Tips for a newbie tourer

[pritch]

Over the years I have done a fairly substantial job of stuffing my right shoulder, two major strains and an insidious RSI all probably contributing. Physio, steroids and acupuncture have all been tried with some, but not complete, success.

Previously I've never felt any muscular pain when riding, even on one all day adventure on a new RGV, or when riding long distances on the K100RS.

In the last two years though there has been recurring pain in the right shoulder.
It isn't constant so there must be a position which agravates it less but as yet I haven't discovered it. After maybe four hours on the bike
the shoulder will be stiff all evening. I had been contemplating taking two asprin prior to a trip but note the warnings here.

One thing that I learned in Australia where it seems everybody owns a sprot bike, however inappropriate that particular choice seems to be there, is that when touring they lean their left elbow on the tank and rest their weight on that. That may also be common here but so far I haven't noticed any of the sprotbikes I see doing that...

[Zapf]

is that when touring they lean their left elbow on the tank and rest their weight on that. That may also be common here but so far I haven't noticed any of the sprotbikes I see doing that...

Very true, a tried and proven method. I do that or as our host Limbin... has said, get a tank bag and put your weight on it.

[QUOTE=jafar;879001]

But surely this benefit is counteracted by tiring effect of the constant buffeting? And what of headwinds? And rain?

Can't say the buffeting is a major issue, the bike is less suseptable to sidewinds & airflow disturbances than a faired bike . In other words they don't tack like KZ7 in a side wind to the same extent as a faired machine.

Yes, while riding in bad weather and gusty conditions on the 900 Hornet. Being a naked bike I do find it much less affected by cross wind, which is great if it is to be ridden in windy conditions. Faired and naked bike each have pros and cons.

[steved]

Cheers for all the hints and tips. I have employed quite a few of them already (leaning on tank bags etc).

I moved the levers as low as the clip-ons will allow, sounds like a nice piece of advice.

In reference to why I have a sports bike, with only one bike there are always sacrifices. I don't have a touring bike and I didn't want to buy a touring bike to find out if I like it. All my riding upto this point consists of day-rides and communting.

Also, the pain in my shoulder is not persistant (gone by the morning). Just a relative youngun' moaning about a tiny pain I suppose

[Wolf]

I found that I got a horrendously sore lower back riding my old RD350 with its "dropped" bars between Hamilton and Paeroa - the bike was rather long for me so I was at a fair stretch riding it compared with my taller mates when riding the same bike. I've tried shorter sports config bikes but I find supporting my weight on my wrists is a literal pain even though I'm not as stretched as on the RD.

The LS400 with its "feet forward, lean back" seating posture played havoc with my tail bone on long journeys.

I've always favoured the upright posture of the old naked classic tourers - Honda CBs, older BMW R models - and the Road-trail bikes for long distances.

The seat on my XT225 could do with a bit more padding as my backside was beginning to hurt quite a bit by the time I reached Otorohanga (so I stood up on the pegs for a while) but I was able to make it as far as Te Kuiti without having to stop (by which time I really wanted a cigarette and a Coke anyway).

My take is: get a bike that is comfortable to sit on for long periods or modify the one you have (more padding on the seat or a sheepskin in the case of my XT) so you're in a comfortable position.

I could not ride a CBR any great distance - legs hooked back, leaning forward on my wrists and tilting my head up to see. I'd rather sit on the so-called "uncomfortable" (because it's not sculpted into a fancy shape, I suppose) bench seat of the old CB360 (which I found perfectly comfortable and well padded) wth my feet beneath my body, my back fairly straight and looking ahead in a natural posture.

Being comfortable and pain-free is of critical importance on long journeys as pain can didtract you or tire you and cause serious problems.

We went down to Wellington and back in the car last weekend and I could not get myself comfortable when driving. If strayj had not been there to share the driving it would have been even more of a misery.

Stray drove from Hamilton to Te Kuiti, where we had a 2-hour break from sitting in the car (visiting friends), then I drove from Te Kuiti to Waiouru and I was in a sea of pain (neck, mainly) and terribly fatigued by the time we reached Ohakune (despite a decent rest stop at Taumarunui). The last few km to Waiouru were intensely painful. Even with Strayj driving from Waiouru, I was a physical wreck by the time we got to Sanson where we stopped for the night.

Compare this with riding the same route on the XT225 all the way from Hamilton to the Cold Kiwi site near Waiouru and stopping for a proper 20-minute rest only at Te Kuiti, Taumarunui and Ohakune (the photo stops at Makatote Viaduct and National Park not really counting) and experiencing nothing more than a sore bum from the hard seat (which actually became less of an issue as I got used to the seat.) Yeah, I felt tired as you do, spending a protracted time engaged in the physical exercise of riding a motorbike, but I didn't feel like I was dangerously knackered.

The next day I had not recovered sufficiently and the drive from Sanson to Titahi Bay was agonising - shooting pains in the neck like the previous night, sore lower back and it felt like someone had smashed my elbows with a hammer.

The next day we came all the way from Titahi Bay to Hamilton on the one day, stopping for lengthy periods at my brother's place in Levin, my sister's place in Sanson and our friends' place in Te Kuiti, as well as taking 10-20 minute rests along the way, and I still felt like I'd been professionally tortured.

Driving in such pain was no fun. If strayj had not been there to take the wheel at times, I would have not been able to continue - I was getting dangerously distracted and fatigued.

It felt sooooooo good to ride the XT to work the next day and sit in a natural posture with my arms, spine and neck all in comfortable positions.

Honestly, when I rode the CB360 and CB550 similar distances by myself in a single day I never felt anywhere near as bad as I did in the car. The only comparable experience I've had on a bike was riding the LS400 to Palmerston North one day and back to Hamilton the next - the sitting-on-the-tailbone posture caused acute pain in my tailbone and spine and began to cause neck pain by the time I was approaching Te Kuiti on the return journey. It meant that I arrived home sore and tired after a large number of rest breaks.

To me, a comfortable vehicle is of paramount importance - especially if you intend on doing a couple or more consecutive days of travelling. Do what it takes to get yourself into a comfortable posture - even if that means buying a second bike for touring and leaving the CBR for hooning.

[Wolf]

Faired and naked bike each have pros and cons.

And the pros of a faired bike are? Aside from looking damned "sexy", of course.

I'll take the naked bike any day, at most a bikini fairing with a blade to direct the air over my helmet - anything more equates to too much money if some bastard knocks the bike over and too much fucking around when all you want to do is get the damned carb out for a clean.

I like the plastics on my bike - they bend and then return to their original position.

[Zapf]

And the pros of a faired bike are? Aside from looking damned "sexy", of course.

faired bike are in some ways better for travelling long distances. Try riding both for 20 hours stright and come answer this question again

[jafar]

faired bike are in some ways better for travelling long distances. Try riding both for 20 hours stright and come answer this question again

I have ridden my CB 13 for long distances with no problem . happy to "test" your bird for you though

[Mystic13]

all joints can handle certain levels of pressue for certain levels of time just as we don't handle standing in one spot two well for a couple of hours. The joints between your hand and shoulder act like suspension. So the relaxing the muscles works far better then locking them up. You can also change the loading between arms. So effectively ride with your left arm and take much more weight there and use the right to lightly hold the throttle. If you can imagine how you would respond standing for a couple of hours its the same thing. At times you'd have more weight on one leg or the other and at times even on both. If you keeping impacting the joint like you are now over time you'll do the same thing that people do to hips and knees etc. All the setup changes are great. Lastly there is a set of excersises you can do for around 1 minute a day that will leave you with shoulder joints of steel in around 3 weeks. The excercise focuses on strenthening the tendons and the joint and the results are amazing. Email me if you want more info on the excercise. Cheers.

[ceebie13]

Here's my tuppenyworth. (Bloody cheapskate that I am!)

Before I acquired the CB13, I had a ZX9C2. I was convinced that as a sportsbike it was also a reasonably comfy tourer. This conclusion was arrived at after several long distance trips "sur le continent" with a pillion. Now it has to be said that my beloved Bex is a fantastic pillion. I don't know she's there half the time until my Oxford Bike Mike reminds me or she gives me a hug! So even two up on a ZX9, we could mile munch with what seemed like effortless ease. Comfort stops came at about 80mile intervals. What's that? About 130km.
I certainly adjusted the levers to be an extension of my arms but I stopped short of a sheepskin cover for the seats!! On a ZX9??? er, I don't think so matey! I'm not exactly knee high to a grasshopper either - infact I made the Ninja look small despite it actually being quite "lardy". So even with some considerable leg bending I found myself quite comfy.

Then I bought the CB13. Sorry, but I have to admit that the Honda does a better job than the Kawasaki did. Why? Torque, grunt, gear ratios...call it what you like...but we could eat miles for pudding as well as a main course! The CB admits to being heavy but, she just does what you ask of her in any situation. We have just returned from our touring holiday - two weeks in the saddle and 3000K later with tank bags, tail bags and throwovers all stuffed to the gunnels - and we have had no aches and pains at all. The small Givi screen just does enough to deflect some wind from your chest and relieve you of some buffeting. Ear plugs? Yes definately...it's been said here already but I wouldn't ride without now either. Clothing? Got a bit tired of leathers creeping due to saddle slip especially on down hill mountain roads. Makes your bum ache a bit. But I can live with that. I'm not about to make the CB look like a sheep with wheels!

[sunhuntin]

same as wolf, my tailbone suffered hugely riding from wanganui to invercargill and back. this was a virago
the days were long and gruelling. i wouldnt stop, except for gas and food, until i got to where i needed to be. heading from invers to christchurch, i was on the road for over 12 hours and was nearly falling off the bike with exhaustion by the time i found my motel. i will be taking longer next time, and spreading the journey out.
it was only my tailbone that suffered, so i might try a bit of sheepskin next time as well. i ended up stuffing my backpack under my backside to change the pressure points, but didnt work for long.

[Wolf]

it was only my tailbone that suffered, so i might try a bit of sheepskin next time as well. i ended up stuffing my backpack under my backside to change the pressure points, but didnt work for long.

Sheepskin would probably help on my XT225 which seems to be merely a padding problem (a quick re-upholster would probably also help) but the issue I found with my tailbone on the LS400 (and I'd likely find on any cruiser) was the fact that I had my weight on my tailbone owing to the leaned-back, feet-forward posture - rotated my bum around to place my load on the coccyx.

On the XT and on classic tourers with my feet in a more natural position and my posture more erect or leaned slightly forward, my coccyx is rotated up and away from the seat. The only contact with the seat is tops of thighs and lower gluteus maximus, so on the XT my tailbone is fine but the cheeks of me arse feel sore due to the thin padding and hard seat pan.

My posture in a car is similar to that of a cruiser - feet forward, leaning back - which is why I found the long car journey so painful. I could not adjust my posture to a more upright one where my tailbone was clear of the seat and my head was directly above my spine. Kept leaning forward to get my head supported which curved my spine uncomfortably and did not alleviate the tailbone.

And you need to take up smoking so you'll have another reason to stop for a rest

[Edbear]

A big tank bag. Put your heavy stuff in it (Keeping weight forward, not hanging over the back lightening your front wheel..) and then put soft things at the top. And then you can lie on it. Seriously, just put your weight on it. You now have a big fat happy pillow to rest yourself on, and little weight on your arms..

Ha ha! I use my tummy for the same thing..!