Tourer

[Foxhuntr]

I don't want to ruffle anyones feathers, but I'm a little disappointed to think I was buying a sport touring bike. It is absolutely a sport bike, but when I took it out for a modest ride not even 50mi, when I got home my hands were numb and my neck and shouders were sore. Don't get me wrong I love the bikes looks, power, and handling. The bike is stock, I'm looking into buying Heli Hr trible clamp and having work done to the seat maybe these things will help, or maybe it's just me, because I read on this forum that some of you go for hundreds of miles. Any help would be appreciated.

I've got 24,000 on my 07 and I'm still searching for the perfect ergos. Everything was good except seat comfort, but now that I've got my Bill Mayer seat, I've got upper back and shoulder cramping (the seat moved me back a little, so more forward lean). GenMar risers on the way. Hope I can nail it down.

 

[RonBB]

At the 600 mile service be sure that they do the Throttle Body Sync. Suspect it's a bit out. PS 700 mile days with stock seat & bars. I do prefer a taller windshield (6'3" & 34" inseam) and larger diameter grips. Good luck.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

My advice, get used to it before you modify it. If all of those goodies had been available when the Gen II's first came out I probably would have owned them, and that would be a shame. Now I found I don't need them because I gave myself time to get used to it. Go out for some more rides, shoot for 75, then 100 miles, etc, you can't expect to go 500 miles immediately. Give it some time before sinking another $500+ in farkles to fix something that might not be broken..... stock ergos.

So true...

Once, a friend was selling his BMW K1100LT and he got a call from a guy a state, or so, away to make an appointment to come look at it and possibly buy it. Well, several of us riding buddies were on hand the day of the visit and were standing around in the friend's garage -- observing. The prospective buyer (might've been his first bike...?) sat on the bike and got into a riding position and said: "Well, the bars need to be changed and it needs an aftermarket seat."

We all looked at each other and wondered -- what does he know that BMW doesn't....? :huh:

 

[HotRodZilla]

I say give the bike some more time and then see if you really need to add anything. You didn't say what you were riding before, if anything. I traded in my cruiser on a Saturday for my FJR. By the time I got home on Sunday night I had put 600 miles on it. I was a little sore, but it was because my riding position changed and I was using new muscles. I have put in some long days afterwards and really have no complaints. I have all stock ergos also. See what happens and change what you need to change. It's YOUR bike afterall.

 

[Malve]

Sport = North

Tourer = West

FJR = North by Northwest

 

[bluejag]

Get a Russell seat! conversation OVER thread Finished

 

[madmike2]

Get a Russell seat! conversation OVER thread Finished

Just how does that address the pain in his hands and shoulders??????

From the original post:

when I took it out for a modest ride not even 50mi, when I got home my hands were numb and my neck and shouders were sore.

Noowwwww, if we were talking about a sore posterior.......

 

[Feejer/Weejer man]

Just got back from NAFO and did two 1000+ mile days. So this bike tours just not a comfy as a wing. But with a little tweaking it becomes as comfortable as it gets for 1000+ mile days. Risers, bar ends, windshield and seat seem to do the trick for most but not for all. Also it takes being in shape to ride a bike like this a great distance. Exercise the arms, back and shoulders and most of what you feel will go away. I am sure glad I took the time to train before the riding I did to and from NAFO. It also takes some time and miles to get the bike right. No bike is perfect for every rider.

Or I will gladly take this piece of crap off your hands at a substantial discount because it isn't a very comfortable ride. Mike in Fremont

 

[v65]

Get a Russell seat! conversation OVER thread Finished

??????

See how this list goes from costing nothing to several hundred dollars?

1.) Riding posture (per my link above). This will take the pressure off of his hands and shoulders. After a time to acclimate to this style, then, if needed....
2.) Grip puppies (to alleviate the "buzz"). If relief is necessary for shoulder issues, then.....

3.) Triple clamp/bar risers

That's the way to do it, well done Mike. I just don't understand advice to drop hundreds of dollars to fix a bike fresh from the dealer floor.

 

[ctfjr]

I don't want to ruffle anyones feathers, but I'm a little disappointed to think I was buying a sport touring bike. It is absolutely a sport bike, but when I took it out for a modest ride not even 50mi, when I got home my hands were numb and my neck and shouders were sore. Don't get me wrong I love the bikes looks, power, and handling. The bike is stock, I'm looking into buying Heli Hr trible clamp and having work done to the seat maybe these things will help, or maybe it's just me, because I read on this forum that some of you go for hundreds of miles. Any help would be appreciated.

I've had mine for just 2 months now (and 4500 miles). Before I decided on the fjr I did a fair amount of comparing & when I knew it was going to be the feejer I read a lot on the various forums.

So. . . before I picked mine up in Alabama & rode 1700 miles home I had the dealer install the Heli triple clanp and sliders. When I got it home I ordered the Russell Day Long seat. I also installed the FZ1 mirrors. With these changes the fjr is going to be a fine ld mount for me. I see 8-900 mile days easily & perhaps getting up to my wing days of 1100-1200 miles.

 

[SPORT]

I don't want to ruffle anyones feathers, but I'm a little disappointed to think I was buying a sport touring bike. It is absolutely a sport bike, but when I took it out for a modest ride not even 50mi, when I got home my hands were numb and my neck and shouders were sore. Don't get me wrong I love the bikes looks, power, and handling. The bike is stock, I'm looking into buying Heli Hr trible clamp and having work done to the seat maybe these things will help, or maybe it's just me, because I read on this forum that some of you go for hundreds of miles. Any help would be appreciated.

Pat,

Although sport bikes may be more prone to sore wrists and necks, riders usually find that their bodies are not 'trained' or conditioned to ride extended periods. Most IBA riders have logged thousands upon thousands of miles on their arse. In fact, I know one who has logged 300,000 miles on his 2002 Gold Wing in addition to the 25,000 miles on his 2006 FJR...isn't that right T-bug? All that to say, you must pull out a can of wip-arse and mold that fabulous body of yours and make it feel no pain. Of course you can alsways add additional creature comforts such as the Rick Mayer seat and handle bar risers.

Enjoy the ride and hope you find your comfort zone.

Sport

 

[Pat C]

The article will not come up can someone send me the link again?

 

[Pat C]

Thanks everyone for your encouraging posts I will take everyone advice.

Before I had the FJR I was riding a HD Fatboy, but I'm not a stranger to sport bikes, I also owned a Ninja back in the day, and many bikes in between. I didn't want to spend tons of money on this bike like I did on the HD, but seat and risers are more a comfort issue than money spent on chrome.

 

[Feejer/Weejer man]

Chrome? The stinking FJR don't need no chrome!

 

[NNorth]

Thats funny I had a electraglide myself once,always fought the sore butt, back thing like everyone else.(for 35 years) .That was always far more pain than i ever got on the arms on a SS bike. It hurt like hell the first time I ever rode a real sportbike (gsxr6) for a couple 500 mile days..few days later pain all went away, just got in shape! Now go thru it every spring for a few days and then its fine for the summer...Think the getting used to it thing is much more important than all the jerking with the bike. All my friends are in a hurry to change everything they hear about on the net before they ever ride far enough to get used to anything..Took me a long time to figure that out, now instead of rebuilding the bike, I just go on a long trip and usually never notice it again.. Works nearly every time.And if it doesn't' I unload the bike.

Mind you I did cut the shield down 5 inches and now get some nice lift to take any pressure off the arms, and it feels like a bike again...

I still find the fjr a big situp and beg couch!!

good lucK whatever you do!

 

[James Burleigh]

I have had 5 Goldwings and 5 ST1100s ...

Kept crashin' 'em, eh? :glare:

 

[Jetmaker737]

Get a Russell seat! conversation OVER thread Finished

I think this really depends on the dimensions of your individual butt. I can ride all day on the stock seat. But after 3 or 4 hundred miles I do feel it in the wrist a bit... need a throttle lock.

 

[madmike2]

The article will not come up can someone send me the link again?

Perhaps someone deleted the article because the link will not open it. Instead I used Google and typed in: master yoda site:fjrforum.com

That should take you to a number of articles that have discussed the method ad infinitum.

Basically, you arch your back and squeeze the tank with your knees to maintain balance rather than slouching or leaning forward, reducing the percentage of upper body weight supported by your hands,arms and shoulders.

Besides, good posture will help you in the long run.

 

[DonRed7]

The sooner that you gain confidence in this machines ability to 1) Turn In with the slightest push on the bar with the palm of your hand 2) Hold that angle with not much more than the weight you've transfred over and 3) learn to take the weight off you'r hand's (stop trying to RIDE the bike) use you'r abs to take the pressure of you'r shoulders and let go (almost) of the bars. Stop trying to hang on,...It took me prolly,... an unfortunate 6 months to realize this and trust the feel of this beast. It's NOT a machine with full upright position =(All weight on butt) which is even worse IMHO.

-Don

 

[Checkswrecks]

I had some problems early on. Everybody's different but...

Search on releasing one of the throttle springs. They have so much tension that you will certainly feel it into your shoulders and back after even a fairly short ride.

Throttle lock, VistaCruise, or cruise control. Both hands need a break at some point or the shoulders and back are going to pay the piper.

Use the clock. Every 30 minutes is time to stand on the pegs to twist and stretch. I get to looking forward to the top and bottom of the hour.

Windshield - It's amazing how fast you can get tired if your helmet's getting knocked constantly or there is a big hand of air pressing in the small of your back.

Master Yoda riding position. MM2's right and this definitely made a huge difference for me.

Possibly with the Heli-bars, but that depends on you. It helped on my Duc but I never needed them on the FJR.

Entertainment. If not music, then a ration of M&Ms or raisins or something.

TPS and engine vibes were something mine have never had a problem with, but maybe because I came off a 2 cylinder Duck.

Bar end weights didn't make a bit of difference to me.

It'll be interesting to hear what works for you!

Bob