An "aha" moment

 

Driving my van home from the blueberry farm last night I got a sudden
insight: I'M SITTING (more or less) IN THE CRUISER RIDING POSITION!

What a revelation. Well I can drive this van a hundred miles at a time
without getting a backache, whereas a cruiser hurts my lower back
in less than 20 miles.

The difference is that in the van my back, especially my lower back
is well supported. Then clearly did I recall some half-remembered
words from Reeky (posted July 30/08 by the honorable member known
only as "."):

 > The cruiser rider has to adopt the "sit up and beg" posture. It's not
 > even possible to "post" on a cruiser, the rider has to take whatever
 > bump he encounters up his butt into his spine, because the footpegs
 > are too far forward. All the rider can do is try to pull himself up
 > with his arms.

 > This gets tiresome after about 45 minutes, and the lower back starts
 > to hurt, unless the seat has a backrest. 120 degrees is the best angle
 > for the backrest.

Obviously, I need to rush out and buy a backrest for my Harley and
perhaps also for the S40, although for that bike I've been trying
to design modifications for a more neutral posture.

Incidentally, I use an "ergonomic" kneeling chair at this computer,
where some of my weight is supported by a pad under my shins. Maybe
I'll replace it with a layout similar to a UJM, with a bench seat,
footpegs etc... I could even use foot controls for commonly used
keys such as carriage return, etc.

Sean_Q_
'99 FLHTCUI / '06 S40 / '81 CB750 chopper / various projects & derelicts

 



    Duh :-)  Plus you can easily shift around.

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You also need to do the opposite of the "kewl" new trend of "lowering"
your motorcycle.  That entails bolting on tiny shocks with very little
travel which only exacerbates the shocks that end up transmitted to
your spinal column.  Irks me to no end that Harley actually sells such
stupidity on a stock motorcycle.

Besides being unable to soften pothole shocks with you legs, another
problem with cruiser posture is that the gyno chair leg positioning
tends to get tiring as you have to fight the wind attempting to spread
your legs like Bubba on fresh meat day at the Pen.  Without heal
support, this riding position is downright unpleasant at speed, but it
does make for a good isometric excersise.

"Ape" handlebars are everybit as ridiculous as undersized shocks as
they unfold you like a sail in the wind.  Again, highway speeds become
obnoxious as you have to hangon like an Al Queda trainee on Osama's
monkey bars as the wind tries to topple you off the silly thing.

Contrast that with a Burgman scooter:

*  Feet out front with proper wind protection.

* A seat with an uber-comfy step for low back support.

* Properly designed suspension.

* A proper windscreen and handlebars designed for humans, not
orangutan.

One could ride one of those things around the country without batting
an eye.

 

saddlebag wrote:


With the fairing and lowers on my Electra Glide, I don't have a problem
with wind.

 > "Ape" handlebars are every bit as ridiculous as undersized shocks

In order to understand this you need to examine Abraham Maslov's
hierarchy of needs. Riding comfort exists at the lowest (Physiological)
level, whereas ape hangers are higher up at Esteem (showing off,
impressing one's peers as well as girls, etc). In effect, they're
a statement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs

Earlier this year I found a CB750 chopper for sale on Craig's.
The moment I laid eyes on it and heard it run I knew I was buying it,
even though it's totally impractical from a purely riding point of view.

However, I thought its Cool factor was very high. It fills a social
need, not a riding need. When I took it to a bike show a few weeks ago
people gathered around it saying, "Wow, what a neat bike." It has
springer forks, about the longest of any bike there.

Then I started it up. Everyone was impressed. Note that this motor
has very little to do with actual propulsion and everything to do
with socialization. (The bike didn't have plates or insurance for road
use. I could get them any time, but that's beside the point).

Now there are a few voices here with scorn for "trailer queens"
(and yes, I did haul it up there on a trailer). However, this
is a cosmopolitan forum, for bikers and bikes of every type and usage.

Here in Reeky I even make an effort to be tolerant of sportbikes.

SQ

 


It's not a matter of tolerance.  I couldn't care less how someone
wants to hill billy engineer their bike once they take it home.  I'm
just bothered that an American motorcycle company is perpetuating
stupidity by selling "off the shelf" hill billy engineered bikes to
the uninformed masses because said uninformed masses think it looks
kewl.

Much better the sell a properly designed motorcycle and let the would
be hill billies see how a motorcycle is supposed to work before they
go and fuck it up.  Might make Harley a lot of extra money too.  They
could sell them all the hill billy parts and labor, then fix it back
for them after they figured out what a shitty ride they've created all
in the name of sheepdom.