Helpful Info for new riders.
#12
05-01-2010, 03:09 PM
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any advice for the new rider on posture while riding? Yesterday I took about a 2 hour ride through twisties and back roads where I live, and today my neck hurts all the way through to my throttle arm.
Any good advice on gloves/hand position to make the ride more comfortable? Also if it helps I am riding a CBR 600 with the stock handle bars so I sit more leaned over than if it had sport bars on it.
Any good advice on gloves/hand position to make the ride more comfortable? Also if it helps I am riding a CBR 600 with the stock handle bars so I sit more leaned over than if it had sport bars on it.
#13
05-01-2010, 09:24 PM
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any advice for the new rider on posture while riding? Yesterday I took about a 2 hour ride through twisties and back roads where I live, and today my neck hurts all the way through to my throttle arm.
Any good advice on gloves/hand position to make the ride more comfortable? Also if it helps I am riding a CBR 600 with the stock handle bars so I sit more leaned over than if it had sport bars on it.
Any good advice on gloves/hand position to make the ride more comfortable? Also if it helps I am riding a CBR 600 with the stock handle bars so I sit more leaned over than if it had sport bars on it.
to riding ? ...the seating position and bars will take some getting used too ...
I don't think many experienced guys would truthfully tell you that after 2 hrs in the saddle they step off as good as they were when they first left ...
Its a bit like training ...it hurts allot at first , then you get used to it ...LOL
If it persists , then yer , you might want to try higher bars to avoid some of the neck and arm strain , but I would hang in there for a while to see if you get used to her how she is first ...
My best method for staying in shape on a longer ride , is to just get off every hour or so , even if it is for only 5 min .... it is amazing how just a 5 min break can help those aches and pains ...
Last edited by CBRclassic; 05-01-2010 at 09:27 PM.
#14
05-03-2010, 10:56 PM
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#15
05-03-2010, 11:22 PM
beankid, you could be supporting your weight on your arms.
If you're holding your body up by your arms, essentially all the vibration from the road and bike will travel up your arms and through your body. Basically you turn your arms into another set of shock absorbers. It'll wear on your arms, sap your strength and also destabilize your ride. You'll be giving accidental inputs to the bars as they react to the shocks and vibes.
Try this: sit on your bike in your normal riding position with the kickstand down. Then see what's holding you up. Look at your arms. The straighter they are on the bars, the more likely you're riding with them locked. And more likely you're using them for support.
You should be using your stomach muscles to hold yourself up. To give you an idea, put your hands behind your back and lean over to your normal cruising position. Like this, your trunk is supporting your weight. When you put your hands on the grips, you should still be supporting yourself with your trunk. You'll have a much lighter touch on the bars and won't be fighting them so much. You'll steer smoother and the ride will be smoother.
This is only a guess but it might be what you're experiencing. I know I've been working on this myself. It's a bad habit I have that I picked up on from some of the books I read during the off season. And it has improved my rides a lot.
If you're holding your body up by your arms, essentially all the vibration from the road and bike will travel up your arms and through your body. Basically you turn your arms into another set of shock absorbers. It'll wear on your arms, sap your strength and also destabilize your ride. You'll be giving accidental inputs to the bars as they react to the shocks and vibes.
Try this: sit on your bike in your normal riding position with the kickstand down. Then see what's holding you up. Look at your arms. The straighter they are on the bars, the more likely you're riding with them locked. And more likely you're using them for support.
You should be using your stomach muscles to hold yourself up. To give you an idea, put your hands behind your back and lean over to your normal cruising position. Like this, your trunk is supporting your weight. When you put your hands on the grips, you should still be supporting yourself with your trunk. You'll have a much lighter touch on the bars and won't be fighting them so much. You'll steer smoother and the ride will be smoother.
This is only a guess but it might be what you're experiencing. I know I've been working on this myself. It's a bad habit I have that I picked up on from some of the books I read during the off season. And it has improved my rides a lot.
#16
05-10-2010, 09:50 AM
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beankid, you could be supporting your weight on your arms.
If you're holding your body up by your arms, essentially all the vibration from the road and bike will travel up your arms and through your body. Basically you turn your arms into another set of shock absorbers. It'll wear on your arms, sap your strength and also destabilize your ride. You'll be giving accidental inputs to the bars as they react to the shocks and vibes.
If you're holding your body up by your arms, essentially all the vibration from the road and bike will travel up your arms and through your body. Basically you turn your arms into another set of shock absorbers. It'll wear on your arms, sap your strength and also destabilize your ride. You'll be giving accidental inputs to the bars as they react to the shocks and vibes.
Also, My uncle, who I was supposed to ride to Sturgis with, before he died earlier this year, told me " use the cars as your "Blocker" you'll see when you get out there." He was right I did!! Just, if you are in traffic where there is potential for people to turn left in front of you, I kinda lock on to the rear quarter-panel of a car in the next lane with my front wheel. Seems as if you are more likely to be seen, or at least the car is seen and avoided, causing them to accidentally miss you!!
Last edited by VeryMotley; 05-24-2010 at 12:57 AM. Reason: Close parenthesis
#17
05-28-2010, 07:03 PM
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Invisible with your head on a swivel
I have been riding since 1995 and have yet to be in an accident. I have had a few close calls though. Here are some tips I use to keep out of trouble.
Riding like the cagers don't see you will help you a lot. That way when they do something stupid you are already out of their way or getting there.
Keep your head on a swivel to watch for potential problems. This is especially true at intersections either crossing through.
When your light turns green don't blindly take off at a green light. There is always that guy that is speeding through on a stale yellow light that turns red and he keeps going because the extra two minutes will kill him.
Be carefull when going through an intersection without turn arrows on a yellow light because that is the worst time to have a car turn across in front of you trying to make the turn before the red. They also may not see you coming.
When riding behind someone in a group, don't watch the rider in front of you in the curves, set up your own line by looking at the upcoming curve and keep the rider in your peripheral vision.
Riding like the cagers don't see you will help you a lot. That way when they do something stupid you are already out of their way or getting there.
Keep your head on a swivel to watch for potential problems. This is especially true at intersections either crossing through.
When your light turns green don't blindly take off at a green light. There is always that guy that is speeding through on a stale yellow light that turns red and he keeps going because the extra two minutes will kill him.
Be carefull when going through an intersection without turn arrows on a yellow light because that is the worst time to have a car turn across in front of you trying to make the turn before the red. They also may not see you coming.
When riding behind someone in a group, don't watch the rider in front of you in the curves, set up your own line by looking at the upcoming curve and keep the rider in your peripheral vision.
#18
05-28-2010, 07:07 PM
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#19
07-27-2010, 12:14 AM
there was a girl in my town a couple years ago she was riding down the interstate to work and the roads arent that great here well anyways there were cracks in the road not bad ones... little cracks that really didn't affect the way a bike road... well the city put some tar down to fill in the cracks one day and she was riding to work and she was going around a corner and she hit the tar lines in the road and it pushed her bike over she hit the curb, when she hit the curb @ around 60 or 65 mph it tossed her off the bike and on top of the guard rail.... guard rail is supposed to save lives but the gaurd rail took her live, it cut her in half literally...
no matter what it is in the road or how small something is don't try to go over it stay as far away from obstacles in the road as you can when your riding a bike you have to think with your life and not with your head...if you do happen to lay the bike over it happens really fast so its hard to do but try to get on top of the bike and ride the bike out till you stop that way u dnt get rd rash or broke bones or kill yourself... getting on the bike while your sliding is possible it just depends how you fall i guess... either way it goes just be careful use your horn if you have to and if somebody tries to get over on you then honk the horn or kick there car (dont push off of there car and cause yourself to wreck though)
no matter what it is in the road or how small something is don't try to go over it stay as far away from obstacles in the road as you can when your riding a bike you have to think with your life and not with your head...if you do happen to lay the bike over it happens really fast so its hard to do but try to get on top of the bike and ride the bike out till you stop that way u dnt get rd rash or broke bones or kill yourself... getting on the bike while your sliding is possible it just depends how you fall i guess... either way it goes just be careful use your horn if you have to and if somebody tries to get over on you then honk the horn or kick there car (dont push off of there car and cause yourself to wreck though)
#20
07-28-2010, 10:45 PM
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I 2nd this.
Also, My uncle, who I was supposed to ride to Sturgis with, before he died earlier this year, told me " use the cars as your "Blocker" you'll see when you get out there." He was right I did!! Just, if you are in traffic where there is potential for people to turn left in front of you, I kinda lock on to the rear quarter-panel of a car in the next lane with my front wheel. Seems as if you are more likely to be seen, or at least the car is seen and avoided, causing them to accidentally miss you!!
Also, My uncle, who I was supposed to ride to Sturgis with, before he died earlier this year, told me " use the cars as your "Blocker" you'll see when you get out there." He was right I did!! Just, if you are in traffic where there is potential for people to turn left in front of you, I kinda lock on to the rear quarter-panel of a car in the next lane with my front wheel. Seems as if you are more likely to be seen, or at least the car is seen and avoided, causing them to accidentally miss you!!
