Short Legs - how can I get on a BMW..!!

Hey HogHog - you don't say how much experience you have riding, what kind of bikes you have ridden or what you plan to do with the bike.

Taking advice from a bunch of tossers on which bike is best for you is like asking a random bunch on strangers to advise you which woman to marry .......would you really do that??

Ask your dealer to let you have the 800 and the 650 for 2 hours each back to back for a test ride. Make sure you ask for the 800 to have the lowered seat fitted for the test ride. At the end of the 4 hours you will have a much better idea of which one works for YOU - and that's what counts!

Good luck and let us know how you get on.
 
Maxxx said:
Hey HogHog - you don't say how much experience you have riding, what kind of bikes you have ridden or what you plan to do with the bike.

Taking advice from a bunch of tossers on which bike is best for you is like asking a random bunch on strangers to advise you which woman to marry .......would you really do that??

Ask your dealer to let you have the 800 and the 650 for 2 hours each back to back for a test ride. Make sure you ask for the 800 to have the lowered seat fitted for the test ride. At the end of the 4 hours you will have a much better idea of which one works for YOU - and that's what counts!

Good luck and let us know how you get on.
Click to expand...

At the Dealers on Monday.....
Riding on and off road for 30-odd years.
Like to "scrape the pegs" on the Harley's (Dyna and Sportster)
I like to "Have a go" on the Trials bike (enthusiasm outweighs ability)
Ride my MT350 in the cold/wet/snow.
And the 1981 Kawasaki - just can't bring myself to sell it..!
 
Obviously I'm a little biased having just bought an F650gs but I have ridden the 800 back to back with mine and I genuinely prefer the F650. I prefer the fuelling and the height and would always wish to avoid tubed tyres

I would advise seriously considering the F650 or now F700, either would be all you'd ever need.
 
No, this is the perfect Solution.......
 

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I'm 5'7" with a 29" inside leg and ride an 800gs no problem (I weigh about 60 kg). I do wear Daytona Ladystar Boots (M Star equivalent for male tossers) which add about 3/4 - 1 inch to standing height. Never had an issue with the height, you just need to plan where you are going to stop so you don't end up with your foot in a pothole or dip of some sort :).
 
cheapest way to lowering F650gs?

here it is: front: shorten distancer tubes (plastic) by 25mm. then up the fork tubes 5mm through the yokes. gives you 30mm. free.
take out rear shock. remove spring. machine new groove for circlip 10mm higher up from standard one. assemble again. in a ratio of shock to rear wheel of 1:3 this gives you 30mm. almost free.
there you go.. together with lowered seat and, if necessary, higher boots you're all there..
greets, hans
 
How did you get on?

Curious to know how this turned out for you?
 
Hi, Maxx,

Sorry for answering so late, but we were off on a long weekend biking.:type
Apart from the fact that we can reach the ground now flat-footed, the bike feels -because of its lower point of gravity- more like a sports-bike than a high allroad, I like that. Suspension-travel is still more than sufficient, we hardly ever bottom out. And, the main stand can still be used. I cut half of the rubber of the stand off, so it comes up higher, so it does not touch the ground at extreme leaning. The sidestand needs to be shortened though, forgot to mention that in former message. The whole procedure can also be easily reversed if you ever want to sell the bike to someone who wants the standard height. greets, hans
 
Buz said:
I think the 800 can be lowered with a different suspension, cost a few hundred quid.
I had a 650 twin and now have a 1200 with low seat (29" leg also) I feel a lot more confident/comfortable on the 1200 than i did on my 650.

As Mutley said, its all about confidence and forward planning, checking camber of road, any potholes etc, if all else fails crash bars come in handy for the odd drop that may happen.

Oops, sorry, welcome on board :beerjug:
Click to expand...

I'm the same I had a 650twin with a low seat and went to a 1200gs with low seat the 1200 is much more stable best move I made :rob I am 5.6
 
Maxxx said:
Curious to know how this turned out for you?
Click to expand...

Me too!

Hope it's gone well Hoghog! I'm 4'11" an' a bit and 7st an' a bit so thought I might be able to offer a little encouragement :)

I've no idea what my inside leg is but it'll certainly be a good two inches less than yours I'd think. I had the lowered 650 twin for a while, even then I only touched a toe down either side but rode the bike fine (I felt the character of the bike was completely compromised though). I now ride an F800R which is actually a much weightier bike from my pov, same thing, just a toe down either side. It really is about confidence and whether the bike really, really does it for you, you don't need your feet anywhere near 'flat down'. Hope you've made a happy choice :)
 
But which one?

I seem to have missed your decision somewhere :nenau

Unless I'm being a total numpty, I checked the thread and couldn't see if you went with the 650 or the 800 in the end?

Whichever it is, glad it worked out for you :)
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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