Calling all abnormally tall riders

[Bonnie Lad]

What bikes do you ride/'fit' you best?

I'm 6ft 4in and 16.5 stone, and am in the market for a new bike.

Have owned a bandit, old shape hornet, and currently have a 2013 Bonneville T100.

Bandit and Hornet were just meh, love my bonnie and find the down below foot peg position fits my lanky legs best, but am wanting to chop it in for something a bit more 'dynamic'. Only real idea so far is XSR900, but not fully sold on it.

Got no real preference as to what kind of bike (don't want a full on sports bike or adventure nonsense though) so would be interested in what works for other tall, and in my case, slightly overweight fuckers?

[Snowdonia Rider]

The usual mention is a proper Supermoto, but they're not to everyones taste. Also the suspension on them is usually soft so any high seat height turns into an average seat height once you sit on them. Could be sorted no problem of course but where do you draw the line on spending?
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[M.C]

[pepperami]

Find the thread " Today I did borrow this" and you will see the Ducati Hyper-motard i did have the use of for a day.

Like you , i am a chunky monkey 6`4" and seventeen and a half stone (in my case all fat ) .
it is plenty big enough and has enough oomph to drag fatties like us around

EDIT : oops, just saw the bit about adventure bikes, never mind
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[chris-red]

I'm 6'5 and ride a TDM900

I find the adventure style bikes fit best.

I'll be looking at a 900 tracer next.
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[Bonnie Lad]

Think I'm making my life hard for myself with the no adventure bikes thing

[kgm]

Budget?

I think you're limiting yourself and avoiding some cracking bikes by saying no adventure style bikes. What is your reasoning behind this? Genuine question, not taking a dig.

I can understand if you mean traditional adventure bikes like the GS range, Vstrom, etc. if you don't want to look like a Boorman/McGregor wannabe but what about the adventure-sport style bikes for want of a better term? I'm thinking those with normal 17" front wheels, like the Tracer 900, Multistrada, Tiger Sport/1050, Versys 1k, 1290 Superduke (or even the earlier 990). They're all really capable bikes and probably all a step ahead of what you've had already in performance.

If it's mainly short rides then Ducati Hypermotard, Aprilia Dorsoduro are worth a look. Then there is the more traditional supermotos in the form of converted MX bikes or the likes of the KTM 640/690 series.

Sprint ST1050 isn't bad for tall people either if you prefer something more sport-styled. My mate had a few and he makes his multistrada look like a Grom. You could probably make most of the big sports tourers work to be honest.

[kgm]

Also have a look at https://cycle-ergo.com/ for an indication of how each bike might fit you.

[Bonnie Lad]

Budget is flexible, I'll pay the going rate for the right bike. Probs something sub 9k new though (although I'll probs buy ex demo or nearly new)

Maybe I'm being to dismissive of all adventure bikes. I have no interest in the monstrous BMW GS bikes, or the fully loaded Triumph Explorers despite the fact I know they're great bikes at what they do. I ride entirely on road (both local pootling and longer trips to the continent and top of Scotland) so don't want to be paying 10k plus for something with off road pretensions.

The tracer interests me actually, I'd forgotten about that as it seems to sit between adventure and sports tourers markets. Has almost universal good reviews too...

[Tracer1234]

[kgm]

[chris-red]

[Alex A]

KTM 950/990 SM? Or if you fancy a sportsbike, the KTM RC8 is spacious (and very adjustable).
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Current: Ducati Panigale R / Ducati Streetfighter S / Suzuki GSX-R1000 L5

[Fisty]

Busa.
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TL1000R | Hayabusa | ZXR400 | TL1000S | Bandit 400 V
Fatter and faster than Fret

[ThatDippyTwat]

I'm 6' 3", and I'll second the Crossrunner. Had a decent play on the 800 a friend has, and it's very comfy and not really designed for offroad, despite the marketing blurb. Will keep up surprisingly well with a decent rider aboard. He sticks with most bikes unless they're battering it down the road.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[Alex A]

Always considered the 'busa a bit of a shortie bike. Low-ish seat and high pegs. For that kind of bike, the ZX-12R is a better bet.
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Current: Ducati Panigale R / Ducati Streetfighter S / Suzuki GSX-R1000 L5

[winz]

My Blackbird is quite comfortable and I'm 6'2" and 15st.
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Current Bikes: BMW K1200S
Previous: Honda CBR929RR, Honda CBR1100XX, Honda CB600F

[Yorkshire Geek]

Only sat on it static but the MT09 Tracer fitted me rather well at 6'6".

[Bonnie Lad]

Crossrunner could be a shout, it's on the shortlist with the tracer

Blackbird is interesting - I was thinking a bid sports tourer like a z1000sx or whatever the one triumph does could be a shout. Or do they have your feet tucked up behind you like a sports bike?

[defblade]

I'm 6' 4", check my sig.
The BMW was simply too fast for the safety of my licence; the Shiver is spot on.
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Honda Varadero 125cc => Suzuki Bandit 650 33bhp => 77bhp =>
BMW K1200R Sport 163bhp => Aprilia Shiver GT 750 95bhp

[Bonnie Lad]

I absolutely bum the looks of the shiver 900, wonder if the ergos will work for me?

Might just fuck sensible off and go buy the Monster 821 for sale near me, deal with any crippling ergo problems later

[derillius24]

KTM 990 Superduke?

A good friend of mine has one and I've ridden it for prolonged periods. I'm 6'3" and it is very roomy. Great arse-to-peg ergos compared to my Street Triple. Loads of grunt, too. It'll happily pull your big frame along all day.
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CG125, CBF250, DRZ400-SM, Z750, Street Triple R, Tuono V4R

[winz]

[Clanger]

[Tracer1234]

OP, what did you decide in the end?
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Riding: Yamaha MT-09 Tracer Occasionally Riding: 08 Suzuki SV650, Potato: 2011 Yamaha YBR Custom.
Used to ride: 2015 Yamaha MT-09 Tracer (smidsy) 09 Triumph Street Triple (P/X'd) 08 Yamaha YBR (Sold)
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