Tall problem
 

I have been mulling over selling the Superlight and buying a 748/916. I am 6'4" high and although I find the superlight comfortable to ride I would like to change to something different.

Question is would I feel cramped up on a 748/916?
I have never ridden one of these bikes and wonder what the difference would be like. There must be some of you guy's out there who are tall, how do you find these bikes and do you recommend that I change.
Many thanks

Pete:puzzled:

I`m 5 foot 8 & a half inches short and I find my 998 cramped!

You will find that the peg/seat/bars relationship is a lot more extreme than the Superlight.Pegs are higher,seat tends to pitch you forward,and the bars are low.Its pretty hard work on your wrists and neck muscles,especially in town.
You do get used to it tho.I'm over 6 foot and had no problems at all.Some guys have fitted higher bars which will take some of the weight off your wrists.

6 ft 3 ins and 19 stone ....

I couldn't call the 998 comfy, however it is not that bad. Biggest improvement is fitting bar raisers off some sort ... Cycle Cat or Heli bars . It raises the bars by an inch or so, and makes the world of difference

But it's unlikely you are going to be able to get in a hunch behind the screen down the Mulsanne Staright !!!

Thanks for the advice lads, I have an old wrist injury also which I forgot to mention, If any of you have ever broken your Scaphoid bone you will know how it is, the idea of all my weight on my wrist does scare me slightly!

So I think it is likely to be the superlight for a few more years!!!

P:S. aren't we sad logging on first thing in the morning:roll:

Whaddaya mean , it 8.45 am here !

I broke my Scaphoid mountain biking and I am 6'2" and 15 stone and have a neck injury. I find that there's less weight on my wrists than on many of the Jap sports bikes I have ridden; anyway Ruben Xaus seems to do alright!

Send a U2U to BDG, he has a 996R with helibars, and Shawn is a BIG guy.

John

Im 6'2" and my 748 was ok. Could do a couple of hours before any real pain sets in:lol:

I'm 6' and I thought my mate's 916 was a bit on the cramped side. AS others have said, it's bum up - head down so tends to throw weight on your wrists anyway.

I changed from ST4s to 749s because I wanted a superbike rather than a sports tourer. I found the 749/999 chassis to be more comfortable and whilst I was originally going to go for the adjustable seat/tank version (monoposto) I found the mid position of the biposto setup to be comfortable. I can (and have) ridden for several hours on it and still been able to walk. :)

Did a track day on it recently, and found that to be fine too. Then had the pleasure of riding Ruth's 996 back to ours which was about an hour. That I found to be cramped on the legs particularly and more weight on the wrists than I was used to. Due to long arms I could sit up and rest though, but I found myself stretching my legs a few times. Might have been stiffness due to the work out during the day.

Pete

I'm 6'3" and used to weigh 17.5 stone (been on a diet) and also have a wrist that has been smashed to pieces with limited movement.

My 996 is fitted with helibars which make a huge difference, higher screen, essential to avoid windblast, and a technosel foam seat.

Apart from cramped legs at the end of a long day, i happily leave the Multistrada at home and take the 996 to Europe.

maybe the old beer belly helped support on long trips, i'll find out soon:D

Not as comfy as a tourer on autoroutes, but we try and avoid them and ride the more fun roads, and still manage to walk to the bar at the end of a full days riding.

You're not a million miles away in Burton on Trent so you could always try mine for size sometime if that helps.

[Edited on 22-4-2005 by BDG]

Thanks lads for the info, and BDG I appreciate the offer mate although I may not take you up on that as arranging time is difficult around my work, I never know when I can get the time:(

I will still consider a 748/916 but try to get a test ride from a shop some time,(here's hoping)

Know of any place's in the midlands who will let me out on a bike for a few hours???

:ninja:

Italia Moto in Lincoln are pretty good with test rides. Mind you, the new deomnstrators are going to be the new range of bikes but I doubt they will have a problem letting you take out one of the 2nd handers. For purposes of "size" you don't mind what it is in the 748/9xx range really.

01522 511851 and speak to Tony.

Cheers HW I might give them a try I can even take a ride over one Saturday when its not schedulled to rain.:lol:

I'm 6' 1''and find the 916 way more comfortable than the SP3 - something to do with relative seat-pegs-bars position I think. Also, I seem to sit "in" the SP3 and "on" the 916. A test ride I the only way to find out!

Good luck

Andrew

I'm 6'' 2' 15+ st and had the same thoughts before landing a 916.
What you have to do is dial it in to your spec.
I have fitted rearsets (DBR) which by the way are not Ducati Performance type but have more adjustment. These do not cramp your style just give more options.
Secondly get the suspension and ride height adjusted (a lot of people get twitchy about this but it pays to experiment) to your needs, ie road or track etc.
Thirdly get a Corse Screen (Skidmarks £45.00) and finally as mentioned before go, for adjustable bars, I didn't but it's all down to comfort and preference.
Unfortunately you will not get all this until you have parted with your cash and done the deed, but speaking from experience I have not regreted the day.
At the end of the day you will own tailormaid bike which will return more satisfaction than any other bike. Remember a 916,996,998 is a class act and there isn't anything today or round the corner that will give the same ammount of smiles per mile, personnally speaking.

[Edited on 25-4-2005 by M55Russ]