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Ducati 696 Alternatives for Short Riders?
- Thread starter Sushii
- Start date
BigEvilDoer
Well-known member
Hey OP..
Ever look at the Suzuki Boulevard S40 (otherwise known as the Savage)?
My girlfriend who is 5'3" fits on it nicely and an easily flat foot the bike.
It's a 650cc single cylinder cruiser fyi...
Ever look at the Suzuki Boulevard S40 (otherwise known as the Savage)?
My girlfriend who is 5'3" fits on it nicely and an easily flat foot the bike.
It's a 650cc single cylinder cruiser fyi...
I have these three as my cuirser choices:
Harley 883 Iron
Kawasaki Vulcan S
Yamaha Bolt
imho, they look a lot better
The FZ07 should be fine, I am also short and have an FZ09
Short and short legs are very different. OP hasn't stated which yet. As per my previous post: Joe Bass + FZ07 = ?
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Stephen W.
Well-known member
If you’ve sat on a M696 and liked it then it’s easy to make a M796 feel the same.
Replace the rear shock upper mounting bracket on the 796 with one from a 696. That will drop the rear about 3/8 to 1/2 of an inch. Then slide the front tubes up the same amount and it’s lowered. You can also get a Ducati Performance seat that is thinner to gain a even more.
My wife did both these to her Max and I’ve yet to drag a peg.
If you’ve sat on a M696 and liked it then it’s easy to make a M796 feel the same.
Replace the rear shock upper mounting bracket on the 796 with one from a 696. That will drop the rear about 3/8 to 1/2 of an inch. Then slide the front tubes up the same amount and it’s lowered. You can also get a Ducati Performance seat that is thinner to gain a even more.
My wife did both these to her Max and I’ve yet to drag a peg.
Looks like I can make 796 work! Thanks.
Both
. 5'6 and 28" inseam.
Both
Then the FZ07 may be ok...I'm 5'6" with a 26" inseam. ?
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So i went to check out GP Bikes and Snow City.
Thoughts:
Ducati 821: Tippy toeing but with the thinner seats + riding boots, I can probably flat foot one foot no problem- About $15k OTD 2015 Matte White
Kawasaki Vulcan S: Flat foot no issues, not that used to the forward foot controls. About $8k OTD 2015 Purple -Used with 503KM on the odometer.
Im really leaning towards the Vulcan S as its almost half the price of the Ducati 821 and maintenance would definitely be cheaper and closer.
Is the Vulcan S for $8k OTD a good price? The price is whatever was listed on the tag, no haggling involved. Can I get it cheaper?
Thanks
Thoughts:
Ducati 821: Tippy toeing but with the thinner seats + riding boots, I can probably flat foot one foot no problem- About $15k OTD 2015 Matte White
Kawasaki Vulcan S: Flat foot no issues, not that used to the forward foot controls. About $8k OTD 2015 Purple -Used with 503KM on the odometer.
Im really leaning towards the Vulcan S as its almost half the price of the Ducati 821 and maintenance would definitely be cheaper and closer.
Is the Vulcan S for $8k OTD a good price? The price is whatever was listed on the tag, no haggling involved. Can I get it cheaper?
Thanks
@Sushii I would never pay sticker price. And I'm a huge fan of your colour choice. If you can't get the price down, negotiate extras in....helmet, jacket, free oil changes etc. And check with a few dealers.
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Last edited:
Did you not try the FZ07/09?
I'm the same height as you and my daily ride is 33.1" (actually, my current daily ride is 34.7"). I've ridden motorcycles with a 36" seat height before.
Unfortunately, short seat heights typically mean beginner bikes or cruisers. If you can push past your comfort zone a little bit and consider getting a bike you can't flat-foot, it will open up a wider selection of amazing motorcycles.
Unfortunately, short seat heights typically mean beginner bikes or cruisers. If you can push past your comfort zone a little bit and consider getting a bike you can't flat-foot, it will open up a wider selection of amazing motorcycles.
So im assuming just like a car theres negotiation room? Is there some sort of "Unhaggle" for motorcycles? Whats a good starting number to try? $7.5k?
I did however it was a tad bit too tall and I wasn't a fan of the styling that much so I didnt bother trying to make it work.
The bike that tops my list would probably be the GSXR600 or the R6 Raven however I really dont want to make any physical changes to the bike. With that said i've never had a cruiser before so I may or may not like it.
What is your inseam length though? Because i would not even touch the ground if the bike was 33.1" even with half my *** hanging on one side.
Lengthy response but it might help you...
28" inseam
33.1" seat height
A gap of 5" isn't thaaat bad. I'm 5'8 and have a 30" inseam and have owned up to almost 38" seat height bikes and ride them in heavy downtown traffic everyday all year round and go off-roading on it as well (where a big reach down can feel like jumping off the roof of a building with a piano [in this case, the bike] in hot pursuit on off-camber sections like when riding a ridge). I don't consider myself quick or agile. Anyone can do it if I can.
If you develop the knack for falling off one side of the seat and touching with the tip or ball of only one foot, it'll become second nature after a while.
Biggest piece of advice I can give you... when stopped at a traffic light, unpredictable (and of course invisible) wind gusts mean that you have to climb up and over and up and over your seat while at a red light as your bike may get chucked around by the wind. Sometimes you'll have to climb up but not get all the way over before realizing that you'll need to go back to the same side you just left so your fast twitch muscles, footpeg weighting/unweighting and balancing skills will be put to the test. All while not losing grip of the clutch lever or accidentally twisting the throttle. It is quite neat though when you realize that you just did a track stand for 10 seconds during said white knuckle experience.
If you fall into the bad habit of using all fingers on your clutch lever while at a stop, you will likely not be able to keep the bike up when the wind hits. Using one or max of two fingers allows one to still have strong fingers on the bars to hold the bike vertical when it starts to fall.
Also scary is when your toe starts to slip when the wind is strong and the bike starts falling sideways despite your toe's best efforts to keep it up.
The first time that happened to me was way more scary than unexpectedly grabbing air or locking the front wheel or doing a two wheel drift. These other scenarios are functions of riding and can easily be practiced. I however did not even think that I needed to practice in order to keep a tall bike upright while stopped at a traffic light during a wind advisory! Have to decide if you are up for it.
My training did pay off one day though when a passing drunk guy unexpectedly grabbed me and used me as leverage to climb onto my bike as a pillion while I was stopped because he wanted a ride somewhere. I somehow managed to keep it upright. Yay! The joys of riding downtown!
Being able to ride super slow or being able to balance at a standstill while on the pegs will lessen the amount you'll have to put a foot down. Also falling a few times (preferably in a controlled environment and preferably off a bicycle first) will lessen your fear of falling. I must have fallen off... err, ** emergency dismounted ** from my moto tens of times when riding off road where the ground is a lot softer.
I agree with another poster in that it is important to get the bike you truly want. Nothing less will scratch the itch. Anything less will be a compromise. If it is too tall, live with it or fix it. A suspension shop can do wonders however the cost is **shock**ing... get it? LOL I'm in the same boat now. I want to get it done but I'm too cheap to spend the money. Also you'll have to consider the consequences when it's time to sell a shortened bike. In the meantime, a lowering link may be a viable short term and somewhat easily reversible semi-temporary solution that most people with a bike jack and basic tools can accomplish.
A note on boots: you can get boots with a taller soles so that you can reach the ground easier but that may interfere with your riding enjoyment as it'll numb out more footpeg feel. At the very least, try to ride with boots that have a semi flexible sole and grippy rubber on the tips/balls of the boots. Due to ongoing vulcanization, relatively new boots with fresh rubber is best. I have a pair of 20 year old hiking boots that slip nicely even on hot sidewalks. Good for moonwalking and Tango but not good for traction.
28" inseam
33.1" seat height
A gap of 5" isn't thaaat bad. I'm 5'8 and have a 30" inseam and have owned up to almost 38" seat height bikes and ride them in heavy downtown traffic everyday all year round and go off-roading on it as well (where a big reach down can feel like jumping off the roof of a building with a piano [in this case, the bike] in hot pursuit on off-camber sections like when riding a ridge). I don't consider myself quick or agile. Anyone can do it if I can.
If you develop the knack for falling off one side of the seat and touching with the tip or ball of only one foot, it'll become second nature after a while.
Biggest piece of advice I can give you... when stopped at a traffic light, unpredictable (and of course invisible) wind gusts mean that you have to climb up and over and up and over your seat while at a red light as your bike may get chucked around by the wind. Sometimes you'll have to climb up but not get all the way over before realizing that you'll need to go back to the same side you just left so your fast twitch muscles, footpeg weighting/unweighting and balancing skills will be put to the test. All while not losing grip of the clutch lever or accidentally twisting the throttle. It is quite neat though when you realize that you just did a track stand for 10 seconds during said white knuckle experience.
If you fall into the bad habit of using all fingers on your clutch lever while at a stop, you will likely not be able to keep the bike up when the wind hits. Using one or max of two fingers allows one to still have strong fingers on the bars to hold the bike vertical when it starts to fall.
Also scary is when your toe starts to slip when the wind is strong and the bike starts falling sideways despite your toe's best efforts to keep it up.
The first time that happened to me was way more scary than unexpectedly grabbing air or locking the front wheel or doing a two wheel drift. These other scenarios are functions of riding and can easily be practiced. I however did not even think that I needed to practice in order to keep a tall bike upright while stopped at a traffic light during a wind advisory! Have to decide if you are up for it.
My training did pay off one day though when a passing drunk guy unexpectedly grabbed me and used me as leverage to climb onto my bike as a pillion while I was stopped because he wanted a ride somewhere. I somehow managed to keep it upright. Yay! The joys of riding downtown!
Being able to ride super slow or being able to balance at a standstill while on the pegs will lessen the amount you'll have to put a foot down. Also falling a few times (preferably in a controlled environment and preferably off a bicycle first) will lessen your fear of falling. I must have fallen off... err, ** emergency dismounted ** from my moto tens of times when riding off road where the ground is a lot softer.
I agree with another poster in that it is important to get the bike you truly want. Nothing less will scratch the itch. Anything less will be a compromise. If it is too tall, live with it or fix it. A suspension shop can do wonders however the cost is **shock**ing... get it? LOL I'm in the same boat now. I want to get it done but I'm too cheap to spend the money. Also you'll have to consider the consequences when it's time to sell a shortened bike. In the meantime, a lowering link may be a viable short term and somewhat easily reversible semi-temporary solution that most people with a bike jack and basic tools can accomplish.
A note on boots: you can get boots with a taller soles so that you can reach the ground easier but that may interfere with your riding enjoyment as it'll numb out more footpeg feel. At the very least, try to ride with boots that have a semi flexible sole and grippy rubber on the tips/balls of the boots. Due to ongoing vulcanization, relatively new boots with fresh rubber is best. I have a pair of 20 year old hiking boots that slip nicely even on hot sidewalks. Good for moonwalking and Tango but not good for traction.
Same inseam length as you.
And you've pretty much described how I sit on the bike at stop lights. My right thigh is on the seat, right foot resting on the rear brake, left foot tippy-toe on the ground.
If you can influence which side the bike will lean towards at stops (left) every single time, then there's no reason to ever need to flat-foot a motorcycle.
I'm the same with the fz09. R1 race bike is so tall i am literally balancing on my left toe nails. No manicures during race season lol.
Great responses and experiences! I really do love the Monster 821, However I just think tippy toeing all the time will ruin the fun for me as I rarely travel outside of the city. I am reconsidering the Monster 821 though.
Too much KM and 6 years old :\
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