training, they put me on a bike that was WAY too small and uncomfortable to ride. It made it difficult to ride well. It all makes sense now!
Awesome! thanks, I didn't know about cycle-ergo.com and it's VERY helpful checking all my prior bikes (well, they don't have a 1970 honda 750, or a 1948 Indian Bonneville 1200. Chief) :)
Interesting web site. The fit and feel of my old 1982 Honda Goldwing would be the same as a 2018 Kawasaki KZ-900RS. The 900RS has a little more seat height and a 5deg lean angle. The thing I noticed when sitting on the bike, my old joints are just not the same. The hip angle put a pinch on my left hip. So... The Vulcan-S maybe the ticket going forward. Besides the little 650 will do for what I want the bike for. I'm retired so no work or daily commute. I don't plan on long touring trips or even overnight trips. So for some day fun and enjoyment, maybe the Vulcan-S 650.
IF you have legs as short as mine. NO sport bike, tourer, naked will fit me, even with lowering the suspension. Has to be a cruiser style bike. Sort of limited choice, especially here in the UK (as new EURO4 and soon EURO 5 regs have forced all the Japanese bikes off the market). Buy a new Harley or Indian is my only choice. Or at least 4 year old Japanese or any used Harleys or Indians. I did sit on the Triumph Bobber. Damn but that seat is sooo uncomfortable. Even then, I cannot flat foot both feat with a 27/28" seat height, so I need to get an air suspension conversion. Fortunately, with my relatively long arms, handle bars almost always fit well. Kawasaki Boulevard M109R BOSS was what I purchased. Then added some floorboards (and they made a BIG difference). Wished you had done this video back then. Would have saved me weeks.
I used the Street 500 for the HD Rider Academy and I hated it. But I embraced the suck and passed the course. Sat on a Honda Rebel and same feeling. Indian Scout and Harley Softail Slim? (Jim Carrey voice) Like a gloooove.....
I've been watching and listening to the channel for a few days now. And the thing that got me to like and subscribe was the man-crush joke.😆 New rider from Montreal here. Hello!
Because this is such an old video you probably wont see my question. This ergonomics sight is a great tool. What is conspicuously missing is the weight of the bike. The Harley looks like the best choice from an ergonomic view. What this sight doesn't consider is the wet weight of the bike. By that measure the Harley will definitely not get a passing score.
Cool website. For me, forward lean angle causes strain on the rear of my age 55 neck. I need to stick with bikes that have me sitting mostly upright. I like the middle weight adventure bikes these days.
All good tips. Picking a first bike is not the time to be an armchair quarterback or a spec sheet warrior. Get out there and get your butt in some saddles and your knees in the breeze.
One other consideration , as we get older, heavier, and are less flexible, it becomes much harder to swing your leg over the seat to get on many of the new bikes due to the angle of the seat. Not too bad if the bike has a center stand, but few do anymore. Few cycle makers seem to care unless you want a cruiser. I would love to find a light to middle weight standard or dual sport similar to the models of the 60's and 70's. This is something that you could address in your videos as just mounting anything but a cruiser can be impossible for some of us.
Ken Olson you could try a yamaha like Kevin has, or the honda cb series. I have a cb900 hornet with a center stand. I mount on the side stand, but the center stand makes maintenance so much easier. It is my daily ride.
This is completely off topic from this video. But I did get a response before and I do greatly appreciate it... when riding at night (I am new at riding at night) should I run low beam when passing cars, is my high beam too much like a car
Wow...that's a cool website. I've only been riding for a few weeks. I wound up buying a bell blast. Very comfortable due to the low seat and upright seating position. Only thing I don't like is the noise and vibration. In another year of two, I will get something else. This website will be a huge help. Thanks for the info.
LOL, I had dirt bikes before but the first road bike I had was a 1972 honda 750-four that I paid 300 dollars for. I have a 29" inseam so I wore US army combat boots and stood on my tiptoes at stops.
I was then”tonto” at a Harley shop twenty years ago. I pushed out and in hundreds of bikes (from inside to outside) which led me to my first purchase over twenty years later of a DF250 RTR Great first bike and excellent size for me. Thank you for these videos and all the advice.
I'm a fan , if you don't know, get something dual purpose. BMW r1200 LT, kaw concourse, Honda st1100.... good for work rides , touring and sporty enough
I need buy a truck" if all this fl rain" 😆 r6" i want Harley Glide with a nice radio hell ya " that's my next bike" the one i have now is yamr6 i have videos CHECK it out But i would like to get a harley or something like it
Excellent insights, thank you. A few more tips, First, the US is designed around car ownership. Therefore, the “next best alternative” to a cycle, for most folks, to commute or for a road-trip, is a car. While the pretense of choice is between: a motorcycle under 500 CC, vs. 500 to 1100 CC, vs. anything larger So, let’s get practical. Get the bike you can sit straight on, legs unstrained, feet flat when stopped. And one that can comfortably go highway speeds, and a scoshe over. That should be default, unless you have a GREAT reason to deviate. Prefer dealer bought used, low miles ( less than 20, no more that 40) over other options. Sport (Triumph Daytona), vs. adventure (Yamaha Tenere), dirt, touring (RTGS, Goldwing), vs. cruising ( Harley softail) First, ANY long term bike you want to ride on highway has gotta be > 500 CC, adventure or touring bikes. Two up? Go greater than 1200 CC. Ride greater than 500 miles in a day, 1000 miles in a week once in a not-infrequent while? Don’t get sport or dirt toy. ... this really is only truly relevant in a motorcycle showroom, aka toy shop. Only daily commutes, and fewer than two tank a day max, and like speed? Get a sport. Summary: For the majority of you out there, an adv or cruiser, 600 to 1200 CC should be the jump-off point. Single riders can stay below 1000, two up, long haul go with above 1000 CC. ONLY get a sport or dirt if you have GOOD reason to. Second: As soon as you’ve registered and romanced the first, say, 1000 miles on the new shiny toy, reality takes the comparison back to “car vs. motorcycle” in ever situation but the best weather on weekend when you’ve two hours to yourself. Yeah, a lot of bikes stay parked. SO, that is to say, get some storage, get good gear, and spend on heated grips, visibility, and windshield. If that means you buy used-certified, vs. new, that’s fine.
What a great web site to play with. Anyway, I'm 5'6". Two years ago had a 1700 cc Road Star. Fit like a glove. This winter bought a Vulcan 900. Bike does not fit me even though it has a shorter overall length, the foot pegs are further forward and the bars are too much of a reach for a backrest. Coincidentally, today i commented that it may not be the bike for me ergonomically.
There are only really 3 or 4 categories of street legal bikes on the market in the US: Sport bikes, Cruisers, Touring, and Dual-Sport. Sport bikes have notoriously high insurance, and as a new rider, more power than what I need or can safely handle. Cruisers and Touring bikes are simply too heavy. That leaves dual-sports. Dual sports have a lot more options on engine size, and are generally much lighter and less expensive to own, operate, and maintain...which is why my choice for a 1st bike is the Honda CRF250L.
I may be able to finance a bike for the first time. I am 55. I was looking at either an mt07 or 2017 susuki gsxr750. I really would prefer a softail slim but unlikely to get financed and the payment would be too much. I don't have a license but i am thinking getting a bike will improve my credit which is around 531. I am 55 years young. I don't as well know if i should subject my family to 6 years at 200 for the susuki and maybe 150 for the mto7. We may need a new van soon and my wife believes having an on going motorcycle payment with our income will be a detriment to getting a loan for a used van at the dealer? Not sure.I think God is leaving this decision to me. It is most difficult.
Hi Kevin thanks for your videos so I went over to cycle-ergo great site except..... I hope you can step in getting an email from you might solve the problem. I'm 5'5" with a 31" inseam so I'm a pretty short guy knowing the right bike fit for me can save me a lot of time when buying used. My brother has a GSX600-F same as Katana 600 according to cycle-ergo I can stand flat footed on this bike. if you look at the bike it has a seat height of 30.9 inches. I don't know if you ever sat on a motorcycle lol but my legs are not straight up and down I probably loose 4". I've read peoples comments how this website says they aren't tall enough I don't know how that can be except there's a spot to report inaccuracies but there's a difference between the manufactures posting wrong seat heights and not accounting for seat width. thanks
So, what about someone new? I know you recommend 500cc( Honda Rebel), but I am 6’4, 225, and it felt small when I sat on it. I am looking at maybe a Suzuki C50 or maybe a Vulcan Classic as a bike to start on and probably keep for the long run . Would you consider this a good idea?
One thing that wasn't mentioned here: Shoe size! I know that sounds kinda crazy but, A neighbor bought a new Kawasaki cruiser (I have no idea what model it was). I had a Yamaha Venture at the time. My neighbor offered me to test ride his new bike. I jumped on and headed down the street. It felt just grand, as any new bike should. It handled well and all. Then I pulled back into his driveway and stopped. I very nearly dropped his new bike! My feet were stuck between the engine case and whatever was behind my heels. Stuck in the stirrups, so to speak! My clod hoppers are way to big for the bike! I am certainly thankful that It wasn't going home with me!
I've been using the cycle-ergo web site for a while now, and absolutely love it. Like you Kevin, i could spend ages on it, just checking out different bikes. What i do love about it, is that you can bring up thumb nail photos, of all the different styles of bikes, within a brand. On your video at 7:00, you'll see the 'View Thumbnails' icon, next to where you are typing in the information. You can then look for bikes within brands, that maybe look similar to the ones that already suit you. I love your videos by the way. Thank you so much Kevin for all the helpful guidance you give to us all.
That Cycle-Ergo website is pretty good Kevin. I currently own a 2008 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic LT and am looking at a 1998 Harley Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic as a project bike and the site shows exactly what I saw when riding each motorcycle. Very helpful! Thank you.
Good video, Kevin. Recently spent taking my son from shop to shop in order for him to just sit and test-fit bikes. He settled on a sport bike. But me, like you, the sport style is not for me. Sitting on a bike for fit is great advice. I added a VT1300cr to my stable recently. It’s a bike that definitely is not for everyone’s liking. But at 6’5 it was an excellent fit for me. Only after I sat on over 10 cruisers was I able to find the right fit. Great advice.
Great website, spent over an hour checking out all of the Adventure bikes I will never be tall enough to ride, and actually found a couple I might test ride.
I started riding in Feb 1974 on a Honda Super Hawk 305. Fast forward and I have owned over 40 motorcycles. Worst fit? A Suzuki TL1000S. Best fit? Honda CBR1000F. I presently own a 2000 GL1500, 2002 GL1800, 2003 HD Road King CVO 103 cu in, 1997 HD Softail Heritage Springer. I ride the Springer near home since it has a solid mounted motor and no matter how comfortable or how well that bike fits (fits great), it still shakes my teeth out over 60 mph! So, you can have a bike that "Fits" great, but the motor can make the ride uncomfortable. I really liked Sportsters. I owned 6 of them. No matter what I did to them, they never fit well, but they were great for short hilly mountain roads with all that torque and still being light. So, fit did not matter, it was a combo of torquey engine, good ground clearance and semi-light bike. One thing I see that is ridiculous. People buy cruisers and add a windshield, saddle bags, comfortable seat, and forward pegs. Then they go on long trips. Buy a Goldwing/BMW K bike/or other tourer if you plan on going on long trips with the idea of "bringing the kitchen sink" with you. You can't make a Clydesdale into a racing horse, nor can you make a short distance bike into a long distance tourer and vise versa. Oh, BTW, I have used that Cycle Ergo site. It is close, but not the whole story!!! A BMW K1200LT might "fit", but it is top heavy and that "variable" is not in the equation.
A Babbit wow, you're old. I l srned ride on a Honda 450 circa 1973. Haven't ridden since college 1981. I'm thinking about buying a bike. I'm 59 but love the look of the sporters/liter bikes. BTW I'm 5' 7. Just want to zip around town, errands and maybe a short trip every now and then. I love the zin of riding. I was looking at a Hyosong GT650 or GV250. Any recommendations?
HMilli, If you are looking at used bikes look at a Kawasaki EN500. Parallel Twin motor that will keep up with a 1200 Sportster. If you are looking to buy new, look at its bigger brother, the Kawasaki 650S (which is really an EN650S). I know nothing about the Hyosong brand except I don't like the looks of the exhaust. Stay Japanese, they are very reliable bikes. I don't know what the HD 500cc bikes are like except on RU-vid they do OK (750cc is better). If you like more of a chopper look, go with the Suzuki Intruder 800cc, a gal beat me with one of those at Lake Tahoe, CA and I was on a 1500cc Honda Valkyrie!!!! BTW, my brother had a Honda 197(X) Honda 450 Scrambler. I had a 1976 Kawasaki KZ900. From Yosemite to Napa, CA., he got home faster than me. Those old 450s were Parallel Twin motors, ie think British as in BSA, Triumph, get power output twins.
Thanks. Cycle-ergo seems to a good tool. Though many bikes can be modified, neither my first bike nor my current bike have any modification products. The current BMW fits well for the most part but the handlebars are quite wide and so put a bit of strain on my upper arms. That's not something I could tell when I did my first ride on it. So I live with it. I was wondering, could you do an episode on parking a motorcycle. Sometimes I find it difficult to park due to the road angle and or road surface. Even if the surface is paved, if the angle has a little bit of lean, it can be difficult to bring the bike back upright when it is a heavy one. In small parking lots it does not seem advisable to leave the bike with the nose out due to a possible hit by an inattentive driver. Sometimes parking is just plain stressful and a good lesson may help me and others. Thanks
Great Video -- I rode a Suzuki Boulevard for the first couple of years and found it to be fairly comfortable even on extended hours/days rides around the east coast. Being around 46 yoa at the time (2016) and wanting a change, I fell in love with the Concours 14. Touring with performance baby! I rode one belonging to a guy in an MC group I am in, and I was sold. He is 10+ years younger than me and rode his for a couple of years all over the country, and he loved it comfort and all. I bought a 2012 to not break the bank, sold my Boulevard, and had a smile on my face for quite a while. Then came the first road trip that was more than a 3-4 hours... ouch. My knees and hips told me I had made a mistake. Pain and discomfort. So, I am back in the market again. Thank for suggesting the cycle-ergo.com website. Hopefully within the next year I can find something I can tour comfortably on.
I Love that you discussed the comfort with skill level. There are a lot of people that will try to talk someone into a bike that is too tall for their comfort.
Great topic. When I bought my first bike, 2012 Yamaha V-Star 1300 Tourer, I had considered a Sport-Touring style also. But after considering the type of riding I intended to do, mostly Interstate and city roads, and knowing how much I really liked the Cruiser style and the friends I ride with, I knew I wouldn't be happy without a Cruiser. I bought it new in January of 2013, and for two years straight it was the only vehicle I owned - and I commute 200 miles out of state for work a week at a time. It was a 2012 crate holdover so I got a pretty good deal. In April of this year I pulled the trigger on the new Yamaha Star Eluder. Both bikes fit me very well ergonomically. I'm 5-8 with a 32" inseam, but I have degenerative disc disease so too much forward (or rearward lean) causes tightness and pain. I have no back lean on either bike and I can easily flat foot with both. Other fitment/comfort issues can ONLY be addressed after some significant riding time on a bike and that's where aftermarket accessories really come into play.
Not really. That's a fairly average inseam for someone my height. Use the website link Kevin mentions and plug my numbers into the 2018 Yamaha Star Eluder. You'll see, there's nothing freakish about my dimensions.
I always rode sport bikes because they were th only ones available for me at the time. By pure chance I got to sit on a cruiser and as soon as my butt touched the seat I fell in love. I love the feel on the highway, the way it goes around the corners and the overall handling. I feel so much more secure on my cruiser than my sport bike. And that's incredibly comforting.
Thank you.. Really I need this video so much.. Thank you again for teach me.. :) I learn so many thing from you... I watch your all video every friday...
Great suggestion on that website. I entered my (previous) owned motorcycles and it shows that my current fitment is in between the former bikes I've owned. It's not exact of course but it does give a rather good idea of what to expect from the sitting position. And also good value is the fact that if you firm up the seat padding (foam), you can enter this by increasing the seat height. One remark though, if you firm up the suspension (like I did) or change the wheel diameter, this does not change the sitting ergonomics but it does make a difference in putting the foot down. Unfortunately, that can not entered (yet). But overall, I like that website and shared it with my fellow riders.
Hi Kevin. My wife has just returned to riding. She's been doing lots of practice as she builds her confidence again. She just lent over to me and said, "This is what I am practicing: "Slow, look, press, roll". Sound familiar? I said thats a channel I subscribe to 😁 Your reputation is spreading. Thanks for a great channel. Cheers from Oz.
Thank you for such valuable information. My husband is 6'4", I am 5'10". We prefer touring although my husband love zx14. This information has been extremely helpful, we actually visited the site and found the correct ergonomics to suit what we love.
Hi Kevin, thank you for this video. One thing I would like to ask, mainly for non-first-timers has to do with the difference between "what kind of riding I want to do" and "what kind of riding I ACTUALLY do". After 6 motorcycles in 13 years I find myself looking back and noticing the difference between my expectations and my actual riding. Cheers!
So here I am curious what would be most appropriate angles you will recommend for comfortable long rides. Kinda dialed my bike already but planning some longer shots next year so want to get her as comfortable as much as I can. I got 2014 Slim with forward controls +2” and pull back risers. Quite big improvement in comfort that was already. Episode on proper body position might be good idea.
Great video as always! I know this is off the subject, but was wondering if you are planning on attending the 'Bring It Home' ride in Paris,TX on 9/15? I'm planning on attending (if things work out); I will be riding in from North Central Illinois; would be great to meet you .
Cycle Ergo is a decent place to start, but definitely has its limitations. The biggest problem is that it’s two dimensional and doesn’t take the width of the bike into account. Depending on the bike, this can drastically effect fit. Nothing can substitute for throwing a leg over a bike and test riding. I’m 6’8” and have found that some bikes I might have ruled out if I only went with Cycle Ergo actually fit pretty well. Another great video, Kevin.
Good point James. The width of the seat and tank makes a big difference. My Tenere was a little lower seat height than the XSR but the seat was much wider thus more difficult to flat foot.
Good info for the new rider as it can get expensive trying to find what works for you. Then sometimes the lust for a particular model is so strong that you make it work. My only advice to add is to buy used in the beginning and buy one that YOU like - you only have to impress yourself.
I had to go the other way.. from Learner permit to gaining your full licence is fifteen months or you go back to square one... and very little on the second hand market as it was end of the winter. I went new from day one, with some rereluctance.
great info.. I am looking at changing motorcycle type form cruiser (honda VTX) to a sport tour bike. How do you get a dealer to actually let you ride the bike. Sitting on it and riding are a bit different.
AS A DEALER I CAN TELL YOU WE DO NOT ALLOW TEST DRIVES OTHER THAN DEMO DAYS, TOO MUCH RISK OF CUSTOMER DROPPING AND DAMAGING BIKE, ALSO MOST INSURANCE COMPANIES DO NOT ALLOW DEALERS TO PROVIDE TEST RIDES, I SPEAK HERE FOR HARLEYS ONLY AND ONLY OPTION FOR A TEST DRIVE IS TO ATTEND A DEMO DAY AND RIDE WITH A GROUP.
MCrider thanks for the tip, I submitted the 2015-present Kawasaki Vulcan S through their form. 👍 Though now that I think about it, that bike is so adjustable that it would probably be pointless to even list.
Hey Kevin on the cycle-ergo site I went there and was playing around and found that if you use the scroll wheel it will lay one image over the other so you can see both bikes at the same time so if one is looking at 2 bikes that are fairly the same you can see exactly what the difference is. Nice job Kevin thanks for the info your providing a great service.
At age 61 i am still riding my 2014 Honda Rebel cruiser , at my age it feels good to me i do take it on the local parkways but for long trips I don't know have to try it out once see how it feels .
You have a good bike at 61 for a casual rider if under 6feet. I noticed after 50 my upper body strength diminished despite workouts and heavy DIY work. A 300 lb bike with low center of gravity is perfect to easily push and manhandle when stopped on eneven pavement. Long trips, after 200 miles you'll be tired as the comfort is limited on smaller standard retro bikes. Try 100 miles out, a long lunch and 100 back. That done a dozen times, up the round trip. If that is fatiguing, then rent a 600 rice grinder cruiser for your actual trip.
