Awkward seating (sitting?)

rightshiftrick said:

I'm running around 6'3" these days and Road my bike as a Roadster for many years before switching to an Interstate setup. I don't think either were much different, since I typically sit fairly far back on the seat when riding. Either way, my knees were positioned slightly above the tank. The first pic is 25 or so years old, but you can see where my knee is with my foot resting on the peg. My favorite combination for riding was the bike with the Interstate tank, rear-set footpegs, and lower European bars with about 2" cut off either end (bottom pic). This is the configuration I might run with my MkIII if I can locate rearsets for it.

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I'm on the same page. I'm 6'2", have a 70 commando that was originally a roadster and changed it to an interstate with rear sets and short, low BMW bars... Needless to say, I've gone even further with a lot of other modifications, but the configuration of interstate/rear sets/short low handlebars is my preferred set up. I've ridden other commandos with taller pulled back bars and stock footpegs and it doesn't do the bike justice to sit up so high in the wind for someone tall IMO. (that's why I added the taller dunstall fairing too. tall enough to block the wind on my chest on the highway but short enough not to ruin the sport bike feel)

I'm 6'2" and a bit. I've had various rearsets over the years. The standard pegs made me feel like I was folded in half with european bars so the came off almost the day I got the bike.
I've never found any rearset that dealt with the kickstart very elegantly and they don't leave much room for a passengers feet if you're taking a pillion.
Currently working on my own version with a Triumph style (I think) folding kickstart, like most of my projects, taking a little longer than planned.
The other downside of rearsets is you lose a lot of rear brake power, there's a huge lever on the standard set up.

o0norton0o said:

I'm on the same page. I'm 6'2", have a 70 commando that was originally a roadster and changed it to an interstate with rear sets and short, low BMW bars... Needless to say, I've gone even further with a lot of other modifications, but the configuration of interstate/rear sets/short low handlebars is my preferred set up. I've ridden other commandos with taller pulled back bars and stock footpegs and it doesn't do the bike justice to sit up so high in the wind for someone tall IMO. (that's why I added the taller dunstall fairing too. tall enough to block the wind on my chest on the highway but short enough not to ruin the sport bike feel)

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Are your exhausts rigidly mounted? It doesn't look like the usual rubber mount is in there

MichaelD said:

Are your exhausts rigidly mounted? It doesn't look like the usual rubber mount is in there

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No, my rear hanger is bolted to the outside plate of the stock exhaust hanging fixture. The plate is the outside plate of a pair of plates separated by dual rubber mounted fixtures so there's some ability to bounce and twist along with the engine as it bounces....

o0norton0o said:

No, my rear hanger is bolted to the outside plate of the stock exhaust hanging fixture. The plate is the outside plate of a pair of plates separated by dual rubber mounted fixtures so there's some ability to bounce and twist along with the engine as it bounces....

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Ah OK, couldn't imaging a rigidly fixed exhaust surviving very long

Im 5' 8" so not in the tall league. But I could not get on with the standard foot rests and went to rear sets attached at the bottom hole of the Z plate.
In fact that are actually too low for real scratching work but I pretty much avoid that. Rear sets are folders so still safe. With the Inter bars and tank and a cut down Interplod seat they are fine. FOR ME. And therein lies the tale. Just try the various set ups and eventually one will be the best if not perfect. A Norton meet might really help you try solutions out.
Note: bars can be a bother because of the master cylinder. This limits what
you can use with the Inter tank unfortunately. You cannot go too narrow
or too low. PIA but such is life.