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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> for a tall guy
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Message started by dustystranger on 08/05/13 at 19:10:59

Title: for a tall guy
Post by dustystranger on 08/05/13 at 19:10:59

[img][/img]At 6ft 2 most bikes don't fit me that well. They say the typical biker is 5ft 10. So most manufacturers aim to please the average guy. Dual sport bikes generally have the most room for big people, but no one seems to mention the big drawback. Long travel means high center of gravity. And that means you can kiss that "sweet handling" goodbye. Of course if you spend most of your time on the slab who cares. But I spend 90% of my time in the twisties going 30-50 mph. I can tell you that a S40 can be made to do the job for a tall guy. So here is a quick list of the mods that worked for me. 1" spacer front forks, Routy forward controls, solid mount Sportster seat and handlebars, 11 1/2" progressive suspension shocks, typical carb mods, dunstall muffler, homemade rearsets. If you are not too tall, a 19" or 20" flat steel strap ( 2"x 1/4 or 3/16") will slip under your swing arm. A couple of u bolts and a notch for the stop light switch and you are in business! But if you are tall, put a couple of dogleg bends in it. You will have to cut the strap in half and bolt it together to get it under the swingarm now. Not so hard. This has turned the S40 into perhaps the best all around streetbike I have ever owned. And I have been riding for 50 years. Some of these mods you can get by without, but the forward controls, handlebars, and rearsets are the key mods. If you know of any other 375 lb street bike that can outshine a modded S40 let me know.

Title: Re: for a tall guy
Post by Serowbot on 08/05/13 at 22:52:05

It's a funny thing,.. 'cause I'm a short guy, 5'8"... but,I have a 1/2" spacers on the fork, 12.25" rear shocks, 2" seat lift, and a taller rear tire...

The one thing I don't do is forwards... I guess that's from dirt riding,... but I just don't see how that effects height...
Do tall people feel this need to put feet forward in a dining chair?...
Tall people ride standards, dirt bikes, and crotch rockets,.. and they never need forwards...
I see that one as a style thing...
:-?...

Title: Re: for a tall guy
Post by arteacher on 08/06/13 at 04:37:36

I notice you have heel supports behind your foot pegs. I also have Routy's forwards, and have been thinking about this addition, and am curious as to what materials you used.

Title: Re: for a tall guy
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/06/13 at 08:51:53

& he has some rear sets,, Id want my controls on them, cuz theyd be where Id want feet in town.

Title: Re: for a tall guy
Post by strang on 08/06/13 at 09:23:18

I like it. any more pics? curious about your rearsets and also how it looks stance wise from the side.

Title: Re: for a tall guy
Post by dustystranger on 08/06/13 at 16:35:58

These simple rearsets are 2" behind the swingarm pivot bolt. And how much lower than the swing arm depends how much of a dog leg bend you put in them. If your legs are not too long, you might be happy with just a straight strap. When I looked at the pics of the Ryca rear sets, there does not seem to be much difference in location. I realize that if you want that cafe look, then this mod is not too stylish. But if you just want an alternative place to put your feet once in a while, this seems to work just fine. It is all just personal preference. I am sure you know guys that just love ape hangers. The point I was trying to make about forward controls (Routy) was that I was as surprised as anyone when I found out that they worked just fine for me. Past experience on other cruisers and my personal bias about that whole image thing kept me away from ever considering buying a bike like the Savage. And now I am riding one that is stretched out even more than a stock Savage. Go figure. Is it as comfortable as my new Bonneville? Yup. Do I swoop through the corners as fast as my Royal Enfield or my DR650? Yup. I cannot tell you how much I love my S40!

Title: Re: for a tall guy
Post by KennyG on 12/10/14 at 18:48:08

Dusty,

I would love to see more pics of your rear sets and any drawings that you have.

Kenny G

Title: Re: for a tall guy
Post by gizzo on 12/10/14 at 21:34:39

Dusty, that's a really nice looking bike. The bars and seat look excellent. Looks like a classic brit bike from that angle.
Gotta disagree about the dualsport bikes not handling. I think they're great for twisty roads. I do agree that the Savage is better in the bends than people would imagine. Your collection sounds grouse. I ride a Savage, Enfield and DR, too. No Triumph, but a couple of Ducs instead 8-)