Where do you sit on your bike?

[Stevieb038]

This may seem like an odd question for my first post. Having gained my full licence last May I'm still learing a lot. I often wonder if im sitting correctly on my bike. I like to sit up front with my sack squashed against the tank. I feel like I handle the bike better and have better control and feel. But is putting my wgt on the front end ok or am I going to come un-stuck?

 

[CCHOUSEKY]

Nah, there's nothing wrong with sitting like that. On a longer ride, you'll find that sitting toward the back of the seat will be more forgiving on your knees, but sitting up towards the tank won't change the handling of the bike that much.

Typically, if I'm out for a spirited ride in the twisties, I'll be up on the tank more because I feel it gives me better control over the bike. I just feel like I get more feedback if I'm up over the front end a bit more.

But on longer stretches, I'll sit back in the seat and sometimes even throw my heels over the frame sliders to stretch out my knees. It just makes things more enjoyable when you can actually feel your legs after a long ride...lol.

Oh, and :welcome:

 

[Motogiro]

:welcome:to the forum! You'll find a great membership and very helpful people.
So many of us have different shapes,sizes, ergos and riding styles that it's not a pat answer so I'm going to say what is comfortable for you at this time but be careful when you come to rougher terrain or bumps in the road that you get steady on the pegs and lift up a little so you bang your nads!

 

[Stevieb038]

Thank you that does put my mind at rest. longer journeys yes it will kill me but I have been riding so far through my first winter. My journey to work is only a couple of miles but plenty of round abouts and I feel better riding up front. You can pass your test but no one shows you this stuff :thumbup:

 

[mave2911]

Depends on your body size, but I ride at the back of the front cushion. Sitting up too close to the tank makes the bike nervous (for me) and I found I was too amped. Sitting back a bit, makes me feel more relaxed. (I push the seat as far back as my leg reach will allow in a car for this same reason) Each to his own, but I know what works for me.

 

[keith w]

I think it depends on your size, butt size, and the type of riding. At 6'3" and 225#, I usually sit all the way back. It's easier on my old knees.:thumbup:

 

[mave2911]

I think it depends on your size, butt size, and the type of riding. At 6'3" and 225#, I usually sit all the way back. It's easier on my old knees.:thumbup:

Concur - I'm 6', 230lb. Sitting back also makes it easier (for me) to lift off the seat for uneven terrain too.

 

[motojoe122]

With the FZ1 bar I like to sit toward the rear of the rider seat.

And a big :welcome: to the forum!

 

[Dartanubis]

love the way you explained your riding style xD, but i do the exact same unless I'm riding for long periods on a very long straight road since i tried doing a stoppie long ago and slammed myself into the tank and it leaves me with an uneasy feeling haha.

 

[Botch]

I think it depends on your size, butt size, and the type of riding. At 6'3" and 225#, I usually sit all the way back. It's easier on my old knees.:thumbup:

Same here, I'm 6'5". On longer trips without the luggage, I'll even slide back and sit on the pillion station for awhile to stretch my legs. I get a few grins from the cagers... :BLAA:

 

[yamihoe]

in short, i sit on the seat. :BLAA:

i do like to choke up on the tank a bit, but on the highway i LOVE to sit far back on the seat and keep my feet on the sliders...helps keep my legs a bit warmer to :thumbup:

 

[Humperdinkel]

Same here, I'm 6'5". On longer trips without the luggage, I'll even slide back and sit on the pillion station for awhile to stretch my legs. I get a few grins from the cagers... :BLAA:

Me too That was the worst part about being the pack horse for our Tassie trip.....


Im a big unit & like to sit & the real soft part of the step between front & rear on the long trips :thumbup: but once in the twisties it tend to get forward & over the bars more....

 

[marke14]

Where's Wavex to weigh in on this topic?

I am now more or less in the "nuts on the tank" school of riding. Wavex agrees - better to be all the way up in case you have to stop or decelerate suddenly, rather than sliding forward and whacking into the tank.

I am 5'10" (70 inches / 1.78m) and I prefer to sit up closer to the front, unless I'm trying to tuck in because it's cold or something, in which case I'll move back.

 

[Nelly]

At 5' 6" I leave my nuts at home and I sit just behind the fairing

I prefer riding close to the tank, I can use my knees to aid stability.

Welcome to the forum and good luck.

Nelly:thumbup:

 

[DownrangeFuture]

Well, I ride towards the back even though I'm 5'8". Keith Code says thats the preferred position because the back of the seat helps in stability of the rider. Your knees should be used to keep you from sliding forward.

Of course, Kieth is not the be-all-end-all expert on it, and he's talking about racing.

 

[ChevyFazer]

I'm ~ 6'1" but have really long legs, don't know my exact inseam and have fz1 bars but, pretty much like everyone else has said when cruising, commuting, running a errand, or pretty much just riding normal I slide all the way back, if I've been in the saddle a while sometimes I'll hop up on pillion seat, or slide up to sit straight up with my feet on the sliders just to change position and put pressure on other areas of my rear. But when I'm really thrashing it in the mountains I slide up as far as possible, and try to pinch the tank in between my legs so that I hopefully won't be sliding forward and backwards between acceleration and deceleration, but it never fails I often find my self sitting halfway up the tank or in the spot where I normally ride in. I need to get some tank pads and some sort of a seat cushion with some grip