Improving rider position/comfort

Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
122
Location
NE Ohio
I have stock everything on my ST11. I'm 6'2/34 inseam and I need to improve long-distance comfort. I can see at least three farkles:

- new seat
- handlebar risers
- peg lowerers

I'm thinking that the seat is the most obvious choice to try first. However, I want a Russell and they custom fit the seat based on a photo. So I'm just wondering if maybe I should do the risers (and peg lowerers if I decide on those) first since that would affect my riding posture. What do you think?

Also, is the Russell backrest any help, given the sporty forward lean of the ST rider position? I would guess the backrest would help more if I get the Helibars. It's an expensive option.
 

Mark

Gotta make tracks
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70
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Apache Junction AZ
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KTM 525exc
STOC #
3768
A custom seat can raise you up so you don't need the dropped pegs; but, will put your head/helmet in more of the *slip* stream coming over the shield.
So you'll probably add a shield to your list of purchases.
The helibars will be a big help if you raise the seat.

Mark
 

STArnie13

R.I.P. - 2020/07/03
Rest In Peace
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Dec 8, 2004
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324
Location
Wichita, Ks
With Heli bars the backrest might work fine. Personally I would do the Heli bars instead of risers unless I tried a bike with the risers to decide on the proper height of the risers. The bars and pegs would be a good idea to be done before a seat. I haven't heard of anyone with a Russell seat that didn't like it. :03biker:
 

nm6r

Blue is faster!!!
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Dec 8, 2004
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Many have found the seat alone does the trick.

Ray
 
Joined
Aug 24, 2005
Messages
306
Location
Staffordshire - UK
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ST1300
STOC #
5651
On my last ST1100.

I actually changed the seat to a more comfortable version, but it was a remodel on the original seat done by a local company here in the UK.

When I got it back I found it was slightly wider than the STOC seat and slightly lower than the STOC, but it was very comfortable and I felt as though I was 'Sitting in the bike' rather than sitting like a 'Pea on a Plate' as I felt on the STOC seat.

Another big plus was that I found that even though it lowered my seating position very slightly, it in turn lowered the centre of gravity. As a result, the bike did not seem to be affected by cross winds so much as before.

That may have been my imagination, but I really dont think so. I have been blown two lanes across one of our busiest motorways before changing the seat, and that really did frighten me. It was blowing a gale and I was expecting gusts to move the bike about, but not that much!

After changing the seat to the custom, stability felt better, even in strong cross winds.

So a custom seat has a number of advantages, and would be high on my ST1100 list of changes. Just thought I would pass my opinions on regarding the seat.
 
Joined
Apr 19, 2006
Messages
57
Location
Fair Oaks, CA (Sacramento)
dpadair said:
I have stock everything on my ST11. I'm 6'2/34 inseam and I need to improve long-distance comfort. I can see at least three farkles:

- new seat
- handlebar risers
- peg lowerers

I'm thinking that the seat is the most obvious choice to try first. However, I want a Russell and they custom fit the seat based on a photo. So I'm just wondering if maybe I should do the risers (and peg lowerers if I decide on those) first since that would affect my riding posture. What do you think?

Also, is the Russell backrest any help, given the sporty forward lean of the ST rider position? I would guess the backrest would help more if I get the Helibars. It's an expensive option.
I just got my ST 2 weeks ago. I already have the Russell seat and love it, but could not use the backrest until I got Helirisers. love the new feel. Still too early for a good review, but soon.
 
OP
OP
Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
122
Location
NE Ohio
Polovision said:
I just got my ST 2 weeks ago. I already have the Russell seat and love it, but could not use the backrest until I got Helirisers. love the new feel. Still too early for a good review, but soon.
If you have a pic or two of your ST with the backrest, please post!
 
Joined
Mar 26, 2005
Messages
96
Age
64
Location
Eastern Wisconsin
I have the Russell seat, MCL peg lowers, and handlebar plate. The more upright position feels more like a BMW rather than a sport bike. The set up took pressure off my hips and wrists which allows me to ride in greater comfort.
 
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Messages
26
Location
Victoria, B.C.
Bike
GL1800 Goldwing
STOC #
4687
I'm 6'3" with a 34" inseam. I'm now quite comfortable by having a stock seat rebuilt - I had it flattened and lengthened in the driver's portion which stops me from sliding forward and lowered me a bit. My knees don't rub on the fairing and my shorts don't bunch up anymore. It also gives me more room to move around.
For the bars, I did the "flip clip" mod which raised them about an inch or so and is a cheap alternative to risers.
I also went to a Laminar Lip windshield which has made both me and my wife much more comfortable.
Cliff.
 

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JReviere

R.I.P. - 2011/03/07
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Lake Livingston, Texas
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dp: One suggestion: Change only ONE thing at a time. If you care about funds, change the least costly first. Russell makes arguably the most comfortable saddle on the road for most people. It's also one of the more costly, but most owners say a Russell Day Long is worth the coins. Personally, I've owned 3 ST1100's and now an ST 1300... for all four, I've rebuilt the OEM saddle to suit myself. On the 1100 I've also opted for the marvelously adjustable HeliBars. On the 1300 I've opted for the MCL riser plate. I suffer the opposite of your height problem. At about 5'8" with short arms and short legs, I have to adjust the ergonomics of ST to fit my body conformation. One size DOES NOT FIT ALL except in a Mu Mu from Hawaii. One problem with peg lowering is: a lower ground clearance. If you like to hit the twisties hard, you won't like lower pegs.
JR
STOC 394
03ST1300A
Lake Livingston, TX
 
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Messages
26
Location
Victoria, B.C.
Bike
GL1800 Goldwing
STOC #
4687
"Flip clip"
You purchase another 2 top clamps for the handlebars, remove the bars and place the news ones upside down into the lower clamps, put the bars back into the "new" ones, bolt the bars, with longer bolts, back to the lower clamps with the bolts going through the new ones. Looking at it from the side you would have the original lower clamp the bars sat in, the new clamp sitting in the original clamp "upside down", the handlebars and the top clamp sitting its usual way holding the bars in place. It's cheap and works well. I didn't have to get longer cables or hoses and raised the bars just enough for me. If you want to retain the plastic handlebar cover, you will have to make some "straps" to screw the plastic to and screw the straps to the original holes.
I'll cheat and paste Uncle Phil's instructions from another forum:

Here's the setup I came up with. Mine actually still looks stock.
1. You will need to replace the 4 M8 X 35 stock bolts through the clamps with four M8 X 60's, 4 10mm nuts to use as spacers, and two stock ST top clamps from Honda. Lowe?s was where I found the bolts and nuts. Remove the cover and the four bolts holding the bars. You should be able to lay the bars slightly out of the way without removing any lines or cables. Put a towel over your tank to protect it before you start.
2. The square ignition cover over the hole just pops off (it's sticky taped). Find a closet pole (Home Depot carries them) that is 1 inch in diameter and cut a 1 inch section. Paint it SEM Graphite Gray (many auto parts carry this brand and color). This sleeve will allow you to use the stock key and keep it centered. It is tight, but with the square cover removed, there is clearance. Drill a hole that the below screw into the front strap can go into to secure it. The pole section slides over the ignition lock and looks pretty nice, since it lines up with the round edges of the ignition hole in the cover. It also fills in the gap and help secures the cover.
3. Take the wire cable keeper at the front and rotate it and bend slightly. Cut a small strap about an inch long and bend into a u-shape around the upturned bar (it bolts back in the same holes to the front of the triple tree). Note the wire (from the front of the bike - from |______| to |````````````| ) There is a strap that clips to this wire. The replacement strap looks like |_| with a hole bored through both legs to match the original screw hole size and the new height. The screw goes through the cover, through the first leg of the strap, over the wire and into the second leg of the strap and into the sleeve -| -|-|-| <-
4. Cut two more straps from the same material about 1 1/4 long. This is for the screws at the back of the cover. Drill holes in each end of these straps big enough for the original screws to go through. Get a slip nut (like the body work uses). These slip over the cover and the screw goes through them. This allows you to bolt the top of the two straps to the two back holes in the cover.
5. Then bolt the bottom of the straps to the bottom of the triple tree where the back screws originally went. If you paint these straps with the SEM Graphite paint, it matches the ST gray perfectly.
With this set up, the only actual change to the cover is to remove the square ignition cover. It is a little tight with gloved hands, but it looks stock and works well. And unless you knew what you were looking for, you would never know the handle bars were raised. And if you wanted to change it back, you haven't destroyed anything. When you are finished, it looks like (from the side) ?
(o}x)==== where ( - new top clamp, o ? handlebars, } ? old top clamp flipped, x ? 10 mm nut for a spacer, ) ? bottom clamp, ==== - forks. Hope that helps.

It was confusing at first but worked out in the end and it still looks stock. Uncle Phil used a 10mm nut as a spacer for more height but I found I didn't need to.
I can post some pictures of the "straps" if that will help
Cheers,
Cliff.
 
Joined
May 10, 2006
Messages
2
Location
Detroit Suburbs
Aching Back

I've had my 'new to me' Grey for a little over a week now, and I just love it, but my back isn't as happy. MyST came with a Rick Mayer 2pc dual saddle and the GenMar 1.25 x 1 riser. I think a riders backrest will help a lot, but I don't see one available from Rick Mayer. Are there any decent backrests out there that will work with the Mayer? I'm pretty handy at makin' stuff, so if anyone has any tips on what to mount a homemade backrest to, let me know. If it works out I'll make them available to all. Some photos from someone who has the Russel would sure help. I'm also looking to swap the 1.25 x 1 GenMar for a 1 x 2 Heli. Anyone interested? I might also have to send the seat back to Mayer for a repack as well. I'm at least 100 lbs heavier and 4" taller than the rider it was built for. This might require a stock loaner seat that some might have laying around?
 
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