My aching back...

[ride4now_imp]

I was out and about today... putting about 110 miles on the CB.
Nothing special to talk about, just a nice ride to enjoy the cooler temps
here in Fla. But my back is really aching tonight. I don't have a windscreen,
however I did order one a few days ago. I hope its the lack of a shield
but I am 6ft tall and since the bike feels a bit snug, I'm fearful there's more
to it than that. How tall are other people on this forum? If you're 6' or taller,
do you have this problem or do you think it's the wind? I did run a bit
faster than previous rides as I'm approaching 600 miles on the clock
now. My other bikes have wind protection but they are bigger too...

 

[Joola_imp]

What part of your back is in pain?

I'm 6' even. I had severe lower back and tailbone pain after an hour or so in the saddle. I purchased a new, taller seal from K&H and the pain is all but gone. I did a 3 hour ride yesterday and felt little to no discomfort. At least 1 hour of that ride was at highway speeds so I don't think the wind pressure was contributing to my pain. It was all the seat for me.

 

[Houtman_imp]

I am 6 ft and have a constant back pain but never felt it was because of a lack of windscreen or fairing ( I do not have them on any of my bikes)
The biggest plus for me was putting a Corbin seat on the CB1100,it might be a tad lower but I can sit back a little further.
Now I can ride much longer without discomfort,not only my butt ,but also my back feels a lot better.

 

[the Ferret]

Gheil, don't know if this is the case for you or not, but most people slouch when the ride, putting excessive pressure on their lower backs. They need to tighten/ strengthen their core. Grip the bike with their knees, sit up straight and have a light grip on the bars with slightly bent elbows, and let their core be the foundation for their riding posture.

 

[CIP57_imp]

At highways speeds the upright position does get uncomfortable. Before I got my shield my back and especially my neck would bother me after rides. Since I've put the NC shield which i cut down to the point that it gets all the wind of my chest its a completely different ride. I took the shield off a couple of weeks ago on a nice day, after about 30 miles turned around to put in back on, i never comes off anymore.

 

[rboe]

I'll lean forward into the wind and use the rear passenger pegs to ease the trip. Especially on the XR650L. At speed that thing is nasty for some reason.

Otherwise you need to add a small windscreen to take the wind off your chest.

 

[ride4now_imp]

What part of your back is in pain?

I'm 6' even. I had severe lower back and tailbone pain after an hour or so in the saddle. I purchased a new, taller seal from K&H and the pain is all but gone. I did a 3 hour ride yesterday and felt little to no discomfort. At least 1 hour of that ride was at highway speeds so I don't think the wind pressure was contributing to my pain. It was all the seat for me.

Thanks... I may try that IF the problem continues after I mount the windscreen. Process of elimination.....

I am 6 ft and have a constant back pain but never felt it was because of a lack of windscreen or fairing ( I do not have them on any of my bikes)
The biggest plus for me was putting a Corbin seat on the CB1100,it might be a tad lower but I can sit back a little further.
Now I can ride much longer without discomfort,not only my butt ,but also my back feels a lot better.

Thanks... but im afraid to sit any lower. The seat to footpeg distance is too close as it is for me.

Gheil, don't know if this is the case for you or not, but most people slouch when the ride, putting excessive pressure on their lower backs. They need to tighten/ strengthen their core. Grip the bike with their knees, sit up straight and have a light grip on the bars with slightly bent elbows, and let their core be the foundation for their riding posture.

Thanks Ferret... you're probably right. BUT, you sound like my wife (a personal trainer) who's always telling that my 'form' is wrong!!

 

[ride4now_imp]

At highways speeds the upright position does get uncomfortable. Before I got my shield my back and especially my neck would bother me after rides. Since I've put the NC shield which i cut down to the point that it gets all the wind of my chest its a completely different ride. I took the shield off a couple of weeks ago on a nice day, after about 30 miles turned around to put in back on, i never comes off anymore.

I ordered the NC wind deflector shield which should help; it arrives tomorrow. I have a detachable sport shield on my SuperGlide and it amazing the difference I feel when it's on vs. when it's off. I never ride it anywhere... any more, at any speed or distance, without it. I have had a history of lower back pain, so I'm pretty confident that the shield will help. Thanks!

 

[sandybunker66_imp]

I put an NC Deflector DX on my bike today and took it for a high speed test ride. The difference on my back is amazing. I'm 6'3", and I need a taller seat as well, but the shield really helps.

 

[Gingersdaddy_imp]

I'm 6'1 and I'm ok with the back, but the butt does get a little sore. I might eventually break down and get a seat. I had not rode in a long time when I started back on the CB. Since I have relaxed a little more when riding, everything feels better. :biker:

 

[ride4now_imp]

I put the NC deflector shield on the bike this week... and am heading out on a good long ride down to Sarasota and along their beach area. The weather is GREAT (will be in the 70's to low 80's all day), the bike is great, my back feels good, so it'll be interesting to see if the shield helps! Ride report later tonight!

 

[the Ferret]

Have fun, ride safe

 

[ride4now_imp]

Ok... other than I wish the Deflector Shield was a bit bigger (should have bought the next one up..), it was a dramatic improvement in comfort vs. no shield. I left this morning at 8:00, road south over the Skyway Bridge, out to Anna Maria Island, down through Longboat Key, St. Armonds Circle, Siesta Key, then out to Sarasota and up through Bradenton on 301 before picking I275 back up and riding north into St. Pete and then back to Treasure Island. Other than a morning stop for coffee, lunch on Siesta Key, and a stop at the Harley dealer in St. Pete (no one else is open on Sundays), I was on the bike from 8:00 until about 4:00. Just short of 200 miles... and NO back pain! The shield really helps... although I bet the problem I had last week wasn't the wind, but just a problem with my back... and not bike related. The bike ran GREAT. The weather was GREAT. My best day on her yet!

 

[the Ferret]

sweet! So how were the wings ?

 

[ride4now_imp]

sweet! So how were the wings ?

No wings... Chicken sandwich and cole slaw... I know!

 

[bubblerboy64_imp]

Good points here.

Stock seats rarely cut it.

Wind deflection is pretty significant for long rides at least for many.

Good posture and having the right ergonomics for the individual rider is probably the most important part of "picking" a bike or at least setting it up from individual use.

I had a BMW one time and the leg position was what I refer to the "jockie position" at the time I had a knee that was giving me some trouble and my knee would get so stiff and sore in about 30 minutes that I was afraid I'd be unable to straighten it out when stopping. Had to sell the bike.

Lastly getting older isn't a help at all but the alternative is worse.

 

[ride4now_imp]

Good points here.

Stock seats rarely cut it.

Wind deflection is pretty significant for long rides at least for many.

Good posture and having the right ergonomics for the individual rider is probably the most important part of "picking" a bike or at least setting it up from individual use.

I had a BMW one time and the leg position was what I refer to the "jockie position" at the time I had a knee that was giving me some trouble and my knee would get so stiff and sore in about 30 minutes that I was afraid I'd be unable to straighten it out when stopping. Had to sell the bike.

Lastly getting older isn't a help at all but the alternative is worse.

Amen to that!!

 

[bogeyshooter_imp]

I'm 6 feet tall, and have taken the bike out twice for trips in excess of an hour. As soon as the bike hits 60mph I become a drag-chute, a lot of pressure on the chest. It's nothing like my old Vstrom which would buffet me like crazy, but it is tiring. My low back also gets sore after an hour on the stock seat. Fly-screen is on order and I'm trying to decide on a new seat. I, too, find myself sliding forward into the tank. The solution is to travel at 60+mph so the wind can push me back into the seat

 

[rboe]

When I first got into motorcycling the national speed limit was 55mph. The need for a fairing was a bit exaggerated. Today, somewhere between 65 and 70 some sort of shield is almost a requirement. I would not want to tour on this bike at 75-80 all day without at least a small chest shield or rearsets.

And a quiet helmet!

 

[the Ferret]

I find anything up to and including 65 to be very doable without a shield and I have ridden this bike straight through, on the freeway, from North Carolina to Ohio without a shield at 75 + for hours.

My trip to/from West Virginia with a shield at 65-70 though, was certainly more relaxed.

It's funny though, it is WHERE the 65 mph is, which makes it tiring....on the freeway ...tiring, on the back roads thru the curves .... you never notice it.

For me a removable windshield is the best solution. I prefer riding a naked bike 95% of the time, but for the occasional trip some kind of wind breaker is nice. The tricky part is finding the right shield that blocks wind, but doesn't induce buffeting/ noise. Like CIP57 sometimes you just have to alter one to make it suit you.