BMW seat height configurator

[Old Steve]

I'm looking at a bike which will be more comfortable for my pillion and the BMW R1200Rt comes into the equation. I'm a bit short in the inside leg dimensions, so was pleased to come across the BMW seat height configurator, a net page where you can enter your height, waist and inside leg measurements and it'll list the BMW bikes suitable for you.

Right, move the height arrow down to 178 cm (I'm not tall), let the jeans waist measurement out to 38 inches (its a dual measurement system), and start bringing the jeans inside leg measurement down. S*#t, those Europeans must be a tall bunch, the shortest I can get the jeans inside measurement down to is 31 inches, and I'm a 29!

I just hope their bike is better than their website. I've got a test ride booked this Saturday. Might have to go round to my friendly cobbler for an extra 3/4" on the soles of my boots.

[merv]

And you say 178cm is not tall, well that sounds reasonably tall to me as that's the old 5 foot 10 inches roughly.

[Damon]

I'm 180cm and have a similar leg length as you and I have no issues with my k1200s, you should be fine

[GazzaH]

You might need to lean a bit if you stop on the flat ... and beware the boot-swallowing pothole monster.

Alternatively, just learn to balance ... and keep a breezeblock on the garage floor, just to the left side of your favourite parking spot ...

[GazzaH]

Did somebody just fart?

[rastuscat]

I always ride with leather Kathmandu tramping boots that are much taller than thin soled dedicated bike boots. I have been told you can get the suspension lowered as well as the seat but I am not sure if it applies to the whole BMW range or just the 1200GS that I was enquiring about.

I'm looking for some way to abuse you, but I'm struggling. Stop being so sensible.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I'm looking at a bike which will be more comfortable for my pillion and the BMW R1200Rt comes into the equation. I'm a bit short in the inside leg dimensions, so was pleased to come across the BMW seat height configurator, a net page where you can enter your height, waist and inside leg measurements and it'll list the BMW bikes suitable for you.

Right, move the height arrow down to 178 cm (I'm not tall), let the jeans waist measurement out to 38 inches (its a dual measurement system), and start bringing the jeans inside leg measurement down. S*#t, those Europeans must be a tall bunch, the shortest I can get the jeans inside measurement down to is 31 inches, and I'm a 29!

I just hope their bike is better than their website. I've got a test ride booked this Saturday. Might have to go round to my friendly cobbler for an extra 3/4" on the soles of my boots.

Mate I am 164 cm. 5 ft 4. 28 inch inseam. Bikes I cannot ride (seat at nipple height) - any ADV bike. Lots of sprots bikes. My mates Speed Triple. My Street Triple is on the verge of too tall. As I get older it gets more difficult.

Having said that, when I got my TS125 my Mum said "That bikes a bit big for you" - cheers Mum.

Its usually liveable-with.

One of the reasons I enjoyed riding the little cruiser so much was it was easy in town.

[sidecar bob]

I always ride with leather Kathmandu tramping boots that are much taller than thin soled dedicated bike boots. I have been told you can get the suspension lowered as well as the seat but I am not sure if it applies to the whole BMW range or just the 1200GS that I was enquiring about.

Do you go tramping in motorcycle boots?
please don't buy a r1200gs, they're awful.

[Voltaire]

Do you go tramping in motorcycle boots?
please don't buy a r1200gs, they're awful.

does the GS stand for Grandad Slippers?

[Gremlin]

The R1200GS can come in a factory low configuration, more of a special order, then if you really need it, you can have a low seat etc. Whether you go for regular and low seat, or low with regular seat, up to you. Usually a thicker seat is better.

Seems the RT is only available in regular: https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread...-frame-R1200RT

So possibly consider the GS as well, depending on what you want. In some ways the GS is a better all roads tourer, but won't offer the full plastic wind protection of the RT.

Remember that seat height is only part of the equation, the seat width is also a factor. The narrower it is, the less leg length is taken up going sideways.

[Old Steve]

Old eyes! Should have been 173 cm, 5' 8". But with 173 cm height and 38 inch waist entered they still won't accept any inside leg below 30 inches.

Yeah Cassina, I've been told you can get up to 3/4" sole added to your boots, I wear work boots on my bike because I have very wide feet and can't find a motorbike boot which is comfortable, so that's probably my next stop if I do take the R1200RT. BMW do the R1200 GS and R1200RT in low versions and you can even have a lower seat on the low version as well (oops, Gremlin's covered this!). But I'm looking at a second hand bike so I have to take what's available - 3 stage seat heights but I feel its still high for my build.

The R1200RT does have a feature which ensures the wife's approval if you want to purchase of one, heated pillion seat! Also all sorts of on-the-move suspension adjustment, Sport/Normal/Soft plus one person, two person and two person with luggage.

A guy at work has been bagging them, "They're so ugly with all that grey paint", so I outright agreed with him and told him that's just a fact of life. The one I'm looking at is blue, and I'm swayed towards buying it just to spite him.

But the bottom line is whether the wife likes the pillion seat. I love having her along on a ride, but on the current bike she gets sore hips at anything over 30 - 40 kms. I'd love to be able to throw some gear in the panniers and ride away with her for a long ride, weekends or longer.

[rastuscat]

The R1200GS can come in a factory low configuration, more of a special order, then if you really need it, you can have a low seat etc. Whether you go for regular and low seat, or low with regular seat, up to you. Usually a thicker seat is better.

Seems the RT is only available in regular: https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread...-frame-R1200RT

So possibly consider the GS as well, depending on what you want. In some ways the GS is a better all roads tourer, but won't offer the full plastic wind protection of the RT.

Remember that seat height is only part of the equation, the seat width is also a factor. The narrower it is, the less leg length is taken up going sideways.

The RT also has a stereo, which is a deal breaker for me.

The weather protection on the RT is par excellence too. The last GS I had was an 1150, with a bigger screen, and the RT eats it for weather protection. I rxpectvthe 1200 GS is better, but the RT is hard to beat.

[rastuscat]

Just remembered that when I got the RT it had a factory low seat. So low I almost got gravel rash on my butt.