I'm a physical wreck!

[Leprechaun]

Just come back from a 250-mile trip. My ass aches and I have muscular pain in my back.

I'm 6"3"" with a 36-inseam. I installed MCL risers, the bars are mounted as near as possible

, the saddle was remade a few years ago by an Italian company(much better than stock.

The windshield is a Rifle +5 +4, the saddle is in the upper position. I can see over the Rifle at full extension(?????).

After about half-an-hour I start to get muscle pains in the back , just below the shoulders, my

ass starts feeling pain after about an hour. I try to sit upright with a slight forward lean, but

this doesn't seem to help very much. I've just fitted Garauld's highway pegs to help my bad knee.

These help the pain a little(I have arthritis), but it's the pain in the back and the ass(a PITA!)

that are making me wonder what I'm doing wrong.

Any suggestions will be much appreciated.

 

[MCRIDER007]

How far do you ride between breaks (getting off the bike and walking for a couple of minutes)?

 

[Leprechaun]

I take a break after an hour usually.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I fuel on the bike. I only get off when I have to. I can go all day long. Yamaha Comfort or Laam seat. Yamaha touring shield. Helibridge. MCL peg lowering brackets (though the laam raised me up enough that I no longer use them) . My discomfort on the stock bike was instant.

 

[garyahouse]

I get the same thing. This dumb body of mine isn't made for LD driving on a motorcycle. Years ago I was researching this forum for advice. Came across the Yoda suggestion. It has worked fairly well for me. I can just hear Yoda, "Work for you... it will." Do this google search to help with your seating position:

site:fjrforum.com yoda

Basically, it's pushing the tummy forward and pulling the shoulders back... straighten out the back and quit hunching. Though this is tiring for me to do, it's better than suffering the back pain associated with my usual slouchy riding position.

Then, get yourself an RDL (or maybe a Laam) seat. These custom made seats make a HUGE difference and many on this forum swear by them. There's a reason for that. That will cure the butt problems.

Finally, remember that because we all "live" in different bodies, what works for one doesn't work for all. We can advise, but only YOU can tell what works for you. Though many on this forum can ride for many hours without a break, and the seat and handlebar changes do indeed make a difference, at the end of the day, ya gotta do what works for you. For me personally, getting off the bike more often does the trick. Typically I don't do well riding for 3 hours at a stretch and not stopping 'til the tank runs low. My right knee and my back get sore. So I get off once an hour or so. Even if just for 3 or 4 minutes, it works for me. I also have to deal with getting sleepy when I ride and so stopping more often helps there as well.

Good luck.

Gary
darksider #44

 

[Pterodactyl]

How old are ya? I find I have similar experiences as you if I sit on the crapper longer than five minutes. Goes with the territory I suppose.

 

[MCRIDER007]

I take a break after an hour usually.

I was going to suggest taking a short break after an hour but if you are beginning to hurt anywhere before an hour than that it too long to wait. Getting off the bike for a couple of minutes is most effective if you do it before you start hurting. Upgrading your seat and suspension will also help as changing the windshield if it is causing back pressure (sometimes a smaller windshield is more comfortable).

 

[Bill Lumberg]

It's a good point. Posture is important, but is no substitute for good LD ergonomics. For the fjr, that takes some fixing. My last sport tourer didn't require any mods for LD travel. But this one did. My old sport tourer broke down annually. This one doesn't, and with all the mods it has an actual sport touring rider position like the old one. On a long trip, move around. If I know I'm going to be riding all day and into the night, once an hour I'll stretch. Reach back and grab a bag guard and twist my torso on each side. Extend each arm all the way up and back. Stand up once in a while. If I come off the bike, my helmet comes off. It doesn't need to, I do it to avoid hot spots and to let my head breathe a little. Mine is a dream to ride. Hope yours will be.

 

[C&C]

I resemble your remarks Leprechaun and agree with "gary"; I'm a 'senior' so that may explain some of my problem but I trade some discomfort for the exhilaration of the feejer. I don't do many long distant rides (anymore) but I'm good with that.

 

[garyahouse]

I don't do many long distant rides (anymore) but I'm good with that.

I'm fine with doing long distance rides as long as anybody that choses to ride with me understands that I like to stop quite often.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[MCRIDER007]

I don't do many long distant rides (anymore) but I'm good with that.

I'm fine with doing long distance rides as long as anybody that choses to ride with me understands that I like to stop quite often.

Agree...I can ride just as far in 24 hours as a LD rider, the only difference is that I spread those 24 hours over 3-4 days.

 

[sapest]

Start with the seat. If you can only handle one hour riding on what you have, than that seat is not for you.

RDL would be my choice. Once the seat is right, it will determine the other relationships, like pegs and bars.

Break time and Yoda riding are all good aids, and good suggestions; you have to get the foundation right for you first.

Take heed of this - someone else here said, you can buy two or three other seats, and then go to Russell, or save some $ (&time) and go to Russell first. Lamm, others have said, if you can stand the wait you can get a good seat.

Do it soon, riding season is almost here for most of N America.

-Steve

 

[SacramentoMike]

And I find that if I haven't ridden "too much" in a while, it's all worse. 250 miles isn't a really long day, especially for some here, but it can be way more than enough for others. You could build up your endurance for longer rides if you have time to ride more, but there's some pain in the meantime. Here, lots of us depend on Ibuprofen for relief of the kind of pain you're getting. I don't know if it's something you can easily find in Italy. When I was in Europe, products that we take for granted as being sold world-wide turn out to be US-specific. But they always have something that works fine, just under a different name. Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (also "NSAID"). You could check with a pharmacist there.

 

[El Toro]

There's a reason people choose the Barco-Loungers on wheels. Tall windshield and RDL seat are the price of admission. But there's a lot to be said for the room for moving around that you get on something like a Rocket III Touring.

 

[HotRodZilla]

IF, no matter what you do, it doesn't get better, the FJR may not be the bike for you. 6'3" makes you a decent sized guy. I know some others here are about your size, and hopefully they'll chime in with what works. Still, since people differ, worst case scenario, you'll have to find something that fits better. ADV bikes seem to have a less scrunched riding position, so you don't necessarily have to go look for a Goldwing. Comfort is there, you just gotta find it.

Good luck!!

 

[RossKean]

I'm about the same height but with a slightly shorter inseam. 62 years old.

I run with the stock seat and a Cee Baily windscreen that is about the same height as stock. I have 1.5 " Gen-mar risers on the bars. I have 167,000 miles on the bike and don't have major problems with successive 800 mile days.

As mentioned by SacramentoMike, an anti-inflammatory medication such as Ibuprophen can make a huge difference for aches and pains.

I am ALWAYS looking over the windscreen - wouldn't want it otherwise.

Aftermarket seats are highly recommended although I have managed with the stock seat so far.

Master Yoda riding position was suggested. Keep back straight and bend forward from the hips - don't curve the spine. Elbows slightly bent.

Stay well hydrated - it makes a BIG difference.

I have a little arthritis but mainly in my hands. Being in good physical condition is a major help. (especially body core muscles) Good leg strength and endurance helps your ability to support some weight with thigh muscles. Relieves the ass to some extent.

Every new bike has different ergonomics. Getting conditioned for the FJR won't happen overnight but you will find it easier the more you ride it.

 

[NMRoadRunner]

Get off, sell the bike, the FJR platform just doesn't work for everybody. Hope you find one that does. There are lots of choices out there. I won't suggest spending more $$$ on mods, mine is stock other than the Helibar triple clamp, but I'm not 6'-3". It shouldn't hurt to ride a motorcycle, find one that works for you. Good luck.

 

[08FJR4ME]

Fred W is about that height I would say, maybe slightly less. Anyway he doesn't post on Sundays from what I can tell. I am sure he will be around Monday AM with a response.

Dave

 

[Eagle Six]

You certainly are getting a lot of great information and opinions in your thread. I'll add mine, knowing as others have pointed out and you well know "different riders, different bikes, and/or different setups", I think the FJR is a great bike and it is not uncomfortable to me. However, I favor more sport than touring, even if I'm touring, which at my age, I'm not doing much of anymore. That and my lifestyle doesn't permit getting away on longer multi-day journeys.

My 07' FJR is setup with Helibars (up and back) and a Corbin seat. The Corbin is hard and very disgusting to most long distance, long in the saddle riders. I like it because it is hard so when I'm solo I can wiggle around. I also have MCL highway pegs and although I seldom use them, many riders find they like them for the occasional change in position to prevent/relieve cramping. I bought the bike with these mod's and thought it would be better for my wife. I thought she would like the more upright position and more spacing, but just the opposite. She really likes the human backpack position of the sportbike more, so I picked up a Honda VFR800. Not as small framed as a 600 or liter bike, so she has the room required, but she can also get tucked into me and she likes that.

We ride for an hour, maybe 1.5 hour tops and we are both ready for a break. In around 45 minutes I start to get bored, so I can go on without pain or strain, but I'm looking for a nice place to stop and stretch and smell the roses, so to speak. For us the ride is important, but so is the destination(s), both along the way and at the end of the day.

From the research I have done the three items that get replaced very early on is the seat, the bars and the windscreen. Many of the taller guys, like yourself, have installed the foot peg lowering kits and they love them. For me, the OEM's are already a bit too low. Same with the windscreen, as I like my helmet in clean air, I replaced the VStream for a factory and keep it in the down position, and it is still about 1.5" too high. I also agree with those who say give it some time. On the other hand, the best bike I ever owned, I knew was the bike for me the very moment I straddle the seat, and I was right. It just felt best from the very first moment.

Different folks, different strokes. I hope you find the modes that make the bike better for you, as many others have. I also agree, there just may be other bikes available that fit you better overall. Good Luck with it.