Seated position

makaley0405 · 12-31-2010, 12:36 AM

Just a question, although I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a lot of "where ever your comfortable"....
Where is the best place to plant my butt when I'm riding, I'm finding I'm either humping the fuel tank or sliding back somewhere in the middle. Today I was right resting on the rear of the seat.
Is there a spot that I should be focusing on?

CQBRR · 12-31-2010, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by makaley0405

Just a question, although I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a lot of "where ever your comfortable"....
Where is the best place to plant my butt when I'm riding, I'm finding I'm either humping the fuel tank or sliding back somewhere in the middle. Today I was right resting on the rear of the seat.
Is there a spot that I should be focusing on?

I move around often to get comfortable, but generally
butt back & elbow on tank for long highway travel and
up close to tank in twisties so you can grab the tank with your knees when you slow down to prevent overloading the front tire and keep good loose hand control.

HyperM3 · 12-31-2010, 02:45 PM

I think this is a good question and Ive just tried different things on my own to figure it out. Like CQBRR, on extended highway rides or higher speeds(?) butt way back and elbow on tank is comfortable, tucking under the windscreen.

However, also on twisties I find that junk into tank is the best way to control the bike in the twisty bits. Also puts your central mass closer to the front wheel even if its a small margin. Clearly this all makes sense.

**verrucktaxe** · 12-31-2010, 03:49 PM

you're exactly right with your first guess of whatever feels comfortable. i find myself sitting as close to the tank as i can for the most part riding on straight roads so i can arch and put my head up more straight to give my neck/traps a rest. if i'm getting stiff, i'll scoot back on the seat clear to the back for variance, move feet from balls to heels, hang legs out (careful not to catch anything with your toes), or lean on tank and put feet on rear passenger pegs.

for riding in curves, even after several years i'm still trying to adjust, and having multiple bikes that sit differently doesn't help. I agree with the other guys that said balls on the tank makes it easier to control. however, being over 6' I found myself this morning questioning if my head was too far forward when i tucked in low and put it out to the side on a curve.

There's plenty of material/books out there on proper seating position, etc. since i grew up on harleys, i don't always do the proper methods. i find that getting low is first, then move your head out, then your body, then lean the bike depending on how far you're leaning.

Legs are the part that i'm still struggling to master. For some reason i found it easist for NC twisties to keep both knees out, both feet out, and shift everything from knees up back and forth. I got ridiculed for it, and coincidentally one of those HD 1200XR's burned past us with both knees out. I think the 'proper' way is to angle the inside foot inside with the heel up on the kickplate, put that knee out, and use the outside leg to hook the tank. you just have to be sure you're turning your torso inside to make this work, or you'll end up with 2 knees out like me.

buying a book is a good start to learning all the technique, then you just have to put hours into applying and adapting to your own riding style.

makaley0405 · 01-01-2011, 10:45 PM

Thanks Buddy, I have also just transitioned from Harleys as well so this sports bike thing is all new to me.

80shilling · 01-01-2011, 11:07 PM

For general riding on the street, I tend to be fairly close to the tank, maybe about 1" back (so as to prevent crushed nuts).. When I am riding agressively in the twisties, or at the track, I am all over the seat.. Sometimes pushed back (longer straights to get tucked in out of the wind), sometimes up front to counteract a second gear wheelie.... Sometimes off the edge of the seat in the corners, leg out.. at the very back of the seat under hard braking to stop the bike from lifting the rear wheel...

Even when cornering, I can be forward or back on the seat, depending on how the Bike is handling and depending on what I want the Bike to do...

If you are having problems figuring out your seating position, experiment with many, many different positions, until one of them fits your style better.

Another thing is that as you get bike "fit" and your muscles become stronger, your core supports you better, your arms and wrists can support you, you will find that you might change your riding position based on being stronger now than you were when you first started riding the Bike.

Cheers...

**verrucktaxe** · 01-02-2011, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by makaley0405

Thanks Buddy, I have also just transitioned from Harleys as well so this sports bike thing is all new to me.

Very different animals and you started your sportbike world with the best of the best. the biggest adjustments i had to make in transition were:

-safety-wise, the biggest adjustment i had to make is braking. i got used to slamming the rear brakes and sliding to stops on the harleys/choppers over the years. these things require depending on the front brake, so you have to make that your primary reaction.

-both braking and throttle are much more responsive, so you have to learn to squeeze, not jerk them, just like a trigger.

-i'd ride the hd like a dirt bike, keeping upright and leaning the bike. sportbikes are the rider leaning inside first followed by the bike.

-safety equipment went from tshirt and shades to power ranger gear. Mesh was my first as it's cooler in summers. leathers come next week.

-you've now got way better handling, braking, acceleration, etc. and fortunately the most advanced, "safest" bike out there, but it's way more technical riding.

-your neck kills at first from riding like a monkey f*cking a football compared to kicked back in a recliner. so will your hands until you figure out how to 'hang on' with your legs and leave your arms loose like 80shilling pointed out.

I'll get the names of a couple books i borrowed and give them to you. Reading either of them will make a lot more sense to you and give you some basics. then it's just getting out there and practicing moving around on the bike on curves. If you're following more advanced riders, don't try to keep up. That's how i ended up with my aprilia 20' off a drop in NC. You have to stay focused and drive within your comfort zone, can't stress that enough.

back to you when i get those book titles. worth the $20 or whatever for a beginner. hopefully you kept the HD too, just remember which one you're driving when you saddle-up

**verrucktaxe** · 01-02-2011, 07:36 PM

One thing my buddy pointed out is that there will be conflicting opinions on how to do some of this stuff, but this is the book i read that he recommended as worth reading for 99% of us out there…it has everything anybody needs.

Anyway, here’s the book. http://www.amazon.com/Sport-Riding-Techniques-Develop-Confidence/dp/1893618072

enjoy.

CQBRR · 01-03-2011, 01:46 AM

read Keith Code's "A Twist of the Wrist" for more of a racing lean, but much the same

**verrucktaxe** · 01-03-2011, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CQBRR

read Keith Code's "A Twist of the Wrist" for more of a racing lean, but much the same

that was the other one my buddy mentioned. He just cautioned that reading both of them might be confusing to a new rider as every now and then there can be a different way of doing something, but yes, that's also a good one.