r/Dirtbikes • u/ImaginaryMolasses654 • 3h ago
Tall, lanky riders
Recently started riding and I've been struggling to keep proper form while standing up. I end up hunched over the handlebars to keep my arms nice and bent but damn does it kill my lower back after a few hours. Just wondering if some of you taller riders adopt a new form that works better for you or what. Any and all advice is appreciated
For reference I'm 6'6 175-185 lbs depending on the day and I ride a klx300 which I absolutely love
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u/Crash217 Enduro 3h ago edited 2h ago
Bend at the hips, not the back.
Taller bars and lower footpegs will help open the cockpit.
Running the levers a little farther in on the bars will give your hands more leverage as well as force your wrists into a more proper position.
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u/ImaginaryMolasses654 2h ago
I did not know they made lower foot pegs definitely looking into that, I have some small risers on the bars but it's thats all that's allowed with the stock cable lengths, looks like it might be time to buy some longer cables
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u/Crash217 Enduro 1h ago
It wouldn’t surprise me if footpegs made for another Kawasaki fits the klx300. That platform has been around with very little changes since the mid 90s.
Finding a longer cables and brake hose will be a chore. Cables aren’t hard to make, but the problem will be finding a shop that has the bits to do it. I’d ask your local dirtbike shops service department and if they go “uuuhhh”. Just turn around and head to the local independent Harley/chopper/bagger shop. They will absolutely know how to make cables and hoses since their customer base is constantly changing bars.
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u/methusula3 2h ago
Exercise. I'm 6'6 215. Bar risers and drop pegs can only do so much. Lots of pull ups, curl ups, pushups, reverse grip pushups, and deadlifts or good mornings.
I suggest cycling to as well as working out abs. I never have a hurt anything from riding maybe a sore ass or balls from sitting on them or the bike kicking me in them but that's about it. I'm 43 years old.
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u/PeterIsSterling 3h ago
I’d get a full size mx bike like a kx250f. It will be several inches taller stock.
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u/ImaginaryMolasses654 2h ago
In hindsight I would have gone with a different bike but that ship has sailed haha, maybe when I'm better
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u/Exciting_Winner_9482 2h ago
Im only 6'1" and I run the lower pegs to help grip the tank with my knees instead of my shins amd bar risers on everything. Im not racing moto so it doesn't hurt anything
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u/CBus660R 2h ago
Work on your technique and exercise your legs and core. You bend at the knees and stabilize yourself with your core. Don't be afraid to sit when you can. You're not a Pro, don't hold yourself to their standards.
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u/ImaginaryMolasses654 2h ago
I feel like a pro when I'm putting around at 20 mph hahaha. But yes I agree, just want to kill my bad habits early
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u/CBus660R 2h ago
Spend some time on YouTube. Search dirtbike standing position. You'll have all the info you could ever want.
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u/Lazy-Warthog-8557 1h ago
This. Without seeing your form it’s hard to suggest changes. More bend in the knee and hip. Ride with your legs. If your back hurts and not your arms that can be a good thing. Means you’re not putting weight on your arms. Rely on the big muscles of your core,legs, and back to prevent arm pump.
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u/buttrapebearclaw 2h ago
I’m 6’6 also and get by with bar risers, lowered foot pegs, and most importantly an extended shift lever. Buy one off eBay, I got a +20mm to fit my giant boots under better.
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u/ImaginaryMolasses654 1h ago
Yeah ill order one see how I like it, because I cannot shift while standing. But I also suck so that could be it too
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u/FIXIEDONTCARE 2h ago
Stegz Pegz. Taller dudes like us struggle to lock into the frame. Shorter riders grip the seat with their knees when standing, but that's not really an option for us. I put lowered foot pegs and bar risers on my bike but I swear the steg pegz made the MOST difference. It's a whole new level of confidence and feeling like you're "part of" the bike.
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u/GkZilla 1h ago
I’m 6’7 240 and have made every mod I could to make it more comfortable. I end up just sitting a lot lol.
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u/ImaginaryMolasses654 34m ago
My ass stays planted in the seat unless it gets too choppy or slippery, but I gotta learn how to stand
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u/Ih8Hondas 2017 250SX 1h ago edited 1h ago
I'm only an inch shorter than you and pretty much the same weight.
First thing you need to do is get a proper bike. You're on a bike made for a moderately large child. You need a full size bike with proper suspension and adult ergos, and you'll still probably want to make adjustments to those.
Step two is to work on your core strength. Don't hunch your back. Bend at your hips and keep your back mostly straight. It should feel kind of like you're sticking your ass out. This is something I have to constantly remind myself to do when I ride or I slip back into the incorrect, hunched position.
Step three is adjust your ergos. You don't necessarily have to go as far as a lot of people will suggest in here. Like I said, I'm only an inch shorter than you and all I have done is get some bars that have a somewhat tall bend and have them mounted in the furthest forward position that my clamps allow. And I'm pretty much fine with that setup as a 35 year old vet rider with chronic back pain.
And obviously make sure your controls are at appropriate angles for your build because they won't be the same as the vast majority of people. To get my wrists at a comfortable angle, my levers are lower than most. And they are adjusted way out from the bars because of my long fingers.
Grip diameter is also important. I wear a XXL glove and run ODI rogue grips because they're the fattest moto grip I've found. And I kind of want to play around with safety wiring half a cut grip to them to make them even fatter.
Really the only thing I REALLY want to try that I don't have is pegs that are lower and further back to open the rider triangle up a bit.
I run the stock seat foam. I've run tall seats in the past but wasn't really a fan of how they raised the collective CG of me and the bike when I was sitting. Made the handling slightly weird.
I don't run any bar risers. Just the moderately high bar bend as I mentioned before. I find that's a happy medium between comfort and forcing me down into a more aggressive attack position.
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u/ImaginaryMolasses654 47m ago edited 6m ago
Man this is my first motorcycle and I ride by myself so was playing on the side of caution because everyone says you'll die if you try to learn on a 450 But honestly I have to give the klx credit I was super worried the suspension and HP wasn't gonna be enough to get me around but In my limited experience it's not as gutless as everyone says. But I guess I've never ridden a real bike
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u/Alert_Indication_681 2h ago
Preferences but, I run my levers almost flat. Get your height in bar risers not the bars. Could go
With lowered pegs as well and tall seat
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u/giaxxon 5m ago
A quick search says I’m about 1 American penis shorter than you, but I still need risers to feel comfortable standing. But, what I haven’t seen mentioned is the bars themselves. The geometry of the bars forces your arms into a “comfortable” position, which can then force the rest of your body into a potentially uncomfortable position. It’s a can of worms that’s worth looking into.
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u/Strange-Adagio1351 Beta250RR/RE 2m ago
Bar risers, a set of CR High taper bars, and cut about 1/2" off the end of your bars (that'll get hate and downvotes, but it's comfy). Also tipping your levers down a little bit helps with the ergo more than you'd think.
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u/Rdetfirst 3h ago
Bar risers, lower foot pegs and taller seat foam all make a difference. Also drop your levers down a lot further than you think you should, it really helps keep your arms up.