I can either lower the bike or find some elevator boots

[ohiorider]

OK - have any of you girls or guys found it necessary to purchase a pair of boots that provide an additional 3/4 to 1" leg length? 

I love my old 1991 R100GS ...... owned since new.  But as I've gotten older, I find I need a little more stability when I come to a stop on this old gal.

Any advice on boots you've found that are quality, that provide an extra inch or so, and keep you in the saddle of a favorite bike?

Bob

[LongRanger]

Any cobbler worth his salt should be able to remove your soles, add a layer of rubber, and then reattach your soles to give you the height you need, though it may have an unfavorable effect if the boots are waterproof. It works best if your boots have Goodyear welts (stitched-on soles, not molded soles).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMuKdtzkzDk

[X Goose]

I think my Sidi adventure boots gave me 3/4 maybe an inch.
Being a bit of a shorty pants I have just gotten accustomed to picking a side come stop time.

[not-fishing]

I had my pretty well worn Stylemartin boots resoled by my local Russian Cobbler great old guy.  He mad the suggestion for a 1/4" thicker sole and they feel great on the Griso now.  I'd get you're sole redone.

Still the GS in one bike I've ridden once and never again because I hate dismounting / mounting at every stop.  Yes I have very short shanks

[guzziart]

I think my Sidi adventure boots gave me 3/4 maybe an inch.
Being a bit of a shorty pants I have just gotten accustomed to picking a side come stop time.

Same here Bob...maybe a little more heel/sole.  I'm not a fan of lowering links because of diminished handling (lean angle & change in steering geometry).  I did notice that when I went to an aftermarket saddle (stock seat was only tolerable for 30-40 minutes) I sat lower but further back and had to install bar risers to move the hbar aft about an inch.  Maybe saddle mod??

I'd be happy to trade you one of my bikes for your old gal!

[Perazzimx14]

You can get some Gene Simmons, Kiss Kneehigh platforms. Or some Herman Munster boots









The thicker the sole the less fell you'll have and also getting the toe under the shifter or the sole over the shifter will be odd at best. I say look for or have you seat lowered or lower the suspension.

[twowheeladdict]

You can get some Gene Simmons, Kiss Kneehigh platforms. Or some Herman Munster boots









The thicker the sole the less fell you'll have and also getting the toe under the shifter or the sole over the shifter will be odd at best. I say look for or have you seat lowered or lower the suspension.

There was a Kawasaki Demo ride lady that wore those Herman Munster boots during the Vulcan Motorcycle Demo events. 

[twowheeladdict]

OK - have any of you girls or guys found it necessary to purchase a pair of boots that provide an additional 3/4 to 1" leg length? 

I love my old 1991 R100GS ...... owned since new.  But as I've gotten older, I find I need a little more stability when I come to a stop on this old gal.

Any advice on boots you've found that are quality, that provide an extra inch or so, and keep you in the saddle of a favorite bike?

Bob

I would shave the seat before lowering the bike.

What are you wearing right now?  Are you needing an inch more on the bottom of the boot than you now have? 

I know "Logger" boots tend to have the most material under your foot.  Put in a support insole and gain a little more. 

[JBU]

Although I have never owned a pair but the daytona M star boots are designed to give you a lift. 

[RinkRat II]

       +1 on the seat modification. When I got my Ducati the seat wanted to push me forward into the tank and was a little high for my liking. I found a old seat pan on ebay and took it to my upholstery lady and she built the foam and covered to my specs. . 100% better and  not all that expensive.   Also I don't know if they did it for your bike but BMW used to make solo seats for certain models, they were significantly lower.

     Paul B

[Guzzistajohn]

I've ridden a big tall Tiger since '06. To me touching with both feet flat is really over rated. I prefer to keep my right foot on the brake, keep the bike in gear at stops and put the left foot down with the clutch in. Make yourself a tripod, two tires and a foot. Be selective about where you put that left foot down. Make it habit. In gear with the clutch in and your always ready to take off.

I tried to ride in my Elton John platform boots and it just didn't work out that well, and my feather boa lost all it's fuzz in the 1st 100 miles. 

[Bill929]

Frey Daytona M-Star Boots are what I've used for the last 10 years.  Love them and they give me an extra inch of height over other boots.  https://www.thevisorshop.com/en/us/Daytona-M-Star-Gore-Tex-Motorcycle-Boots/m-16868.aspx?PartnerID=16&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=UnitedStates&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9Y6z-8Om8QIVo25vBB3Okw2oEAQYAyABEgK01_D_BwE
 

[AJ Huff]

I've ridden a big tall Tiger since '06. To me touching with both feet flat is really over rated. I prefer to keep my right foot on the brake, keep the bike in gear at stops and put the left foot down with the clutch in. Make yourself a tripod, two tires and a foot. Be selective about where you put that left foot down. Make it habit. In gear with the clutch in and your always ready to take off.

This is how my MSF instructor taught us and I've been doing ever since. I can't flat foot my Cal Spec either.

-AJ

[Guzzistajohn]

This is how my MSF instructor taught us and I've been doing ever since. I can't flat foot my Cal Spec either.

-AJ

You really need to be on the controls at all times. I learned this riding trials and it's necessary on the road also. Dick Mann taught me this!

[John Warner]

. . . I tried to ride in my Elton John platform boots and it just didn't work out that well, and my feather boa lost all it's fuzz in the 1st 100 miles. 

 

[JJ]

Here you go!!   (Like the Bad Biker you know you want to be!!)

[Ncdan]

OR, when I was on the motor squad the first thing the guys taught me was to take my issued knee high boots to “Johnny’s Shoe Repair” shop on the corner of 4th and And liberty and have the old guy to add an inch to the sole big only a smaller amount to the heal. It would add an inch to your stature and take a lot longer to wear the  soles out👍

[Demar]

I've ridden a big tall Tiger since '06. To me touching with both feet flat is really over rated. I prefer to keep my right foot on the brake, keep the bike in gear at stops and put the left foot down with the clutch in. Make yourself a tripod, two tires and a foot. Be selective about where you put that left foot down. Make it habit. In gear with the clutch in and your always ready to take off.

I tried to ride in my Elton John platform boots and it just didn't work out that well, and my feather boa lost all it's fuzz in the 1st 100 miles. 

I can only touch the ground with one toe on my Stelvio, maybe the ball of my foot but no way flat foot heel down. I usually stop left toe down and right foot on the brake. Roads are usually crowned from the middle out so the left side is usually higher, except, the left turn lane on Hwy 1 in Half Moon Bay. There the crown is on the right side of the left turn lane. I had to quickly adjust to shift to the right side as I was stopping. Yes.... stopping on the Stelvio requires attention.

[ohiorider]

Thanks for all the thoughtful suggestions. 

Several years ago, I did take a really beat pair of Sidi boots to the shoe shop, and had a 1/2" shim added between the sole and the boot.  Didn't begin using them until after heart surgery in 2016, as a follow up staph infection put me in rehab for a month.  Balance has never been quite as good since then. 

These boots work wonders, with the additional 1/2", but they are completely worn out.  Velcro is shot, insides are coming apart.  I need a new pair.  Sidi no longer makes this model boot, therefore the search for a good replacement.

I don't want to shave the saddle, since once I'm moving, the seat to peg distance is perfect for me.  I've considered dropping the suspension by a slight amount, but the forks have only 1/8 inch or so before the caps would make contact with the handlebars.  Thought about raising the bars to permit sliding the tubes through the triple clamps, but then they would contact the dashboard when doing a right or left lock of the bars (which I often do when moving the bike around the garage.)  If my GS was a pre-1991 model, it'd be simple, since there was no fairing, and dropping the forks would be a 20 minute operation. 

Bob

[twowheeladdict]

Thanks for all the thoughtful suggestions. 

Several years ago, I did take a really beat pair of Sidi boots to the shoe shop, and had a 1/2" shim added between the sole and the boot.  Didn't begin using them until after heart surgery in 2016, as a follow up staph infection put me in rehab for a month.  Balance has never been quite as good since then. 

These boots work wonders, with the additional 1/2", but they are completely worn out.  Velcro is shot, insides are coming apart.  I need a new pair.  Sidi no longer makes this model boot, therefore the search for a good replacement.

I don't want to shave the saddle, since once I'm moving, the seat to peg distance is perfect for me.  I've considered dropping the suspension by a slight amount, but the forks have only 1/8 inch or so before the caps would make contact with the handlebars.  Thought about raising the bars to permit sliding the tubes through the triple clamps, but then they would contact the dashboard when doing a right or left lock of the bars (which I often do when moving the bike around the garage.)  If my GS was a pre-1991 model, it'd be simple, since there was no fairing, and dropping the forks would be a 20 minute operation. 

Bob

If you don't need the lean angle, then you have a couple options.  Lower the seat, and lower the pegs, or put lowering links or shorter shock in the rear and give room to slide the forks up by going with risers and a new handlebar that doesn't hit the fairing. 

Shaving the seat and lowering the pegs will probably be cheaper and easier. 

If you can find a cobbler around here, they have a 6 month lead time.  They aren't getting rich doing what they do so not many wanting to compete with them. 

[ohiorider]

If you don't need the lean angle, then you have a couple options.  Lower the seat, and lower the pegs, or put lowering links or shorter shock in the rear and give room to slide the forks up by going with risers and a new handlebar that doesn't hit the fairing. 

Shaving the seat and lowering the pegs will probably be cheaper and easier. 

If you can find a cobbler around here, they have a 6 month lead time.  They aren't getting rich doing what they do so not many wanting to compete with them.

TWA, I was initially going in the direction you're discussing.  I had selected bar risers, and called Ted Porter's Beemer Shop to discuss lowering the aftermarket shock I'd purchased from him.  When I mentioned raising the handlebars to permit sliding the forks up about 3/4", Ted said 'check the clearance now between the tops of the forks at full lock as they pass beneath the dash panel.  There is no room to drop them more than a fraction of an inch or so. 

Bob

[AJ Huff]

Forgive my ignorance, but wouldn't a smaller diameter wheel put you closer to the ground? Seems like the easiest solution.

-AJ

[twowheeladdict]

TWA, I was initially going in the direction you're discussing.  I had selected bar risers, and called Ted Porter's Beemer Shop to discuss lowering the aftermarket shock I'd purchased from him.  When I mentioned raising the handlebars to permit sliding the forks up about 3/4", Ted said 'check the clearance now between the tops of the forks at full lock as they pass beneath the dash panel.  There is no room to drop them more than a fraction of an inch or so. 

Bob

Ah, I thought you meant the handlebars would touch, not the forks touching the dash at full lock.

Sounds like shaved seat and lower pegs is the most viable solution now.  Lower pegs would mean that the brake and shifter levers would have to be adjusted. 

[redrider90]

OR, when I was on the motor squad the first thing the guys taught me was to take my issued knee high boots to “Johnny’s Shoe Repair” shop on the corner of 4th and And liberty and have the old guy to add an inch to the sole big only a smaller amount to the heal. It would add an inch to your stature and take a lot longer to wear the  soles out👍

Something like this maybe?