One more reminder: it's not the size... it's the technique

Roger said:
Your bike is not too big for you.........

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Ha.... she's got a 31 " inseam.... I WISH!

Crotch to floor I measure 26". So, she has me by about 5" in leg length (on each side). My current bike has a 32" seat height and I'm tip toe on each side Unlevel ground or a hump in the road at a stop is tricky. Gravel, sand forget it. Backing up I have to get off and push with my hand on the seat. That would be like her riding a bike with a 37" seat height. It can be done but it's not confidence inspiring! Add in the fact that she's probably 30 and I'm closing in on 74.

Walk a mile in my boots sister. (wait, my boots are probably too small for her......)
 
Little off topic here, but your photo reminds me..........
I attended a motocross event in Shreveport way back in the spring of 1970. One of the prelims was a toddler race with Honda minitrail bikes. Many of the kids used a milk crate or stand dad had made to remain upright at the starting line. At the turn I was standing by, there was a pileup of little kids and bikes. The only one not able to get restarted was, according to the announcer, Freddy 'BoomBoom' Spencer. He got better from that point.


Igofar said:
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It is called altitude challenged, don't underestimate their balance abilities since they have to make up for not being able to correct by putting feet down when off center. Also to go with wisdom and cunning goes we old people own most of everything
 
the Ferret said:
Ha.... she's got a 31 " inseam.... I WISH!

Crotch to floor I measure 26". So, she has me by about 5" in leg length (on each side). My current bike has a 32" seat height and I'm tip toe on each side Unlevel ground or a hump in the road at a stop is tricky. Gravel, sand forget it. Backing up I have to get off and push with my hand on the seat. That would be like her riding a bike with a 37" seat height. It can be done but it's not confidence inspiring! Add in the fact that she's probably 30 and I'm closing in on 74.

Walk a mile in my boots sister. (wait, my boots are probably too small for her......)
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I guess that I shouldn’t mention my 35” inseam:cool: and I can’t ride a lot of bikes as they are too tight in the cockpit for my aging, tired knees.
 
dbst1300 said:
I guess that I shouldn’t mention my 35” inseam:cool: and I can’t ride a lot of bikes as they are too tight in the cockpit for my aging, tired knees.
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Amen! :thumb:

That's why we have highway pegs and blades. Plus, setting up your bike with a better seating position.

You have to first position your butt to suit your legs, then position your hands to suit your shoulders.
 
Sadlsor said:
Let's quit with the excuses.

This is not most of us.
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Reminds of of that bike mech anno 2001 in Evora Portugal...
A formation of three ST1100's, riding buddy manages a low-sider while crossing the Toledo natioal park in Spain, his ST slid aft forward into the ditch, fully overturned, ending up almost upside down on top of a dense bush, damages all around...
He's unhurt, so we recover his ride, tacked it together as good as possible, limped on to Evora (to attend the Gathering there) and dropped it off at the local Honda w/shop...
Out comes a fella who's receding hairline ends about the lower end of my sternum... announcing that he first likes to take it for a test-ride... in perfect English...
Same technique as shown in this vid... on a 700lbs ST1100... and yes, he handles GW's the same way... :doh1:
Not our biggest astounishment though... he/they had actually worked through the entire night(!) to swap out all the bodywork and then some from their showroom(!!) ST1100 to his sod looking wreck, so he can attend all 3 days touring of the Gathering... that's some effort :cool:
 
dbst1300 said:
I guess that I shouldn’t mention my 35” inseam:cool: and I can’t ride a lot of bikes as they are too tight in the cockpit for my aging, tired knees.
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dang if I had a 35" inseam I would be breathing different air
 
I had to have Great Day to Ride cut down my ST 1300 seat, and had to put lowering links and raise the fork tubes on the FJR, but I can reach with both toes on the NC 750 since Honda lowered them for 2021-2024 and my CB 1100 is lower than the NC so no issues with that one. Oh and when riding I always wear boots with a thick vibram soles. That helps too lol

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It amazes me why riders think they have to put both feet on the ground at the same time on a motorcycle?
One foot should always remain on the rear brake to keep from getting pushed into the intersection when re-ended.
Has anyone ever seen a 10 speed rider put both feet on the ground...ever?
One foot on a pedal, so he can take off quickly to avoid danger etc.
Two contact patches the size of an egg, and balancing a top heavy bike with a full tank of fuel, on your tippy toes is just down right dangerous.
 
Igofar said:
It amazes me why riders think they have to put both feet on the ground at the same time on a motorcycle?
One foot should always remain on the rear brake to keep from getting pushed into the intersection when re-ended.
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I don't like to sit with the clutch pulled in, so I prefer to keep my left foot free to hit first gear just before (if I can see the cross lights) or when the light turns green. I'm pretty quick with clutch-shift-gas-go.

Plus, before my new hips, I had to keep the bike straight upright. I wasn't confidently strong enough with either leg to keep the bike leaned far enough to either side to not accidentally tip the other way.
 
I understand the strength thing....
When I was in high school, I was sitting at a red light on 72 Norton, while a riding buddy was on a Kawasaki 1000, he didn't like to hold the clutch either, and always put the bike in neutral while he waited for the light to change....it worked for him up to the point where that fateful day the bike jumped into gear and launched him into a busy intersection where he was killed instantly by an Oldsmobile.
I prefer to be ready to move, and keep my eyes on the mirrors after that.
Somethings can't be unseen.
 
Igofar said:
....it worked for him up to the point where that fateful day the bike jumped into gear and launched him into a busy intersection where he was killed instantly by an Oldsmobile.
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Also a concern in gear with a cable clutch.

I should add that I'm 6'3" (at least I used to be), so ground reach is not an issue. I can stand with both feet flat and be off the seat, even on my high-seated '01 ST.

I guess the best way to describe it is that it's tedious, tiring, and requires concentration.

I developed the habit of laying off the clutch growing up driving manual transmissions.
 
I'm eyeballing my rear views, as well as cross traffic in front.
If someone is barreling up behind me, I have an out... it may be between 2 cars parallel in front of me. At least until there are 2 cars behind me, and stopped.
Personally, I don't believe having one or even both brakes on, will prevent a car from "pushing me into traffic."
There's this momentum and mass thing going on... and the bike will generally lose in a collision. I'm not gonna be there when he wants to invade my space. Let 'im have it, I'm gone.
 
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