Lowered Version or Reg version with ESA??

[jwalsh126]

Should I buy my new R1200 RT lowered or not? Please help?

[loboheritage]

have been test riding the RT for years,
trying to convince myself my short sitting
height could handle it. waited for the low
suspension. tested both, back-to-back, and
decided the low suspension with the weird seat
was not going to cut it. got the regular suspension
with ESA and low seat. couldn't be happier. am
5'7" and after a few hundred miles am very secure
in the handling of the bike. it is, however, a
personal decision and many are very comfortable
on the low suspension bike. to me, it rode like
a dump truck, with no option for ESA or heated
seat, and the one-piece seat was not ever going
to be comfortable.......

[hopz]

I am 5' almost 7" ...30 inseam. Normal boots (by the way- your boots can be a large part of the equation. An inch taller rboots is the same as inch lower bike)

I ride a standard RT and have a low seat. I have gotten used to it and get along fine. If they had a Low RT when I was shopping I would have gotten it.

Unless I am mis-remembering... You cannot get ESA on the Low RT.

[jwalsh126]

Thanks for the feed back! loboheritage when you say regular suspension
with ESA and low seat - Do you mean setting the seat on low? Is there two different seat choices on the regular suspension?

Thanks

[hopz]

Just to clarify and add a little info.

You can get either the Standard seat or a Low seat on the standard bike- with or without the ESA. Both of these seats can be mounted in a High or Low position. I have the low seat and further had it modified by a local seat builder... just to fit my desires and my butt. Had the passenger seat modified as well. I run the Low seat in the Low position except on long tours when I put it on the High position- gives a more comfy position for my knees. (I also have installed the Low Pegs)

MY earlier post was in response to a question you did not make... e.g. you were not asking about ESA on the Low Bike.

For what its worth... on the Low Bike, they have a one-piece seat, which eliminates the need for mounting hardware for use when you have the front seat separate from the back. This saves weight but it also allows a lower seat. So... on the Low Bike you have only the one seat option and you also only have the one position, and it is nice and low.

[karp]

I'm only 5'5" with a 28" inseam. I can't flat foot anything other than a Harley. I have an '04 1150RT with a Sargeant low seat. As long as I watch where I stop and can get one foot on the ground I'm okay. I'm on my tip-toes at stoplights, but I am used to being vertically challenged.
My only issue is that I have to get off the bike to move it backwards. I haven't dropped the bike yet (although I have had some close calls). I have yet to test ride a low 1200RT, but was suprised that I could place the balls of both feet on the ground while sitting on one at the dealership. Haven't test ridden one yet and was wondering how much corner clearance you loose.