Bloody short arse - needs advise...

[mhsilverw]

Hi,

I have searched the site and want to modify my R850GS - fitted with the "BMW low drivers Seat Pad" to be a bit lower - so I can get feet flat(ter) on the floor...

There seems to be 4 options...(maybe 5!)

1. Lower Shocks - front and rear......may look at this but 'er indoors rules out Ohlins, White Power or TechnoFlex...so it may be a HAGON pair...whilst the bike is used on roads (ie not off road) these might be OK - but a variety of posts suggests probs with leaks/quality

2. Paralever Torque Arm - I gather a lot of riders of the non-GS type have fitted the shorter arm from a GS onto others to raise height - does the converse work....so would an R850/1100/S/R/RT type fit (assume longer) on the GS? If so does this starin the shaft/Universal joint - and how much difference might this make?? As this would only effect the 'rear/height' assume this would alter the handling...mind you having an MZ and other bikes would I notice on the road?

3. Other BM shocks - would shocks off another model be lower/shorter and work as well as a custom made HAGOn / Ohlins type???

4. My seat is the lower/est BMW front seat pad - are there any lower available?

5. Whan I had a F650 I seemed to recall shock linkage changes...but assume nothing useful here or available for this.

Anything else I could consider...NHS leg extensions don't look likely and I would probably be in a waiting queue and a list somewhere...boot soles probably wouldn't work....

Help...

 

[faantjie]

I have the same problem as you. I did not really whant to take away the longer suspension travel and so on. I met Grant from Surtrim and he modified my seat. The old foam was replaced with new firmer foam and reshaped to make it much lower. It turned out really nice!!! He will listen to your needs and offer advice on what will and won't work. You can even go there and pick your own colours and designs.
Before I had the work done it took about an hour before I needed break, the longest I've been on the bike now was four hours before I needed to stop for a break.

Here is what he did to my seat:
http://www.xrv.org.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=17050

All his contact details also on the link.

Good luck!!

PS: Nothing to do with me, just a happy customer who got a good price!!

 

[davegs]

Lowering

Go for the shorter shocks you don't need ohlins but the can make them very short if required, I know sevral people who've gone down this rout and been very pleased (all O's though) I am sure others can be made shorter but this is the way to go.
dave gs, the truth is out there. (how do I get a date with agent scully)

 

[GSAde]

A few things to think about

If you go down the shorter shocks route (I used std GS Ohlins to reduce the height of my GSA) you will need to modify the centre/ side stands. This was straightforward for me as I just swapped the GSA stands for GS ones, however if you lower a standard GS there won't be a comensurately lower stand available so you'll probably need to shorten the originals - cos unless you're built like Arnie Shwartz you'll have a real struggle getting it onto the centre stand due to leverage differences. You can get away without a modified sidestand though - if you park with the stand "downhill" of the bike all the time.

Hope you get sorted - good luck with the mods.

Ade

 

[john35]

I'm finding my GS to be a bit on the tall side and so I'm considering one of the extra low seats sold by Touratech. Does anyone have any experience of these extra low seats in comparison to the BMW low seat. I'm currently using the Standard seat on the low setting.

 

[Kritou]

I went for the thicker boot soles - about one inch at a cost of £30 - works very well