SHORT ARSE - STELVIO

[timonbik]

OK I'm not exactly tall but I certainly don't consider myself short either.  At 5'8" I consider myself to be on the low side of average.
I've ridden a lot of different motorcycles, many of which I could barely touch the ground like the Honda  Africa Twin and full dress police equipped Harleys with never an issue until a few weeks ago.   I was about to purchase a used 2014 Stelvio over the internet when I thought I'd better check the bike out before committing.  Well I made the 2 hour drive to the big smoke.  The bike was actually in better shape than I anticipated except for being extremely dirty and unloved.  I'd  read about issues with shorter riders on the Stelvio so thought I'd throw a leg over this mighty steed to check it out.  Stood on the low side as I always have and with my best arthritic attempt tried to mount up.   You guessed it.  Got the leg up and over the seat only to get hung up on the high side pannier.  Glad no one was watching as it wasn't pretty.   Tried a second time, again no luck.  Went off to the corner of the dealership, carried out a few yoga stretches and came back for one more try.  This time I grabbed my pant leg and with extreme pain lifted it up and over the lower rider portion of the seat thus avoiding the dreaded panniers.  Success!!! I was on.  Once on the bike I was fine.  With my full bodied figure I compressed the suspension enough that I almost could get both feet flatly on the ground.  Certainly it wasn't any higher than one of my current rides, the HondaNT700V.  Now to get off.
Same exercise in reverse.  Not pretty but I did manage to dismount without falling to the ground.  Trouble is that if I continued this course of action, one of 2 things is likely to happen.  My chiropractor would become extremely wealthy or I'd end up being a burden on our health system in a wheelchair awaiting knee and hip replacements.
 The bags on these things are higher than the seat with the outside of each bag almost 2' outboard of the center line.   How do the guys that own these things get on and off, especially after being in the saddle for a few hours.  They must damn near need a helicopter to lift them off!!!  You'd need to be a hurdler to clear those bags.
Anyway, I went away, tail between my short legs feeling old.  My quest for an Adventure bike to replace my Ducati Multistrada continues.

Merry Christmas,  Tim

[Bigtime]

I'm 5'9 with a 30" inseam. I place my right leg on the seat and just slide across. Learned this trick after loading the big girl down with camping gear.  LOVE my Stelvio!    JohnB

[RinkRat II]

    Greetings Tim, I have a related problem at times with my KLR. Even though I'm 6'1 with a 34 inseam as I age my hip flexors just aren't as cooperative as 20 years ago. My solution is to stand on the left footpeg first and then throw a leg over, pull up the sidestand and go. When I stop, put down the sidestand, lean the bike on it, stand on the pegs and dismount. Hope this helps. YMMV

       Paul B

[twowings]

When you mount 'cowboy-style', just make sure the bike is in gear...your momentum can cause it to roll forward off the sidestand...don't ask me how I know this....

[Vagrant]

I had a 2010 without the boxes the newer ones have. I put on Givi old style 45 L bags that sit lower and at a different angle. But alas it was always a fight to get on and off and you had to be soooo careful about how and where you stopped.
It went bye bye. now I have 2 V7's a 2001 EV and a kawai Versys 1000 that isn't as bad but 70 it is becoming a handful too.
Waiting on the V85! 

[Green1000S]

    Greetings Tim, I have a related problem at times with my KLR. Even though I'm 6'1 with a 34 inseam as I age my hip flexors just aren't as cooperative as 20 years ago. My solution is to stand on the left footpeg first and then throw a leg over, pull up the sidestand and go. When I stop, put down the sidestand, lean the bike on it, stand on the pegs and dismount. Hope this helps. YMMV
       Paul B

  THIS!!!!
(My brother is 30" side seam and he does this with my Stelvio. I'm 32 and I throw the boot on the seat and slide it over. That's why my seat has scratches on it )

[Demar]

I'm 5'-8.5" (that .5 inches is important in this case) and I can cowboy mount my Stelvio if I concentrate and apply myself before attempting. I only do this if I've got a crapload of camping stuff secured to the pillion seat and side cases.

I most often step on the footpeg with my left foot and swing my right leg over - no problem.

I did have a problem once at a gas station in Nevada City, CA. This station had a severely sloped pad (the most I've ever encountered) and I didn't notice it when pulling up to the pump. I filled the tank and cowboy mounted as I *did* have a crapload  of camping gear on the bike. Well, I couldn't straighten the bike up after filling up. It was too heavy and I couldn't right it with just my left leg. I dismounted, put my right hip into the bike, kicked up the stand and walked the bike 30ft to where the ground leveled out.

[Bonaventure]

I thought you weren't supposed to put your weight on the bike when it's on the side stand. Thought only time we may put body weight on is if the center stand is deployed. 

[RinkRat II]

I thought you weren't supposed to put your weight on the bike when it's on the side stand. Thought only time we may put body weight on is if the center stand is deployed.

     Meet Francesca, Guzzi factory sidestand tester. Looks good to me



     any questions??
        Paul B

[EldoMike]

    Greetings Tim, I have a related problem at times with my KLR. Even though I'm 6'1 with a 34 inseam as I age my hip flexors just aren't as cooperative as 20 years ago. My solution is to stand on the left footpeg first and then throw a leg over, pull up the sidestand and go. When I stop, put down the sidestand, lean the bike on it, stand on the pegs and dismount. Hope this helps. YMMV

       Paul B

I'm 5'-7" with short legs...this is my procedure also....kinda like putting your foot in a horse stirrup and swinging your other leg over....
 

[Kiwi_Roy]

Watching my friend with a Super Tenere he always steps onto the low side peg, he can't leg over from the ground.


Sent from my shoe phone!

[MotoG5]

I am a foot slider. Seat scratches to prove it. Grab pant cuff pull foot up and slide over seat. Same process getting off. Not very attractive or cool but at my age I am just happy to still be riding and I love the Stelvio. So I just don't give a darn about how it looks.   

[Tom]

Isn't the seat height adjustable on the Stelvio?

[Demar]

Isn't the seat height adjustable on the Stelvio?

Yes but not enough

[TimmyTheHog]

Isn't the seat height adjustable on the Stelvio?

Seat ranges from 33.1 inch to 32.2 inch

Which is from Himalaya to Empire Statesto short legged people and I am one of them..5�8.5 with 29 inseam

I am one of th peg climber...can’t bare to scratch the seat :P

[webmost]

1) Can you swap out dog bones on this ride? I did that on my KLR. Swapped dog bones, then lowered the clamps on the forks. Dunno how this bike is made, nor whether shorter dog bones are available. But that works. You do lose some fork travel; but...

2) Remember so long long ago, when high jumpers used a scissors technique? I use something similar for that same KLR. Stand beside the bike facing forward. Kick up and throw your calf over. Then a hop hop and you're on. Avoids any panniers or tail bags. Warning: tough to do with wet rain pants.

Tall bikes can be a PITA. Good for looking over the car in front, and equally good for looking at the girl in the car beside ya; but all kindsa trouble mounting up.

I used to know all sorts of short legged old fellers and even girls who rode BMW RTs back when they were all the rage. These riders had nightmare adventures trying to back their bikes out of parking spaces on tiptoe. That was before all those same short legged beemeristas went out and bought themselves super long legged GSs. Someone told me Bob of Bob's BMW mounted his GS with a short ladder which he racked on his right pannier.

Loads of nice bikes are predicated on selling to lanky riders. I don't get it. My last five purchases have all had low seats: a 909, an R11R, a K75C, a Scout, and a Jackal. In the process, I have turned down one long legged bike after another. I'm 5' 10". If I didn't love that KLR so much... Anyways, I think these manufacturers are missing out on a load of market share with that tall Viking theory they all seems to share.

[Scott of the Sahara]

I never even tried out the Stelvio, just too darn tall.
My reason for buying the Moto Guzzi was about riding 2 up. There is no way to have a passenger and not be able to touch the ground at a stop!
The Norge has a decent seat height for my puny 29" inseam.
I had a KLR and I did the 2" lowering on it. Made it more safe to get on and off and sit at a stop light. I had to lower the kick stand as well.

[Tom]

Seat ranges from 33.1 inch to 32.2 inch

Which is from Himalaya to Empire Statesto short legged people and I am one of them..5�8.5 with 29 inseam

I am one of th peg climber...can�t bare to scratch the seat :P

That sucks, I thought there was more adjustment. 

[TimmyTheHog]

That sucks, I thought there was more adjustment. 

Ya me too...if anything closer to 31.5, I would be okay...highest V7 seat height :P

There are people who changed out the rear shock to that Griso’s...haven’t don’t extensive research on it thi

[Tom]

Would the angle of a shorter shock affect the u-joint? 

[pete roper]

Everything else in the set-up is identical between CARC models, swingarm, linkages etc. The angles induced by longer shocks are, within reason, easily accommodated.

Pete

[Tom]

Wasn't sure....Thanks Pete.  Merry Christmas!