Tall Rider modifications

3383 Views 13 Replies 7 Participants Last post by SydsTub, 11 mo ago

SydsTub

Discussion Starter · May 12, 2022

Hi,

I'm quite tall @ 190-195cm (6'3-6'4) and wanted to know if anyone is also a similar height and made any mods to their bikes.
I am considering installing lowering pegs such as Pivot Pegs. I have them on my KTM640 Adventure and really like them as i have large feet so a much larger area to support whilst standing. I was also considering handlebar risers but after listening to a podcast with Chris Birch (KTM ambassador) today about setting up your bike, he has a dislike for risers and gives some good advice on them (he is 188cm - 6'2), so I am going to play around first with existing bars and the positions they can be moved to. I figure if I just live with how it comes first, ride for a 1000kms and get a feel for it, then make mods if I think its required.

So if anyone has some comments or wants to share what they have done that would be great. I'm waiting to pick up my bike, one week to go! Getting excited now.

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Beanzapper

· #2 · May 14, 2022

SydsTub said:
Hi,

I'm quite tall @ 190-195cm (6'3-6'4) and wanted to know if anyone is also a similar height and made any mods to their bikes.
I am considering installing lowering pegs such as Pivot Pegs. I have them on my KTM640 Adventure and really like them as i have large feet so a much larger area to support whilst standing. I was also considering handlebar risers but after listening to a podcast with Chris Birch (KTM ambassador) today about setting up your bike, he has a dislike for risers and gives some good advice on them (he is 188cm - 6'2), so I am going to play around first with existing bars and the positions they can be moved to. I figure if I just live with how it comes first, ride for a 1000kms and get a feel for it, then make mods if I think its required.

So if anyone has some comments or wants to share what they have done that would be great. I'm waiting to pick up my bike, one week to go! Getting excited now.

I’m 6’3 and it all feels not too bad actually. I usually ride with the seat in the low position. It’s a little cramped for sure. The high position is definitely what I’d use for a long haul. The seat adjustment is easy too - no screws! I have the rear brake lever and shift lever as low as they go though. If you go with the lower pegs, you may need to look at a solution for the rear brake. Once you get your bike and adjust the rear brake lever down, you’ll see what I mean. The shaft going to the master cylinder bottoms out on the shift lever, so you’d need a longer shaft. The shift lever you would just need to adjust on the shaft like most bikes, so that’s fine.

I rode 230 miles today and my back was a bit sore by the end. I’ve played with risers/tall bars on a lot of different bikes, and I never liked how the front end felt after. I’d rather have a sore back than sacrifice control.

I hope you share any mods you make. I’d be interested to hear.

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Alimander

· #3 · May 31, 2022

I'm 6'2" and am an enduro rider so use to standing a lot. I installed Pro Taper adventure bars (higher than stock) and also added about 1" for bar risers as well. For me now it perfect! Bar height and position is all a personal preference for how you want them to feel. What I do when I get a new bike is I sit on the seat and place my hands in the air where ideally I would like them positioned. Then I have my wife measure from the center of the existing grip to where my hands are placed. For example that might be 1.5" higher and 1" closer to me. Then I just find the bar/risers/triple clamp position that gets me to that spot.

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SydsTub

Discussion Starter · #4 · May 31, 2022

Beanzapper said:
I’m 6’3 and it all feels not too bad actually. I usually ride with the seat in the low position. It’s a little cramped for sure. The high position is definitely what I’d use for a long haul. The seat adjustment is easy too - no screws! I have the rear brake lever and shift lever as low as they go though. If you go with the lower pegs, you may need to look at a solution for the rear brake. Once you get your bike and adjust the rear brake lever down, you’ll see what I mean. The shaft going to the master cylinder bottoms out on the shift lever, so you’d need a longer shaft. The shift lever you would just need to adjust on the shaft like most bikes, so that’s fine.

I rode 230 miles today and my back was a bit sore by the end. I’ve played with risers/tall bars on a lot of different bikes, and I never liked how the front end felt after. I’d rather have a sore back than sacrifice control.

I hope you share any mods you make. I’d be interested to hear.
View attachment 575

I’ve since made adjustments and much better. Bars are in the top holes and angled forward, I may also try to spin the clamps around so that positions them slightly further forward also. But I think maybe 25mm riser would also work for me. I tested it out over the weekend on some tracks following power lines, and going down some steep roads/access tracks it was pretty good, i was able to move around easy and shift my weight back, i didn’t feel like I was too hunched over. I put my pivot pegs on and they also feel good. I’m going to wait till the one piece enduro style seat is available as it apparently will be an additional 20mm taller according to the manufacturer I spoke with over the weekend at a Touratech event.

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SydsTub

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 31, 2022

…also have felt my back is a little strained from the seat position however, i was able to ride for longer and my back was more straight and upright compared to my KTM640 so posture was improved and my shoulders not so sore after a long day. Seat is super comfy and I was not changing my backside position to get comfortable like my old bike. So I must say very positive so far. I adjusted the gear lever down about 5-10mm to enable smoother shifting as I felt stock position was too high and I was missing smooth shifts especially 1st into 2nd, now its better

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Roald

· #6 · 12 mo ago

+1 shifter position
+1 on mock measuring

I’m 6-3 and seated it’s not too bad.. feels a bit compact. Standing is not as comfy, I find the grips a little too close to my body as well as being 1/2” too low.
I’m hoping the bar position forward and a little up will do the trick. Likely a weekend project; will update here on the result.

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SydsTub

Discussion Starter · #7 · 12 mo ago

It makes quite a difference when you position forward, plus spin the bracket around 180 degrees, then tilt forward, bars are further away and higher.

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DarkWhiteChocolate

· #8 · 12 mo ago

Roald said:
+1 shifter position
+1 on mock measuring

I’m 6-3 and seated it’s not too bad.. feels a bit compact. Standing is not as comfy, I find the grips a little too close to my body as well as being 1/2” too low.
I’m hoping the bar position forward and a little up will do the trick. Likely a weekend project; will update here on the result.

My dealer noticed I was 6'4" and offered to install some bar risers they had in stock, it was $39 (free install) and they also moved the bars to the most forward position. Standing feels much better now!

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Mooseb

· #9 · 11 mo ago

I am 6'4"and found the bike fairly comfortable all things considered. I do want to get pivot pegs as I had those on my last bike and think they are great especially when standing.

I did add Rox bar risers on the Norden too as the bars were way too low when standing for long periods. Glad I did as I recently found the need to stand for approximately 150km continuous (both ways) on the Dempster highway.

I've also added the Puig clip on visor which has been a great help for wind deflection.
Live the bike!!

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Mello

· #10 · 11 mo ago

I'm 6'4" but found the bike fits quite well but the bars were too close when standing. I've moved the handle bar mounts to the forward hole but the clamps are angled back, so can go slightly more forward. In the middle mounting, the bars felt too close standing but height wise ok. I've found some locally manufactured foot pegs that seem a little lower but still need to try these. Seat is in the high position but keen to get the single seat when its available.
I also have a 640 adventure. Standing on this bike I felt the bars were too low so added risers and rotated the bars forward a bit. I've got used having to bend the knee a bit more on this bike.

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SydsTub

Discussion Starter · #11 · 11 mo ago

Mooseb said:
I am 6'4"and found the bike fairly comfortable all things considered. I do want to get pivot pegs as I had those on my last bike and think they are great especially when standing.

I did add Rox bar risers on the Norden too as the bars were way too low when standing for long periods. Glad I did as I recently found the need to stand for approximately 150km continuous (both ways) on the Dempster highway.

I've also added the Puig clip on visor which has been a great help for wind deflection.
Live the bike!! View attachment 750

150km standing? Why, was this Dempster Hwy very technical? I see many videos of groups of riders and as soon as they hit dirt, they all stand up, like meerkats 😜 it’s very tiring standing for long periods, if the road is dirt or gravel, and it’s not too gnarly, I sit. The Dakar riders also sit on fast dirt, conserving energy is important on long rides I reckon. Anyway, have you tried fitting pegs that you can lower? I have Pivot Pegz and just changed to the low position. Hoping they help with my long legs. Already they have changed the angle of my legs so I reckon it will make a huge difference

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SydsTub

Discussion Starter · #12 · 11 mo ago

Mello said:
I'm 6'4" but found the bike fits quite well but the bars were too close when standing. I've moved the handle bar mounts to the forward hole but the clamps are angled back, so can go slightly more forward. In the middle mounting, the bars felt too close standing but height wise ok. I've found some locally manufactured foot pegs that seem a little lower but still need to try these. Seat is in the high position but keen to get the single seat when its available.
I also have a 640 adventure. Standing on this bike I felt the bars were too low so added risers and rotated the bars forward a bit. I've got used having to bend the knee a bit more on this bike.

I too have a 640, and also 6’4, the 640 is a very tall bike and had the same thing, bar risers to help in standing position, but the Norden seems actually quite fine in the farthest forward bar position, clamps rotated as well. May still get risers but so far it’s ok without.

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Mooseb

· #13 · 11 mo ago

SydsTub said:
150km standing? Why, was this Dempster Hwy very technical? I see many videos of groups of riders and as soon as they hit dirt, they all stand up, like meerkats 😜 it’s very tiring standing for long periods, if the road is dirt or gravel, and it’s not too gnarly, I sit. The Dakar riders also sit on fast dirt, conserving energy is important on long rides I reckon. Anyway, have you tried fitting pegs that you can lower? I have Pivot Pegz and just changed to the low position. Hoping they help with my long legs. Already they have changed the angle of my legs so I reckon it will make a huge difference

Hi Syds. Yes I too always marveled at the “meerkats” and only stood myself when I felt REALLY needed to. One reason ( I now understand better) is that my last bike (BMW 650 Dakar) I never got adjusted to be quite as comfortable as the Norden is when standing.

The Dempster road conditions varied greatly. When we did it the last section from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk must have been freshly gravelled and The crews were very generous with the gravel! In places the marble sized gravel was easily 3" deep. This made the bikes wander constantly feeling very unstable while sitting. Other riders went past standing up at a much higher speed and my partner also was going at better clip standing. It took me some time to get used to it but I realized standing up the bike was more free to wander through the gravel and my body moved around less as arms and legs could absorb that motion. I got much quicker as the ride went on and any time I sat back down I had to slow right down again as I would start to fight with the bike as it carved through the gravel.

I've ordered the pivot pegz as I couldn't find anything else that looked like they would lower the peg position. I should have them shortly. Looking forward to having them on.

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SydsTub

Discussion Starter · #14 · 11 mo ago

Ahh, the dreaded gravel...yeah when its that size and deep its challenging for sure. I suppose it's like sand, it helps to be up and allow the bike to "wander" as you say. Good luck with the Pivot Pegz, they are great quality, take a little time to get used to the rocking forward and back motion but it doesn't take long to forget all about them.

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