I've been adjusting the ergonomics on my bike for quite some time. It's been really interesting, and great fun! On top  of that, I care a lot about how the bike looks. Honestly, I like looking at it, just as much as I enjoy riding it.

Anyhoo, I thought I'd share some observations (I finally have it where I want it due to the fact my Triumph Superbars arrived yesterday, after a 5 week back order, and some tom-foolery with the shipping!!).

I'll start by saying, I viewed the ergonomics as having to account for three riding styles: running around locally, highway day-trips, and twisties in the hills. I discovered I could optimise for two, but not three. I chose local, and highway (I like the twisties, but if that was my thing I would get a track bike, and do weekends at the MotoGP track down the road).

Aesthetically, the stock tall risers and narrow drag bars jarred me every time I came out of a shop and saw the bike sitting there. The riding position was great for short jaunts at low speeds, but on the highway, I had to lean forward so much, to counter the wind, that my head was almost past the mirrors! And, they put a lot of pressure on my shoulders (This significant for me as might right shoulder is a bit dodgy due to an old injury). The seat always seemed a bit 'meh' to me. I reckon it looked like it was designed by the same guy that designs seats for public transport - and, my tailbone suffered a great deal on a ride over 30 minutes.

I wanted to move back a bit on the seat, the handlebars to be lower and wider - and I discovered, if my legs are more extended, the weight of my legs helps to counter the head wind - and relieved my tailbone!


I started with new handlebars. These were 29" HD drag bars; a couple of inches wider than the stock bars, and with much less pull-back. See image below:



I made some aluminium spacers for risers - they were 40mm. The riding position was pretty good. My hands were wide, and lower; elbows out. But, I was always a little worried about using bolts that were 40mm longer than spec, at the same diameter.

As for the seat: one day, I had the seat off and thought "holy cow, that looks great". I straddled the bike and thought "right, I'm taking whatever I can outta the seat" (and moving the rectifier).

The pegs: I got a set of Ed.L's forward controls (4"). Took some getting used to, but now I love 'em.

This left one last piece of the puzzle. The handlebars were just a touch too straight. I had to keep my elbows out a lot to keep my wrists in good shape, this affected the handling. Someone on here, mentioned that they had Superbars, and that it looked similar to my setup. I researched it and ordered a set. They have about an inch more pullback than the HD bars, and I could ditch the spacers, and go back to the original, early-model clamps, and original spec bolts.

The setup is now perfect for me as far as handling goes, and I love how it looks.

As a side note, I learned tons from this forum and was the beneficiary of the generosity of Lancer (handlebar clamps) and MShipley (A stock seat I could hack into at will).

Here's a pic of the new bars:

Thanks Dave  

I'm also 5' 8" (and I have short legs, and therefore a long torso). The forward controls are the single biggest factor that changed the ride. It really is like a different bike. My legs feel outstretched, but when I look down, they are actually still quite bent! The effect is also altered by the fact my seat is effectively a couple of inches lower too.

Using the rear brake involves pointing the toes,  and I can't really put any vertical pressure on the pegs, so bumps in the road are worn completely through the seat. My feet sit at an angle with the heels down so, at first, I felt I had to resist them slipping down off the pegs. I was worried about that initially, but I persisted. I seem to have adapted to that naturally, because it no longer feels that way. Occasionally, I can feel the kickstand with my left heel, and my right foot now sits beyond the heat shield, although I've never burnt my boot on the header.

When it comes to fast cornering, there is no way to shift sideways on the seat - hanging off the side is impossible. My legs are also a little more splayed (ideally a couple of inches off the width of the seat, at the narrow front part, would be even better. And, to run the stitching of the seat vertically down from where it leaves the passenger seat)

I was talking to a very experienced racing friend (bemoaning some of these things). He said "Mate, the key is to adapt. It's about the rider, not the bike". He gave me some sage advice on cornering technique. I've taken his advice, and done some specific practice on the bike to figure out how to get the best out of it. That has paid off greatly, and made the riding a lot of fun.

To sum all that up: the forward controls have changed the handling, and I had to relearn some things. For me, it's worth it. For others it may not be.

Until you have midsets, there's no way to get the weight off the seat.
So by going to farther forward pegs you lower the knees and adjust the angle of the pelvis.
This relieves the pressure on the tailbone similar to the seat lift mod.
Another option is to raise the seat height.  
I discovered this with my HD seat mod as it's about an inch or two higher.
When I rode a bike with forward pegs it felt the same as my hd seat mod.

Serowbot wrote on 01/06/18 at 09:06:00:


Is that why I enjoy riding my Cafe' bike so much?