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Doubting low suspension with low saddle on F 750 GS Doubting low suspension with low saddle on F 750 GS
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Which Bike? Comments and Questions on what is the best bike for YOU, for YOUR trip. Note that we believe that ANY bike will do, so please remember that it's all down to PERSONAL OPINION. Technical Questions for all brands go in their own forum.
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  #1  
Old 8 Aug 2021
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Doubting low suspension with low saddle on F 750 GS
I'm planning to buy an F 750 GS with a lower saddle.

I'm 1,62 cm (5'4") and had a test drive on a bike with normal suspension with a low saddle. I could touch the ground just with the front of my feet, but I was alright (on the paved road) and it's the same (only touching the ground with the front of my feet) with my present bike (Honda CB600s - 2004).

I'm doubting if I should take a lower suspension so I can touch the ground more easier or not.

I'm planning to ride off road (never done it before) and on road and with lower suspension I cannot choose a mid stand and dynamic Electronic Suspension Adjustment.

The seller was clear in his advice and said I should take the lower suspension. What do you think?

Will the riding on the standard suspension with ESA be much better?

I'm quite new to suspension and things like that, but I was also thinking that maybe the suspension at the bike I made a test drive on was to stiff for my weight. I'm 70 kilo (154 lbs) so maybe if I adjust the suspension I will touch the ground a bit easier?

Thanks for your advice!
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Old 9 Aug 2021
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Hi.

If you're planning on riding off-road then I wouldn't buy this bike at all. But it depends on your idea of "off-road" is. Gravel tracks or the Dakar Rally ??

It's a very heavy bike and the suspension is made for the road. Ignore BMW marketing.


A lowered BMW generally means either a shorter shock or a shorter spring. You will have less travel making it worse off road and less ground clearance.

However, being able to get your feet down when you're beginning to ride off-road is a great help.


My advice is to buy the standard bike without ESA and then take it to a suspension specialist to have it lowered correctly using springs that suit YOU. Which is FAR superior to an ESA bike and actually cheaper too.

ESA is a unreliable gimmick for people who like pressing buttons.
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Old 9 Aug 2021
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I totally agree with Ted's comment. Two years ago I bought a F650GS twin, the bike from which the 750GS was derived, because my 2v-GS was getting too heavy for me. The 650 twin weighs just over 200 kg, but the 750GS is a lot heavier.
Although labelled as “GS” it wasn't designed for real off-road purposes as the F800GS was. The standard suspension has problems to cope with more serious off-road already: too soft, too little ground clearance. If you reduce the height you can forget about anything less than tarmac. I've upgraded the suspension and fitted a heavy bash plate, which now works ok for m.


IMO, if you want to do more or less serious off-road tours, I'd rather consider smaller bikes like the Honda CRF etc. Another bike comes to my mind – the new KTM 390. Goes like hell, would fit your size and could probably be upgraded suspension-wise.


My 2 cents worth....
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Old 9 Aug 2021
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Hi
A bit more information is needed.
When you say you want to ride on and off road what exactly do you mean eg

Are you going on a long trip that will be part dirt track eg through the Stans to Mongolia. Or maybe a trip that will be a lot of dirt track that might be thick mud eg Central Africa?

Will you be using it as a domestic bike with a bit of off road at the weekends - if this is the case it’s important to know where you live, green laning in the UK is very different to southern Spain.
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Old 9 Aug 2021
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Thanks for your replies!

I'm planning to ride through Central America and after that maybe South America.

I'm going to do off road courses before I leave and I think I will like it very much, but I don't know how though it is (my energy level is not very high and I don't ride more than 2 to 4 hours a day).

I have all the time (maybe I will stay on the road for a couple of years) and I'm not planning to ride from A to B. I have a rough plan to cross the countries of Central America, but if I really like it somewhere maybe I stay for a month or so.
I don't ride more than 2 to 4 hours a day.
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Old 9 Aug 2021
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Hate to ask, but what's your age? Why's your energy low? How long have you been riding? No need to respond if you'd rather not, but the more we know the better we can help.

Guessing here, but if you're older and not as healthy as you might want to be, LIGHTER is better! (Actually for ANYONE it's better!) Easier to pick up, easier to maneuver off road, tricky parking spaces - like into the hotel lobby in Central America) etc. The F750GS is heavy! It's a ROAD bike with occasional gravel road possible.

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