Pillion seat heights: RT and GS

[DavidR8]

My better half is a short 4'9" and climbing up on a tall adventure bike is a challenge. I'm trying to sort out pillion seat heights on the 2010-2013 RT and GS models in my search for a replacement for my ST1300.
Hoping someone will measure their bikes for me.
Many thanks!

David

[wbw6cos]

I cannot vouch for the GS, but on my RT, @wbw6cos2 will climb aboard the driver's seat (side stand down) and will scoot back to the pillion seat.  After that, I throw a leg through and mount the bike.  Just the reverse for dis-mounting.  The side cases make for an awkward movement for her to get on the bike and she found this way a lot easier.  She is not under 5', though.

 

I have seen a female pillion trying to climb aboard a GSA and it seemed like quite an ordeal.   I do not recall the height of that lady, compared to 4'9', but she seemed to be of average size for a rider's better half.

 

 

[DavidR8]

4 minutes ago, wbw6cos said:

I cannot vouch for the GS, but on my RT, @wbw6cos2 will climb aboard the driver's seat (side stand down) and will scoot back to the pillion seat.  After that, I throw a leg through and mount the bike.  Just the reverse for dis-mounting.  The side cases make for an awkward movement for her to get on the bike and she found this way a lot easier.  She is not under 5', though.

 

I have seen a female pillion trying to climb aboard a GSA and it seemed like quite an ordeal.   I do not recall the height of that lady, compared to 4'9', but she seemed to be of average size for a rider's better half.

 

 

I have seen this technique before but we've never tried it.
We rented an RT a few years back and she definitely found it challenging to clear the cases as they seem to be a fair bit wider than on our ST.

[wbw6cos]

Sorry David, but my RT is a '19 model which may, or may not, have a slight variation than the Camheads.  DOH!   I just realized what forum this was in.  Hopefully, not much style/height diffference.   I am hoping one of the Camhead experts will chime in on this topic.

 

Cheers!

[MikeB60]

My wife is 5' nothin. Our technique is for me to mount up and then she puts her left foot on the passenger peg and grabs my jacket collar and pulls herself up. She doesn't weigh very much and I'm a heavy drop so it works well for us. She uses the same technique on the GT, GS and RT.

[Hati]

7 hours ago, DavidR8 said:

she definitely found it challenging to clear the cases as they seem to be a fair bit wider than on our ST.

 

What my better half, also vertically challenged, found useful is a peg adjusting kit that positions her foot farther forward from the panniers.  That made the process of getting on easier for her.

 

 

6 hours ago, MikeB60 said:

My wife is 5' nothin. Our technique is for me to mount up and then she puts her left foot on the passenger peg and grabs my jacket collar and pulls herself up.

 

Same and same. Exact way my  wife gets on. With one exception. If I can get next to a curb, she will use that as a stepping stone and get on very easily.

 

Sorry, no help with seat height, we got a '21 RT now and the '13 R is very different to the RT of the same vintage.

 

[jdub53]

12 hours ago, DavidR8 said:

My better half is a short 4'9" and climbing up on a tall adventure bike is a challenge. I'm trying to sort out pillion seat heights on the 2010-2013 RT and GS models in my search for a replacement for my ST1300.
Hoping someone will measure their bikes for me.
Many thanks!

David

 

I'm not sure if this is the measurement you're after (pillion seat height compared to rider's seat height?), but here are the results on my 2013 RT with OEM seats. First is with the rider seat in the low position, and second is in the high position with a difference between the two of .75"

 

I owned a 2014 R1200GS prior to this RT, and a 2007 R1200GSA prior to that. My 5'6" wife has ridden pillion with me for decades on a variety of bikes, and she rides horses so is used to hoisting herself into the saddle with a foot on one footpeg/in one stirrup. The height of the pillion footpeg on both the GSA & GS was definitely more challenging than on any other bike to get momentum (she did a 1, 2, 3 hop on her right foot with her foot already on the left peg) to get her right leg up and over the seat. 

 

The first time she got on the RT was much easier than either of the two previous bikes, and once seated she said "I like this". She has also stated the RT is the most comfortable bike she's ever ridden with me, which jives with my own experience from the rider's seat.

 

Based upon her experiences, I believe pillion footpeg height and not seat height is a more important factor for ease of mounting.  Hope this helps.