As a new VFR owner (2007 RWB), a sport bike posture is new to me. I've been working out at the gym on strengthening my core, and it seems to be working. I went out for about an 1 1/2 hour ride over the weekend, and didn't have a problem with my back. It would have been a longer ride, but the wind was a killer.
How long can you-all stay in the saddle? I can do all day rides on my Gold Wing or in the past on a ST1300. Of course at age 58, bathroom breaks come pretty frequent. LOL
I usually get about 200 to a tank, and when I refuel I use a credit card at the pump, and don't get off the saddle until my 400 mile stop. I have heli's and peg lowering blocks, Sargent saddle. I'm 67 and out of shape.
IB best 1400+ under 24 hours, Denver to Beckley,WV.
Welcome to VFRD. Dang, another old guy. Not really. We have three things in common right off. I, too, am 58. I have the same bike. I know all too well about those frequent, non-planned stops.
I am in good shape and work out regularly. I do not have any problems with the ergonomics of the VFR. I am 6'4" and I did add the lowering footpeg blocks over the winter. Those made the ride more enjoyable. My knees thanked me many times over. If you are over 6 feet, I would definitely recommend adding those.
Come on down to TMAC for some greta riding and people.
I'm 36, 5'8" and don't work out at all (except for the common 12 oz curls). Beginning of the season I'm good for an hour ride. But start to get sore anything beyond that. But mid season I can go until I fill up for gas and can ride for most of the day. But I do get off and stretch a bit during gas stops. My bike is all stock too.
[image: View Post]Fastforward, on 11 April 2012 - 02:16 PM, said:
As a new VFR owner (2007 RWB), a sport bike posture is new to me. I've been working out at the gym on strengthening my core, and it seems to be working. I went out for about an 1 1/2 hour ride over the weekend, and didn't have a problem with my back. It would have been a longer ride, but the wind was a killer.
How long can you-all stay in the saddle? I can do all day rides on my Gold Wing or in the past on a ST1300. Of course at age 58, bathroom breaks come pretty frequent. LOL
The seat is the biggest obstical for me staying in the saddle, My back is not an issue, My Crotch is. Actually on an upright bike, my lower back becomes more an issue, cause all the weight goes through the spine to the butt, the vfr actually keeps your back strethed out as most the weight is on your crotch. The right angles of the seat just digg into my crotch(inner thighs) after a few hours, it hurts.
I guess your back is just not used to the position, you can raise the clipons up, a couple inches, that may help
Actually I find that even at almost 67, 5'8", 35 waist I can stay in the saddle quite a while. I stop every 100 miles on long trips for the sake of not getting drowzy or bladder stressed. When I did my 3200 mile epic ride on my 5th gen (have a 6th now) I usually did about 400 per day and was in good shape at the end of the day. The Sargent seat is a winner for me.
I did 908 miles in ~15 hours coming home from TMAC '11. Wasn't fun. It took a mindset to get it done, I couldn't just do it again on a whim, but I could do it again if I needed/wanted to.
I pulled a 9 hour ride-athon with some riding buddies of mine a few weeks ago. 90% twisties with few stops. The only problem I had was my crotch area and butt took a beating from that super comfy stock seat. No problems with anything else at all and I'm running all stock. I'm only 27 though. May have something to do with that. I did take a nap when I got home. Next big buy? Corbin or Sargeant seat.
I'm disappointed. I read this thread expecting a comment about "How long you can stay in the saddle" and nothing not one comment. Where is the humor today?
[image: View Post]Sweeper, on 11 April 2012 - 08:31 PM, said:
I'm disappointed. I read this thread expecting a comment about "How long you can stay in the saddle" and nothing not one comment. Where is the humor today?
Well, this is easy to explain. Many of those posting here are older, more experienced riders. We understand the proper pace. Discriminating pillion riders who seek long-range satisfaction in the saddle have long sought out older, more experienced riders to share an exciting ride. It is just not an issue for the older rider.
I have done 14 hrs with only fuel stops. 52 and certainly not the fitest person around. Sargent seat makes all the difference for me. The stock one I used to start getting sore after an hour.
I've done 600 miles in 10 hours a couple of times with stops every 150 miles or so for bathroom and stretch. I have Heli-bars, Corbin seat, and for that distance put an Air Hawk seat cushion on to help with my knees (it raises me up just a little). Lowering blocks would probably help too, but I haven't done those. I'm 38, out of shape, and had knee surgery a few years ago.
Hour and a half to two hours is about all I want. Hips and knees start to get unhappy. Lowering pegs, Sargent seat (which mostly negates the benefit of lowered pegs) and the clip-ons are lifted about .75 inches. I'm 6'4". At this point I'm starting to wonder about frame sliders only having them made about 8" long so they could give me a place to put my legs on long runs. And will look totally goofy.
[image: View Post]pres589, on 12 April 2012 - 08:06 AM, said:
At this point I'm starting to wonder about frame sliders only having them made about 8" long so they could give me a place to put my legs on long runs. And will look totally goofy.
I've seen hondalover do that on multiple long trips together.... and he does look totally goofy doing it. But it does give him another seating position option.
One thing I do on real long rides is to do knee-bends(sit/stand/sit) and the trick is to do it till it burns. This is done while riding long straight roads.
Normally I don't try to sit too long on the bike or even car.
I have trained some defensive driving courses and it advised to have a break after a drive not longer than 2hrs and so on for a ride.
For twisty road riding, I try not to ride for long, try to stop after each 1hr back. Then stop for abt 10 mins, have some water, doing breathing, stretching...
I use this waist supporter for a long ride or long drive, it helped me a lot:
Everytime I go out on the viffer (2009), I`m in the saddle for about 3-4 hours with a break or two in between, not because of fatigue but to stop for a smoke hehe. I`m 6`2 and 25 YO and in decent shape. My bikes ergonomics are stock. Around the 4 hour mark, I begin to feel fatigue in my knees. When I first got the viffer I felt it in the wrists, but now I never do. just knees.
First off, I'm 62 years young. I have found changing positions frequently helps extend the hours I can ride. I lay on the tank and extend my legs backwards to stretch and get more blood into the muscles. And it straightens the leg/hip joint. And stretches my back. Then I extend my leg forward, resting the calf on Radar's slider, to stretch the other way.
I stop about every hour and a half to stretch the whole body and have a smoke.
I once rode 900 miles over 24 hours with no sleep but lots of coffee. (Wilbur, WA to Sturgis, SD. It was 95 degrees F. during the day; nighttime riding was a great relief. And less traffic ment less stress).
When I first started touring on my VFR the OEM seat was the limitation....err weak link. My Sargent has allowed me to put together multiple 12+ hour days on tour with no other modifications. And yes I too am eligible for SS!!! I really believe years of cycling have made these long days on the VFR possible. I may be able to do a few more hours on my Goldwing but I am close on the VFR.
Ken Hilliard, Sebastian, FL., 07/14/04, Honda VFR800, 1,121 miles. (IBA, Saddlesore 1000) (the VFR was all stock)
This is the longest "documented" ride I have done. I did it in July, completely within Florida. I don't recommend anyone try this...the last half of the ride was not very much fun (95+ degrees). I have gone farther before though. Once, I did just over 1,500 miles in less than 24 hours on my old Yamaha YZF 750R.
I usually, stop every 200 miles or so, to get gas and when I do. I usually take a few minute beak to drink a Gatoraide, use the bathroom, and stretch. When I do ride long distances I'm usually never in a hurry to get where I'm going so time isn't of the essence...normally.
The weakest link for me physically speaking, is eventual soreness in my wrists, and an aching stiffness in my right knee.
I have since added convertibars, sargent seat, scottoiler, peg lowering blocks, hot grips, powerlet, zumo 220, vario-touring screen, stealth edging, centech fuse panel, throttlemeister, panel protectors, longer braided brake lines, Gee-Long Carbon Craft tank procetor, and an autocom (since replaced with Scala G4's)
Did a 5 1/2 hour ride recently after installing a Corbin saddle. Butt was plenty happy. Shoulders and back could feel it, but not too bad. Have done similar rides on the stock seat. Prefer the Corbin.
Breaks, stretching and running around in circles every hour or so. The twisties mean more moving around and less fatigue, to a point.
Oh, 57, 6'1" and 230 and IQ...obviously brilliant. I ride a VFR.
I usually only do about 200 at a time. I could care less about seeing how far I can push it. I want to enjoy my ride and by then I'm ready to use the bathroom, get a drink, and stretch my legs.
I find 400-500 mile days are best when touring. At that pace, I can stop for lunch, gas, photos/leg stretching/water/snacks and still make my destination early enough to find a room if I need one. I did a 900-mile day a few years back by riding 500 then thinking: "What the heck, I'll sleep in my own bed tonight" and pushing on. I made it without issues, but I was shagged and the last 200-300 miles weren't fun. I ride to enjoy it, so it's 500 for me.
As to comfort modifications, I have a Sargent seat, Helibars and a Givi touring screen. I have no physical issues with long days in the saddle on the VFR apart from some numbness in my right hand which I can usually shake out or ease by using my NEP throttle lock.
I've done back to back to back 900+ mile days on my 2002 VFR. Convertibars, Throttlemeister, Vario Screen, and Sargent Seat help a lot! GPS and heated vest also help. Lately, a couple hundred miles is just fine though.
I have a tale of caution. Returning from a five-week trip to Daytona, with the final leg from Kansas City, KS to Minneapolis, MN, I was approching my short, steep driveway. It was around midnight and I was feeling tired. Apparently I did not know how tired I was. As I got to the top of the driveway, at the entrance to the garage I hit a half inch lip on the garage floor. I was being too careful with the clutch when I hit the lip; the bike stopped and started rolling backwards down the hill. I had a "brain lockup", blew the cluch release and ended up on the ground at the bottom of the driveway, with my left foot trapped under the bike. My boot protected my foot (no injury or pain) but I could not lift the bike off while laying on the ground. I even removed all the luggage I could reach and still could not lift the machine. Then, to further the stupidity, my roommate came home from a night of partying, lifted the bike off me and then the two of us, one on each side, tried to push the bike up the driveway into the garage. I was trying to lean the bike towards myself and he was trying to do the same. He was stronger so he won and dropped the bike on his side. A true comedy of errors. So I needed two new footpegs and had to wait a week for the parts to arrive.
Moral lesson: be aware of your physical state at the end of long days in the saddle. Fatigue WILL have it's effect. Often in unexpected ways.
End of thread · 32 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 16 Apr 2012
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