Relax?

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Relax?

Postby Mike James » Wed Dec 19, 2012 9:16 pm

"How do you keep your arms and shoulders relaxed while riding?" asked the n00b.

Seem to be forever tensed up. Can't imagine a 2-hour ride....

Mike
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Re: Relax?

Postby rickrwh » Wed Dec 19, 2012 9:33 pm

Simple answer is core and lower back strength. Either get thee to the gym more often or ride more. There is no shortcut.

The controls are just that, controls. They are to be finessed, not manhandled. They are not for you to hang on and support your upper body, they are to control the speed and direction of the motorcycle.
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Re: Relax?

Postby vacommuter » Thu Dec 20, 2012 5:28 am

I find that my arms and shoulders don't bother me if I constantly scream like a little girl... Consider evaluating the ergonomics of your set-up. Seat height, bar position, pegs, etc. May take some adjustments to find a sweet spot.

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Re: Relax?

Postby Scratch » Thu Dec 20, 2012 8:49 am

Valium.

Just kidding. Your bike's ergos may well part of the problem. I've often found that adjusting the handlebars, adding risers/bar backs; adjusting brake/clutch levers, adjusting seat height or swapping the stock seat out for a custom, and/or different footpegs can make a world of difference. In fact I don't think I've owned one bike on which I haven't modified the ergos one way or another. My previous R1200GS had bar backs and a Sargent low seat; my current GSA has a Russell Daylong; just a couple months ago I added handlebar risers to my F800S (THAT was a huge relief to my 'hunched over' position).
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Re: Relax?

Postby ERC Scott » Thu Dec 20, 2012 1:01 pm

I'm with Rick on this. Physical conditioning can play a big role in both comfort & control. As much as I hate doing sit ups and crunches, now that I've gotten better core strength (and lost 10 lbs -- not that any of you all have noticed! :lol: ) I find it less tiring to ride the longer hours. Before, I would have to remind myself to relax my forearms as I would notice them feeling stiff & tired. The instructors at the Enduro Skills class in SC were adamant about conditioning, and Jim Hyde, maybe more so. Scott
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Re: Relax?

Postby Georgeinva » Thu Dec 20, 2012 3:40 pm

Add me to the "gotta mess with the ergos" On my CS I rotated the bars a bit, on the R11RT I have the seat in the high position and a bead rider. My RT is almost too tall for me to touch the ground but I hold the grips a lot more than I put my feet on the ground. On long trips (more than 1 tank of gas per travel day) I use a wrist rest , sometimes on both grips.
Low front tire pressure will cause you to fight with the bars.
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Re: Relax?

Postby bdimon » Fri Dec 21, 2012 2:29 pm

Mike James wrote:"How do you keep your arms and shoulders relaxed while riding?" asked the n00b.

Seem to be forever tensed up. Can't imagine a 2-hour ride....

Mike


Mental: Relax. Easy to say - hard to do. Gain confidence through parking lot practice. You can handle high stress situations better if you are relaxed.

Physical: Make sure you have a natural curve in your back. Somewhere on the web I read about the "Master Yoda Riding Position." The link is broken now but I'll look for it later.
Last edited by bdimon on Fri Dec 21, 2012 6:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Relax?

Postby Paul Mihalka » Fri Dec 21, 2012 5:23 pm

Master Yoda riding position: It is here with all the continuation:

http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/u ... 757&page=1
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Re: Relax?

Postby bdimon » Fri Dec 21, 2012 6:22 pm

Paul Mihalka wrote:Master Yoda riding position: It is here with all the continuation:

http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/u ... 757&page=1


Luckily, I read this before my first cross-country trip on my RT. I rode a Gold Wing before the RT and found the Beemer so uncomfortable that I could hardly believe people toured on it. I was hurting all over but mostly my butt and shoulders. I read and followed Dick Frantz's advice and changed the way I sat on the bike. Although not as comfortable as the Wing (what else is?) 700-900 mile days were doable. Also I decided there was no longer a need for a new seat and bar-risers.

Getting back to the shoulders and arms (the origination of this thread), the Master Yoda posture does not require your arms to support your weight. That allows you to "drop the hands to the bars" and keep the shoulders relaxed.
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Re: Relax?

Postby Mike James » Mon Dec 24, 2012 10:33 am

Thanks All.

I got a Heli riser and will try to make time to put it on this week. Hopefully that, plus a big "RELAX!" sticker on my dash will do the trick.

You guys are the best!

Mike
1993 K75 S ABS
2007 F800ST
2013 Victory Cross Country
2001 YZ250F dirt bike for the farm

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Re: Relax?

Postby dcgsrider » Mon Dec 24, 2012 8:24 pm

A few things I've learned in regular 800+ mile rides.

1) Easy does it. Light grip on the bars. Get a throttle lock and a throttle rocker. Your hands are there solely to manipulate the controls. Gravity is what keeps the rider in the bike.

2) Sit up straight, just like mother said. Roll your pelvis forward and don't slouch.

3) Move around. Slide back a bit on the saddle. Stand up when road and traffic conditions allow, especially on the GS. The pegs are positioned for this.

4) Stay hydrated. Muscular aches are one of the symptoms of dehydration. Camelback is a must for long rides, regardless of temperature.

5) I agree on the comments about conditioning. Since I started working out, I don't get fatigued on the motorcycle.

6) Smile. :) If it's not fun, take a break.
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Re: Relax?

Postby Paul Mihalka » Mon Jan 21, 2013 9:27 am

Somebody far away must have hit the wrong buttons...
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Re: Relax?

Postby Scratch » Mon Jan 21, 2013 9:57 am

Whatever it is, I'll take two of them.
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Re: Relax?

Postby drewalex » Wed Jan 23, 2013 4:26 pm

Try a tankbag, fill it with your rain gear and soft stuff and use it as a pillow. Rest your body on it and let your arms go loose, it worked for me.
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Re: Relax?

Postby henwin » Sat Mar 16, 2013 4:39 pm

Mike James wrote:"How do you keep your arms and shoulders relaxed while riding?" asked the n00b.
Seem to be forever tensed up. Can't imagine a 2-hour ride....Mike

As others have said, your ergos may be at fault. However, something to look at before even your ergos, is your posture.

Try this: sit on your bike in your normal riding position. You could even be on the center stand. If your arms are nearly straight (and you're elbows are locked or nearly so), then I'd argue that you are sitting too far from the bars and chances are it's because you are leaning backwards. Having your elbows locked--or nearly so--should tell you that you are sitting in a fatigue-inducing posture that is easily fixable, simply by sitting up straight. What to do? Roll your upper body (from the hips) forward a few degrees to cause your elbows to bend--they should be bent between 90° and 120°.

If you find that your arms are nearly straight as you ride along (and your elbows are locked or nearly so), then you need to adjust that, and you do it by simply rotating your upper body forward (and just so you know, it happens to all of us, eventually). When you ride all of your steering inputs should come from your lower arms. If your shoulders are involved in things like turning/cornering, that's a hint that you're leaning backwards. Rotate you upper body forward.

Let us know what you find and how you fix it.
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