Lowering NC750X

[Bcsmith]

Hello NC riders. I have been thinking about lowering my bike. I put 9000km on it last summer and I am able to touch pavement with my toes only. Most of the time I can feel comfortable doing this but the odd time when I may be on a slope to one side of the road (usually for water runoff) I can only reach toes on one side. Again I managed but I have to be aware of conditions when I come to a stop or I feel one wrong move and I will drop the bike. I got caught by surprise once at a highway stop light and that was a wake up call. I just watched a video on how to do this and it looks pretty straight forward. I only do light off road riding on occasion so I think I could give up a little clearance. My main concern is that Honda has done a wonderful thing with the engineering on this bike and I am very hesitant to play with that whatsoever. How do most of you feel about this? Should I lower my bike or just continue to deal with toes only at a stop. How important do you feel it is to flat foot the bike at a stop? Thanks bcsmith

 

[Bcsmith]

Ok so I just went to the garage and did a jump on and I am actually able to touch both sides with the balls of my feet. ( had to google balls of foot to even know what that meant ) Also I went to some other motorcycle forms and the general consensus seems to be that balls of the foot is more than enough!!

 

[dduelin]

With the NC, the RT, and most bikes I have owned I could only touch toes and maybe the ball of my feet. I've been short all my life and would be consigned to riding cruisers with low seat height if I had to flat foot. It's highly overrated. You just learn coping skills and never think about it again. When it comes into play now is when I want to ride the VFR1200X or the Africa Twin or the like with taller seats over 32". I know my limitations of 29" inseam. If you lower the rear and can't lower the forks the same amount it will change geometry of rake and trail thus slowing steering response. When tuning suspension on bikes that tend to run wide on corner exits the thing to do is lower front ride height or raise the rear to affect change in steering geometry and speed up steering response. I wouldn't want to slow down NC700/750X steering response at all and that's what excessive lowering of the rear shock does.

 

[the Ferret]

I love it when guys with a 29" inseam think they are short lol

At 5' 5 1'2 and about a 26" inseam I have no choice but to lower most of my bikes. I have to lower them just to get the balls of my feet to touch. Flat foot? That hasn't happened since I went to bikes bigger than my RD 350 in 1973. My CB 1100 with a 30 1/2" seat height I can ride without being lowered (balls of feet touching). My ST 1300 I had the seat lowered 1". On my FJR I used adjustable lowering links and raised the fork tubes to lower the bike 1/2" and wore waffle stomper boots to ride. I can't ride most adventure bikes as they leave my feet dangling in the air on both sides.

Fortunately for me Honda lowered the seat height on the 2021 NC 750X or I probably would not have bought one, or if I had bought a 2020 I would have had to lower it as well. I have had no issues with clearance or handling, when lowering my bikes a small amount. Then again, I'm no road racer, I'm just a rider.

The "body built for a cruiser, but heart and mind of a sport tourer" Ferret

 

[melensdad]

My wife has a Soupy’s Performance adjustable lowering link. We also lowered at the fork so the bike remains basically level as it came from the factory, just lowered. Advatantage with the Soupys adjustable is we actually adjusted it several times before we found the right spot for her comfort.

I bought a Soupy’s adjustable kickstand. That broke. It also punched holes on hot sunny days in asphalt parking lots. Fortunately the bike never fell.

strongly recommend the Soupy’s lowering link. Strongly advise against that kickstand. Ended up cutting an inch out of her stock kickstand and welding it back together.

 

[dduelin]

I love it when guys with a 29" inseam think they are short lol

At 5' 5 1'2 and about a 26" inseam I have no choice but to lower most of my bikes. I have to lower them just to get the balls of my feet to touch. Flat foot? That hasn't happened since I went to bikes bigger than my RD 350 in 1973. My CB 1100 with a 30 1/2" seat height I can ride without being lowered (balls of feet touching). My ST 1300 I had the seat lowered 1". On my FJR I used adjustable lowering links and raised the fork tubes to lower the bike 1/2" and wore waffle stomper boots to ride. I can't ride most adventure bikes as they leave my feet dangling in the air on both sides.

Fortunately for me Honda lowered the seat height on the 2021 NC 750X or I probably would not have bought one, or if I had bought a 2020 I would have had to lower it as well. I have had no issues with clearance or handling, when lowering my bikes a small amount. Then again, I'm no road racer, I'm just a rider.

The "body built for a cruiser, but heart and mind of a sport tourer" Ferret

I ended up raising my ST and NCs just getting the suspension right and with the NC it helps to raise the front of the seat 1/2 to 3/4" to flatten the seating portion and remove the forward slope. The NCs were about an inch higher than stock. I just see riders that could ride OK doing nothing to a bike yet they feel they must duck walk flat footed to feel comfortable so instead of adapting skills to the bike they adapt the bike to skills and affect handling and cornering clearance. With 26" inseam you had no choice with the bikes you mention.

 

[mudtrack]

I just measured my inseam for the first time. It turns out I have a 32 inch inseam, not including "my boys". Floor to bone is 32. However on my V-Strom I cannot recall ever flatfooting. Even if supposedly I could, I find it much better to never rely on flatfooting. I only flatfoot on one side or the other, never both. I do that when I ride my wife's Burgman 400 or our old Honda PCX 150 scooters.
I feel that flatfooting is for scooter riding and is of no help in controlling a normal motorcycle at rest.

 

[the Ferret]

I just measured my inseam for the first time. It turns out I have a 32 inch inseam, not including "my boys". Floor to bone is 32.

LOL now imagine if the seat height of your NC instead of being 32.7" was actually 38.7". That's what it's like for me trying to mount/ride a pre 2021 NC 750 and why the 2021 makes me happy with its 31.6" seat height, although I'd prefer if it was 30.6"

Brings to mind the Randy Newman song doesn't it? Short people .....

BTW had a Yamaha Majesty 400 scooter. Couldn't flat foot it either unless I was standing in the tunnel ha ha

 

[mudtrack]

BTW had a Yamaha Majesty 400 scooter. Couldn't flat foot it either unless I was standing in the tunnel ha ha

As I recall when my wife purchased her Burgman 400, she found the seat height much lower than the Yamaha Majesty 400. Around 2.5 inches lower.

If it was only seat height that is the deciding factor this year, she would likely stay with the Burgman. However watching her try to navigate a muddy road on her Burgman was pitiful. She can ride horses, up in the stirrups. She can't seem to keep a Burgman with highway tires upright in the mud. She looks forward to her 2021 NC750X because it is a more appropriate bike for her needs.
However, she seemed to be able to put the balls of her feet down over the 2020 NC750X that she looked at, and most likely will be able to flat foot the 2021.

 

[hulkss]

LOL now imagine if the seat height of your NC instead of being 32.7" was actually 38.7". That's what it's like for me trying to mount/ride a pre 2021 NC 750 and why the 2021 makes me happy with its 31.6" seat height, although I'd prefer if it was 30.6"

Brings to mind the Randy Newman song doesn't it? Short people .....

BTW had a Yamaha Majesty 400 scooter. Couldn't flat foot it either unless I was standing in the tunnel ha ha

you guys need these:

 

[the Ferret]

you guys need these:

View attachment 44726

No kidding...kinda like KISS boots. I bet wearing those I'd be as tall as dduelin lol. Still not as tall as Mudtrack though

I wore boots like these for riding my FJR as they gave me an extra 1/2" or so over a regular motorcycle boot. (which is important if you are a munchkin)

Amazon.com | Chippewa Men's 9" Waterproof Insulated Steel-Toe EH Logger Boot | Boots

Buy Chippewa Men's 9" Waterproof Insulated Steel-Toe EH Logger Boot and other Boots at Amazon.com. Our wide selection is eligible for free shipping and free returns.

www.amazon.com

 

[Randy99CL]

My 2018 is just a little too tall for me. I had considered lowering it but wasn't wild with the end result and expense of doing that.

I'm sure this is old info for most but have you learned to tripod? Don't know if that is the right term but sitting square on the bike and touching both toes to hold the bike up is the wrong way to do it.

I ran across a bunch of YT videos of short riders (mostly women but no matter) riding crazy high bikes with no problems.
You slide your butt off the seat to the side of the leg you're putting down. Then you put your whole foot flat on the ground. Called tripod because the bike is touching the two tires and your one leg.
It is incredibly easy once you get used to it, it becomes automatic, practice with both legs so you always go to the uphill leg.
It is really amazingly stable, you can practice tilting the bike L and R and it has to go a long way before it tips. For practice you get on the bike and tripod one leg, then jump up and switch to the other and back and forth.
I don't worry about dropping the bike now, ever. It works that well.

Now I don't have to mod the bike at all. Still use the centerstand, still have all the suspension travel, saved some money.
BTW Doodle is 5'4" and maybe a hundred pounds? I use her method to move the bike too, lean it against my hip.

This video is really impressive!

 

[hulkss]

Seriously short:

 

[the Ferret]

Yea, I've ridden bikes that I have had to bounce from one side to the other to get a foot down. No fun and not confidence inspiring for me. I've ridden bikes where basically the bend in my offside knee is even with the edge of the seat. Bounce to 1 side and hit a little sand or gravel with that foot and see what happens. Ride a 630 pound ST 1300 or 717 pound FJR or BMW GS1200 with high center of gravities and it doesn't take a lot of lean before that thing is on it's way down for a dirt nap. I have to back up any bike with a 31" seat height or better by getting off and pushing. The other day riding my CB 1100 I had to get off and do that because backing up was slightly uphill. I really don't understand her statement about dropping her bike more when she got both feet on the ground. That makes absolutely no sense.

I disagree with her that having one foot down is more stable than having 2 feet down, even if you are on the balls of your feet. 3 points of contact is NOT more stable than 4 points of contact, any tripod or 3 legged table will demonstrate that. If they were then tables would only have 3 legs. Ever sit on a 3 legged stool? or try riding one of the old Honda 3 wheelers vs a 4 wheeler.

Can't saying people can't ride by sliding to one side to get one foot on the ground, but it is certainly not as preferable/safe/convenient as getting both feet to touch the ground.

 

[hulkss]

You're mixing resistance to wobble with resistance to tip-over. Four legs will wobble on an uneven surface, touching only three legs at a time. Three point contact is stable.

Yes, four legs will be more resistant to tipping over.

 

[Randy99CL]

Another thing: when I first got my bike I put 1" heel lifts in my boots. Inexpensive, (like $8 off amazon), not weird looking, doesn't affect your feet on the pegs like boots with thick soles or high heels.
They let me flat-foot instead of just touching my toes.

But since I learned to tripod I don't need them.

 

[Randy99CL]

To each his own I guess. I know that most of you ride more miles than I have ever dreamed of.

The thing that makes a tripod more stable for me is that I move the leg I put down out away from the bike. That is the key that makes it work.
When I'm using both legs they are down tight right up against the bike and not very far apart. It doesn't take much of a tip before I'm worried it's going over and I don't have much leverage to hold it up.

When I tripod I move that foot out away, maybe 12" or even more out from the bike. My butt is completely off the seat and I think a wide tripod is more stable for me than 4 points that are close together.
All you have to do to check it is tip the bike a little in both directions. With the tripod it can go over pretty far before it feels unstable, with both touching it does not have to tip much at all before it could go wrong.

Obviously we all do what we want and whatever works, etc.
Did you watch the second video with that 5'1" woman on the giant BMW? She is impressive and the tripod allows us to ride bikes that at just too tall to flat foot, to me (like Doodle) that is enough of a reason to learn this method.
JMO as always.

 

[dduelin]

50 years of riding while short taught me coping skills like the tripod, the one legged hop, the row-with-the-tippee toes, quick side to side slide, foot on the curb stop, fork push down and the bounce back to start backwards. Never lowered a bike or a seat yet. Not saying I won’t but haven’t had to yet to feel confident or comfortable.

DCT does allow more choices in how and where to stop. There is convention in having to toe a transmission in gear that requires a free left foot even if it’s freed up with a quick left up-right foot down two step so both feet need good footing prior to starting like this and without thinking about it good experienced riders will eyeball equal footing on both sides when rolling to a stop. New DCT owners will break through this paradigm when they realize they don’t need equal footing on both sides and don’t need a left hand coupled to the bar when stopping and starting.

 

[mudtrack]

I will let all others among us hash it out as to avoiding a zero speed tipover. I am of average height.. However I would wager that zero speed tipover happens less often for tall riders.
My wife would rather be able to be 2-foot while flatfoot if possible. Not possible on horseback, but she has the option of buying a motorcycle that suits her.

 

[hulkss]

When I tripod I move that foot out away, maybe 12" or even more out from the bike.

That works. Just don't put your foot in the greasy oil between tire tracks in a gas station.