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Maybe Done With My NC700x

Juan_Banjovy

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Maybe I got the wrong bike. Alway liked these but my legs are too short for ADV bikes. I went through the same thing with my Vstrom 650. I can flat foot because the seat is thin, pointed & slanted downward. Which sucks after 20 miles. So I got a comfortable seat. Now I'm on my toes. So I got a lowering kit. Now the side stand & center stand are too long. So I spend even MORE time & money on an S model side stand which is too short. I also ordered an S model center stand off Amazon which is too long so it may be for an X model. I keep a piece of wood in the frunk to put under the side stand & I can't use the center stand. This is why I don't ride much. I bought the wrong bike. 1,200 miles in 2 years because I'm tired of fighting it. I'm old enough I must flat foot. I'll drop this if I'm on my toes. Difference is I can pick up this bike if I drop it. Not the Vstrom so I sold it. Looking at cruisers now. Not sure I'll like the weird ergonomics & I'm not a do rag guy but once winter is over I'll rent one & make a decision. This is a great bike for so many reasons but my legs are too short. It's probably a cruiser or quit riding. I hear the new NC750X have better seats that are lower. I'd bet they got feedback about the first generation. New ones not in my budget yet. **** UPDATE: 3/5/2022 I just got another center stand & it's actually the correct one. I think the center stand I ordered for a Honda NC700S was actually meant for a Honda NC700X because it's 9.5" long pivot to foot but my new one is 8.75". I'll put it one today. If I can't install the springs I'll have the dealer do it Tuesday.
 
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Sadly, short legs are not well supported by the Japanese motorcycle industry. My wife can't even ride a Honda Metropolitan or a Grom because it's seat is too high.

Maybe a cruiser could work for you, but my back starts hurting just looking at their feet forward ergonomics.
 
Few years ago, I wanted to try a cruiser and bought a Yamaha Bolt R-Spec. Many reasons guided my choice, appearance, very low seat height, nice engine, belt drive but mainly because of its reasonable feet ergos; I could brace myself approaching a bump to save my back a bit. Spent 1 summer with it as a second bike for around town rides. I sold it because of the extra-short rear suspension travel. Even with good ergos for a cruiser (besides the air filter on the right side interfering with my knee), it was too hard on my back. I don't know of a cruiser with a descent rear suspension.

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I may rent a cruiser or two on RidersShare after winter. Not sure yet how I'll like the feet forward thing. I did have a tiny cruiser once (Suzuki S40) & it was horribly uncomfortable but it was really meant for tiny people. Friends said I looked like an ape on it. For my height I've got stubby legs. There's a woman rider on Youtube who's 5'3 3/4" & has the same inseam as I do. 31". There is one option remaining with the NC700X. Remove the lowering links, heat them to loosen the red thread lock & raise the bike one inch, halfway back to stock. Then put 1" lifts in the heels of my boots. Put the stock side stand on & see if the center stand might work. I got the lowering links used & someone put red thread lock on them. That sheep skin on my Seat Concepts cover is super comfortable but I may need to remove it. Might begin this project tomorrow, we'll see. Tired of the fight but tired of waiting.
 
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some cruisers you can get mid pegs for. I had a buddy with a 1200 Sporster and I rode it. Was probably the most natural sitting bike I have ever ridden. Just like sitting in a chair
 
Might want to check out a “standard”, similar seating position to the ADV bikes but typically a lower seat. Think Bonnieville or RE 650 INT. Look good and may suit you position wise. I‘m 70, ridden since 67 and also have a 31” inseam. I cannot stand the “cruiser” ride, but standards are nice. Worth a look.
 
A bike is just a bike in the end, don't let it stop you from riding.

There are plenty out there to sit on and find something more comfortable. There are a whole bunch of NC700x's out by me selling for $5-6K.
 
Well, time for a Harley, specifically the new Harley Adventure bike. Supposedly when you slow down to a stop, the suspension "settles" to allow shorter riders to reach the ground. I'd like to see this option on more bikes. By the way, I have a 28" inseam and traded my shortened V-Strom for a full size NC-700. I can't flat foot it, but the lower center of gravity works for me.
 
Have you thought about altering the short side stand? Get some threaded rod and nuts find a competent welder and you should be able to configure something up. As far as the seat goes some plywood and padding without the stock seat base you can make your own seat. These mods are very cheap and have been done on many bikes for years to allow a custom set up. It might be worth trying before cutting your losses. Good luck
 
I sold my NC and am currently riding a Royal Enfield Himalayan. It's one of the shorter ADV style bikes and I have lowering links I may try. I have a 28" inseam. When I started riding again back in 2010 after a 35 year absence I had a '95 Nighthawk 750. Great bike for me. If it had antilock brakes I would still be riding it. I also tried a lowered DR 650. I liked that bike, but I still got tired of climbing up on that booger.
 
If one doesn't have to flat foot to be confident it opens up all kinds of possibilities of motorcycles. Lowering bikes with suspension and seating modifications just seems to bring all sorts of problems and having the requirement to flatfoot limits the type and style of motorcycle one chooses and even the places riders feel comfortable stopping. When I see someone coming to a stop looking like a duck busily paddling with both feet I judge ( perhaps incorrectly of course ) a rider that hasn't been taught how to stop a motorcycle with a firm hand on the reins. The bike has mastered the rider when it should be other other way 'round.

Try attacking it from the other direction and put in the work and practice to gain confidence in one's abilities to start and stop on motorcycles without having both feet flat on the ground. For example, you can choose beforehand what direction the bike will fall when it stops so plan on a flat foot that side. Just before the wheels stop turning, a tiny push on the left grip will make the bike favor the left side. It's counter steering at perhaps 1 to 0 mph. Reach down to stop with that leg down while the right foot remains on the brake. A tripod of two wheels and one foot is all the stability a motorcycle rider needs and the brake holds the bike from rolling and becoming unstable. Gain confidence in stopping with the bars squared up and very very gently using the front brake. The counter steering trick works the same both ways if you want to stop with the right foot down perhaps due to terrain or ground slope that favors the right foot down you must use the front brake to stop. A countersteering push on the right grip will make the bike favor the right side when the wheels stop. Hold the bike steady with the hand brake so it cannot start rolling and upset the tripod.

To push a bike backwards when only the toes of each foot can touch a useful trick is to sharply compress the forks with the front brake on then quickly release the brake so the bike begins to move backwards as the forks rebound. It takes more effort to start the bike moving than it does to keep it moving so then push backwards only with the one foot that has the best footing while the toes of the other foot are only needed to balance, not push so it's a sort of one leg doing the work.

As I age into my 51st year of riding I'm loosing inseam which never was more than 29". It's now 28 or less.
 
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