KLR Standover and rider fit

[DirtDad]

'Scuse me if this is an FAQ, I thought it might be but I could not find any threads, feel free to point me in the right direction if this has already been discussed...

I am considering the new KLR as a first bike. My jeans are 30" inseam and when I straddle the KLR I can get the balls of my shoes on the ground but no way can I flat foot it. I straddled a BMW 650 XCountry, which fit very nice, and it looks like it would be a great bike, but at nearly 2X the price...yikes.

So is this within the range of acceptable fit? Is there anything you can do to lower it a bit - thinner gel saddle (I have seen this on other models), lower the suspension (yeah, maybe I am not tall enough for all that travel anyway) or what?

[Judjonzz]

You are plenty tall enough for the KLR. Why would you need to flat-foot both feet? If you can get the balls of your feet down, you can plant one foot at a stop. That is all you need. I do fine with my 28" inseam.

Many riders feel the need to lower their bikes, but soon return them to stock height as they gain experience. Of course, many prefer a lowered bike, but I think they would typically be a lot shorter than you.

[steve68steve]

AFA not being able to flat-foot it: plenty can't, but it's probably not the best for a new rider.

The bike can be lowered by raising the fork tubes in the triple tree and changing out the suspension linkage (search this site for "lowering links"). If you raise the front and back by different amounts, that can change the handling characteristics of the bike. It's also possible the bike you sat on had the suspension pre-load set too high and it didn't "sag" with you on it. I don't know for sure, but it's supposed to sag 2 or 3 inches when you're mounted (meaning the suspension squishes under your weight making the seat 2 or 3 inches shorter.)

Lower seats help, too, I guess - I have the opposite problem so I don't know much about that.

HTH

[rokhedjo]

Only 2 sets of balls may be touching at any given time on a klr.........................one set on the seat, and one set on the ground, heh heh heh.

[jgrog76]

I am 5'6'' and fit on the KLR fine. It is not a street bike so you will not be two footing it while stopped. I can put one foot down flat to the heel at a stop once I am seated on the bike. Offroad you will only need to bounce a toe off the ground every once in a while for balance when things get real rough and it has never been an issue for me. It is just different getting used to sitting up that high.

[JoeWannaB]

While I'm not a beginner rider, I am relatively new to "tall" bikes. I rode mostly cruiser style bikes where I was flat footing with bent knees. I was a little nervous when I first climbed onto my KLR. I too could only touch with the balls of my feet. After a short while, I got used to reaching for the ground and supporting the bike on one foot at stop lights. Now I really like the height and will likely not go back to a lower bike. My advice is to try the bike in its stock configuration first. Before I bought the bike, I thought I was going to need to lower the bike but now I'm glad I left it stock. Good Luck.

[bulacouple]

It's a tall mans bike!!! Get over it! If all this complaining about it being too tall makes them lower it in the future and messes up the ONLY bike I found to fit me I'm gonna be miffed!!!!!!!!!! Just teasing everyone sorry to get you riled! Raising links and a taller saddle for me.... That is when the short one (wife) says I'm allowed to. I actually agree with Wannab. I'm a trials rider so I try not to put the feet down much anyway. I'm not really that tall 5'10" and stop lights are never a problem.

[Ed_A]

Originally Posted by DirtDad

'Scuse me if this is an FAQ, I thought it might be but I could not find any threads, feel free to point me in the right direction if this has already been discussed...

I am considering the new KLR as a first bike. My jeans are 30" inseam and when I straddle the KLR I can get the balls of my shoes on the ground but no way can I flat foot it. I straddled a BMW 650 XCountry, which fit very nice, and it looks like it would be a great bike, but at nearly 2X the price...yikes.

So is this within the range of acceptable fit? Is there anything you can do to lower it a bit - thinner gel saddle (I have seen this on other models), lower the suspension (yeah, maybe I am not tall enough for all that travel anyway) or what?

You will get many differing opinions and they are all valid! Sort through them and find what fits with your comfort level. I too have a 30 inseam. I lowered my KLR and I'm glad I did. First ride I took, I wound up traveling on a 4 mile downward slope that had lots of loose and sometimes deep sand. I had to foot my way through at times and sure was glad that I could plant a foot firmly as needed.

[drifteast]

Well, I don't know what DirtDad thinks of all this but, at 5'10" myself and not having ridden my KLR yet, I feel a little more comfortable about the whole thing after hearing from others I'd sat on one that was lowered 3" and it made a big difference in terms of making it less imposing. But I'm going to try mine stock and see how I like it...

[DirtDad]

I am going to try mine stock when I finally get it, I will be smart enough to talk to the dealer about making adjustments if I want them later.

I have a lot of mountain bike experience. This sounds like it is similar to bottom bracket height on a full suspension MTB (with obvious differences). A higher bottom bracket may take a while to get used to, but once you learn to handle them they provide better clearance.

[Northman]

I rode mine stock for a while but just wasn't comfortable with the lack of control at stoplights due to the ball of feet height of the bike . I am 5'-10" but don't have that long of legs.
I have installed the 2" lowering links and feel I have much more control over the bike.

[Subybaja]

A higher bottom bracket may take a while to get used to, but once you learn to handle them they provide better clearance.

You've got it exactly!

For every guy who still has the lowering links, there are another 10 who used them for a couple months, then took them off when they got comfortable with the bike.

That said, the Corbin seat is nice- both comfort and height.

[MAL-1]

Originally Posted by Subybaja

You've got it exactly!

For every guy who still has the lowering links, there are another 10 who used them for a couple months, then took them off when they got comfortable with the bike.

That said, the Corbin seat is nice- both comfort and height.

Thats me. I bought my bike and it was already lowered. I did not know that at the time, but thats another story. I just raised mine this weekend at the New England tech day (thankyou to the Cabrals). It is nice to have a "adult" height bike. And what a difference with the suspension. Flat footing is over rated; however I do have some 1 1/2" lowering links if your interested. They are extremly easy to install with a lift, 30 minutes tops.

[haroldt56]

I'm 6 foot and at first I thought the KLR was a bit of a handfull with the standard links - I could just flat-foot. Now I'm much happier with the Eaglemike raising links, which improve both ride and handling, and allow you to carry a well-upholstered pillion and luggage without scraping the SW Motech centrestand on a tight corner. The KLR balances beautifully - as long as your big toes can reach the ground you're fine IMHO. I did have to add a bit of hardwood on the bottom of the sidestand, however, to stop it falling over on soft ground, but then as I recall it that was an issue anyway before I added the raising links.

[DanMac]

5'8 or so, I wear 29/30" inseams on jeans.. with my boots on I have 0 issues at all balancing it. I can even move it around.. given sometimes when backing up I have to bounce off the front brake, but thats it.

Bouncing off front brake: Hold front brake, push down on front suspension.. let off front brake, and then push the bike back with the front suspension's energy. SImple enough.

[JoeWannaB]

Originally Posted by DanMac

5'8 or so, I wear 29/30" inseams on jeans.. with my boots on I have 0 issues at all balancing it. I can even move it around.. given sometimes when backing up I have to bounce off the front brake, but thats it.

Bouncing off front brake: Hold front brake, push down on front suspension.. let off front brake, and then push the bike back with the front suspension's energy. SImple enough.

Is that what that's called? I learned to do it with 800lb street bikes. KLR is like a bicycle in comparison.

[Frogrider]

Originally Posted by DirtDad

'Scuse me if this is an FAQ, I thought it might be but I could not find any threads, feel free to point me in the right direction if this has already been discussed...

I am considering the new KLR as a first bike. My jeans are 30" inseam and when I straddle the KLR I can get the balls of my shoes on the ground but no way can I flat foot it. I straddled a BMW 650 XCountry, which fit very nice, and it looks like it would be a great bike, but at nearly 2X the price...yikes.

So is this within the range of acceptable fit? Is there anything you can do to lower it a bit - thinner gel saddle (I have seen this on other models), lower the suspension (yeah, maybe I am not tall enough for all that travel anyway) or what?

Are you talking a new KLR? After you run the bike a while the suspension settles a little and I can flat foot, I have a 30" inseam, you can always lower it.

[fixer]

how's the weather down there?

[DirtDad]

Thanks for all the input guys, this is an AWESOME forum, BTW. It is totally killing me that I dont have the bike yet. I am going to take a class here in Calif to get my M1 license in a couple of weeks. Then if my employer will just give me a contract for more than 30 days at a time I am golden.