OUCH.

[DaBear]

I thought this thing was supposed to be a long distance ride.

More than a 100 miles and I'm done.

I have a 2010 FJR1300A. I bought it because it had low miles and everything I read said it was a great long distance rider.

I finally have the numb hands thing fixed. Big, oversized, gel grips, bar weights and $100 Alpinestar gloves and I my hands dont go numb

But my butt! I have tried an AirHawk but that did nothing.

Next I tried scooching the bars up and back with a Heli Bars kit. That helped the lower back but my sit bones really ache after that 100 mile marker.

I should tell you I am 6'5 and 300#. Upper body feels ok but my legs and butt really are struggling with this bike.

Not sure if a Russell Day Long seat is the answer. Not willing to spend the $800 bucks if this is the wrong bike. Can I even do high way pegs on this bike?

I really want to just go all day but gotta get some comfort first.

 

[user 8909]

Yes, A Russell seat and hyway pegs is the answer.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

First, why, Why, WHY does everyone say a Russell Day Long costs so much? I checked yesterday and I can get it for about (EDIT $480. EDIT) Rant over.

All bikes do not fit all people. You will have to admit that 6'5" and 300 pounds is a non standard body size. If you have any riding experience at all you already know that you are going to have to do some Custom Fitting to get comfortable.

Not trying to be a jerk or anything but just because YOU can't do more than 100 miles without hurting does not mean the FJR is at fault. Many of us have done over 1000 miles in a day and there are several forum members who have finished very highly in the IBR. That takes over a thousand miles a day for 11 days in a row.

There is a lot of information on this forum about making these bikes personalized for comfort and distance. Seats, bar risers, and windshields are the most common mods. Hiway pegs are available. We can help.

 

[Geezer]

Russell Day Long is the best seat and I love mine, but I was able to ride a 1000 mile day on the stock seat and a 500 mile day was easy. That was basically a stock FJR with no comfort modifications. If you really can't ride 100 miles without discomfort then you either need to adjust your riding position or the FJR is not for you.

If you have a lot of long distance experience, then you already know more than I can tell you. If you are not very experienced, then start by looking into the 'Master Yoda' riding position. before you spend more money.

 

[rPGoatBoy]

I was cursed with "Irish ***", that is to say not much of an *** at all. You could drop a plumb bob from my shoulder blade to my calf muscle and hit nary an *** cheek. This lack of padding is definitely an issue if like me you're 6'2+ and 300+ lbs. I was only able to ride about 120 miles before the stock seat became a big enough issue for me to want to get off of the bike.

That changed when I got my Russell Day Long. My longest day was from SoCal to San Francisco up the PCH, about 7.5 hours if I remember correctly; no more *** pain!

They're spendy, but they're worth it.

Plus, if you don't like it, they disappear quickly from the for sale section of this forum.

 

[NTXFJR]

Redfish nailed it imo, the Russell is not an expensive investment if you view it from the comfort for distance standpoint. My butt didn't hurt at all on me during my recent 24 hr ride back from Colorado. There are plenty of members in here that are very happy with their Laam seats as well. Pick one and go with it, that will be one mod you won't have to come back to later. If worst comes to worst and you decide the FJR is not for you, you can always post the seat up for sale and get a good chunk of your money back, someone is always looking for those kinds of premium seats. Highway pegs helped me stretch my knees a bit on my recent ride, but frankly, at 77" I wouldn't expect miracles, but still they might help you some. Hotrodzilla is a forum member from your area, maybe you can get together with him for his take on things, he's a great guy.

 

[jammess]

Hi DaBear,

Hate to bring this up but at 300# maybe you should ahhhh... think about loosing a few and then see how the FJR feels.

Oh, Russell is the one but loose the pounds first and at 6'5" you might have a time fitting on a lot of bikes not just the FJR.

I'm just sayin'.

 

[redzgrider]

Others will disagree, but I say cut your losses and move on. It's a lot like new shoes. If your feet aren't comfortable the first time you put a pair on, they never will be. You didn't mention, but I have to wonder what you rode before? I'm betting the riding position was significantly less 'sporty'?

 

[JamesW]

I have a friend built like you, only bike he found to fit was the BIG triump inline triple.

 

[101stpathfinder]

300 miles on an FJR and I would be miserable on a stock seat. I bought a used Russell Day Long and the discomfort of the seat

was gone. I have on my '08, and have had highway pegs on my '05, but rarely use them. Curl your legs to the passenger pegs if

you need a position change. For what riders spend looking for the best seat, they could learn from others and buy an RDL from the

start. If I were you, I would not give up on the FJR until I tried an RDL. If it does not work for you, you can resell the seat in a matter of

minutes with hardly a loss.

Ride, then ride some more. Spend time on the bike and make adjustments as needed, but I swear somehow you will break into the bike.

The wrist problems will fade away with time (On the bike)… Give it a chance.

And what the heck would cruisers know about long distance… or rain!

You did say you wanted an LD bike right? You got one, now

make adjustments to your bike and body (If needed) and you will be riding just fine. Pain killers help too…

 

[Drkrider]

Comfort is a relative term. I'm still tweaking my Gen 2 after owning it over 2 years. I expected to jump on and ride 500 miles when I first got it because the "FJR is soooooo comfortable"...BS. I could only ride a few hours. My first 300 mile day wiped me out. The FJR is more comfortable than my Yamaha Raider, but it didn't meet my latent expectation of "comfortable". Especially when I read about guys riding FJR's across the country in a few days time.

What I've learned is that you have to condition your body to anything you ride or drive. I take breaks after driving 400 miles in a car. My car limit is about 10 hrs..then I just want to do something else and I'm tired of sitting. The seat in my truck is a lot more "comfortable" than my FJR's Corbin (going to upgrade to a Russell when my budget allows)...but even it has a limit for me. I can ride my FJR about 400 miles now, but I had to work up to it.

Changing the seat, adding highway pegs, adjusting the handlebars and other accessories definitely will help increase riding comfort. However, depending on your body's dimensions and your individual concept of what "comfortable" is....you may never be satisfied. It's all relative.

 

[FJRay]

Hi DaBear,Hate to bring this up but at 300# maybe you should ahhhh... think about loosing a few and then see how the FJR feels.

Oh, Russell is the one but loose the pounds first and at 6'5" you might have a time fitting on a lot of bikes not just the FJR.

I'm just sayin'.

When I got my 03 in July of 02 I weighed in at 400+ and 6' 3". Sent the seat to Russell right away and life was good. Put over a 100k on it and got down to 270#. Keep working on it and you'll find the combination that works.

 

[101stpathfinder]

The seat in my truck is a lot more "comfortable" than my FJR's Corbin (going to upgrade to a Russell when my budget allows)...but even it has a limit for me.

Its not the bikes fault that it is equipped with a CORBIN. (AKA BRICK) Very few riders can find comfort on a Corbin.

…and once you do get your RDL, you will be changing your tune. When you do not have seat issues after 24+ hours on

the FJR (With an RDL) that would be the definition of "Comfortable"

DaBear-

There are many threads on this forum about tall riders. Check them out and find out what worked for them.

 

[Mihalis fjr]

Probably these two things will help a lot...Have a look

Cheaper than a Russell with great reviews from what i hear..

https://laamseats.com/

Also these things will help your legs a lot..

https://www.motorcyclelarry.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_5&products_id=32

 

[thompsonian]

I myself am 6'3 and 300# and I feel your pain. I contributed mine to a lack of saddle time in the 6 years I took off from riding. When the finances allow, I plan on making a saddle upgrade. I have a set of Garauld's highway pegs and the help out tremendously for the long slab stretches. But I still find myself constantly adjusting to find the "right spot" on the stock seat. Just try riding to just shy of the "man this seat sucks" point, hop off the bike for 10 or 15 minutes, get back on and repeat. You can't just one day hop off the couch and decide to run a marathon. Just my thoughts..

 

[BkerChuck]

I did my first LD rally on a stock seat set in the low position and 2 days after I couldn't even bend over to tie my shoes my back was so F'd up. Handlebar risers, TBS, and heavier bar end weights to take away some of the buzz that made my hands numb. Cal Sci medium windscreen to balance out the taller bars, and finally a Laam custom seat. 5 weekend LD rallies and a Saddlesore later I can say the mods were worth every cent and more..

No one bike fits everybody but before you give up make a few adjustments first. I've also added near daily stretching exercises to my routine. Not getting any younger and tired of lower back pain.

 

[deagle]

I'm close to your size. I thought the airhawk helped, but still was not the answer. I can do the stock seat about an hour. I finally snagged a barely used Russell. Much larger seat and supports so much more behind. Is it perfect? No. It moved me higher up which is fine, but it did make it harder to touch the ground and paddle around using my feet. I'm tall, so I can deal with it. The comfort the seat gives FAR outweighs the loss of foot-powered mobility. I'll add it wasn't built for me (before someone goes nuts on that point), but was built for a guy my height and inseam and overall I'm very happy with it. I can now go ride and my butt isn't the reason for stopping. Something else gives out first.

As for the numb hands. I had a throttlemeister that helped a lot on my 2008. The cruise on my 2014 is a game changer.

Lastly, I get tired riding in a car all day. I don't ride like a lot of the guys here do. And I get out for a long trip maybe twice a year....so I'm not conditioned for the long rides like someone that goes every weekend. The seat was the biggest thing holding me back and now it's a non-issue with the Russell. The bike is very comfortable for me, but I still struggle to go all day. That's just me. I know a lot of guys here go all day and never seem to have an issue.

There may be more comfortable bikes out there, but most likely they lack the performance that makes me smile each ride.

Good luck. Lots of smart people here that can help.

Don.

 

[NTXFJR]

Good point on the cruise, that makes a huge difference in overall comfort when in LD mode. I installed a Rostra cc on my '04 before selling it and since then I wouldn't leave home without it.

 

[thompsonian]

Something I haven't seen mentioned, and the thought just hit me, but what do you normally wear while riding? Jeans? Riding suit? riding Pants? Sometimes I notice that while wearing jeans, the pockets will feel as if they're digging in and causing some issues. Also maybe look into the MotoSkivvies. Good padded undies may help alleviate some pressure points too.