This may be a "sensitive topic"...

Topics related to the ownership, maintenance, equipping, operation, and riding of the R1150R.

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martinjmpr
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This may be a "sensitive topic"...

Post by martinjmpr »

But I'd like to talk about - my junk. :shock:

OK, seriously, as I said in the other thread, this is the "sportiest" bike I've ever ridden in terms of seating position. With my feet so far to the rear (compared to what I'm used to) it seems like I slide forward onto the seat and it's not comfortable to feel my pants crushing my crotch!

So my question is, are there aftermarket seat options I can look at that might raise the front portion of the seat upwards a bit to take some of the pressure off? I've got fairly long legs (34 inseam) so reaching the ground is not a problem. But having a higher seat might make the bend in my knees less severe as well as reducing some of the pressure on my groin.

I'm also thinking a slightly higher handlebar might help - fortunately I got a set of risers from the previous owner so all I need is a pair of hex-head bolts and I should be able to have a higher and slightly rearward movement of the bar.

I'm on the tall side (6'1") and I'm sure there are other tall riders out there - what have you done to make your Roadster more comfortable?
Martin AKA Zapp Branigan (on ADV)
Littleton, CO
2002 R1150R, 2002 Triumph Bonneville 790
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Re: This may be a "sensitive topic"...

Post by towerworker »

I remember the very same issue on my first R, a 2003 with stock seat. My current R, an '04 has a Sargent seat and I have barbacks as well. I have no more issues with any unintended tank "contact". Now there was a time when I had a certain young lady riding pillion. Any uncomfortable pressure with the tank was more than offset by the pressure from her "front". Nicely offset I might add. :roll:
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martinjmpr
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Re: This may be a "sensitive topic"...

Post by martinjmpr »

Looking around I see Wunderlich makes a control lowering kit. Anyone have one and like it? How badly does it affect cornering clearance?

At $250 it's not cheap but if it makes the bike more comfy on long rides it could be worth it.
Martin AKA Zapp Branigan (on ADV)
Littleton, CO
2002 R1150R, 2002 Triumph Bonneville 790
cbmwgs
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Re: This may be a "sensitive topic"...

Post by cbmwgs »

I replaced the foot peg and control with GS parts. Bike is much more comfortable with this change.

Just replace the side plate and associated parts from a GS for both the brake and shifter side.
the attached information from Mark Johnson explains the process:
The swap wasn't totally trouble free, there's a couple of small "situations" that I haven't totally cured yet, but just because I haven't had the time to fiddle with them, nothing crucial or show stopping at all. After having been thru it, I would unhesitatingly do it again for the comfort factor.

Pretty much a bolt-on - the actual swap was pretty easy, even including swapping the shift lever that comes off the transmission. Everything bolts right on. The only real clue there's something not totally stock is the GS rear brake lever because the brackets look
very similar to the R parts and are, after all, BMW pieces.

beemerboneyard told me about and supplied me with a longer rear brake master cylinder pushrod.

He advised keeping the existing rear master cyl as it's larger diameter than the GS mc, and that way I didn't even have to disconnect any brake lines, I just unbolted the R mc from the stock bracket and bolted it onto the GS bracket leaving the lines hooked up. Did have to "massage" them a little - basically the stock line comes down vertically straight then makes a 90 degree bend toward the rear - I had to hand bend that 90 out of it - very carefully! - and make it a little more into an arc and do about the same where the line turns down to hook up to the mc in the stock position cuz the GS bracket places the mc in a little different angle. If you want things to look "neat" you could probly use a GS rear brake line. I didn't want to bother with bleeding the rear brakes at the time, not enough time, so did it this way.

Other than that, the foot lever on the center stand has to be massaged to the rear and to the outside when it's in the up position to clear the GS footpeg bracket. Only thing is, you can't reposition it too much to the rear or it angles the stand too much forward when the bike is on the stand. Right now, my center stand doesn't fold up quite all the way, but isn't really a problem - that foot lever does rest against the rear of the GS footpeg bracket. Can't use a GS center stand cuz it's a couple inches or more taller and, I would think, that would make getting the bike up on the stand quite a job. Also the foot lever is a little awkward to get to, I just got used to how to position my foot to get ahold of it. Some day I'm going to correct that situation - might have to do a little cutting & rewelding, I haven't had time to give it much thought yet. As far as I'm concerned, a minor inconvenience that I'm more than willing to put up with to have the GS footpeg position. I'm sure I can come up with a solution, just haven't had the time.

The side stand is also a little awkward to get to but, again, not that big of a deal. I ended up massaging the loop toward the rear some. Again, maybe a short peg tack welded or somehow otherwise fastened onto the loop and going to the rear a couple inches or something like that would easily solve that problem.

The vent hoses that fit behind the stock R right footpeg bracket don't fit behind the GS bracket, I'm going to trim them back a little some day, but for now just draped them behind the GS bracket.



Here's the rest of the pictures

http://www.mediafire.com/?u0pmjbmsidt
http://www.mediafire.com/?1my11cez5dd
http://www.mediafire.com/?xmnjkhz5yyy
http://www.mediafire.com/?hjh3qaymsxx
http://www.mediafire.com/?zy45mqmia4z
http://www.mediafire.com/?mmngidj3sq0

I didn't think I'd have any problem with my feet being too low (see the "Leanability" file) after holding the bike tipped to the side and having my wife take a picture. The pegs were still quite a ways above the pavement. I guess I didn't realize fully how far I do lean on slow sharp corners, though. I have very lightly scraped the bottom of my left toe a couple times on corners that I ended up turning sharper than I intended, and one of those times I turned onto a roadway that was sloped away from me and I turned left into the slope. So, now I just don't put my toe under the shifter when I take sharp left corners.

Hope this helps. I can't remember the total cost, but don't at least remember it as being significantly more than the aftermarket kits. And if you study the pictures where I'm holding the GS bracket in position over the stock brackets you can see the difference in footpeg position. Both down and forward quite a bit more than the aftermarket kits.
And with this swap, there's no problem with shift lever or brake lever, all stock parts
that work like stock.

beemerboneyard happened to have the complete setup, and was very helpful with advice.

Any questions, feel free. I can also take more pics if you'd like.

Regards
macx Mark Johnson
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Re: This may be a "sensitive topic"...

Post by Railbender »

I don't know if it will work with the R1150R but a trick with the R1100R is to put a spacer under the front seat bracket. I did it with my R1100R and raised the bracket about 3/8", it levels the seat quite a bit.
jwagreen
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Re: This may be a "sensitive topic"...

Post by jwagreen »

Thanks for bringing this up. I have had the same issue happen to me and was wondering about a solution. Last night I went into the garage and installed four washers on each side of the forward seat bracket to raise the front of the seat.
sstein
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Re: This may be a "sensitive topic"...

Post by sstein »

If some foam can be removed from a seat, maybe some can be added to the front end of the seat?
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Re: This may be a "sensitive topic"...

Post by Rags »

martinjmpr wrote:But I'd like to talk about - my junk. :shock:

OK, seriously, as I said in the other thread, this is the "sportiest" bike I've ever ridden in terms of seating position. With my feet so far to the rear (compared to what I'm used to) it seems like I slide forward onto the seat and it's not comfortable to feel my pants crushing my crotch!

So my question is, are there aftermarket seat options I can look at that might raise the front portion of the seat upwards a bit to take some of the pressure off? I've got fairly long legs (34 inseam) so reaching the ground is not a problem. But having a higher seat might make the bend in my knees less severe as well as reducing some of the pressure on my groin.

I'm also thinking a slightly higher handlebar might help - fortunately I got a set of risers from the previous owner so all I need is a pair of hex-head bolts and I should be able to have a higher and slightly rearward movement of the bar.

I'm on the tall side (6'1") and I'm sure there are other tall riders out there - what have you done to make your Roadster more comfortable?
It's not the equipment, you're just going too slow

Same answer a Ducati mechanic told a complaining customer about the pressure on their hands... :D

Rags
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Re: This may be a "sensitive topic"...

Post by Gordon-h »

jwagreen wrote:Thanks for bringing this up. I have had the same issue happen to me and was wondering about a solution. Last night I went into the garage and installed four washers on each side of the forward seat bracket to raise the front of the seat.
Did this make much difference?
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Re: This may be a "sensitive topic"...

Post by Bruce H »

martinjmpr wrote:Looking around I see Wunderlich makes a control lowering kit. Anyone have one and like it? How badly does it affect cornering clearance?

At $250 it's not cheap but if it makes the bike more comfy on long rides it could be worth it.
I put the Wunderlich control kit on my 2004 1150R, nicely made, no cornering issue so far. Also replaced the shifter using the one from Suburban Machinery. I still don't have this bike where I would like it but am working on it. The foot pegs need to go, something without the rubber, maybe a little mort GS style. What fits? I replaced the windscreen for the third time on Friday. I couldn't get the photos of the GS pegs to work so don't know what they look like.
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Re: This may be a "sensitive topic"...

Post by gregor »

No help to offer as I'm happy- sorry!
Same overall height but 31" inside leg. No discomfort, or sliding forward only a bit of pain in the derrier on occasion- which goes with a bit of acclimatisation.
Never felt the need to lower footrests(large feet would hit the ground on slow bends) or raise handlebars (hands and arms are horizontal and relaxed). Feels comfortable to me at normal riding speeds (ie at up to 80mph) with the BMW fly screen.
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Re: This may be a "sensitive topic"...

Post by jwagreen »

Gordon-h wrote:
jwagreen wrote:Thanks for bringing this up. I have had the same issue happen to me and was wondering about a solution. Last night I went into the garage and installed four washers on each side of the forward seat bracket to raise the front of the seat.
Did this make much difference?

it made a difference with less notable sliding at stops.
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Re: This may be a "sensitive topic"...

Post by Airman »

I have a 2003, and I believe the seat was always low in the front and it caused me to slide into the tank. I used the 3/8" spacer under the front seat mount as well. That has leveled the seat enough so that I don't feel like I'm riding downhill all the time. The long term fix is an aftermarket seat.
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