Track bikes for large humans?

[Garandman]

Well, this experiment is over. Even with tall seat and lowered pegs the bike proved painful to ride. I only completed one full session and I'm going slower than I was on V-Strom on some of my first track days.

So I loaded it up, frove it home and picked up the V-Strom to ride Tuesday.

[Chippertheripper]

Too bad. I hope you can get your $ back out of it. With the v, you rode it back up there? I sooo want one of them transits.

[Garandman]

I've ridden up and camped with it before. But I had the van and the ground was already wet, so I drove it up without bags etc.

[Rada]

How did the knees fair at the TD?

[Garandman]

Poorly. I rode it one day, brought it home, and picked up the V-Strom.

I'm selling my Roadster on eBay this week and the SV next week.

[Garandman]

Does the SV1000S have more leg room than the SV650S? Cycle-Ergo shows it to have a 4 degree larger knee angle, although basic dimensions of the bike seem to be the same.

My latest evil plans are to put street tires on the V-Strom and keep riding that, or find a DL1000, which are pretty cheap used.

[Chippertheripper]

Give in and get a motard already!

[Garandman]

Zero interest.

[nhbubba]

I've been meaning to ask you how hard/easy it is to remove those Jesse bags of yours. I presume your MO would be to ride to the track, unpack the ratchet set, loose the bags and ride onto the track.

Or are you livin' out of that Transit now?

Seen threads 'round the net about converting the front end to a 17" wheel. With that mini screen you have, seems like it could be real doable.

Personally I love multi-purpose stuff. A single bike that does touring duty one day and track duty the next seems like nirvana to me.

But then I dunno anything about track riding.

[bartman314]

multistrada 1200?

i'm 6'3" 225, 12.5EE and it works.

that being said, if i get into the track thing more (expected), i'll be looking at a sport bike and have similar challanges.

oh, and i played lacrosse in college and have had both knees (acl's) reconstructe and one hip recently scoped. i feel your pain... you may want to try yoga.

[bartman314]

oh... did you ever do the superbike school? how was it?

[Garandman]

multistrada 1200?

i'm 6'3" 225, 12.5EE and it works.

that being said, if i get into the track thing more (expected), i'll be looking at a sport bike and have similar challanges.

oh, and i played lacrosse in college and have had both knees (acl's) reconstructe and one hip recently scoped. i feel your pain... you may want to try yoga.

The SV was OK last year, this year it hurt too much.

The Multistrada attracted my attention at one point because it was still pretty upright and had more power. But so many Ducati owners I know have had problems that I haven't looked at them seriously.

I'm selling the Roadster as we speak on eBay, and the SV goes up for sale next week. By the end of the season the new DL650 will be out, the Super Tenere will be out, etc so I'll take a look at all the new options then.

In the meantime I bought some Conti Road Attack 2's - one of the few street tires available with the V-Strom's 19" front. So I'll ride the rest of the track days on the V-Strom.

[Garandman]

So I decided to give the SV one last try. I flipped some brackets made to relocate pegs so they moved them down 40mm and back 15 on the left side, and down 30mm and back 10 on the left side. That's OK for now as it's my left knee that bothers me the most and the next track day I'm going to is the TTD in NJ, which is a predominately right-turning track.

I took a couple of short test rides and it feels a LOT better, so I'm encouraged.

I took some measurements and may try to have some custom brackets made: the right side will require using flat head screws to move down much as otherwise the pipe interferes.

[Stromper]

I would vote most "90's" superbikes

[Garandman]

SUCCESS!!

The peg mods made a huge difference. Rode the SV in 7 of the 9 sessions. I scraped pegs here and there, but it was more lack of talent than a problem with geometry.

FWIW, the SV is 10mph faster on the straight than the V-Strom, which is punching a pretty huge hole in the air.

[Chippertheripper]

Great to hear Dana. Now but your head down, and twist the stick!

[Garandman]

Went over to Riverside Kawasaki today and "test-sat" the 2011 Ninja 1000. This bike is aimed at the huge cohort of older riders, with a more relaxed riding position than typical sport bikes.

It was more roomy, with a more relaxed knee flex on the stock seat and a little longer. The bars are sort of mid-height.

I'm going to research taller seats and other tricks, but it's a possibility.

[Garandman]

Today I tried out what is probably the new front-runner - a Triumph Tiger 1050. Modest weight (436 lbs dry, 502 wet with 5.2 gal of gas), lots more beans than the SV, and roomy seat-to-peg distance. Lookin' good!

[dankatz]

Today I tried out what is probably the new front-runner - a Triumph Tiger 1050. Modest weight (436 lbs dry, 502 wet with 5.2 gal of gas), lots more beans than the SV, and roomy seat-to-peg distance. Lookin' good!

My friend is a big guy and bought a new 2009 Tiger 1050. He has put 18k miles on it already and loves how comfortable the bike is. He has a tall screen and a set of luggage and has taken it touring along the Northeast and Canada, one up and two up. Never on the track, but the engine, suspension, brakes and tire size make this bike definitely track worthy.

[Garandman]

Well, the SV sold to the first guy who looked at it. I rode these three bikes Saturday and that will be the last time. The Tiger has a Penske suspension upgrade and will be getting new tires.

[nhbubba]

Awesome. Grats on moving the SV. I am shocked it took that long to sell.

[SprintPoser]

Which tires are you considering? it seems to have the original version of Michelin Pilot Road, and I hear the newest Pilot Road 3 is a great all-around tire that can do hot track days to cold rainy days.

[Garandman]

Awesome. Grats on moving the SV. I am shocked it took that long to sell.

I listed it Sat 5pm on CL, wasn't home Sunday and it sold to the first person who showed up on Monday. I had two guys lined up to look at it Tuesday if he didn't buy it, and two people who offered $3,900 by email. Not exactly a difficult sale. Suzuki did me a favor by discontinuing the SV650S and the Gladius.

Didn't really expect to sell it set up with the Penske, put that thread up as a courtesy to people here and SVRider. The SV market is very price sensitive. I'll sell the Penske on eBay.

[nhbubba]

I forwarded it to yet another friend that is looking for an SV. Sadly this one probably wasn't in your queue; she doesn't seem to be getting off her ass and moving on this. Not that it is my job or anything. If she doesn't want a bike, she doesn't want a bike. Still, I toss pointers to ads her way when I see 'em.

Interested to hear about how the Tiger takes to the track for you.

[SprintPoser]

Interested to hear about how the Tiger takes to the track for you.

+1! zombie had taken his '02 Tiger 955i (fitted with 17" Dymag wheels & sticky rubber) to the track a few times. Funny to see a big ol' heavy street bike like that embarrass many a KawaZukiYamaHonda sportbike.