riding position

[ajmes1]

How do people find the riding position on the fazer? I've covered around 300miles so far on mine after having it about a month, and on some of the longer journeys (around 150miles), I start getting pains in my lower back and shoulder blades.


I'm 6ft but have longish legs. Is there a way to make it slightly more upright by using some different dog bones or handlebars?


My only fear is at the end of august i'm doing John O' Groats to Lands End with my dad and the overall trip will be around 2000 miles!!!


Any advice would be gratefully received, for either comfort or touring (as it's my first major venture into touring!!!!)

[Skippernick]

Dog bones won't affect the difference between your seat and the pegs, so thats out.
Handlebars will raise your posture, people who have done this will answer this better.
A new seat, reupholstered seat or airhawk or something similiar is a quicker fix.
I use this on longer journerys its great and only £25.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MOTORCYCLE-COM...6rk%3D1%26

[nick crisp]

Whilst the seat pad is a good idea for long journeys, I don't think it'll help the back problem. From what I've read here, the standard handlebar brackets are angled towards the rider, so I reckon some longer risers are what you need? That should give you a more upright riding position.

[ChristoT]

I'm 6ft3, and lanky to boot, my back is completely stuffed now from riding the Fazer. When I stand up, I hear about a dozen vertebrae pop. The things we endure to own bikes.... :'(

[dBfazer600]

I is a short ass at 5ft 9in but I need to keep moving between an upright to a slump forward position with my as if I am doing crunches but without the effort as I find this helps to alleviate stiffening up in one position. I also find gripping the tank with the legs helps relax the upper body when my old man body is complaining.

Daz

[His Dudeness]

If you think a fazer's seating position is too far leaned forward then you're heading into cruiser territory for a more upright position. 300 miles is not enough to judge it though

[ChristoT]

If you think a fazer's seating position is too far leaned forward then you're heading into cruiser territory for a more upright position. 300 miles is not enough to judge it though

The problem for us lanky sods is that it's too upright to be sports bike comfy, but too cramped to be cruised comfy. Our backs end up bent backwards like bananas - and that's what does the dammage (to me anyway).

[darrsi]

All bikes are different, so generally you will use muscles that you are not used to using.
Give it time, 300 miles is nothing, and i reckon things will get a lot better after a bit more usage.

[His Dudeness]

[quote author=His Dudeness link=topic=8803.msg87380#msg87380 date=1373659378]
If you think a fazer's seating position is too far leaned forward then you're heading into cruiser territory for a more upright position. 300 miles is not enough to judge it though

The problem for us lanky sods is that it's too upright to be sports bike comfy, but too cramped to be cruised comfy. Our backs end up bent backwards like bananas - and that's what does the dammage (to me anyway).
[/quote]

I'm tall too. I would get the odd cramp around my hip but never had and back pain. Maybe yous need to go out and get some exercise :lol

[slimwilly]

Perhaps some raised Renthals

[Yamazer-92]

I get no back / wrist / neck pain although the furthest I've gone in a sitting without getting off is 110 miles. My knees (right especially as ball of foot is always on peg) and ass were pretty damn ruined though, I have had my hips cramp up for no reason as well which once felt like I'd dislocated my pelvis and was extremely uncomfortable and I had to pull over on a dual carriageway for. It's started occurring more frequently now with the knees to the point where as a result they have started hurting off the bike if I'm crouched down a lot at work which never used to happen. I don't know if I can blame that solely on the bike's seating position but it's becoming a worry and I'm now looking back down the route of getting a taller supermoto which I am as excited as I am gutted about as I really like the Fazer.

[JoeRock]

If it's lower back and shoulder ache mate, you need to go the other way! Too much weight through your back makes you ache, and sitting further upright will make it more so. If your stomach/arms were aching then you would need to raise it up, but sounds to me as though you could do with flatter bars!
I've always noticed on upright bikes that I tend to get lower back ache on longer rides, on very sporty bikes (daytona 675 for example) around town my wrists ache after a little while, but on sporty, but not overtly so (ZX9R, ZX12R, Sprint 1050) I find the perfect balance between weight on my ass, wrists and back, and nothing ends up aching!

[ponkster]

I agree with joeRock . you don't want to be more upright you need to lean forward a bit more.
I'm 6'4" and also have a knackered back , I fitted rental low bars and found the riding position less pressure on my lower back .
Stock bars are also quite narrow which seems to have a negative effect on the back is you are broad shouldered.

[Paul]

When I first bought mine in 2001 I experienced a similar problem.
I'm also 6ft with long legs.


I tried altering handlebar position, but I have to admit I didn't try the rear suspension.


In any event I found that the seat sloping towards the tank was the issue, so I altered the seat so it rose up at the tank.


I don't know whether it will work for you, but it did for me.


If the picture comes out (below) look at the seat as it rises up at the tank.

[darrsi]

So, out of all this i've learnt you need testicle implants to raise you up, and you need to drink more water to stop cramp.  :lol

[ajmes1]

Wow loads of great advice. I'll give it a few more miles to try and break it in then and then start looking at some of the options you've mentioned. I guess it's right about not using muscles I knew I had, it's like anything new.

[stevierst]

I'm 6'1" tall with a 36" inside leg (yes I know I'm weird :o ) been riding fazers for about 10 years, covering well above average mileage.
For me the pegs were about tolerable, but the standard bars are awful! I've fitted Renthal 758 bars to two of mine, and while they're not any higher, they are wider and with less sweep taking a bit of pressure off your wrists and shoulders.
You could try Renthal superbike mediums (i believe 754's??) Which are higher, therefore they tilt back closer to your body, and maybe making you sit more upright.
I suffer from back pain on a regular basis, and I have to get my arse in the gym and strengthen my core muscles, thus supporting my spine, and preventing the pain. The chiropractors reckon that a very high percentage of adults have developed a weak core through 'comfortable' lifestyles, and we ALL could do with strengthening it. It would save a lot of people a lot of pain! Just a thought ;D

[Punkstig]

You could get a whole glove in that top box Paul!


I have one of those eBay seat pads, for long journeys they are great but they add too much height to the seat for me for town riding- which may help you taller guys with gangly legs!  :lol