Lessons Learned From My First Extended Ride

[teamextreme]

After years of riding in the dirt, I got my first street bike last January (05 SV1000S). I've been commuting and running around town with it and loving it. This weekend I took it up to Summit county and back down this Monday morning for my first extended ride. Here's what I learned:

1. Loveland Pass at 5:30am is friggin awesome for a morning commute!
2. I'm an old fuck and should have bought a sport bike 25 years ago when I first started dreaming of getting one.
3. I love my SV1k, just wish it was comfier.
4. After 1.5 hours on the bike, my ass was killing me, my neck and shoulders were getting stiff, and my throttle hand was getting numb.

I choose the SV for 2 reasons, I love the V-twin power, and also, recognizing that I'm not 20 anymore, I felt it was a little less full-on sport bike, less hunched over, etc, and would be more comfortable. Am I just being a pussy? Wait, don't answer that.... What tips do you guys have for improving what should already be fairly comfy? Aftermarket seat? Clip risers? The clip-ons are already at the highest level. I've been wanting to go on some of the group rides up 7, etc, but hell, I can't even make it to Summit county without needing a chiropractor. Please tell my I don't have to buy a some cruiser or Goldwing!

[j0ker]

Bar extensions might help your riding position so you don't ache so much. Having a numb hand, I think, comes with the ride.

Congrats on having bikeass

[CaneZach]

Numb hand might come from applying too much weight onto your hands. Grip the tank with your knees/inner thighs and engage your core to relieve some of the weight on your hands. If you're already using your legs, try some heavier weighted bar ends to deaden some of the vibration in the bars.

[Cornfed]

I dont mean this in a condescending way as you could be Chuck Norris's twin for all I know. But Ive found the best thing to help my comfort level is physical conditioning. The more aggressive the riding, and riding position, the better shape you need to be in. There is a reason why racers from club level to factory teams all work on their physical conditioning in order to stay mentally and physically sharp throughout a race. It doesn't matter whether you are on a Ducati 916, a big ol Ultra Classic or a CRF450, the better shape you are in the less fatigue you will feel overall. Im not saying you need to hire a personal trainer and spend hours a day in the gym getting into super model form, but a couple laps around the block on a ten speed might improve your comfort on any bike.
Just my $.02

[jcj81]

+1 on fitness im not super fit but im on my feet all day at work lifting, twisting, try and work out when I can. I was bikeless for a while after my first weekend out my abs were killing me I couldnt figure out why then it hit me riding all weekend its takes a lot of energy to ride. I did 300 miles yesterday but feel good today nothing real aches, work out,stretches, gear that fits well.

[j0ker]

Getting a custom seat could help you with the bike ass. I get a little asssore from riding the VStar after a few hours and its like having a recliner with wheels. For some reason the ZX14 doesn't "rub" me the same way. I have no problems sitting on that thing for hours, but I do get a numb hand sometimes. It could be the weight I am putting on it, but I think that my working on a computer all day also exacerbates this issue for me.

[Repsol a095]

I have a Corbin seat for sale. $150. Let me know.

[Zanatos]

These little pieces of plastic are kind of nice on extended rides: http://throttlerocker.com/.

[Lomax]

And get a throttle rocker. Take it from another old fart. They REALLY help.

http://throttlerocker.com/

DOH 205'd by the post above.

Marc

[Sully]

I agree with Cornfed's statement above regarding physical conditioning. Riding can definitely take a toll on your body so be sure to stay hydrated and bring some type of snack with you. I tend to ride and not take many breaks, let alone stop for lunch so I try to make sure I'm prepared. Also remember that this is your first extended ride. As you tend to take longer rides, the more stamina you build up as well. Remember to work on your riding posture and not being stiff. This may help alleviate neck and shoulder issues.

If you're experiencing your throttle hand becoming numb, try to lighten your grip a bit and use your knees on your tank to hold your weight instead of placing your weight on your handlebars.

Getting old happens, can't help much with that one Congrats on the bike!

[LivingPools]

In addition to physical shape and conditioning, you might try padded bicycle shorts to cure the old ass syndrome. Cheaper than a new seat and you can use them on multiple bikes.

[3point5]

2. I'm an old fuck and should have bought a sport bike 25 years ago when I first started dreaming of getting one.

I'm old as fork too…well, almost 32…I know I'm not that old…but one of the things I did was wait until I was (almost) 30. I have been in situations where a little more testosterone mixed with some adrenaline and a lack of experience and wisdom has let alot 'go'...

I get strained-wrist and it helps to hold the throttle/handle bar more with my fingers and less with my palms. Very good points mentioned above.

[teamextreme]

Great comments guys! While I'm not Chuck Norris' twin, I like to think I'm in pretty good shape (I just climbed Pikes Pike a couple weeks ago, 26 mile hike, 7000' vertical). I'm 5-10, 190. I'm hoping I get used to it more as I ride more. I have heard about using your knees more and I've been trying to remember to do that. Obviously I need to do it more cause that's probably a big cause of the hand numbness and shoulder/neck strain. Great idea on the bike shorts, I've got plenty of those for mountain biking. Repsol, is the Corbin made for the SV? How does it compare to the stocker?

[texlurch]

Pay attention to the angle on your wrist when riding.. if you start getting numb glance down and see if your wrist is bent.. "crawl" your hand up the grip to straighten it out

[Drano]

Keeping a loose grip on the bars is a useful indicator that you're using your core rather than resting on your arms. One of the things I've noticed on my SV is that I still occasionally tense up on canyon runs that require a lot of throttle inputs. This usually results in feeling beaten up afterwards. I also think that tensing up is exacerbated with a v-twin as the inertial forces from engine braking can unsettle your riding position. This is not helped by the seat on the SV which I feel has a little too much room. I've also found that when I'm wearing textile pants I can't effectively grip the tank with my legs and, as a result, slide around in the seat. Installing tank grips on the sides would probably help. Lastly, I've noticed that I don't feel as well-planted on the SV as I do on other bikes I've ridden. It's rapidly influencing my decision to move to something that fits me better.

I don't mean to come off as though I'm bagging on the SV. I love the bike. It's got a character all its own. That said, it may not be the ideal bike for your ergonomic needs.

[Shawnzy]

I have on '07 SV1000 and I did 300 miles and extensive canyon riding. I'll have to bump everyone else's comments about physical conditioning and use of your core, loose grip on the bars, and maybe some bar risers. I got the SV because people said it was a less aggressive position. I've not really found this to be the case; maybe compared to a Daytona 675 but it's by no means comfy.

[Wrider]

These little pieces of plastic are kind of nice on extended rides: http://throttlerocker.com/.

Do what I did and go cheap bastard version on it...

I took a wire hanger, twisted it around the throttle, cut it off about 1/2" above where it hits the brake lever, then wrapped it in heat shrink. Works better than most throttle locks I've seen.

Mine operates just like this one, but looks a whole lot better and won't scratch up your brake lever. I'll try to remember to grab a pic tomorrow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj1wCCDZIYg<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj1wCCDZIYg" target="_blank">

[Matrix]

Do what I did and go cheap bastard version on it...

I took a wire hanger, twisted it around the throttle, cut it off about 1/2" above where it hits the brake lever, then wrapped it in heat shrink. Works better than most throttle locks I've seen.

The other end of the spectrum is the Throttlemeister. A great piece of equipment. A little on the expensive side but the quality is flawless and they work amazingly well. It turned my sportbike into a sport tourer.

http://throttlemeister.com/

[frank2]

I do not think it has been mentioned, but keeping your back straight (not slouching) will take a lot of pressure of your wrists and keep your neck from getting worn out. Buy a back brace, it will help keep straight up. I have a K-5 GSX-R 1000, and 300 a day is not much of a problem. I am 59.