This bike is considered a sport-tourer - the guy I bought it from rode it from Denver to NY and back in a week - HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? I am 40 years old, 5'10 185 lbs with a good back and no physical problems. I want to be comfortable on this bike because it's so awesome, but my neck, hands, lower back and legs hurt after just 20 miles or so and it becomes a bit of a chore to ride over an hour. I have a Corbin seat and installed Genmar risers (which helped) - should I do stretches and pop Advil before riding? What is the secret to 3-4 hour rides on a bike like this?

 

Last year I acquired a 1000F and took a four-hundred mile ride. The last two hundred miles were torture. This spring I began working my abdomen, back and upper body using curls, leg lifts, light dumbells, our couch doubled as a roman chair. Push ups, lunges, stretches, etc. filled out a half hour workout every morning. I particularly worked on stretching knees and hips, developing flexibility in those areas. After six weeks of that I took a 1000 mile weekend trip (500 miles/day) with very little discomfort.

I stopped every couple hours to gas up and walked for five to ten minutes each time, stayed hydrated and varied my position, using my back and abs to support me, then my arms, then a combination. While I was tired and somewhat uncomfortable when arriving home it was no problem to get off the bike and walk into the house. Last year I could barely get off the bike.

It also helps to take several short trips and gradually extend your range.

One last thought: if you can find a Pilates exercise book or tape you'll find a bunch of exercises that will strengthen your core and make supporting yourself on the bike easier and more comfortable.

 

We toured 4 states back in the end of May. Completed 1,000 miles in 3 days. I took a couple of motrin every 3-4 hours. We made frequent stops, about every 130 miles (only because the two guys I was with didn't get as good of gas mileage). I had only put about 400 miles on it (since owned by me) before we did this. I also have a throttle rocker that goes on the throttle for when we were highway riding.

DRam has good ideas. Plenty of fluids will hydrate the muscles in your lower legs and will prevent muscle fatigue and lactic acid build up. Why this might happen is because you would be squeezing with your knees and upper legs and using your abdominal muscles to take the pressure off your arms, wrists, when riding. I would also let my legs dangle with my ankles on the edge of the pegs for a little while.

The motrin or alieve helped the numbing sensation I would get between the shoulder blades and neck area. Ear plugs also work great so your head isn't fatigued by the wind noise. My helmet has air foils on the back to help stabilize my head while riding as the stock windscreens are were they should be.

After putting 4,000 miles on it in about 2 months, it's quite comfortable when I go out for a 200 mile ride.

 

It's could perhaps be that your body and mind has not adjusted to this type of bike yet, it will take some time but it will sure come. The CBR is VERY comfy compared to a sport bike and you should be able to run it as long as you want without problems. The key is to be totally relaxed and to to take support by knees and lower back and stommac muscles at braking and if the road is bumpy. Any tension, especially in arms and shoulders will wear you down in no-time and does not benefit riding. I let a friend trie my Suzuki a couple of years ago, he was so tired by tension that he needed to rest about every 5 miles. I drove it from Germany a couple of weeks ago over a distance of more than 1000 km's and only stopped for gas and food without any problems at all. So, you can be quite sure that the CBR will take you anywhere without pain if giving yourself time to get used.

 

Illushun: What is mortrin and alieve ?

 

Thanks for all the great info, I've been wanting to try Pilates anyway.

 

Noe,

Motrin and Alieve are over the counter headache medicines like Ibuprofen or Tylenol. They have an anti-inflammatory ingredient which helps to reduce pain in muscles and joints. Sorry.

 

Chesting you should be able to 400 plus mile days on your CBRF if you have no physical conditions/problems. I've got a corbin and genmar's and have done serveral 600 plus mile rides in one day (one being a 7 state one day ride in New England). A lot of it is form on your back, I ridew with a kidney belt on long rides which gives my lower back support, we stop every 100-130 miles for gas and strechting. Form is key on the bike other wise you'll get fatigue on your writs, shoulder and back.

 

I guess I'm just not used to clip-ons. I've been riding my Valkyrie with drag bars for a few years and didn't think it would be that different, it is. The reason I bought this bike is that I've been riding with some guys on sport tourers on Sunday mornings through Colorado mountain roads, they ride FAST. I can keep up suprisingly well on the Valk, but I feel I've been through a workout when I'm done - keeping up with guys on a Fjr1300 and RT1200's on a 750 lb cruiser is a challenge. We ride between 200-300 miles, I just want to be able to do that without agony - I havent met up with them with the CBR yet, as I'm working up to it - I don't want to end up needing a stretcher lol.
After ordering the Genmars, someone posted a link for the LSL bars -I KNOW I'd be fine with these, but I'm not giving up just yet.

 

I just think you are not use to the bike yet. You might not be as relaxed as your should/could be. We do 300-400 miles as a day trip 2 times a month. Hell I have done a few 700 mile day trips on the bike. A few weeks ago we did 1500 in three days. My bike is all stock and I am 5’8’ 220lbs (so you can tell I do not work out what so ever)

The key is you have to drink a lot. One power aid or Gatorade per stop and if you can one when you are on the road. (Camel pack or something like it)

If I am going to be doing more then 300 that day I will take 2 Aleve in the AM before heading out then 1 at lunch and one mid afternoon. (Works better then anything I have found but you have to take it before you start to hurt)

try that you should be fine.