Getting comfy on my 06 fe550

basalt · Nov 7, 2014

I don't think I can answer that particular question, but my concern with the new setup is how far forward the handlebars have moved. I initially had them really far forward, which also resulted in less height. However, the farther away the bars get from the centerline of the steering stem, the more the bars are "sweeping" left to right instead of just rotating left and right, if that makes sense. I think that is what made the steering feel real awkward at first so I made them more upright. There is less of a sweeping feel, but they are taller now too. Just moving the bars straight up still increases the sweeping feeling because the steering stem isn't vertical.

I just realized it is a lot like increasing the stem length on a mountain bike. Guess I'll have to research the effects of doing that!

Good info, though maybe not entirely applicable, it describes the situation well!:
stem length: Please educate me?- Mtbr.com

Johnf3 · Nov 7, 2014

tourist said:
How does the less-leverage thing work? Honest question!

My take on this is that the stock DR-Z cockpit setup is just silly, bars are wayyyy too low and backswept - I've got about 7cm up and 5cm forward worth of risers and bars and finally I can stand on the bike. And I'm both more comfortable and go way faster offroad cause ai'm not falling over the front

My 570 as stock was fine though!

So there's such a thing as too low, that's for sure ...

The leverage reduction - is it because it's easier to lock your torso/arms against the handlebars when they're lower? more weight can be brought into the game?

Too tall on the bars and it is hard to get your elbows out and up. You give up a lot of control otherwise. This is all in general, as I have ridden some personal set ups on bikes that felt really bad, but the riders could still fly.

Hoosaberg · Nov 8, 2014

I usually just make an aluminium block to put under my risers and use longer bolts. I also use CR high bend as they're the tallest that I can find in the bend I like.

I don't buy into the low bar argument, not saying it isn't right. I have ridden bikes with clip ons all the way up to 25 inch ape hangers. I found the bigger and higher (Within reason) the bars the more leverage you've got and the easier it is to toss a bike around. In the '70's everyone had big bars on their dirt bikes, now because some supercross kids like them low and flat, that's all you can buy. Remember when the fad in supercross was to turn your bars forward.

But it's all subjective and comes down to the individual and what feels right for them. I'm 6'2" and don't feel cramped on the 650, I also don't suffer from the tank being too wide like a lot of other riders do. I do like my bars high so I'm not reaching to my knees when I stand.

basalt · Nov 17, 2014

Did 100 miles at Stonyford this weekend. I absolutely love the crazy tall bars. I am hardly sore at all where normally after just 50 miles I would have trouble walking the next day.

I was able to stand more than I was sitting and do it comfortably! Before I could never take turns standing comfortably. This weekend I took turns standing just for the hell of it! My wrists have always gotten really sore as well after 40 miles or so, but they didn't get sore at all this weekend. I'm not sure if that is because of the height, or because I rotated the bars some but I like it. It was a little more work in the real tight stuff, but nothing unmanageable and well worth the trade-off.

I've always had a problem with my front end washing out, which seemed to improve when I started forcing myself to sit way up on the tank (no surprise). But I never had the front wash while standing this weekend. I also seem to be having a real hard time weighting the pegs while seated. I think maybe a tall seat will help with that though I am not that tall, so I'm not sure I want to make it harder to reach the ground.

For those who don't know Stonyford (not my vid):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw6Gd1815ok

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Getting comfy on my 06 fe550

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