| Author | Message | ||
     Whosyodaddy |
I'm still in the honeymoon phase with my XB12R. Except for one thing - the seating position. Maybe I'm just old (44) or maybe I'm just positioning myself wrong but after about 20 miles or so of city riding, my neck, shoulders and arms get fatigued. I find myself locking my arms and supporting my weight on my arms and wrist - my left wrist/hand really starts to cramp up. I've changed my HJC CL-14 helmet out for a Shoei X-11 which seems to help my neck somewhat - less turbulence so I'm not fighting the wind so much. But I'm hoping that it's just something I'm doing wrong. Hopefully, someone can provide some advice on how to position yourself without having to use your arms to support body weight. Any advice greatly appreciated - otherwise, I may seriously be considering moving over to a Lightning. cheers! WYD | ||
| Shiverdeath |
something i found really helped me out was switching to the lightning pegs. gave my legs a little more room to adjust being that i'm 6'4" tall i needed all the room i could get. also, the double bubble windshield helped me out as well, got a little more wind over my head instead of straight into it. if you want a good ab workout, hold yourself up with your legs instead of your arms, you start to feel that in the gut after a while though. | ||
| Ravensmith22 |
I like to lean forward on my tank bag, supporting my weight on my torso. Then I can relax my arms and back. I'm considering a double bubble, as well, though. | ||
| Leftcoastal |
WYD - In the Feb issue of Thunder Press there was a road test done by Terry Roorda and he had the same problem. He is 6'4" 200 lb. He said he tried sitting back as far as possible and it didn't work. He then tried moving forward as far as the air box would allow and it handled all the pressure and weight on his wrists and arms. I have yet to try it myself, but if Buell is having demo rides at Laughlin this coming weekend, I might try a 12R and see if it works. I tried a 9R a couple years ago and my 6' 200Lb slightly over 50 body was NOT happy riding that bike. My RS fits like a glove with it's S2 bodywork and seat. Maybe try moving forward and see if it helps. AL | ||
| Whosyodaddy |
Yeah - I'm trying to learn to use my air tank as a "belly rest" and grip more with my knees. Since I'm still in the break-in period, I've not really taken it out on the highway but I've been told that the wind resistance will actually help keep the weight off of my wrists. The other factor is that I'm 5'6" so I don't have a lot of wiggle room with regards to arm stretch. I'm pretty maxed. I also just ran across this: http://www.helibars.com/pics/buell/firebolt.html If worse comes to worse, I can always try this new clamp before having to swap out for a true standard. | ||
| Blublak |
Yo, Whos.. Just a thought, try to keep a little flex in your elbows, supporting yourself with you back and lower body as well as your arms. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it works for me (6ft, 250lbs). The trick is to relax and not put any strain on your wrists and hands(which gets transmitted to the bike and can make handling a little rougher as well), it's harder to do than it sounds, but once you get it, you'll find it a lot more comfortable to ride the bike. Later, | ||
| Jasonxb12s |
Adding to Blublak's post, use more flex in the elbows. Ideally, your forearms should be as close to parallel to the ground as posible, try to get your elbows as close as level to your grip. This should help the arm, handss, and wrist fatigue. However, you will experience a bit more abdominal and lower body workout. | ||
| Gearhead |
WYD, great question. If any of you guys and gals want to get the best answers to such questions I stongly recommend that you get down to Barnes & Nobles or any other good bookstore and order a copy of "Sport Riding Techniques" by Nick Ienatsch. A good friend who rides an SV650 like Nicky Hayden turned me onto it and my copy is dog eared and I've only had it for about 3 weeks!! Easy to understand text and great photos. Page 18 addresses your concerns... "Sitting too far back locks the elbows and that means you loose front end feel. Sitting up against the tank puts the riders belly against the tank and "often" straightens the riders back. As soon as the back goes straight, so do the arms which can result in a loss of front end feel, abrupt inputs and a lack of smoothness. Ideally, your crotch should be about an inch from the back of the tank, your back slightly rounded and your arms bent. Relaxed hands begin with your seating position." (Brian Blades) Later in the book there is a discussion about rider fitness, too. To ride sport bikes aggressively it helps to have stong abs, back and legs. At 47 and riding an XB12R, I'm working hard on this and have found it does make a difference. But in your situation you may find that the bar, seat and peg heights just may not fit your body type. | ||
| Mookie |
im 6'4'' 206 and I was uncomfortable at first. actually, i found sitting farther back makes me more comfortable and a bit more confidant. I ride with my arms bent. but then again, I get uncomfortable when riding the bike under 50 mph. to fix that, I dont ride through neighborhoods and i stay over 50. problem solved for me  | ||
| Wyckedflesh |
At 5'7" 180 I can ride all day on the Firebolt bars. One of the biggest things I did was make certain the hand levers were at an angle where my wrist stays inline with my forearm as I pull them in. That way any pressure is more linear. The weight falls straight into my palm and not on a bent wrist. I also invested in the Double Bubble which also makes the wind hit at the top of my visor instead of my chin gaurd. As to pegs, I have the Freespirits and they are set rather aggressive, I prefer having my heels damn near hitting my ass. A throttle rocker helps for the long rides so you can flex your fingers out as you ride. | ||
| Dbensavage |
I had the same problems when I got mine. I really thought I'd never get used to the riding position of a sports bike and thought I'd made a mistake by buying one but after a couple of months of riding I got used to it and it doesn't even bother me anymore. Just hang in there, you'll get used to it. | ||
| Xb9er |
Hey Whos, I'm exactly 5'6" like you, and weigh ~180 lb. When I sat on the XB9R in the HD boutique, my first thought was, "Wow, Erik Buell built this bike just for me!" Riding it then confirmed what I was thinking. My bike is pretty much stock right now, and I am perfectly comfortable on the XB9R. Some of this has already been stated but to sum it up:
This list represents my opinion and experience and is by no means complete. Since we're all a little different, YMMV. Ride safely. Mike. | ||
| M1combat |
You don't want stiff arms because as the bike moves around under you the energy of just moving is much more directly taken as steering input. I believe a lot of tank slappers start this way. One of the things I have learned from "Twist of the Wrist I and II" by Kieth code and "Total Control" by Lee parks is that you really only want to use one hand to steer (the inside hand). This way you aren't fighting yourself. I find that delicate control (which the XB likes) is best attained with very loose arms only using as much muscle as necessary. Upper body weight should be supported by back and abs while gripping the tank with your legs. When I get tired I lay on the tank. | ||
| M1combat |
"Make sure to check tire pressures before each ride. Last but not least, the bike suspension needs to be set up to your body and riding style." Absolutely imperative in my book. Including the suspension setup. | ||
| Easyflier |
The more miles you ride the easier it gets. There are a lot of good tips in all these previous posts. edited by easyflier on April 19, 2004 | ||
| Xb9er |
Look up xb9grl's profile. Her pic shows what I am talking about with regards to arms and legs and position on the seat. The only thing different about my riding position from hers is that my back is rounded not straight or arched. Mike. | ||
| Wyckedflesh |
xb9grl is also 5'11" | ||
| Chainsaw |
Ditto to the all the advice above with the accentuation on Gloves with gel padded palms and time in the seat | ||
| M1combat |
I don't think I would prefer gel padded gloves, but if you're going for comfort maybe give them a try. I think all the stress from your hands can be removed by having a proper grip. | ||
| Xb9er |
'flesh. I could tell she was taller than I am, but I didn't want to bring it up! M1combat. I agree. I was told to get gel padded gloves once after complaining about my right hand going numb after about 1/2 hour of riding. I got a pair, did absolutely nothing to help the numb fingers. I just consciously forced myself to think about maintaining the proper hand position and grip until it became natural. The proper grip completely eliminated the problem. Mike. edited by xb9er on April 19, 2004 | ||
| Henrik |
Some have good luck with more barrel shaped grips. They seem to conform better to the anatomical shape of your hand. I use Pro Grip Rally grips and like them. They're probably a bit too soft for optimal front end feel, but I wouldn't know the difference Of course keeping most of your weight off your hands is optimal both for comfort and riding technique - so dust off that "Ab/Back Buster."  Henrik | ||
| Captainplanet |
I use foam sportbike grips. This really helps with my wrist problems. It also cuts down on the vibration. I also use neoprene lever skins. These make using the clutch and brake lever easier. | ||
| Fullpower |
maybe the "s" model would fit you better? | ||
| Whosyodaddy |
No doubt - the S model would fit me better. However, it would cost me almost $2k OTD to swap. I did test ride them both but I obviously didn't spend enough time on the Firebolt. It was smoother riding on the highway (not as much turbulence) but I apparently didn't ride it long enough to find out how uncomfortable the seating position could be. I'm really hoping that it's going to simply be a matter of adjusting my posture and not an issue of having to relo the pegs and handle bars. WYD | ||
| Easyflier |
Just ride it often and try to gradually increase your mileage, by the end of the riding season you should be able to do 300-400 mile days with minimal discomfort. | ||
| Bomber |
Daddy what henrik said about grips, barrel-shaped, two each . . . . the Buell Traction (if memoroy serves) grips are also shaped like that, a little . .. . I've been putting Gran Tourismo grips on my bikes for longer than I care to admit (my hair was blonde when I started) -- little more curved cross section, nice a firm (for max front-end connectivity), and they fill the packet in you hand nicely . . . .Dennis Kirk gots em the right grips, and adjusting all the controls to fit YOU can make a world of difference |
