Motorcycle Comfort

  • Thread starter JohnBM01
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JohnBM01

JohnBM01

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GTPlanet, this thread has to do with motorcycle comfort. Some bike magazines I read have things like reaching the handle bars as a factor of comfort. There may even be something about a bike that's comfortable to sit on. All I'm asking for you all are what you consider comfortable for a motorcycle. What motorcycles are most comfortable to you whether a touring bike, sport bike, cruiser, or whatever? What motorcycles can be comfortable even with two people riding? Let's talk about motorcycle comfort and what motorcycles (of any kind) are comfortable to you.
 
I started on a 125 cruiser (jinlun Which was an amazing NEW bike for £999) and now have a Honda CB500 s. (would love a bigger bike but i went practicable and needed to cut it to 33hp) i found my neck would suffer on a long ride on the CB because i was used to the arm chair seating position of the 125.
Now I'm used to it, it really comfy.
Some people complain about the weight on there wrists on a proper sports bike.
All depends what body type you have and how much you ride.
 
If you want comfort - buy a car ;-)

Bikes are made for making you back ache, your wrists numb and strengthen your neck muscles !....
 
A few labor days ago my wife and I put 1200 miles on my R1 in just 2 1/2 days. That's not long highway miles mind you, that’s mountain twisties. The postage size seat for my wife gives her my iron butt award of the year.

Was it comfortable? Not a chance! Was it worth it? Damn strait...(err curvy)
 
I just had two long weekends. Went to Birmingham from Panama City for the AMA Superbikes. Made one stop in Troy for gas, so the trip was two stints over 2 and a half hours. I was very stiff after, and had some pain at my tailbone and between my shoulder blades. On the way home, I stopped every 60 to 90 minutes, just to get off and stretch.

The next weekend I went to Atlanta for a college friend's 50th birthday. Made 3 stops on the way up, 5 on the way back, although 2 of those were to get into or out of rain gear. Still some tailbone soreness, but no shoulder blade tightness this time.

1350 miles on two weekends.

If the seat was better, I'd be happier with longer runs. Good seats are serious $$$, though, so it'll be a while.

Things I've done to the bike for comfort: A set of risers to bring the handlebars up and back a bit over an inch, so I don't rest as much weight on my hands; heavier bar ends to quell vibration; cruise control so I can let go of the throttle grip (FJR's are notorious for a heavy throttle spring); and "highway pegs" about a foot forward of the regular pegs so I can move my feet forward for knee relief.

If you're gonna be on the bike more than an hour a day, then being comfortable on the bike is extremely important. Stiffness and soreness, aches and pains, will detract from the experience, but more importantly, they will distract your attention from the riding, and that can lead to bad things.
 
wfooshee
If the seat was better, I'd be happier with longer runs. Good seats are serious $$$, though, so it'll be a while.
Click to expand...

I wasted some good money on a Corbin. What a piece of junk that thing is! The fit was terrible and after more then 3,000 miles it still hasn't "broke in".

It looks nice for what its worth.
 
The "standard" in high-mileage capability seems to be these.

Custom-made using your bike's seat pans, covered in vinyl, velour, or leather, depending on whether you want to shell out 500, 600, or 700 bucks. But word is they are the best there is.
 
The Yamaha FJR1300 is a touring bike. I normally tends to think that touring bikes should offer comfortable seating while riding. I almost equate touring bikes to luxury cars. Unless I'm wrong, does the FJR feel comfortable to ride, wfooshee?
 
Like I said before, if the seat was better, I'd be happier after the long miles. I've got the bars where I like them, and I have an oversize windshield. And for us old fat guys (I'm 50-ish, and a bit up from 250 pounds), the pegs are just a bit high (cramping the legs and knees), but you don't get cornering clearance without that, something the FJR is short on compared to true sportbikes anyway. There are kits to give about 1 inch lower pegs if you're willing to give up lean angle. I've never come close to scraping a peg anyway, except for the crashes, but that wasn't on purpose.

If you want a Cadillac or Town Car motorcycle, get a Gold Wing. The FJR is like a good sport coupe, handles the highway miles, but has the performance and handling for the occasional track day.
 
A VTX 1300 to be specific m8 and yes its a 2 wheeler.That was double up with the ole lady and all my gear was in 2 saddle bags while hers was in a sissy bar bag.The weather was beautiful the scenery amazing and the trip quite enjoyable.
We have put 35,000 on the bike in 2 years time it was down for a year after I took a pretty bad fall in west Virginia.
 

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