Tips for a newbie tourer

[steved]

Hi all

I have recently become interested in touring and started doing a couple of bigger trips. One of the main problem I have with distance is a strong pain in the back of my right shoulder that builds during the day, despite stretching as much as possible. This is limiting me to 70-90km stints before a break is necessary (50-60km with pillion). Does anyone know how I could alleviate/diagnose the cause of this pain?

Many thanks

[Ixion]

Different bike, or harden up.Touring on a race bike is as logical as racing on a tourer.

[steved]

Different bike, or harden up.Touring on a race bike is as logical as racing on a tourer.

Hey hey hey, it's a 'comfortable' sports bike
It's got a pack-rack and everything.

[Finn]

Tip 1: Buy a Touring Bike
Tip 2: Go see a Physio

[Mom]

Hey hey hey, it's a 'comfortable' sports bike. It's got a pack-rack and everything.

Comfortable sprots bike?.......not sure they exist.........

[Jantar]

Hi all

I have recently become interested in touring and started doing a couple of bigger trips. One of the main problem I have with distance is a strong pain in the back of my right shoulder that builds during the day, despite stretching as much as possible. This is limiting me to 70-90km stints before a break is necessary (50-60km with pillion). Does anyone know how I could alleviate/diagnose the cause of this pain?

Many thanks

Hey hey hey, it's a 'comfortable' sports bike. It's got a pack-rack and everything.

I see a slight touch of contradiction here. If it is as comfortable as you claim then it isn't the bike that's causing your shoulder pain. Try borrowing a bike with a more upright seating position and see if that helps. Another possible solution is to ride faster so that the airflow takes your weight off your arms and shoulder.

[James Deuce]

Have you setup your levers so you don't have to lift your hands to use them? That can cause everything from wrist to back pain.

[steved]

Comfortable sprots bike?.......not sure they exist.........

Yeah, you're not wrong. With more touring experience it is getting better, but the shoulder is the persistant annoyance.

[madmal64]

Try these http://www.helibars.com/
Bloody good for long touring. I can reccomend them I used the on my RF900.
As for the shoulder pain I would suggest an osteopath. My one sorted me out in 1 visit after an off that I had without injury. I found out I was slightly out of whack.
Also try build up the distance between stops if you are 70 - 80 ks try for 100.

[Big Dog]

Have you setup your levers so you don't have to lift your hands to use them? That can cause everything from wrist to back pain.

Adjusting the levers so that your hand is level when on them makes a world of difference.
Also avoid the temptation to carry a second pack on your back.

Have you had any preexisting pain in your shoulders?
If not you may have a throttle that is too slack and causing you to take an less than natural position. if your engine speed already changes with the smallest of movements you may need to grip it further round or rotate your throttle on the clip on.

If you had no pain from a former injury this will be something that proper fettling will resolve.

[Zapf]

goto Motomail and ask them to show you a throtto boss thing. Black rubber thing that you loop around your throtto grip. makes using them hell of a lot easier.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

You could see if the a full cruise control for your make and model or if the universal kit will work.

http://www.mccruise.com

[Lou Girardin]

A few trips will get you bike fit. But even then it's an uphill battle with sprotbikes. Get a naked bike.

[jafar]

Hey hey hey, it's a 'comfortable' sports bike
It's got a pack-rack and everything.

The problem you have is that you are riding a sports bike, they were never intended to be anything but a serious hard charging machine. On a race track they are legendary , but on a long trip they are painfull. The riding position is the problem , you are bent over the tank & there is a lot of weight on your wrists & your legs are bent as a jockeys are.While this is great for racing it doesn't work for touring.
The addition of a 'packrack' doesn't alter the fact that the bike is not a tourer. Another fault is that the fairing is deflecting the wind away from you , this means the wind isn't taking the weight of your upper body off your wrists & that will be a part of why your shoulder is aching. I would guess the reason you can ride fewer k's with your pillion is simply because you are going slower with her (him) than you would go on your own , so the issue is a time related one not distance .

[Big Dog]

I would guess the reason you can ride fewer k's with your pillion is simply because you are going slower with her (him) than you would go on your own , so the issue is a time related one not distance .

Or it could be that with a pillion on he is applying more throttle to get the same speed putting more stress on what is already an uncomfortable position for him.
when 2 up i grab the grip a few degrees further round to compensate.

I don't change my riding style just because 2 up except I look for Bigger gaps in traffic so as not to frighten a nervous pillion.