Is backing up while stradled really that critical? You didn't mention if you can stand safely at a light, etc, but if that is OK, I'd try to live with it first and see if you can manage. How often do you really need to back up out on the road?

If its just moving around for parking/leaving, you ought to do that dismounted anyway (rt hand on bar covering brake, lt hand on saddle. if its real tippy for you can leave stand down so you can place bike back down, just be sure nothing bumps stand back up while you're manuevering).

One trick for backing up while straddled is to hold front brake and push down HARD on bars, then release brake just as suspension starts to bounce back, and this rolls the bike back a bit. Rinse, repeat. Not sure how effective this will be for someone on their tippy toes that doesn't have much height (and heft) above the bars, but you could try it.

 

5'3" Female FARK ME!!! What, the Hayabusa not on sale?

IMO the Superhawk is not the bike for you. Its way too much bike for someone of your stature ie: too tall, too top heavy, nevermind the power to weight ratio. The person who sold it to you needs his/her *** kicked.

I'm 5'9" 180lbs with shortish legs and I tip toe around in it. When I first bought my bike I had an experienced friend ride it home for me as it was raining. A day later, with the sun out, I took my first ride exactly 1 block to the gas station to top up. When I was pulling out of the station the ramp was inclined subtly to the street. I stopped on this incline to let a car by, let out the clutch, not enough gas, stalled and dropped the bike on its side pushing the right turn signal through the now smashed fairing. So much for being careful with my new bike. Is one block a record? Ya, I screwed up which you might not do but my point is, if 450lbs starts to go over, it takes some serious muscle to halt that inertia.

Anyway thats the best case senario. A low power, low centre of gravity Harley is worlds away from a litre sport bike. They're stable like a caddie and dont have far to tip.

You will drop it or worse...much worse, guaranteed. Sorry to be preachy and opinionated but I believe it to be true. I also believe that a Suzuki SV650 would be a FAR more suitable and enjoyable bike. Before you slam me, take one of those for a ride and tell me if you don't like it 1,000 times better.

 

Some of us raise the rear of our shawks by putting shims between the top shock mount and frame.
As I recall 6mm of shim equats to about 3/4" rise of the rear.
Given that, having a 6mm shorter shock 'U' mount made up would lower the rear by 3/4".
The front is much easier to lower by moving the triple clamps down 6mm on the fork tubes.
I'd lower the front first to see if that gave you enough before lowering the rear.

~Jeffers

Los Angeles, Ca

 

My post has nothing to do with my being chavinistic. It has everything with me thinking there is a limit to the minimum size and strength a person should be to safely operate a heavy and powerful sportbike like the Superhawk and I don't want to see anyone get hurt.

I'll assume MSF riding instructor means Motorcycle Safety F...something so if thats true, then you prolly know more than I do so good luck

 

You should also check into getting a cut down seat. On the stocker, there's not much to work with so I'd suggest going with an aftermarket maker as their foam is much better. Even a 1/2 inch reduction would do wonders.

Although much more money, premium aftermarket shocks have ride height adjustments. Normally everyone goes up but in your case you would go down and also drop the forks to keep the bike even. Just remember, you'll lose both ground and cornering clearance.

And you probably all ready know this trick, wear large sole boots.

 

I noticed that the rider position of the VTR with a Sargent seat installed is noticably lower and more accomodating than with the stock seat, which is really not that bad if one doesn't mind occasionally sliding forward and wracking one's privates against the tank.

That said, it might be that a combination of Sargent seat and some of the mods suggested above would offer you the lower center of gravity that you need to feel comfortable in pushing the bike backwards without it being a feat in balance and leg strength.

Also, a Penske 8100 shock--though a fairly costly mod--would offer a great deal more flexibility in terms of seat-height adjustment, not to mention that its addition to the VTR (accompanied by the Race Tech fork spring mod) would also yield one-bad-*****-of-a-sportbike.

cheers,
--HotStreetVTR

 

Sorry, I don't know the make of the undertail as it came with the bike. I've seen what appears to be an identical item on ebay.

Check my "find the mods" thread in the cosmetic section for the latest pics of my bike.