Lowering stock seat height

RedNHST

RedNHST

Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Messages
94
Location
Hudson NH
Bike
2005 ST 1300 ABS
I just bought a 2005 ST1300A. I am switching from Vtwin Cruiser. I am 5'6" tall, with 29 -30 inch inseam. The stock seat is a little too high for me, I am on my toes when stopped. The seat is already sent on the lowest position. I do not want to put my wife on the back of the bike until I can get both feet firmly flat on the ground. I am reaching out for the collective wisdom of the best ways of lowering the seat height. I found the thread about the Spencer modification, does anyone have any feedback who had that modification done to their bike? Or are there saddles out there that are lower than the stock seat that people might be able to recommend? Any feedback or advice would be greatly appreciated. :confused:
 
We are about the same size, and I have the Spencerized seats. I really can not say that I can be flat footed at rest. But I am pretty comfortable just touching down the front soles of my boots. Good motorcycle style boots and thick socks are a must,,, btw. I think you can let Spencer know that you want a minimum height seat. That should get you a bit lower, but at a comfort cost. I don't know if the sargents, corbins or rdl's and such can let you down any more,,, but they will definitely charge you more !! Get the spencer option and see what you think/feel.. Cat'
 
Thanks, I will do the modification first, then if that does not do enough, I will think about another saddle. I am used to my VTX 1300, with a Mustang saddle, both feet firmly flat, not. Crazy about toeing it with a passengers extra weight. Or trying to back up with minimul traction. Thanks for the input.
 
some folks have reduced the length of their suspension, reducing overall height by 1-1.5 inches. This does not involve any mods to the seat.
 
That is an interesting approach,, etalors. It also has implications for ride geometry and handling charactoristics as well. I have begun to look for posts on the subject,, and found some interesting stuff. For instance,,, there is a nice summary of aftermarket shocks on this thread,, check out page 1 for that. But it sounds like some were very happy with the results. Cat'

https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?91972-ST1300-Rear-Shock-Recommendations/page3
 
I came off a VTX1300 as well. That bike has a seat height of about 27.5" some 3" lower than the ST. Boots can help and some find help in scooping out the seat foam or suspension changes both of which can affect comfort and/or handling negatively.

I'm 5'6" with 29" inseam. I have a Sargent seat in the low/low position and just touch the balls of my feet and toes. In the beginning of my ownership I concentrated on learning techniques to touch ground with one foot mainly at a time and to feel confident maneuvering at slow speeds without duck walking. It's just not possible for me to flat foot average height or tall motorcycles. Flat footing or not is a confidence or mental approach thing. That is what worked for me.
 
I can tell you that the Russel Day long WILL be taller. Contact Stew1300 on the site as he lowered his 1300 with a different rear shock and I think sliding the front forks up. You will not be able to put it on the center stand without getting the tires on a 2 x ? to assist in that task.
 
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How useful is the side stand after lowering the bike? Does it have to be shortened as well?
 
Don B said:
How useful is the side stand after lowering the bike? Does it have to be shortened as well?
Click to expand...

Maybe Stew will chime in on this good question. I can say I TRIED to put his bike on the center stand once. There was no way I could do it.
 
Kevin_56 said:
Maybe Stew will chime in on this good question. I can say I TRIED to put his bike on the center stand once. There was no way I could do it.
Click to expand...
I have in the past cut them and removed a portion and rewelded foot back on them for people on sport bikes. I can't say I know what the ST 1300 sidestand look like, but surely it's doable.
You could talk with upholstery shop and see if they could/would reshape seat some to get you a lower position. They should be able to look at it and tell you if it's possible without a charge to start with.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
After I got the STs suspension sorted and adjusted for me I had to lengthen the side stand because the bike leaned over too far. I bought one off flea bay and a welding shop added 1/2 or 5/8" to the foot.
 
Others have talked of boots, I have a friend whom is also vertically challenged who went the route of adding an extra sole for height to the bottoms of his riding boots which has worked quite successfully for him, I would imagine a bit of adjusting with shifting but he manages very well. It must be working as he has stuck with this solution for more then 3 seasons and about 50,000km.
 
There are MC boots that add 3" or more to leg reach. I have a friend that wears 3" elevated boots. Calto is one brand I'm sure there are others.
 
Do not lower the suspension with a shorter shock and/or lowering the forks. It is a sport tourer after all and sits up high for two reasons - ground clearance and proper suspension geometry.
Focus on the seat. Get rid of the horrible stock torture device (s) and get a quality aftermarket seat. I am 5'9" with a 31" inseam and I have no problem flat footing with my Corbin Close one piece heated seat. It is made to fit in the low position only and brings the rider closer and lower than their regular version. Sargent makes a "low " version of many of their seats as well.
I have done many 1,000 days on Corbins. They live on 3/4ths of my bikes and would live on the Harley, but honestly, they are butt ugly for touring Hogs.
 
Sargent may make a low seat as a custom seat but it's not a seat they produce. Their seat pan and foam molds are singular. The Sargent is the same height as stock but the nose is a bit wider which adds to the leg reach to ground compared to stock.
 
Thanks to all of you for your advice and wisdom. That's why I love these forums. The best way to solve a problem is to talk to people who have already solved that problem. I will take all of your advice into consideration as I figure the best way to tackle this issue.
 
I'm about your size (inseam is the same) and have had the same problem. My bike came with a Sargent - and I found it surprisingly hard and comfortable (yes - comfortable). As Dave said though, it is wider and you need longer legs....

The problem with the ST (view from my height) is when stopping out in the real world. You see, the roads are not always flat and level, and if I stopped over a dip, pothole, or an off camber turn, my legs are just not long enough to prevent that dreaded and embarrassing tip over. I considered ballet lessons but decided doing en pointe practice was too hard on my toes. Seriously, I went the Spencer route, and did not find it unduly uncomfortable. The problem with lowering the seat is the seat pan. There is only so much foam that the maker can remove before he runs out of space. I don't think aftermarket seats are going to be much lower - even if customized for a short rider. But, all in all, the Spencer option will give you maybe 1" and is a cheap mod (certainly better than a RDL seat that could easily set you back close to a thousand for both seats).

Lowering the chassis did not warm the cockles of my heart. It would make the bike more difficult to sell, possibly change the handling (esp two up), and adversely affect the geometry of the center and side stands. Yes, you can cut and shorten the two stands if you lower the suspension, but it adds another layer of cost. I gave up on this idea pretty quickly and have learned to live with the bike. Oh, yes, I did get new boots (more or less standard height, but they added maybe 1/2") and I wear thick socks.

If you have difficulty getting the bike up on the center stand, PM me. There is a fix for this - sort of.
 
It's a tall bike for sure. One thing that sucks is when you're tip toeing and your foot slides in sand or a 1/2" round rock. That's a wake up.

The good thing is the bike will be lower with a passenger on the back as the suspension will compress.
 
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