Taller GS850 rider

[Dennisanger]

Good evening and hello to all. My name is Dennis. I just bought a GS850G and I'm looking for any advice on how to outfit it for a taller rider. I'm 6'2" and I feel kind of scrunched on it. Thanks in advance for any help, and keep it shiny side up and rubber side down

 

[dpep]

What year 850? And what motorcycles are you comparing to with regard to comfort/fit?

 

[Dennisanger]

1979.

And I've had about 200 different motorcycles in the last almost 50 years of every genre. Currently I have four Goldwing 1100s and a Goldwing 1500. The last 6 months I sold a VTX 1300 and a Valkyrie. I realize that the GS 850 is not a Goldwing. But I still was thinking either a handlebar change or Highway pegs or something else might help

 

[dpep]

I bought my first 850 (an '80) in December of 1979 when I was 6'5". I am closer to your height now. Those early 850's were/are widely recognized as having one of the most comfortable production motorcycle seats ever to current day. I know I haven't found anything I would rather be sitting on.

As to legs being cramped I would definitely have preferred that the pegs be located a little farther back. Their forward positioning along with the stock 'plow handle' bars make for an awkward (at least for me) 'sit up and beg' riding position.

Many of us here, regardless of which GS we have, routinely swap out the stock bars if they are still on the bike for something lower, usually Daytona bars. That has the effect of shifting the top part of your body a little bit farther forward relative to where your feet are on the pegs. It would be helpful if you could put up a picture to show the existing configuration.

Of course you can always put on some highway pegs for distance riding. Most commonly the riders here mount them to the crash bars which I strongly suggest you install if some previous owner has not already done so.

 

[Dennisanger]

I bought my first 850 (an '80) in December of 1979 when I was 6'5". I am closer to your height now. Those early 850's were/are widely recognized as having one of the most comfortable production motorcycle seats ever to current day. I know I haven't found anything I would rather be sitting on.

As to legs being cramped I would definitely have preferred that the pegs be located a little farther back. Their forward positioning along with the stock 'plow handle' bars make for an awkward (at least for me) 'sit up and beg' riding position.

Many of us here, regardless of which GS we have, routinely swap out the stock bars if they are still on the bike for something lower, usually Daytona bars. That has the effect of shifting the top part of your body a little bit farther forward relative to where your feet are on the pegs. It would be helpful if you could put up a picture to show the existing configuration.

Of course you can always put on some highway pegs for distance riding. Most commonly the riders here mount them to the crash bars which I strongly suggest you install if some previous owner has not already done so.

Thanks to all

 

[bwringer]

I'm only a 6'1" shrimp, but I'll agree that the '79-82 GS850G is one of the most comfortable bikes on the planet.

All that said, it is certainly possible, even probable, that after all this time the seat foam has collapsed somewhat. Many of us have installed a slab of 2" Sargent Supercell foam by peeling back the cover, cutting out the top 2" of stock foam, using spray adhesive to install the Supercell, then re-shaping to the stock shape. I have no idea whether Sargent still sells slabs of foam. You may need to call.

In '83, as on my bike, they scooped out the seat for some damfool reason and it's a fair bit lower than in the earlier models. (And of course the GL models have an even lower riding position). In the many years I've owned my bike, my knees have accumulated damage that make long days painful, so I finally had to rebuild and build up the seat foam and cobble together a homemade seat cover. It doesn't look great, but it doesn't look bad if you're standing far enough away, or sitting on top of it.

As Don says, lower and further-forward bars in a Daytona or perhaps Superbike bend are pretty much mandatory, unless you're a Tyrannosaurus.

The 850G also boasts (potentially) astonishing handling, with a few well-chosen updates. Suzuki really got the geometry right on these. Braking on the '79 with solid rotors is marginal at best, but later '80-83 calipers, rotors, etc. should bolt on and deliver surprisingly good braking performance with stainless lines and fresh name brand pads.

 

[Dennisanger]

I'm only a 6'1" shrimp, but I'll agree that the '79-82 GS850G is one of the most comfortable bikes on the planet.

All that said, it is certainly possible, even probable, that after all this time the seat foam has collapsed somewhat. Many of us have installed a slab of 2" Sargent Supercell foam by peeling back the cover, cutting out the top 2" of stock foam, using spray adhesive to install the Supercell, then re-shaping to the stock shape. I have no idea whether Sargent still sells slabs of foam. You may need to call.

In '83, as on my bike, they scooped out the seat for some damfool reason and it's a fair bit lower than in the earlier models. (And of course the GL models have an even lower riding position). In the many years I've owned my bike, my knees have accumulated damage that make long days painful, so I finally had to rebuild and build up the seat foam and cobble together a homemade seat cover. It doesn't look great, but it doesn't look bad if you're standing far enough away, or sitting on top of it.

As Don says, lower and further-forward bars in a Daytona or perhaps Superbike bend are pretty much mandatory, unless you're a Tyrannosaurus.

The 850G also boasts (potentially) astonishing handling, with a few well-chosen updates. Suzuki really got the geometry right on these. Braking on the '79 with solid rotors is marginal at best, but later '80-83 calipers, rotors, etc. should bolt on and deliver surprisingly good braking performance with stainless lines and fresh name brand pads.

Thank you very much