More secure to have both feet flat on the ground. I’m over 6 ft.so no problem for me. I know some guys that ride with only being able to put toes Down. I would be very insecure with only being able to put one foot down. The heavier the bike the bigger the problem.

 

As a short rider, I have far more confidence riding when I can ride such that both my feet can be flat on the ground when stopped. I know others are content with simply the sole of one foot touching the ground.

 

Static sag is an adjustment recommendation for the bike/rider combo and is not really done to assure the rider of a good foot down adjustment when stopped. Some more vertically challenge riders install aftermarket suspension links to lower their bike to suit them.

This is one such thread. Search the forums for others. https://www.stromtrooper.com/v-strom-modifications-performance/378969-lowering-motorcycle.html

Otherwise, if you just wish to set your bike up right, look here - Preload adjustment. This one option how to do it. - BEARDED_VSTROMRIDER

Or here - https://www.vstrom.info/Smf/index.php/topic,1539.0.html

 

both my feet haven't touched the ground on a bike since i owned a 1984 honda magna 700. haven't had an issue. i can just barely tip toe on the Vee but mostly place one foot down after shifting my ass over.

on the DR it's even more of a show.

i guess when learning how to ride, you might find it easier/smarter to be able to have both feet firmly/semi-firmly down

 

I have a 30" inseam and can flatfoot with one foot, or put my toes down on both feet on my Glee. I generally stop with one foot down.

The challenge for you as a new rider is stopping so the bike naturally falls towards the foot you intend to put down. If you are, in fact, a complete noob to motorcycling I'd recommend using both feet and adjusting your Wee as far down as you safely can for the course. Like Douggie mentioned, you'll be a lot more comfortable and can focus on the skills in the course instead of worrying about keeping the bike upright when you stop.

How are you adjusting the height? Did the Wees come with more than a preload adjustment in the back?

 

Hey Noob, lol.
Most of us can't flat foot our bikes, but as long as you can lean it (ever so slightly) to your right side and then plant your foot down easily
you are golden.

I wear a 32" Levis and can't flat foot my DL650 unless my gf is on the back. Ditto with my KLR and old DRZ.
I get by easily.
Good luck!

 

Yea one foot down on tall bikes but your left foot.

Right foot on the brake! :wink2:

 

It's a skill short riders have to learn if they ever want to ride anything but flatulent cruisers.

Of course, the trouble is that you have to be fairly skilled in order to pull off the trick of stopping with only one foot or one toe down consistently and safely.

You might be better off with lowering your bike for the first several months or year or so, then raising it so it handles correctly once you've developed a bit more skill. And yeah, to be honest the DL is one of the taller, more top-heavy bikes out there.

It can be done -- my DL1000 has raising links and pretty stiff suspension, so it rides pretty high in the travel. But a vertically challenged friend of mine has ridden it with no problems. He's a very skilled rider, and it was very amusing to see him lean over to contact the ground with one extended toe at stoplights. And he sort of had to take a running leap to get in the saddle.

I've also seen a couple of short women who were skilled riders and had learned the art of tippy-toeing so they could ride what they wanted without goofing up the handling with lowering kits.


When I broke my left leg a while back, I learned the trick of stopping with only my right leg so I didn't have to move my sore left leg any more than necessary. But again, I was already a skilled rider, so adding this new trick wasn't too hard (and I still have this habit even though my left leg works fine now). It was interesting to see the reaction when I clambered off on the "wrong" side to avoid pivoting on my left leg, then pulled a folding cane out of my tank bag to hobble away...


Anyway, while you're first learning, definitely do what you need to in order to get a firm footing. Lowering links and raising the forks are easily reversible when you're ready.

 

Normal for the ADV set to NOT have a flat foot stop. These are tall bikes. The DL series has some of the least ground clearance of the style so should be the easiest to makes stops.
Stopping safely and comfortably is a learned trait the will come with time.
Even with 100's of thousands of miles experience some stops are still cause for consternation. The landing spot isn't always level!
Practice, practice, practice!
Then you can go into a dirt environment and dump it almost every time, just like me!:grin2:

 

No problem. Even if you're so vertically challenged that you can't even get one toe on the ground.

 

No problem. Even if you're so vertically challenged that you can't even get one toe on the ground.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YId9Pr_RlIo

BTW, this Midget (is that the correct term?) is awesome.
I wonder if he posted on his motorcycle forum, "I have a 16" inseam and can't touch the ground at all, what do I do?". That would be a great thread.

 

Removing the rubber bumpers under the seat will give a bit more lowering without changing the geometry of the bike, or look into a custom lowered seat. Thick soled boots help too.

 

A vertically challenged friend had a set of Franken-boots. 1.5" inch sloles.

 

One foot is OK if you think it is.
I know that sounds like a "non-answer" but it's really the truth. If you are comfortable with one foot, or two toes, or whatever you can get to the ground, then that's what is OK.
Like many here, I grew up on dirt bikes and motocross bikes, it was the norm to have to slide off the side of the seat just to touch the ball of one foot. More recently I had a KLR, same routine.
You should borrow someone's KLR 650 for a month, 400+ lbs and 35" seat. When you get back on the Wee you will feel like your feet are the size of trash can lids.
Don't sweat it and just like kids do, except it as the norm and everything will be fine.

 

If you are a complete noob to any sort or riding you will likely find that having only one foot down can cause you a lack of comfort and perhaps result in you and the bike falling over at a stop when things aren't perfect. (ie uneven road, some loose sand or gravel ,etc.) You might find that sliding all the way forward on your seat when stopping can make a lot of difference as it usually makes it easier to get both feet down.

Once you have a lot of experience on the bike so that your muscle memory and reflexes are properly honed it becomes almost a non-issue and stopping with one foot down (the left) becomes a normal natural way of doing things.

..Tom

 

Shorter/Taller Riders - AdventureTech, LLC.

+1 on hostier comments. It depends on what YOU are comfortable with. I can't flat foot my Vee2, but I've been riding for 48 years. Actually I can't flat foot a single foot on that bike. I also fall over about once every other year or so while standing still. If my ego would allow it I would probably be much better off with a set of my lowering links installed. Damn ego.

 

I relearned to ride on my Glee after a break of 30 years. It was tall and scary. I lowered it by changing out the dog bones, raising the forks, shortening the side stand and removing the rubber pads under the seat. It made me a little bit more comfortable but I still dropped it a few times. After 6 months I put the stock dog bones back on, installed a stock sized side stand and reset the forks. It's been that way since. I tippy toe both feet and I feel fine with that. You get used to sliding over to the left and you learn to be more diligent with picking your landing zones.

 

When I started riding I wanted both fleet comfortably flat on the ground at the same time. Especially with the dirt roads, low shoulders etc. we have here in Vermont. So I had a H-D 883 for 20 years. Now I am on the balls of both feet on the Wee, or one foot flat, which is perfectly fine. I had to change the rear links, drop the front end and buy the factory low seat to get there.

I would do the exact same thing again today if I started out, do what I can to be flat footed or very close to it on both sides initially until I get used to slow speed maneuvers.

But no matter what, you’ll likely dump it at some point. Most do. No big deal.

 

The double foot down thing can be good if the road is flat, but if you have a road that cambers to the right or left, or you stop in/on one of those deep truck grooves, and you put your feet down expecting both to touch and one does not, then you risk tipping the bike over on that side. It can be quite a surprise until you learn to expect it.

The one foot down is the best for me since it always works, no matter how the road is angled, but I have a lot of years of experience and that translates to a lot of muscle memory, I know the balance point of the bike without having to think about it.

For a new rider, I would think being able to flatfoot it is best, with toe down on both sides second, and later you can work on the one foot down idea.

 

Very good point about the truck grooves. Never paid much attention to them on my Sportster, but the first time I stopped in the center of the right lane of a major 4-lane road leading into Burlington on my brand new DL650, gently lowering my left foot, I was suddenly wondering where the heck the road was. Nothing happened except a jolt of adrenaline. One more reason not to stop in the center of a lane in front of stop lights, oil patches being another.

 

I get off the bike if I need 2 feet on the ground :wink1:

 

I'm 6'1", and a buddy of mine is 5'4", and happily borrowed my KLR650 one evening for a jaunt around town to dinner and a Tour de Roundabout (Hey, don't laugh; slinging around roundabouts is stupid fun if you're bored, and I live pretty much next door to the US capital of roundabouts.).

He didn't quite have to hop off like that little person in the video above, but he did have to slide all the way off the seat to one side at stops. He basically had his left foot on the ground, with his right knee hooked over the seat, his foot waving in the air on the other side.

Hilarious, but obviously not really a viable beginner move...



Also, I vaguely tangentially knew a real live little person in high school. One day a few years later I saw him pull up at a stoplight next to me on a YSR50 (a miniature 50cc sportbike) which was pretty much a perfect fit. He was always kind of a dick so I didn't say "hi", but I thought it was a cool bike.

 

Another one to watch out for is if you can only touch with the tips of your toes, and your boots have those metal toe guards on them, that got me one time.

 

I can almost flatfoot my DL1000, but the pegs are at the exact angle I would reach. But, often times, I stop and have my right foot resting on the brake so I don't roll backwards and to give my right hand a break.

 

Both feet on the ground, i can go down to the plant of the foot. Its never been a problem on or off the road.

I know the gov suggests using the left foot only, but i don't wanna.

 

You'll find practically every motorcycle street-biased trying course will teach only putting the left foot down. Basically your left leg becomes your centre stand. There are times where you may have to use both feet down - having a passenger get on or off for example. But I've been riding for about 35 years now, and have only used one foot down.
Feels very unnatural for me to use both.