Okay, here’s my blog post about messing with the seat height on a CRF110:
Alright, so I’ve got this CRF110, right? And my kid, he’s growing like a weed. The stock seat height was just getting too cramped for him. He was starting to look like a grasshopper on that thing. So, I figured it was time to do something about it. I’m no mechanic, mind you, but I’m pretty handy with tools and figured, “How hard could it be?”
The First Attempt (The Easy Way Out)
First, I tried the cheap and easy route. I went online and ordered one of those taller seat foam kits. I’d seen guys do this before, looked simple enough. The kit came, I ripped off the old seat cover, and slapped the new foam on. Stapled the cover back on – it was a bit of a struggle, to be honest, my staple gun wasn’t exactly professional-grade.
It did add some height, maybe an inch or so. But, honestly, it looked kinda goofy. The seat was all puffed up, and the cover didn’t fit quite right. Plus, my kid said it felt weird, kind of like sitting on a marshmallow.
Going Deeper (The Slightly-More-Involved Way)
So, Plan A was a bit of a bust. Time for Plan B. This time, I decided to get a little more serious. I figured I’d try modifying the subframe a bit. Don’t get me wrong, I was nervous about chopping into the bike, but I watched a few videos and thought, “I can do this.”
- I unbolted the subframe – that was pretty straightforward, just a few bolts.
- Then, the scary part. I took my trusty angle grinder and cut a small section out of the subframe. I’m talking maybe an inch or so. The idea was to raise the whole rear end a bit.
- I welded the subframe back together. Now, my welding skills are… let’s just say “rustic.” It ain’t pretty, but it’s strong. I made sure to grind down any sharp edges, wouldn’t want the kid snagging his pants on my handiwork.
Bolted the subframe back on, and… success! It definitely raised the seat height, probably a good two inches. The bike looked a lot better, more proportional. And the kid? He loved it. Said it felt way more comfortable, gave him more room to move around.
The Final Result
It was a bit of a process, and there were definitely a few moments where I questioned my life choices, but in the end, it was worth it. The CRF110 is now a much better fit for my growing rider. And hey, I learned a thing or two about working on bikes. Would I recommend this to everyone? Maybe not. If you’re not comfortable with cutting and welding, it’s probably best to leave it to the pros. But if you’re feeling adventurous, and you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty, it’s a pretty satisfying project.
