Hi guys, I have been riding motorbikes for 15 years, exclusively Honda sport bikes including two 600rr’s and my current 1000rr. I am ashamed to say that in all this time I have never once considered the ergonomics of my handlebars! Actually, that isn’t 100% accurate. I did some European touring so had helibars fitted to the Fireblade, but that involved a mechanic installing them with no consideration of my body size and shape. Only due to a recent left wrist ache during town riding did I investigate handlebar and lever position, and I found my setup completely wrong for me. Take the levers……apparently their plane of movement should extend in a direct line from elbow to wrist. Mine were positioned nearly parallel to the ground! Also the handlebars……apparently when you naturally grab the grips the line of your knuckles (sideways across the fingers) should be approximately parallel to the angle of the handlebars. Mine are about 30 degree misaligned! I have always accepted the ‘ergonomics’ with which the bike came to me and never considered fitting it to suit the rider. I assume you esteemed guys and gals are less simple than myself and have always adapted the bike to fit? kindest regards, and any tips or thoughts on fit would be appreciated before I break out the spanners! Martin
I think I probably sit somewhere in the middle; I've adjusted ergonomics somewhat but have also tended to just 'fit myself to the bike', having generally had several very different shapes at any given time (usually 1x Supersport, 1x Sport Tourer & 1x Off-Road/Supermotard). I'm probably still young enough, at 37, to be able to leisurely accept my capacity to cramp or stretch, but I know it won't always be this way. I suspect I'll have to adjust more as my bones get older and my ligaments more used...
I always have to adjust the bars and levers to be comfortable and pain free. For some reason my wrists don't articulate backwards that far and have arthritis in my fingers. It doesn't take long to sort out and well worth doing. I just read this back and it sounds worse than it actually is. I'm only 52 and I guess I was a bit fucked off with the problems started but you work around them. They won't stop me riding for a long time yet I hope and people work around far more debilitating issues. Worth spending the time getting comfy at any age
Ditti, I do adjust lever spans and also the gear shift. Not one for the tear brake as I don't use it that much. If clip ons were more accommodating in terms of adjustment I would probably fettle them too but most ate pretty rigid in their scope of operation before fouling on front screens or the tank etc Still worth doing what you can as it make living with that bike so much easier
