Riding Positions?

[stray cat]

Reading 1036cs's thread about his new 748 and his queries about riding position is interesting, as I have had a weekend of analysing mine.

I have been finding that when crouched down my line of sight is obscured at the top by my helmet, which makes me crane my head upwards so I can better see the road ahead (always useful). On Fri we were at Donington, so I took my helmet to the Arai truck. The lovely helpful guy said I needed more padding on the top of my head and fitted a 15mm crown liner. H told me that the shell size for Arai S and XS is the same, but the XS has a 15mm lining and the S has a 7mm lining, so that was interesting to know for a start, and especially that you can get different bits of liner in varying thicknesses for different parts of your bonce. £40 well spent there.

Much better visibility riding home, but because I didn't need to angle my head up it was a good starting point to think in depth about other ergonomics. I am quite small and light, 5'5" and 8.5 stone. For me, the 748/998 is not cramped at all, but I naturally seem to slide forwards and lie on the tank. However, it feels better steering when my arms are extended a bit further, but this necessitates vigilance of my riding position: to keep my butt towards the rear of the seat requires constant knee-gripping, stomach-muscle-clenching and footpeg bracing. This I can hack on the track, although it is tiring (as I am probably not superfit) but I cannot be arsed on the road - and for me it is an added distraction when there's a lot else going on. So I just let myself naturally slide forwards and lie on that there tank, and I must say it is a very comfy riding position & no wrist ache. Lazy get!

ps I have an Alcantara seat on the 998 and it doesn't stop me sliding forward,(but it does look very nice indeed).

Hope this is not too much of a ramble; I just thought the helmet thing might be of interest, as I was a bit of an ignoramus about how Arais could be custom-fitted & was pleasantly surprised.

[harriebird]

i will be heading to the Arai stand at the next bike show i go to, my XS lid is loosening off a little and the XXS was too small but i was told you could get different pads so all good.

i have a similar problem when tucking in, my lid slips about, so i will mention that too.

i'm five foot tall and used to love lying flat on the tank of my 748 8) found it really quite comfy and no wrist ache like you say.

have you seen the Stomp pads, they are meant to be really good for gripping the tank with your knees. I know CSS sell them, i have seen them in a few other places too. i am also hoping to get a set of these for my race bike. basically when you grip the tank with your knees, you stay there rather than sliding around 8) i tried one of CSS's demo/teaching bikes at Bikefest at Donington and the Stomp pads were great.

i so wish i still had a 748. i've been dreaming about 998s or 996s or similar but funds and garage space just will not permit. Lily has a lot to answer for!

[stray cat]

Originally Posted by harriebird

have you seen the Stomp pads, they are meant to be really good for gripping the tank with your knees. I know CSS sell them, i have seen them in a few other places too. i am also hoping to get a set of these for my race bike. basically when you grip the tank with your knees, you stay there rather than sliding around 8) i tried one of CSS's demo/teaching bikes at Bikefest at Donington and the Stomp pads were great.

Are those the things that look like that stuff people put down to protect their carpet?

Yes, Lily has a lot to answer for. She leads people into temptation

[NedLudd]

Originally Posted by stray cat

H told me that the shell size for Arai S and XS is the same, but the XS has a 15mm lining and the S has a 7mm lining, so that was interesting to know for a start

That is interesting to know. I have an Arai in L, which I use with a balaclava. It's come to feel a fraction loose, so I thought I'd try an M when at a dealer's on Sat. The M was more of a struggle to get on - I felt like I was almost flexing the shell - but once it didn't feel tight, just snug, better therefore. Leaves me in a bit of a quandary.

[harriebird]

Originally Posted by stray cat

Are those the things that look like that stuff people put down to protect their carpet?

yes the very same things, kinda knobbly looking i think they're about £30 or so.

[Frenchy]

I bought a new Arai Corsair a few weeks ago from Bike Stop in Stevenage. The guys in there were brilliant. (and so they should be I guess if you are spending £500 on a lid). Anyway they spent ages playing around with different linings, to a point where they even glued in some custom foam behind the cheek pads, it made so much difference from being an OK fir to a perfect one, highly recommend them

[Dingocooke]

Yep I had the same experience at the T this year with Arais free racing service, they spent ages getting the fit right; excellent; another good reason to buy an Arai

[funkyrimpler]

Weve gone off topic here have'nt we..?wasnt it about riding positions..? But i do agree about Arai...I have an RX7 Corsair..brilliant lid...I wont wear anything else...even had a spill on Saturday (read 916 wipeout thread) and have always used em, 'cept for my first lid..

Riding positions...Personally i find the best technique for road riding (on my 916) is to sit forwards in the seat against the tank, although the seat design does push you in this direction anyway (can be a bit a ball squeezer tho), with my toes on the pegs. I try to grip the tank a little or put weight through the pegs depending on situations and comfort levels. I think many riders just lay on their wrists and dont support themselves..or ride with thier elbows sticking out..Sitting to the rear of the pad is okay at speed but disturbs weight distribution and steering 90% of the time, making the bike slow to turn and reducing feedback (IMHO). When cornering i relax my grip as much as possible and counter steer, sharper corners i slide off the seat so im looking 'around' the screen on then inside of the corner, and get my upper body over the bike so that my outside arm is stretched across the tank. I find using my body weight like this really smoothes out corning, improves stability and control. Stick yer leg out whilst on tippy toes and its knee down tastic. i think the 916 handles much better when weight is transferred through the pegs, not merely via the bars.

[955SP]

I have to agree that the cornering feels a little slower with my weight at the back of the seat but being leant forward the centre of gravity and weight through my hands dont seem to change the distribution too much.

Im quite thin (for now) so there is a lot of space on the seat and being 6'2" it is just plain annoying that the tank isnt longer and further back so leaving a smaller seat because Its not the sliding against the tank that bothers me (having my crown jewels being squeezed once in a while is suprisingly pleasant) its just feeling like momentum keeps putting my knees by my ears. Its really just that I think here is potential for a better position for the tall kids IMHO.

Anyhow, a suede seat is on the cards not sure about these knee grips. If they went on the trousers then ok but on the tank?? I already hate my tank protector No more stick ons for me!

[MarkST]

Originally Posted by 1036cs

Its really just that I think here is potential for a better position for the tall kids IMHO.

They did it for you Hugh and called it the ST4