Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Well, you never know what you'll get from EBAY bikes. I haven't had another kz 650 (or even a ujm, for that matter) to compare with my bike side-by side. I knew it felt sportier than it probably should for a UJM, as 30 year-old memory served. And I know I have a blast on it...And I've wondered why my son's Hurricane feels so natural to me. Well, some guys have been posting pictures on another forum of recently restored bikes like mine. As I studied them, i discovered my bike has rearsets! That explains the more aggressive riding stance (which I like), and why I step on my daughter's feet sometimes leaving a stoplight, and why my tires go away on the edges, but my pegs don't scrape! It also explains why I don't feel cramped or bent over too much on Chris's CBR. Learn something new every day!

Feeling a little silly.

newb question... what are rearsets

I didn't know either

http://motorcycles.about.com/od/basicso ... def216.htm

A way to reposition the footpegs and foot controls rearward and up for better cornering clearance, and a more aggressive riding position...in a nutshell the brackets are replaced, along with anything else (usually including the pegs and controls themselves). On my bike the rear brake pedal is shorter, and the shift lever is actuated by your foot through a linkage to the transmission. The original shifter was a direct connection to the knurled post coming through the sprocket cover. Everything on my bike is 4 or 5 inches rearward and about an inch higher than stock. The footpeg on the left used to be about where the shifter is now. The brake is where the old footpeg was on the right. The overall effect is to push the upper body forward, because the feet go behind you. Now I know why I've been getting the urge to put clubman bars on for a real cafe racer ride! It all kindof goes together toward the common end.

Congratulations!!

Doesn't sound too comfortable, dude.

right on sounds cool

thanks for the info

canuckerjay wrote:Congratulations!!

Doesn't sound too comfortable, dude.

Actually, very comfortable. I can ride until the tank is empty, fill up and do it again...over and over. Remember, 1979 bike. the overall layout of the bike won't cause a radical forward position unless I put the clubman bars on. Then it would be cafe racer riding position, similar to modern sportbikes. Not bad.

nice, I think that will be in the cards for me some time soon too. Are your' toes prettymuch straight down when you ride?

mysta2 wrote:nice, I think that will be in the cards for me some time soon too. Are your' toes prettymuch straight down when you ride?

They would be nearly straight down (not quite) if I hooked my boot on the heel, and sometimes I do on the freeway just to stretch for a couple seconds. I ride with the ball of my foot on the peg the rest of the time, after the shifting is done, until a downshift is needed or a little rear brake ( like holding on a hill at a stop sign, or in a parking lot, etc.) Most of the time, out in the country, my foot is positioned heel up and behind me. If the pegs were further back, I guess I might hook my heel on them...Did that answer your question?

Here's some more information. The general consensus on Kzrider forum is that my "rearset" may be the stock brackets switched to the other side and inverted, or some variation of that. For folks with a UJM, this is definitely worth investigating with minimal wrenching. If you find a workable "rearset" position using your stock brackets, you'll have to fabricate the shift linkage and brake pedal (probably can shorten this and weld the pedal back on.) Whatever it is, It took some thought and some fabbing or salvage yard shopping to find workable pieces. I'm glad he did it, whatever it was!