[Lead_Teeth]

I'm 5' 10" and I ride very "forward" on my bike- I sit about as far up on the seat as I possibly can.

I didn't really notice this until I took a small girlfriend of mine on a ride this weekend. She said that she was slipping from her perch behind the seat down into the seat itself. In other words, we were sharing the main seat because I was so far forward.

Since then I have been experimenting with sitting further back and I just plain don't like it. I don't feel as "connected" with the tank and my arms feel "stretched" instead of being in their usually bent and more comfortable position.

I know that different bars could bring my arms back into a more comfortable position while I am further back on my bike, but it otherwise just doesn't feel right.

I guess I just really like hugging up close to the bike.

Has anybody else dealt with this and come to a satisfactory conclusion?

 

[Mark1305]

I'm 6' 00" and ride on the Sargent seat which is flat enough you can position yourself fore or aft and stay in one spot. I tend to stay closer to the tank instead of all the way back on the seat. I have to slide aft about 2-3 inches to rest against that rise at the back of the front section.

 

[Hanjin]

I'm only 5'7" with as seargent seat as well. I do the same thing, ride really close to the tank. At first it seemed kinda wierd. But it works fine. Guess we wanna be really close to our Monsters.

 

[Herb]

I'm 6' and do the same thing. I ride pretty hard, and feel I have better control sitting forward on the seat. More weight on the front tire, too.

 

[Dean_Busby]

I always ride really close on the tank, I just thought it was from my dirt bike days. I feel I have better control the more I hug the tank.
Buz.

 

[scrappy]

I too always ride very close to my tank; seems like better control over the bike. On the freeway, I move back from the tank a bit so I can stretch out for the long haul...

scooby ;D

 

[mdark750]

I'm 6"2, I'm a tank hugger. I find it more confortable to ride that way

 

[Speeddog]

If you're comfortable there, don't change anything. Just be careful you don't mash your potatoes.... :-X

Monsters seem to like "forward weight", sometimes they get a little twitchy if you sit back.

 

[Fillmore]

I'm the same way, and also blame it on my dirt bike background.

Honestly, if you're keeping the balls of your feet on the pegs to kinda lock yourself in there, it's probably a very good riding posture that keeps your lower body locked into the bike and should help keep the stress off your upper body and weight off the bars.

--Fillmore

 

[Lead_Teeth]

These are encouraging replies. I do feel like I have a lot more control when I snug up close to the tank. I feel that this bike and I really "fit" each other in this way.

I guess my only real concern arose when I had the passenger on back and she was slipping into the seat behind me because I sit so far forward. It wasn't very comfortable for her and it sure wasn't comfortable for me- every time I hit the brakes, parts of me became a lot more close to the tank than I wanted, the "potatos" as speeddog says.

But I don't ride with a passenger very often so I guess it's no big deal- I'll just scoot back a bit when I need to, and deal with it.

 

[KrazyKat]

I'm 5'4" and sit as far forward on the seat as possible. Probably because I'm short and need to be able to get my feet on the ground when I come to a stop.

 

[Dean_Busby]

Wife won't ride and girlfriend does not exsist, so don't have that problem.

 

[Jason_S4]

I'm the same, 5'11 and sit right up on the tank. But I have to admit, when riding my gf on the back I like to make quick stops so she presses firmly against me.

 

[AlexB]

I'm 5' 8" and sit on the back part of the seat where the plastic cover would be.

I bent the bars back so I can reach them and mounted a windscreen directly to the tank.

I hope you know I'm just kidding... I ride forward most of the time as well.. I've been trying to vary my seat position on longer rides just to see if it helps with comfort.

 

[sivan]

On spirited rides the passenger should support themselves putting their hands on the tank and not leaning on you.

 

[hsijgers]

I'm 5'9" and ride with the balls of my feet on the pegs. That plus the wide forward handlebars keep me leaning forward - otherwise I end up locking my arms.

No pillion riders for me - my wife's also not interested

The "potatoes" are a concern..

 

[Lead_Teeth]

Somebody in another topic posted that he likes to kick his feet back onto the passenger pegs and actually lie down on the tank when cruising on the freeway.

I love to duck down at higher speeds (mostly to get out of the wind) but the above riding position would be certain disaster out here on the LA freeways.

Forward on the seat and on the balls of my feet- like Fillmore describes- seems to be the best position for me.

 

[barbarabee]

5'8", and I sit about an inch or two back from the tank. Just comfy that way. And I must say that when my butt gets really sore (after about 200 miles), I will scoot way back onto the pillion section...or I'll just stand up on the foot pegs.

 

[joshuaspace]

for the first few months i had my monster i would ride up next to the tank (which is often still what i do) but for the past month or so i've taken to seating myself at the very back of the rise. without a fairing it's better on the highway, but lets me feel less crunched anyway (i'm 5'11 with a short torso and long legs) with the stock seat sitting on the slope is only comfortable with my cordura riding pants as they grip the seat a bit.

as far as girlfriends slipping into the seat, i had this happen when i first started taking my girlfriend as a passenger (very uncomfortable!!) after a few rides we got down a comfortable riding style where she really arches her back to stay close to me but keep her butt right on the pillion seat. doing so also helps with keeping her from sliding forward on quick stops. now i also ride back further at the same time and find the handling feels good too. nice to have a bike with so many position options!

 

[s2travis]

If I sit too close to the tank my legs don't fit very well against the tank. So I ride pretty far back on the seat. My wife has a hard time staying on the seat. Says it's really slippery.