Sizing up a bike...

[eidian]

Okay, I don't know where else to put this so I'll put the thread in here. I would like this to be the thread that helps people decide if a certain bike is worth seeking out at a dealership. I'm sure that he won't mind so here's where the inspiration for this thread came from...

...fretbuzz wanted to know how the '08 Z1000 would fit him. There's no dealership that has one that's near him and he said that he didn't want the local shop to find one for him and pick it up only to be disappointed if it's not a good fit for him. So I told him that I'd take pics showing my riding position. For this thread, I figure stats on the rider and then 4 pics: 1) Standing next to the bike, 2) Foot position on the ground when stopped 3) Close up of arm position and 4) Over all sitting position when riding.

So here goes...

Height: 5'8"
Inseam: 30"
Weight: 190
Bike: '07 Z1000

Standing next to the bike (holding the bike straight up--not on the kickstand):

Flat-footing the bike with my inseam (30"):

Arm position (no weight on my wrists):

Riding position (knees bent 90*, sitting upright, arms out with no bend in the wrist):

[jbsmd]

I'm around 6'-0" and when flat footing mine, I'm slightly off the seat. I think the 08 is the same, just white. Good idea you got there eidian.

[Svetlana]

Nice and helpful post eid! We should do this with all the models!

[eidian]

Nice and helpful post eid! We should do this with all the models!

Thanks Bonnie and yeah...that was my hope. Hey! You and your husband can show us your sitting positions on both of your bikes; you on his and vice-versa. It'd be cool if we ended up with like a few dozen models with different heights.

[fretbuzz]

Stoopid filter -I'll have to wait 'til I get home to see the pics. @^#%$&#

This is a great idea and I know it will be helpful. A few weeks ago I drove an hour and a half to a dealership to sit on a FJR (rbentnail inspired) and although it fit, I found out it would be difficult for me to handle with my bum wrist and hand.

Maybe this thread will save us some long drives.

[eidian]

Stoopid filter -I'll have to wait 'til I get home to see the pics. @^#%$&#

This is a great idea and I know it will be helpful. A few weeks ago I drove an hour and a half to a dealership to sit on a FJR (rbentnail inspired) and although it fit, I found out it would be difficult for me to handle with my bum wrist and hand.

Maybe this thread will save us some long drives.

D'oh! Dumb work with their firewalls! Hey, it gives you another reason to look forward to getting home...as if home itself isn't enough reason to not want to be at work.

[fretbuzz]

D'oh! Dumb work with their firewalls! Hey, it gives you another reason to look forward to getting home...as if home itself isn't enough reason to not want to be at work.

That's a good way of looking at it. Thanks.

[tomdenise]

This is a great idea. I'll try to do mine today.

I'm going camping on the bike in a week. I'll get the guys I'm going with to do it with their bikes too (unless we want to keep it all Kawi - but other makes/models might be good comparisons).

[fretbuzz]

This is a great idea. I'll try to do mine today.

I'm going camping on the bike in a week. I'll get the guys I'm going with to do it with their bikes too (unless we want to keep it all Kawi - but other makes/models might be good comparisons).

eidian's ball game but I think all brands would be great.

[V2K_CCTX]

Want to see Bonnie on her bike!!!

[eidian]

All brands, all bikes! I think that it'd be interesting to see comparisons like how bross and SixFiveOh size up next to their BMW's in addition their Kawi's. And someone like ervins could show us the difference between a modified ZX10-R and his dirt bike. And like I posted to Bonnie, seeing her on her 250 and seeing her husband on it and then the both of them on his bike would be insightful; how many times have we seen a thread that starts something like, "I'm 6'1"...am I too big for a 250 or 500?"?

This is a great idea. I'll try to do mine today.

I'm going camping on the bike in a week. I'll get the guys I'm going with to do it with their bikes too (unless we want to keep it all Kawi - but other makes/models might be good comparisons).

eidian's ball game but I think all brands would be great.

[Svetlana]

Thanks Bonnie and yeah...that was my hope. Hey! You and your husband can show us your sitting positions on both of your bikes; you on his and vice-versa. It'd be cool if we ended up with like a few dozen models with different heights.

I would love to however our digi cam is officially kaput... broken... a goner Soon enough we'll be getting a new one, until then I hope to see more ppl post up pics with them, their stats and their bikes so we all can get a rough idea of size proportions!

[Utah Motorcyclist]

This is a great idea. I'll see what I can do when I get off work this evening.

[fretbuzz]

Wow, eidian, we could pass for brothers.

That bike is not nearly as big as it looks in pics by itself. It really looks like a perfect fit for you.

I think my forehead is getting warm with Z1K fever.

[eidian]

Wow, eidian, we could pass for brothers.

That bike is not nearly as big as it looks in pics by itself. It really looks like a perfect fit for you.

I think my forehead is getting warm with Z1K fever.

I need to see a pic of you then...are you in the "Putting a face to a name" thread? I'm sure that you are, I'll try to find you.

You know, when my wife took a pic of the bike for me so that I could put in the "Yearly Newsletter" that we send to our friends, I had the same impression about the bike looking smaller than I thought it did in pictures too. Even my wife noticed that. She said it's really confusing because when the Z1 is sitting next to the 500R in garage, the Z1 looks HUGE!

I believe that there is only one cure for the Z1 fever...and for you it's gonna be a white '08! After you get yours, you can get the same mod's that I did and then our bikes can be "brothers" too.

[fretbuzz]

I need to see a pic of you then...are you in the "Putting a face to a name" thread? I'm sure that you are, I'll try to find you.

You know, when my wife took a pic of the bike for me so that I could put in the "Yearly Newsletter" that we send to our friends, I had the same impression about the bike looking smaller than I thought it did in pictures too. Even my wife noticed that. She said it's really confusing because when the Z1 is sitting next to the 500R in garage, the Z1 looks HUGE!

I believe that there is only one cure for the Z1 fever...and for you it's gonna be a white '08! After you get yours, you can get the same mod's that I did and then our bikes can be "brothers" too.

I think I put a pic on there but not sure. Keep in mind I'm fat.

I was going to have my son make the same poses on his 650R and post them but it stormed here so we didn't get it done. Maybe later this week.

[fretbuzz]

My son:
2007 Ninja 650R
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 180
Inseam: 32

[eidian]

Thanks for contributing fretbuzz! I was kinda sad that no one else posted. Interesting...I was wondering what the "minimum" inseam would be in order to flat-foot the 650R, I knew that my heels were up slightly when I sat on one. I see that your son has a slight bend in his knee when standing which is perfect because you never want your knee locked. I also notice that the ergos for son on the 650R closely match mine on the Z1.

[daemon]

good idea.
i promise i will try to get some this week for you.
although there is little difference in the 2nd gen zeds than the 1st.
my inseam and riding position will be a factor to look over

[A2rider]

My bike's still in pieces, but when it gets back together I will post. Will talk Darrell into posing for some pics for you.