Tall riders on the GT

[rmg08057]

To all you tall-ish riders on the GT....how do you handle having no stretching options like jpegs or Mick-O-Pegs?

While sitting on the GT today at the dealer, this was probably my main question.

[dwsdad]

Define tall. I'm 6'3" and it doesn't bother me. I had the J-Pegs on my LT and didn't care too much for them.

[rmg08057]

Well, I guess it doesn't matter how tall, if you have/use some stretch aid like JPegs or MOP's then its a concern when these are taken away. I am 6'7".

If you don't have them or need to use them on the LT, then the question isn't for you.

[meese]

I've found that I can lift my leg up and place my calf on top of the flat portion of the fairing alongside the gas tank. It takes some practice, but does allow for a good stretch. Now that I have a rider's backrest I can get both legs up at the same time and ride that way for as long as I want. I also have handlebar extenders, so those of you who like the bars all the way down may not have this option but then you're probably used to riding in the fetal position anyway. :)

[Bobnoxous]

Now where did you find a riders backrest? Corbin?

I haven't had my seat redone yet, but I hope that'll help. On a 6-hour ride, I really wanted some way to stretch. I wish there was a place to put forward pegs.

[meese]

Now where did you find a riders backrest?Bakup. I bought one for my GT before the bike showed up, only to find that they changed the seats between '06 and '07 so it didn't fit. :( When I spoke with Bakup, they were unaware of the change and said they didn't have a bike to do a test fit on. So after CCR I rode to New Orleans and they fit one onto my bike. :D

My only complaint is that I should have gone there before CCR, as the last 2,000 miles home were much more comfortable than the first 4,500 miles out.

I should be getting the full production version soon, and when I do I'll post a full review. In the meantime, if anyone needs a backrest for an '06 GT just PM me.

And I have a couple of ideas for highway pegs, but so far I've been to busy riding and working to be able to start fabricating anything. But it will happen eventually.

[TJD]

I'll stay tuned to this thread. I'm 6'4" with a 36" inseam. I"ve only had the bike for 1000 miles but so far I've been able to ride comfortably by changing seat and bar postions. I plan to put a 4-day ride in this weekend and will see how it feels when on the bike for very long periods.

T

[BankerBiker]

I've found that I can lift my leg up and place my calf on top of the flat portion of the fairing alongside the gas tank. It takes some practice, but does allow for a good stretch. Now that I have a rider's backrest I can get both legs up at the same time and ride that way for as long as I want. I also have handlebar extenders, so those of you who like the bars all the way down may not have this option but then you're probably used to riding in the fetal position anyway. :)

Praxis - After a few rides I can already tell that I may need an additional inch of bar rise and back adjustment on my GT. Even with the stock bars all the way up, my reach it a bit too hunch over, and my crotch is crammed up against the tank. I'd really like to scoot back a bit. Where did you locate the bar extension kit, and was it effective in getting the seatng position set back into the seat a bit more vs the stock setting?

[meese]

There are two bar risers available for the GT. The HeliBar (http://www.helibars.com/proddetail.php?prod=HR9017) unit moves the bars back 1", at the stock "tall" setting. The Suburban Machinery (http://www.suburban-machinery.com/K1200GT6.html) units move the bars back 1", but also have five height positions. The lowest is equal to the stock "tall" position. The second and third positions add 9 mm each (0.35" or 0.7"). The fourth and fifth positions are also 9 mm steps, but are too tall to allow the throttle cables to reach comfortably.

I started with the Helibars, but swapped to the SM risers because I wanted that extra lift.

I also have a custom seat that puts me right at the back edge, which helps minimize knee bends. All that makes a noticeable difference for me.

[ronk1200lt]

I am 6' 4". I have a Suburban Machinery Peg Relo Kit, bar backs and a seat that is built up an inch (Russell). That seems to do it. If I get off the bike and walk around for 10 minutes every hour, I can ride for 12 -14 hours without any pain and I have bad knees.

[kapod2t]

I agree. I'm an old (65) Harley rider and am used to the feet forward position, but on my GT, I relocated the bars, had the seat built up (Rick Mayer, Anderson, CA) and lowered the pegs and moved them forward (Verholen of Germany).

I tend to get off the bike every hundred miles or so stretch my legs and keep on riding. Just a 3 or 4 minute stretch is all I need. Don't want any of that deep leg thrombosis.

[MOPMan]

You now have a new option on your RT. Mick-O-Pegs are now available to allow you to stretch you legs down and forward several inches.

[DavidTaylor]

To all you tall-ish riders on the GT....how do you handle having no stretching options like jpegs or Mick-O-Pegs?

While sitting on the GT today at the dealer, this was probably my main question.

I had JPegs on all of my LTs and I don't really miss them on the GT. The riding position is less "Lazy-Boy Lounger" like the LT and more upright/forward on the GT, which positions you in a more "correct" posture for riding (ankles, hips, shoulders roughly aligned). On my longest GT day (835 miles from CCR back to San Jose) I would move my feet onto the passenger pegs from time to time, and sometimes dangle my legs off the pegs and stretch a little. But overall I really didn't feel the need for a highway peg option on it.

I was wondering how long it would take you to start sniffing around a GT! :D

[rmg08057]

Thanks everyone. So, the answer is that since there is nothing like the MOP, its all done with a combination of bar/seat/peg changes. Fair enough. I notice, having ridden a bit now in NZ, that I basically don't use the MOP/JPeg combo at all since there is minimal freeway (about 100 miles total) here and the rest is 2 lanes with inconvenient bends in it which causes my heavy investment in leg-stretching trinkets to be nullified. How thoughtless of them.

As for a new GT...I'd love it, but at a 2:1 NZD:USD exchange rate, you can imagine the cost of a new bike here in NZ. So, heading for 130k on the LT......now with NZ dirt under its fingernails.

[rmg08057]

You now have a new option on your RT. Mick-O-Pegs are now available to allow you to stretch you legs down and forward several inches.

....yes, but the GT presents some special challenges Mick.

[MOPMan]

....yes, but the GT presents some special challenges Mick.

'Sorry, I misread the discussion and was thinking RT. I guess new reading glasses won't help that problem.

[ronk1200lt]

Is there anything that you can do to make extended pegs for the GT?

[DavidTaylor]

There are peg lowering kits for the GT, but nobody is making "highway pegs" for it. I don't think the bike nor its stock riding position is conducive to that. I'll use the passenger pegs at times for an alternative foot/leg position.

[MOPMan]

Is there anything that you can do to make extended pegs for the GT?

We are a very small company and can't buy all the models so we rely on volunteers who what a highway peg for their bike to make a few trips to Frankfort, MI or donate their bike for an extended time so we can design something...

[kapod2t]

I've been investigating installing frame sliders on my GT. They bolt to the motor and I've seen them on the K1200S. You cut the fairing and install them with a spacer on the bolt so they stick out enough to protect the bike. They can be used as highway pegs.

I thought I would have more problems with this riding position than I actually do. I have no problem riding tank to tank with a little leg stretch at the pump. Both my wife (6') and I (6'1") love the bike and her only complaint is the position of the top bag. It's too far back and can't be adjusted.

Take a look at this. Pretty slick:

[mtnride]

I almost bought an LT this past Saturday, but there were some very serious odometer problems, so the deal is off. I now have an opportunity to get a good deal on a bike, but I find after riding an LT, I would prefer the GT. I like the lighter weight and the HP. I now ride an 01 Softail Classic, and I love long rides. Problem is, my back screams at me without a backrest and the ability to stretch out and push back against same by using footpegs. I like to ride till I need gas. I've seen a lot of articles on j-pegs, lowering rider pegs, etc.I thought that Kapod2T had a great post on 3-20-2009, showing how frame sliders could be mounted on a GT. But I don't want to try using these as highway pegs, they look way short and I'm sure the fairing would look real good after a few hundred boot scrapes. Has anyone thought of having some mounts for highway pegs made up in the fashion of the Burton Briggs: http://webpages.charter.net/jwpeck1/bb_brackets.html and mounting these using the engine to frame bolts ( lengthened?), as in Kapod's post, on either side of the GT, and then adding some pegs?

[meese]

I've been looking at highway pegs for the GT for quite a while. There are none. I have some ideas, but I've been too busy riding to make something up. You'd pretty much have to cut through the fairing though.

I do know you can get a Bakup driver's backrest (http://www.bakupusa.com/BMW-K1200GTDriver07.html) for the GT. I know because I rode my '07 GT to Bakup to get one made up. I've put 60K miles on it since, and it rocks. :yeah: