How important is seat height and front end feel

[PDL]

I am raising my seat height two inches as I am struggling with feel and control into faster corners. The bike didn't have a seat unit when I bought it and I fitted a 1098 race unit but looking at stock 800 ss pictures the seat is 2 inches higher. The tank feels very tall at the mo and I can't get my head forwards and feel stretched out with lack of fine control in faster corners. Does this sound right. My thinking is by raising the seat I will be able to get further forwards take the weight off my arms and get some front end feel back. What do you reckon

[skidlids]

Paul I certainly wouldn't entertain going lower than standard, when i raced the 750SSie in Mini-Twins I used the standard seat with a rear cover, with the pad removed from the back of the tank and repositioning the bars it felt comfortable enough

[bradders]

You can only try it and see. Guess its overall balance that is important; the relationship between the height of the front and rear. Mines a monster but runs about 10mm down at the front and 10mm up on the rear from what looks like a std height and works fine for me: lots of feel etc

Maybe someone with similar race bike could measure ride height from and rear and you could compare?

[PDL]

Thanks Kev/Paul, I built some impromptu alloy box section last night and raised it 2 inches, it feels better just sitting on it and is about the stock height. I will test it next time out and take some extra seat padding as well to lift it even more.

It's the bum stop I need to sort now as it's too far back which stops me from feeling the rear hook up.

Paul

[antonye]

The SS seat unit has a very thick base and then there is loads of padding so just putting a replacement seat unit on (like a fibreglass race seat) and a thin layer of seat foam means you lose about 3-4 inches in seat height!

We did the same on all the race bikes we built - put some kind of box under the seat unit to raise the level - but we used a much lighter and advanced composite material to make our boxes ... wood!! ;)

[Spjallen]

Im racing a 620 ss at the minute and have totally changed the rear seat - the old two seater is in the garage somehwere gathering dust. I've adapted a DD Gp race single seat unit on it with no risers of any sorts. With the clip on's postioned below the top yoke it feels fine and I've had no problems - so far! When I first sat on the bike it felt strange, like im sitting in the bike rather than on it, but once on track I dont notice at all.

[PDL]

I've measured the height now and it should be 32.1 inches, and it was 30 inches with the 1098 seat on. I've raised it to 32.3 inches with the 1098 seat in and it feels more focussed on the body just sitting on the bike. Before it felt like the tank was in the way and I couldn't get my head forwards or body over the tank no matter how much I tried, which meant my arms were stretched and taking a bit of body weight. I thought it was me but I just wasn't getting any feel from the front end going into/slowing down for quicker corners. Which makes sense now I think about it as if I was sitting back more the front would be too light to give feedback.

Now I can get my head up to the screen and alongside each side of the screen; plus I can bend my arms, my legs feel more relaxed and in a better position to grip the tank taking weight off my arms. I just need to get it on a track now and prove to myslef I'm not talking borrox. :)

Paul

[bradders]

Sounds like a step forward even if it's just in your head ;)

[PDL]

Sounds like a step forward even if it's just in your head ;)

I know!!! that is probably where it is 80% head 20% bike

[Spjallen]

Horses for courses and all that!