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ergonomics - superbikes for tall guys

Discussion in 'General' started by kris, Aug 9, 2022.

  1. kris

    kris Well-Known Member

    So I had a previous thread about being gassed hard after racing my bike. I have a wsbk rsv4, as a result the tank and subframe/seat are totally different.

    I'm 6ft or 184cm so I'm keen to hear what are the basics when it comes to setting the bike up for comfort and to reduce fatigue.

    I'm noticing a little bit of outside grip wear on both bar grips. My seat is now lower which has allowed me to sit in the bike better and it's flatter,rather than sloping toward the tank which loaded my wrists a little. Moved the pegs forward and up in an effort to get my knees more into the scallop of the tank. You'll see the photo just sitting on the bike that my legs are in a very poor position.

    The attached photo shows BEFORE we moved the pegs forward and up as well as taking 30mm out of the back of the seat. It's better but still not right.

    Another photo showing action,again prior to the modifications of seat etc.

    The modifications helped but still I'm very fatigued.

    Any thoughts ,suggestions
     

    Attached Files:

    prm likes this.
  2. kman0066

    kman0066 Well-Known Member

    At 6'4", I feel your pain. Most of it is just learn to live with it.

    Other than that, you can swing your clipons out more, so they are further away from you. When purchasing them, you can pick ones that mount either inline with the forks or in-front of the forks, depending upon clearances. You might be able to swing out the inline ones more if clearance is an issue. Don't be afraid to clearance the bodywork to allow for more room for the controls when doing this. I had one bike where the clipons were almost straight across to give me enough room. While you're there, make sure your brake/clutch levers aren't too steep an angle, this can cause issues with your wrists.

    The footpegs are what they are, you can play around with the adjustments, but we're only talking 1/2" here and there movements, nothing revolutionary is going to happen there. But run them as low as you can go if you don't have ground-clearance issues.

    Using the tank grip things can help. I use the hydroturf stuff and just cut it to the shape I want. That will let you put it where your legs go, which may not be where they were intended to go. They also add a small amount of width to the tank on either side.

    A taller windscreen can help a tiny bit in wind-drag if you're unable to tuck in as much. The classic "double-bubble".

    Lastly, make sure you have a good fitting set of leathers. For me, that's custom only. Otherwise, I get fatigue from trying to stretch the leathers out while leaning over.
     
    fastfreddie and TX Joose like this.
  3. HPPT

    HPPT !!!

    6'4"?! Damn, you never had a chance. :)
     
  4. Steeltoe

    Steeltoe What's my move?

    BMW
    GSX-R
     
    Senna likes this.
  5. Thunderace

    Thunderace Well-Known Member

    I wish I was 6' or even 6'4"! I'm 6'8" and 300lbs. I have had to deal with being tall all my life and recently being heavy as well. An Ohlins tech once told me that the absolute first thing to consider is comfort, not clearance issues or anything else. If you are not comfortable on the bike, you can't be confident to push it.

    I have my rearsets as low as possible. I have size 14 boots and hardly ever touch a toe. You need to adjust your riding style to make up for the clearance issue.

    I have clipons that extend from the front of the fork tube to move my grips as far forward as possible. I also have them rotated quite wide for more space. It feels extremely strange the first time you ride like that, but it's like GP shift, you get used to it immediately and wish you did it sooner.

    Just like a like a lot of things in my life, I just deal with the issue of not being able to fit into places. If you are fatigued from this, you may need to train harder off the bike to increase your stamina on it. There are a lot of people bigger than you that train much less and can still make it work. Have you tried to ride another bike to see if it's the bike? It may be the one thing causing the issue.
     
    Senna and TLR67 like this.
  6. PeaPod

    PeaPod Well-Known Member

    I know it's counterintuitive and possibly detracting from ideal CoG, but try raising the seatpad. I am going through the same issue being 6'4" myself and have tried lower seat height which was worse for getting my knee into the tank. I simply bought some seat pad material and wrapped duct tape around the seat for a trial run. It helped and I came up with a more permanent solution later.

    I am working to revise it and raise the total seat height 3"-4" currently. It should ride like an R6 where you are on top of the bike rather than down in the bike, but if I can get my leg locked in I am OK with it.
     
  7. NemesisR6

    NemesisR6 Gristle McThornbody

    I am also now on an RSV4 coming from a Yamaha R6. I'm also 6'.

    The Yamaha has you "on top" of the bike, but nowhere nearly as bad as the RSV4. Sportbikes are terrible commuters, but the RSV4 is a torture device unless you are slinging it around a track at pace. I have woodcraft rearsets currently on my 2017 RSV4, and they are set as low and forward as possible. Helps keep the strain off the wrists without cramping my 33" inseam to an unmanageable degree.
    Pretty much this. If you want more comfortable ergos based on your original comments it's going to be a lot easier on platforms that tend to have you "in" the bike rather than "on" it.
     
  8. Dave K

    Dave K DaveK über alles!

    Um, nope, got nothing to add. :D
     
    NemesisR6, bleacht, Steeltoe and 2 others like this.
  9. G 97

    G 97 Garth

    I don’t feel so bad being 6’-1”.
     
  10. 2Big4Bike

    2Big4Bike Well-Known Member

    If you’re only 6’…then why are you asking about ergonomics for tall guys?



    …try being 6’7” 250lbs:D

    Set your bike up and adjust your style pretty much like Thunderace stated.
     
  11. Bruce

    Bruce Tuck & Roll

    I'm 5'9" and even I'm cramped on my RSV4. It's the bike dude. I put on a Tuono seat and Giamoto rearsets, with a special-order 1 inch drop, to spread the seat to peg distance.

    Like @Steeltoe said GSXR or BMW. Two of the more comfortable big sportbikes.
     
  12. Dave K

    Dave K DaveK über alles!

    Some Sasquatch level dudes around this place. :D
     
  13. YamahaRick

    YamahaRick Yamaha Two Stroke Czar

    Ditto.
     
  14. Circacee

    Circacee Well-Known Member

    6'4 here.. It's all about getting out there and trying it. I ate through my first set of Sidi boots because I dragged toes everywhere so I adjusted my riding style. I'm on a R6, not the biggest bike around but somehow make it work.

    The biggest thing I learned was "treat your controls like eggs" meaning don't blow out your forearms by white knuckling everywhere. I used to do that and it would fatigue the shit out of me.
     
    Sudowoodo likes this.
  15. fastfreddie

    fastfreddie Midnight Oil Garage

    Lowered/forwarded pegs, clip-ons with adjustable bar angle, everything else kman0066 and others have said.

    I started racing on YSRs with too short leathers for my knee area when I was 5'11". I know a thing or two about tight quarters. Worst case, it teaches you a bad habit.
    Get your wrist angle(s), control angles, foot angle and pedal angles in sync with your body. I'd be surprised if you don't develop a new riding style and improve upon your skills at manipulating the controls.
     
  16. YamahaRick

    YamahaRick Yamaha Two Stroke Czar

    Takes one to know one!
     
  17. noles19

    noles19 Well-Known Member

    Isn't almost every guy sasquatch lever to you though?
     
    Steeltoe likes this.
  18. stangmx13

    stangmx13 Well-Known Member

    You knee angle looks really tight in the photo, and then you made it worse by moving the pegs up. You probably won't be able to use your legs effectively with that much bend in them. Think how much harder a full depth squat is compared to normal ones. I'd go down with the pegs and try adding seat foam to reduce this issue.

    +1 to everyone talking about tank grip. Tank grip that wraps fully around the back of the tank are the most effective, as your inner thigh probably spends a lot of time on the back corners of the tank. And grip on the seat can help too. Tank grip pads are a lot more effective than trying to perfectly position your knee on the tank, IMO.
     
    Senna likes this.
  19. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    Only answer.

    85F99976-FA01-437D-9889-A2AFC86F6BF0.jpeg
     
    rice r0cket and Steeltoe like this.
  20. kris

    kris Well-Known Member

    Ive got tank grip. If i move the pegs down, my knees dont sit in the tank nicely. Ill try with some other rearsets ive got, I do also have a 10mm foam, rather than the 5mm on the bike to try.

    Im thinking a bigger bike is the only way forward
     

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