Too much forward lean

[67DLA]

I can't seem to find the right conversation that answers my question. I would like to make my bike not "tilt" forward as much or give it a more "level" sitting area. When I ride alone it's okay but when my wife or daughters ride they slide forward and really put the weight on my back and shoulders. I changed the seats to the Sargent seats which helps, but not enough. Will changing the rear shock to a shorter shock help this. A similar thread recommended to try this so that a guy stand flat footed, but if I do not change the front and only the rear won't that change the angle a bit.

My wife hates the constant sliding forward and basically refuses to ride and that's not all bad, but... I ride alone more than I do with a rider so I do not want to get rid of this awesome bike. She would rather I had a GoldWing or a BMW but neither perform the way the FJR does and they both cost way more than I care to spend.

Any advise on the shock or making a more level sitting area would be appreciated.

I ride an 08 that has 12000 miles.

 

[67DLA]

I posted this somewhere I think but I cannot find it anywhere so I am starting a new thread.

I have an 08 with only 12200 miles. My wife is basically refusing to ride with me anymore. That's not the worst thing, but I hate that I can go for a ride and she can't. My problem is that she and my daughters both complain about how they slide forward and lean hard into my back. This is uncomfortable for them as well as adds a lot of pressure on my back and arms and shoulders. I am only 165 pounds and my wife is only 110 so we are not compressing the suspension much.

I have read articles about a shorter rear shock may allow a not so tall rider to stand flat footed, so I was wondering if it would also change the forward tilt of the seats. If the front stays the same and the rear is lowered I have to believe that it would have to be, but I am not totally sure what all will be affected by the changing of the shock.

I have changed the the seats to the Sargent seats which helped but not enough for her. I ride alone most of the time but I do not want her to be excluded. She would rather I had a BMW or a GoldWing but those are not sporty enough for me and just way out of my budget right now.

I would appreciate any thoughts on what the new shock may do to help me in this matter or if there is a better option. The longer "dog bones" seem to have an adverse effect on the center and side stands so I was hoping the shock wouldn't bother them but I don't know.

Is there a better way to keep from the constant forward lean without ruining the control and handling of the bike.

 

[Ignacio]

I have changed the the seats to the Sargent seats which helped but not enough for her. I ride alone most of the time but I do not want her to be excluded.

Get a truly custom rear seat like a Russell instead of the non-custom that stock and Sargent are.

 

[CAJW]

I solved the sliding forward issue for my Mrs. with this. https://www.amazon.com/Grip-Shelf-Drawer-Liner-Black/dp/B000KFSOFI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1391738562&sr=8-3&keywords=rubber+drawer+liner It works so well that even panic stops don't put her sliding up against me and it's very evident if we leave the house without it. As far as lean, might look into doing a ride in appt. to a custom seat shop that can work with you both on getting the correct height, angle and foam density to make it right. We did a ride in appointment and solved all her comfort problems with one visit. Good luck!

 

[steve_g]

My passenger uses a piece of rubber shelf liner on the seat to prevent her sliding into me.

For some reason, Sargent put a very smooth cover on the passenger seat.

The liner typically lasts 1000 miles or so then we replace it with a new piece. A $5 roll should last around 10,000 miles.

 

[MCRIDER007]

What shock do you currently have? If it is aftermarket, do you know the spring rate?

 

[67DLA]

I understand how this will help the sliding forward, but will that really help them from leaning forward. It almost seems that the bike forces you to lean forward by design. I understand why the lean may be needed to do, but we shouldn't always be forced to do it. I think I would like to be able to ride a bit more upright at times as well to take the pressure off my shoulders. I will try the non slip surface and see if that helps. I am definitely interested in the customizing of the seat. I live in central Illinois and I am not aware of any custom seat guys. To tell you the truth I have never looked for one before so I am not sure where to begin. I guess I can start at the motorcycle shops. Anyone have anybody they know that may be close.

 

[Ignacio]

Then maybe you're not "leaning". Maybe your hand position is too far forward. Move the handle bars back. If already back, risers could do more...so that maybe your wife won't be putting so much pressure on you.

I don't live by Russell and never been to them...it wouldn't make any difference to you either. You describe yourself, situation, and they do really well from those details because they are that good.

 

[escapefjrtist]

Couple things come to mind.

If you would like to ride more upright, consider adding set of risers to the bars or a complete new triple clamp. To give your wife a more secure feeling on back, get a backrest or trunk so there is "something" behind her. A custom seat will help both of you by lowering / tapering the front for the rider and re-contouring the rear changing the sitting angle.

Good luck!

--G

Edit - IMHO a shorter shock won't help much in your situation and will negatively effect the bike's steering geometry.

 

[MCRIDER007]

Everyone seems to be assuming the problem is with the seat, I thought from his comments on the other thread that the problem was being caused by steering geometry, the back end did not have enough sag.

For the OP, do you have a seat or sag problem?

 

[Ignacio]

Everyone seems to be assuming the problem is with the seat,

I didn't assume it....and don't see others assuming it. I see people picking parts of his statement in this thread to respond to.

Posting the same issue in two threads isn't helping things though. Fixed that part.

 

[HotRodZilla]

My wife is about the same size as yours and doesn't have either of these issues. She has a backrest and sits as upright as she wants and does her own thing. My daughters don't have issues either.

Remember, her wanting you to have a different bike will make any small problem a big one, and when your daughter hears her mom complain, she'll follow suite.

A custom seat or new suspension MAY help, but the only thing that's gonna solve your problem is that Goldwing. Good luck!

 

[67DLA]

I still have the stock shock. I never even thought about changing it until a thread discussed the option and they thought a guy may need to change it before you would hit 20K anyway.

I have added the MCL triple tree bar risers which helped a lot. I did that within the first few months of owning the bike. The new seat has helped my situation a lot more than it has helped hers. I may be that I cannot change my riding position too much as I will still need to stay within reach of the handlebar. That is why I was wondering about the pitch of the bike more that adjusting my position.

I am definitely listening to the seat ideas and have been visiting the Russell site already. I seems that can change the sitting platform with just a bit of foam.

I realize that I may have two different questions in one thread, but the common thread Is the position of the passenger not having the forward lean issue.

 

[Allen_C]

I think HRZ is on to something. Although my wife and I are bigger - she's 140 and I'm 190 - she does not have any issue with leaning forward. On my FZ6 she does lean onto my back, but that bike has a bit sportier stance than my FJR. Bar risers will help you a bit but will NOT help her. If she is needing to feel something against her - either your back or her backrest (like on a Goldwing) - adding a backrest for her, either a stand alone one or one on a tail case may help. You mentioned YOU WANTED a more sporty bike and that is what the FJR is. If she cannot handle the ergonomics, you may need to look at a different bike like a used Honda ST1300, which is more upright and not as sporty, but more agile than the Wing.

Note, I asked my wife about this situation and she indicated she is an active passenger. What she means by that is she uses her thighs to hold onto the side of the bike and my lower hips. She does not feel that she is leaning forward at all. Keep in mind that she is also a rider and that may factor into her ability and willingness to be active and not just want to sit there passively.

Oh, check your preload and see if there is difference for you two with it set on Hard vs Soft. Also set the rear shock for minimum and then maximum rebound dampening to see if there is a difference. Hopefully you will find a setup that works!

Good luck!

 

[ahchiu]

I had the same problem with my wife, she would have to adjust her seating position because she keeps sliding forward, I got a custom seat with more of a rise in front and more rearward slope, now she sits into the seat and no longer slides forward.

 

[Niehart]

I had the same problem with my wife, she would have to adjust her seating position because she keeps sliding forward, I got a custom seat with more of a rise in front and more rearward slope, now she sits into the seat and no longer slides forward.

+1

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I am going to agree with Ignacio on this one. A true custom seat such as the Russell will change everything. If you for some reason do not like the Russell, there are other custom seat makers who will specifically set up both her seat and yours for a perfectly tailored fit. The Laam Custom and either of the Mayer Custom seats will do well, I am sure there are others. The Russell is the Gold Standard by which those others are judged.

A backrest will change how she sits and bar risers if you don't already have them will also put you more upright.

I would hesitate to start changing the rear suspension height settings as the trade off of a lowered rear will have a (for me) negative effect on the bike's handling.

 

[Bogus]

Does your Sargent seat have the slot in the back of the back seat for a backrest? There should be a rubber cover on the rear of the seat. The backrest is an option on the Sargents, and if you want one, you will have to install a receiver on the bottom of the seat to accept the backrest. It slides out when not needed. My wife used to be leaning against me before I got the backrest, and now she sits straight up. I think it is a security thing not having anything behind you when you know that your driver could throw you off with a twist of the throttle! With the backrest, she might be more apt to use the grab rails instead of your waist.

 

[garyahouse]

Not much else to say except that a custom seat is a big investment, and you did mention that $$ is a factor. Here's a thought: you live in Rochester Illinois. Are there any FORUM members around that'll let you and the wife see/sit on their Russel Day Long seat? Ever get together with local FJR riders to do a ride? Perhaps checking out what these seats look and/or feel like would be a good decision. Hate to see you spend that kinda money and have her say NOT.

Here's a thought: if the Russel doesn't do the trick for you, you can always sell it on this forum and recoup a good percentage of your money. And I'm wondering if you can just get a Russel passenger seat. Or maybe Russel can simply recover your current driver's seat to match and save ya some money. Call them? From their website Here Russel Cycle Products Inc. (800) 432-9566

Just a couple financial thoughts.

But while I'm thinking about it, you might do better with a backrest than a top box. They can even put one in front of her... for you. CLICKY HERE. Some have complained that the location of a top box causes the passenger to lean forward more than they like. Since this is already an issue for you, it is something to think about. And making that seat a heated seat might earn some points with the wifey as well??? Not cheap (CLICKY HERE) but you be the judge.

One more thought: dropping the rear suspension isn't going to give you much of a difference in you sliding forward problem. According to my my calculations, even a 2 inch drop at the rear suspension only nets you a 1 and 3/4 degree change in the angle of that rear seat. Ya gotta remember that the FJR has about a 5 foot wheelbase... 2 inches in 5 feet doesn't change the angle of the seat by much. A seat manufacturer can do a MUCH more effective job.

Gary

darksider #44