I have two now, 1 supersport and 1 sport (basically an upright sportbike).
SuperSport - For days when I want to hit up some twisties
Sport - For days I want to ride for HOURS and be comfortable
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I have two now, 1 supersport and 1 sport (basically an upright sportbike).
SuperSport - For days when I want to hit up some twisties
Sport - For days I want to ride for HOURS and be comfortable
I've never liked the full on super-sport riding position. I could not bring myself to own a super-sport as my only ride. As a 2nd, sure. But I want my primary to be a jack of all trades.
Truthfully I do not believe a real super-sport can be fully enjoyed on public roads.
I switched last year (at 38) from a TLR to a shadow. It wasn't the position, it was the fact the bike was too much for the street. I found myself doing very stupid things on it just because it was capable. I highly miss it now. The shadow is okay. Handling sucks. the motor is good and is perfect for what I use it for. I actually think my TL was more comfortable than my shadow. I've never had any physical problems. I ride my wife's ninja 250R the most though. Upright, mid controls and 55mpg. The only problem is it's a little small for me (280lbs). Once I'm done racing, I'm putting my SV on street duty (hell, I might do it anyway). In my opinion, that would be the perfect street machine....
32 years old, and bought a brand new R6 last year. I did 400 miles in one day a few weeks ago and wasn't sore at all. The next day I felt like the ride never happened. About two years ago I did 800 miles in 24 hours on my '04 R6 and wasn't sore then either. I would likely see different results if I were on a trip where those miles were being ridden day after day but I don't have the time, nor will I anytime soon, to do trips like that. Right now my focus is on day rides.
The bottom line is the bike works for me. Coming from someone who can deal with the position I actually prefer it. I am firmly convinced if you are like me and happen to be one of those people who doesn't have a problem with the position, then you are better off on one.
I am 51, and for most of my life, I always rode dirt bikes. I have owned a couple of street bikes including an Interceptor 750, Ninja 250 and 500, and a Triumph 885 Adventurer. I have also owned several Dual Sport bikes including XR's, DR's, a DRZ400, and my current DR650. I usually do not ride very far, with only a couple of trips out of state per year. Most of my riding consists of running around town, and commuting. These days, I prefer smaller displacement motors, and as light a bike as I can find. I spend a lot of time on our Ninja 250, and it is almost time to get rid of the DR650 - and maybe get one of those new CRF250L's.
I do not think that I could ever do the "BIG V-TWIN" thing, but a Gold Wing would be nice for when my wife and I want to get away for a while. Right now, the big DR handles that chore quite well.
I also can not tolerate loud street bikes - cruisers or sport bikes - and would never own one. I guess that I just have way too much respect for other people to subject them to that kind of thing.
I agree with Mark and Randy. I'm not convinced the cruiser riders are doing as many comfortable miles as you think in a day. On the mixed rides I've attended, the order of rider comfort seems to flow sport touring, sport bike then cruiser.
the absolute worse bike is a hard tail cruiser with forward controls and ape hanger bars....Capt. America
Touring bikes take the cake for comfort in my book. My father's FLHS was like a rolling lazy boy. The floor boards were not under your ass, but they were not way out in front either.
"BUSA" nuff said.
You know, maybe I was wrong about you after all, Chipster.
I currently own an '03 Suzuki Bandit 600, which is like a less sophisticated version of an FZ6.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7182/6...e96ee5f5_z.jpg
I've ridden dual-sports, a couple of gixxas, a Harley, and a handful of old UJMs.
But so far the Bandit is the best bike I've ever ridden. It's comfortable, handles brakes, and accelerates reasonably well.
Oh yeah, and before I got my Bandit I had a "cruiser" '83 Honda Shadow 500
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4009/4...8e91b48d_z.jpg
It wasn't until I test rode my buddies GSXR600 that I decided I wanted something sportier.
My 'wing actually has a bit sportier riding position than its cruiser predecessor.
Wing is pretty much "standard" position with feet almost exactly under the rider.
The cruiser I had (Honda VTX) was fine as far as comfort for about an hour stock. An aftermarket seat helped this immensely. The addition of some cruise pegs also extended riding time, just to give me an alternate position for my knees (which are troublesome in extended riding).
The longest I've been on the wing in a single sitting at this point is about 2.5 hours. Fuel capacity on the wing allows for about 250 miles, which is longer than I've sat for, but at that point to SO is usually ready for a short break.
I don't have any experience on sports, but have found standard to be more comfortable than cruiser in my specific cases.
http://www.bickerbros.com/curly/flhs/history.html
Aka Electra Glide Sport. Dad's was an '89 with the evo 80-ci.
I have mini apes with stretched forwards...I think they are very comfy to tell you the truth.
The hardtail - that's a different story! I ended up putting lowering shocks on it...Hardtail SUCKS.
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...ithtrailer.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...ightside-2.jpg
:stupid:
Only reason a bike with ape hangers & forward controls can be comfortable for the normal human for an extended period of riding is if it's got a ridiculously comfortable seat, cuz that seating position really isn't doin ya any favors.
Like an aggressive sportbike position, it's not BAD, but it's not the best. That's one of the reasons why I got my Tuono.
It seems for my purposes that a sport-touring would be in my best interest with a dedicated track bike as my need for speed quencher.
That's my approach. :twothumb: Need to have the right tool for the job. That's why each type has a name! Cruisers for cruising, track bikes for tracking, sport tourers for sport touring, dirt bikes for dirting, etc.
Now start fillin your toy.... er.... TOOL box.
The riding position on most cruisers is no more ergonomic than that of a sports bike - just different. They tend to have bars and foot controls that are far forward, straining your back and putting too much weight on the rear wheel to have much steering control.
They also drain your IQ.
The popularity of "Adventure Touring" and standard and naked bikes is not because of plans to journey to the Road of Bones, are penurious, or are young gay males. respectively: it's because those bikes have common-sense riding positions.
HD Lifestyle riders are too stupid for words. Sell it.
+1 to that!
I see more & more bikes with ape hanger bars out there lately and simply cannot fathom how those things could be comfortable, legal, safe or able to control the bike in anything but a straight line. Imagine trying to do a near full lock-to-steering stop U-turn with them? In Massachusetts, there's a legal limit of 15" max from the seat to the handgrips. I really wish cops would start enforcing that.
Yea, the apes are a strange thing. I have a friend that put 18s on his Harley Road King. His comment on them was that they were uncomfortable as hell, but they looked cool.
In NH I think they are supposed to be lower than your eyes, but I don't think that is enforced.
Look cool?
I think the riders draped all over them look absolutely ridiculous.
Just say "No" to armpit hair!
I've only got about 5000mi under my belt since late summer of last year (Oreo was my MSF instructor... on many occasions I thank myself for taking that class, and to top it off have a great instructor), but I can ride my SV650sf for miles (225mi on a few occasions) without anything other than a sore ass. I'm in the young but getting old class (27)