[EcoRider]

2 questions,
How is the comfort of the seat comparing to other bikes of this price range?

And, with an old fashioned handlebars, it's easy to install riser pieces to increase bar height, a much desired necessity for taller riders.
This one seems to be more like handles on the steering column, doesn't have a connecting bar. How easily can I increase the handles height?
On most bikes I ride on, I find the handles to be about a foot too far from the ideal handle position for myself.
quite often, having the handles several inches up, and back helps me ride more comfortably.

I understand that at top speeds the bars are placed in a nice position, because the wind forces one to lean more forward. But for the city, they feel too much forward, causing discomfort in the shoulders, and for shorter riders, in the wrists too.

 

[Zorfnab]

I'm 5'10" or so, and it is pretty comfortable for me. Seat is quite comfortable, so my rear hasn't gotten sore from riding yet. I've ridden for 2+ hour stretches without any real issues (other than being old). It gets easier with every ride, so any problems are really due to me just not being used to it.

If you need higher handlebars for some reason (bad back/neck, or a big belly ) then the R3 probably isn't right for you. It's not supersport low, but it is shifted forward significantly. There should never be any wrist strain (no matter how short/tall the rider) unless they are putting weight on their hands. Obviously that's a bad idea, so if someone can't keep the weight on their legs/butt for extended periods in that forward position, then a sport bike is probably not a good fit.

The clip-ons on the R3 are already about as high as you can get them easily. I suppose you could modify them to add some spacers, but that seems unsafe/silly. There are plenty of upright bikes with roughly the same specs (i.e. CB500F, CB500X, or CB300F if you are vertically challenged) that would probably be a lot more comfortable for you with less modifications...

I suggest you just sit on one (or better yet take a test ride) and see what you think. Nobody else can tell you what is comfortable for you.

 

[AJ Nin]

The bike is built for shorter people. I'm just under 5'7" so the bike works for me, but the foot pegs are high which means a tall person is going to have to bend at the knee more than they might like. The footpegs are also a bit back, yet the handlebars are fairly upright. This tends to put some strain (a reverse curve) on your lower back. Hips and knees are also under some stress. It might actually be a better arrangement if the handlebars were lower more like a crotch rocket. The seat itself is very comfortable, but you have to look at the entire riding position...handlebar and grip position, seat slant, foot peg position. That is not a great arrangement in the R3 and is probably worse the taller (and older) you get. A 25-year-old probably wouldn't even notice these issues. Overall, I would rate comfort a C+ where my CB300F is an A-.

 

[Freezuch]

Overall, I would rate comfort a C+ where my CB300F is an A-.

How would you rate the comfort compared to Ninja 300? I was always told how I am too tall for Ninja, but riding it for over an hour (both city and freeway) was actualy comfortable.
The closest date for test riding R3 is going to be in early June, so I can't try it out myself yet.

 

[EcoRider]

The cbr300r is definitely a bad option for taller riders, I know that for sure!
the r3 should have similar riding ergonomics compared to the ninja, only that it looks a bit taller.

 

[AJ Nin]

The Ninja riding position was very similar to the R3. I would give it a C+ too. If I had them both together and could jump off one and onto the other, I could probably find several differences, but I'm recalling the Ninja 300 from a year ago now. I don't know of any race bikes that would be comfortable for taller riders or anyone else really. They make a lot of race bikes with higher seats, but then they put the foot pegs up and back and the clip-ons are down. The 300s may still be the most comfortable of that group of bikes.

 

[Aufitt]

I owned tracked and raced Cbr250 and Ninja 250 back to back..
Have done road miles on Ninja 250 and Ninja 300.
On the road a Ninja 300 is a good thing, on the track the old 250 gives away.
The cbr250 has more room, is more civilized, 20 years more modern feeling dynamics as the Ninja has its roots from 1988.
Ninja 250 has same feel except minor seat foam shape as the Ninja 300.
cbr286 has different seat foam and minor tank shape change to the cbr250.
300's ARE 250's with either different bore size (R3) or crank throw (Ninja and cbr)
That's is all, Ninja 300 is a 250cc in some markets,
R3 is R25 in some Markets.
A racing mate of mine is competing in the Asia 250cc championships on an R25, it shares everything his R3 Racebike being prepped has minus the ABS and bigger bore size.


The cbr250 had much more room to move and suits riders to 6'4" with no complaints worldwide. (check cbr250.net) I'm over 6ft and that's why the cbr felt so good for taller riders.

Every dimension had more room to be in control, the Ninja felt awkward with its low seat.


I cant imagine the cbr286 to have shrunk so much in every dimension, its the same frame.


None of these bikes have a Supersport dimensions.

 

[Xyzzy]

http://www.cycle-ergo.com

You can adjust the bars, height, inseam, position and compare bikes graphically.

 

[FangShui]

http://www.cycle-ergo.com

You can adjust the bars, height, inseam, position and compare bikes graphically.

Great site. Thanks...

 

[Zachie69]

Ok, after 12,000 Kilometers on my ODO after riding my R3 day in and day out to work, I realized that my Clip-ons are just too **** low for heavy traffic here in Philippines. Have anyone used Clip-on Risers on their R3 or any Handlebar Risers? What products do you guys recommend? Are these good? http://www.apexmfg.com/all-products/product/view/11/173

 

[xorbe]

I too am interested in a way to raise the bars. It's fine for short trips (say less than 90 minutes) but for some longer trips, I'd really like to straighten up a bit. If the MT-03 ever comes here, I'm insta-switching. I wish I knew how that one guy got MT-03 bars on his R3. The ones I found online I think lower the bars ...

 

[cxa0897]

Woodcraft sells a 3" riser bar. Those apex are 4". I'm sure other reputable brands have their own. Not sure what the rise on the oems are but I doubt its that high.

The other option is to grab an mt03 upper triple, and get a bar with a high rise. Lsl makes bars with up to 5" of rise, and moves them closer. That's a huge difference in riding position.

One thing to keep in mind with either option, you will likely have to extend the lines. Brakes almost definitely, clutch cable possibly. They are not always a direct swap out.

 

[Leon Trotsky]

2 questions,
How is the comfort of the seat comparing to other bikes of this price range?

And, with an old fashioned handlebars, it's easy to install riser pieces to increase bar height, a much desired necessity for taller riders.
This one seems to be more like handles on the steering column, doesn't have a connecting bar. How easily can I increase the handles height?
On most bikes I ride on, I find the handles to be about a foot too far from the ideal handle position for myself.
quite often, having the handles several inches up, and back helps me ride more comfortably.

I understand that at top speeds the bars are placed in a nice position, because the wind forces one to lean more forward. But for the city, they feel too much forward, causing discomfort in the shoulders, and for shorter riders, in the wrists too.

The seat is just crap. It is very narrow, you should expect to have problems after riding R3 for long distance. Also the distance between seat and foot peg is the shortest among all entry level bikes. Event 150cc bikes have better ergo. Foot peg also located not there it should be. This bike is designed for small riders. If you are above 170cm (5 feet and 7 inches) this bike is not for you. If you are short than you are lucky one cause everything else in this bike is very good.

 

[Omnislug]

I'm 5'6" , sat on it for about an hour at the dealership and it felt very comfortable to me. The narrowness of the seat is something I actually found much more comfortable than others with wide seats. Seems that it is meant for shorter riders, my lady who is 3 inches shorter than me found it more comfortable and than most she's tried as well, it Felt better than most bikes I've sat on really, nearly perfect.