Funduro / Strada mix-match
 

Looking to get a low F650 for my very short girlfriend. I understand the Funduro and Strada are exactly the same bike except for the shorter monoshock and handlebars on the Strada. I have heard of the following being done to the bikes to accomodate shorter riders:

Take a Strada (which has a shorter monoshock) and fit a Funduro front wheel. and lower the forks through the yoke.

or

Take a Funduro and fit a strada monoshock. Lower the forks through the yoke to level the bike to slow the steering.

What other alternatives do I have in achieving a seat height under 28" (750mm)?

If you are going to say, just fit a Kouba...please then confirm the ACTUAL seat height achieved. PLEASE!

PS: reason for the wheel change is that if we go BMW then I will take the standard Funduro with the more common 18" front wheel...or is it 19"?....I better check. We will then effectively have excatly the same bikes and tyre sizes etc.

[This message has been edited by Bossies (edited 01 November 2005).]

Hey Bossies,

My wife had a 1999 F650ST with the BMW lowering kit. This included the shorter side stand and main stand. The forks were also raised to level the bike. This was a great, low setup. After her confidence has built up significantly we have now gone to an F650GS without a lowering kit. Now she can get the 19" dirt oriented front tire.

The ST with its smaller front wheel was still OK on dirt roads and such but ground clearance became a problem in the really rough stuff. I would suggest maybe starting with the ST until her confidence has gone up enough that the height isn't a big issue. Then convert to a Funduro or get a GS. Note also that it is possible to get a lowering kit (low seat and shock) for the F650GS that really drops it too.

I'm no-one to talk (I'm 6'4") but I recently saw a photo of the Paris-Dakar winning rider from the eighties (whose name escapes me at the moment) next to his bike. The seat was at his chest level and the handlebars at about eye level. Height wasn't such a problem for him!

Ekke