Seat Height

[Rocky]

As has already been said, the more you ride the more comfortable you will become and will become one with the bike and may find the seat height not all that bothersome. Just be careful when you stop that you're not putting a foot into a depression in the ground and suddenly find there is nothing there. By the time you realize your foot isn't on solid ground, it's probably too late to keep the bike up.
Don't ask me how I know this
But in the meantime, adjust the shocks and take whatever you can gain.
As you said, you can always go back.
Good luck and ride safe.

 

[The Seeker]

Living in an extremely hilly area as I do, we around here need to be extra careful about stopping and parking a bike on a slope. I've almost dropped a bike by stopping in a sloped driveway or street with one side too far away to hold the bike up.

After time, you almost do it right without thinking about it.


Posted using Tapatalk 2 via my RAZR

 

[devo]

thinkig slightly outside the square
do you have a pair of these

 

[Rocky]

That's not a bad idea.
A pair of boots with thick soles and a bit of a high heel would help a lot.
Certainly worth thinking about.

 

[golfingirl]

That is a great idea. I do not have a super thick soled parir of boots but I'm looking for some. Thanks!

 

[The Seeker]

Advise:

A thick sole would be great but watch to not get too much of a high heel because you might have trouble shifting and braking if the heel part has to be behind the footpeg.

I know a girl that spent a ton on a nice pair of boots, but found it hard to work the foot controls because the heel was so high and that part of her boot ended-up having to be behind the peg and her boot was so short it didn't give her much length to reach the controls.

 

[Rocky]

Advise:

A thick sole would be great but watch to not get too much of a high heel because you might have trouble shifting and braking if the heel part has to be behind the footpeg.

I know a girl that spent a ton on a nice pair of boots, but found it hard to work the foot controls because the heel was so high and that part of her boot ended-up having to be behind the peg and her boot was so short it didn't give her much length to reach the controls.

Very good advice
Men with big feet might not have this problem, but a woman with smaller feet could very well have that problem.
It's probably best to avoid boots with a cowboy boot type of heel and go for regular biker boots.
For example, the boots I wear were made for Triumph by Alpinestars and have a thick but flexible sole. The heel gives me about a 1" lift.

 

[devo]

I posted the above pic because I wear those and find them great.
However, I do have a size 10, so I reach the pedals comfortably with my insteps on the pegs.
I do imagine that heels would not work with floorboards however.

 

[Rocky]

I posted the above pic because I wear those and find them great.
However, I do have a size 10, so I reach the pedals comfortably with my insteps on the pegs.
I do imagine that heels would not work with floorboards however.

I had a pair of those harness boots for many years before I got back into bikes and loved them.
I wore them for riding too and didn't have any problem either.
It all depends on the size of your feet and how the foot rests and controls are situated.

 

[BludyL]

THe wife has a pair of Hardly Davidson boots that resemble combat boots, but probably add an inch to here height. Something like these:

http://www.harley-davidson.com/mcm/...cale=en_US&bmUID=1352496640434&bmLocale=en_US

 

[devo]

just checked them out
I see womans sizes 5 to 11
I'm thinking I'd have to tread carefully next to a woman who wears a size 11

 

[boofhead]

The allan key that is supplied with the bike should fit shocks to adjust them

 

[Sea Dog]

just checked them out
I see womans sizes 5 to 11
I'm thinking I'd have to tread carefully next to a woman who wears a size 11

Hang on...just got to close the office door so the missus doesn't spring me. MAN UP Harry.

 

[CarlS]

just checked them out
I see womans sizes 5 to 11
I'm thinking I'd have to tread carefully next to a woman who wears a size 11

Can we say Amazon?

 

[golfingirl]

I had my local dealer drop my shocks to the lowest level yesterday. I can now flat foot on my bike. That gives me some security if I happen to stop on an uneven road surface... which is basically all Atlanta has. The dealer was very gracious and did it on the spot for me... no charge. The ride feels a little softer which I'm enjoying.

I don't think I'm interested in getting thicker soled boots. The more height you try to gain, the more heel height you gain. For me, I walking around of a higher heel or even coordinating them , shifting gears and braking, I think would be dangerous for me. Although, I think that's a viable option for those who are even more height challenged than me.

 

[Rocky]

I had my local dealer drop my shocks to the lowest level yesterday. I can now flat foot on my bike. That gives me some security if I happen to stop on an uneven road surface... which is basically all Atlanta has. The dealer was very gracious and did it on the spot for me... no charge. The ride feels a little softer which I'm enjoying.

I don't think I'm interested in getting thicker soled boots. The more height you try to gain, the more heel height you gain. For me, I walking around of a higher heel or even coordinating them , shifting gears and braking, I think would be dangerous for me. Although, I think that's a viable option for those who are even more height challenged than me.

That's good news to hear and very gracious of the dealer. That's how you get good PR with riders as a dealer.
Now that you feel more comfortable on the bike you need not worry about new boots.
Problem solved

 

[CarlS]

Laura, thank you for the followup. I am delighted to hear that adjusting the shocks did the trick. Being able to flatfoot the bike should really help your confidence. Kudos to the dealership.

 

[BludyL]

The wife sat on the various Bonnies and decided that the food pegs are too much in the way when putting her feet down. She seems to have focused her attention to the lower America. What seems to have really sold her is how easy it is to get off the side stand. I had to agree. As you sit on the bike it comes off the side stand and goes into a vertical position. Amazing. We also visited a Honda dealer and she tried the even lower Shadow Spirit. It really took an effort to get it up off the side stand. She's no longer considering a Shadow.

 

[DaveM]

The America and Speedmaster are very easy bikes to ride and are low so it should work for her

 

[devo]

The America is definitely the choice in my book
but then,I could be slightly biased.