So Many Bikes, So Little Time….

So Many Bikes, So Little Time….

Author: Jo Kinnard (a.k.a Motowrider)

From our September, 2007 Newsletter.

What kind of a rider are you? What kind of bike suits your style of riding? A crotch rocket? A street bike? A laid-back cruiser with a lot of chrome? A scooter?

Like people, two-wheelers come in all sorts of configurations, shapes and sizes, and sometimes it’s hard to figure out which one will work best for you. Yes, like people, each bike has its unique personality, even if it came off an assembly line. How a bike rides is dependent on many factors, outside of its basic construction, technical specifications or the type of riding for which it is designed. So while there are categories of riding and bikes for each category (dirt, touring, sport, etc..), within the category you prefer there still are so many variations between bikes that selecting the right bike for yourself is harder than you might have supposed it would be.

Let’s consider two of many factors that make a bike “right” for you: purpose and ergonomics. It took me several bikes before I really understood the impact of these factors.

Purpose

Before you put down your hard-earned money on a bike, make sure the bike is suited for the kind of riding you want to do.

While the range of choices for such activities as dirt riding or track days are pretty obvious, there’s a whole range of two-wheelers that serve a general purpose, and could work for touring or street riding. If you need something for short, local rides through in-town traffic,
a nimble light bike may be a good choice. If your interest is primarily touring, you’d want to ensure that your seat, suspension and ergonomics are ideal for your shape and size. You will want to invest in side cases or a top case, as you’ll need space for overnight (or longer) trips. Will you be using the bike for commuting to work? Do you need a motorcycle or will a scooter work for you? There are a lot more choices in scooters these days, and several offer considerable storage space for trips to the grocery store. If you have a work laptop to lug, carrying a backpack is not ideal, and many bikes do not have a way to add luggage. If the bike is for commuting, will you traverse hilly and crowded sections on your route? Will you encounter stop and go conditions? Keep in mind that a heavier, air-cooled bike with a fairing will get hotter than a liquid-cooled naked bike. A large windshield can be a great feature to have if you are on the move, but can make things hot and uncomfortable in heavy, slow traffic.

If you live in a part of the country prone to strong winds, choose a bike that is heavy enough to stand up to the wind and does not get blown around by a wind gust. Will you be riding on your own or with others? If you will be riding with one or more other people, the kind of riding they do also figures into the equation. It’s best if you are all riding comparably equipped bikes, even if they are different. That way, you’ll be able to keep up with the other bikes while passing or starting from a stop, fuel them together, and stay together while riding.

A couple of years ago, my husband Mike and I took a cross-country trip from Atlanta to Big Bend National Park in Texas. I rode a dual sport, while he rode a touring bike. Each day we put in about 12 or 13 hours of riding. My bike was smaller and lighter and at the end of the day I was always significantly more tired than he was, from fighting the wind. Last year we took a trip from Chicago to Glacier, Montana and rode quite a ways in much stronger cross winds. However this time I was on a larger sport-touring bike, and was able to finish each long day of riding with far fewer aches and pains.

Ergonomics

It’s very important that the bike you ride works for you in terms of your weight, size and shape.

Is the bike tall enough, short enough or supportive enough for your frame? A 35 inch seat height might seem fine for someone who is 6 feet tall, but where is the weight primarily located? If this tall bike comes with an 8-gallon gas tank and all of the weight is sitting high up on the bike, managing this weight is no longer a trivial matter. Sudden stops could pose a hazard, when you have a combination of factors such as weight and height. Smaller riders generally have fewer bike choices, especially if you are not into the cruiser style of riding, but prefer a more upright bike. With a cruiser your feet are closer to the ground, and your legs may be extended forward rather than beneath your torso. This takes some getting used to and requires different handling for slow turns. Your butt is usually planted firmly into a bucket-shaped seat built for upright riding support and does not offer much opportunity to move around in the saddle. With a sportier bike, the saddle is usually slightly narrower and flatter and allows for the rider to shift his or her weight to counter-balance while making slow-speed turns. Smaller riders must also deal with not necessarily being able to flat-foot it on both sides at a stop.

When you sit astride the bike, make sure that the handle bars are close enough for your elbows to be slightly bent, and your shoulders relaxed. Your torso should be upright, and slightly forward, so that you are aligned with the natural curvature of the spine. Avoid sitting back on your tailbone as this could lead to back problems in the long run. Your head should neither be pushed forward nor pulled back but in line with your body such that your ears, your shoulders and your hips form a straight, but slanted line.

Ideally, the angle made by your leg at the knee should not be too acute. How much bend you can tolerate will depend on your shape and size. In general, a 90 degree or greater angle will leave room for comfort but this may not be available in too many bikes. As the angle falls below 90, the length of time you can ride continuously without getting stiff knees drastically falls.

Make sure the positioning of the pegs (especially in street or sport bikes) does not hamper putting your feet down at a stop. If you are smaller person, your legs will be closer to the side of the bike than they would be for someone with longer legs. When you come to stop and put your feet down, if the pegs jab you in the calf every time – it is definitely a problem. Look for a bike with the pegs positioned a little behind or a little ahead of where you would put your feet down.

Small things that are minor annoyances on a short ride can become a huge pain if you are riding all day or for several days, even if you are taking frequent breaks as recommended. Therefore it’s a good idea to pay attention to such details as the angle of your neck, how hard you have to flex your wrist to hold the throttle, and the effort of applying the brake and clutch.

Here are some examples of bike ergonomics nightmares to avoid:

You love that stretched out cruiser, but you are petite, and your riding position would be with your arms and legs fully extended, your back forming a curve like a “C” facing the front of the bike. This is a bad idea. You’re asking for back and neck problems.

You are lean and lanky and want that compact sport bike. It forces your leg into a narrow angle and at the same time kinks your neck up at an angle while you ride. Don’t do it. Your ride won’t be much fun, and you’ll probably leave your bike to collect dust in the garage most of the time.

You feel great when you’re riding, but your upper thighs are pinched or hurt when you come to a stop. The seat may be too broad for you, forcing your legs to drape uncomfortably over the edge of the seat.

Checking Out a Bike

Most dealerships let you sit on a bike, but very few let you take the bike for a test ride. This makes bike selection difficult, but there are some things you can ensure when trying out the bike in the showroom.

Test how hard or easy it is for you to get the bike off its stand to a standing position, with you astride it. Make sure you are able to reach the kick stand both while standing it up as well as when putting it back on the stand. For us petite types, some bikes are too long and stretched out. The kick stand is way out in front, and it is hard to reach it to put the bike back on its stand.

Get a feel for how the bike feels when you feet are on its pegs, as this is where they will be most of the time you are riding. You could request the friendly salesperson to hold the bike as you do this, so that you can feel free to pick both your feet up off the floor at the same time, while stationary in the showroom.

It is always safer to get a bike that has adjustable settings for brake and clutch levers, especially if your dimensions are not “average”. A long ride on a bike which forces you to maintain an uncomfortable and painful grip on the throttle could lead to wrist problems, and detract from the joy of your riding experience.

Take a friend or relative with you to the dealership to apply the ergonomic suggestions given above for body to bike alignment. Make multiple trips to the dealership before you make a decision. Talk to your fellow-bikers about their experiences with particular bikes. Scour the Internet for blogs and articles that discuss the pros and cons of a particular bike. Maintain a running list of positives and negatives about each of the bikes that makes it to your short-list.

Somewhere out there is your dream bike. Go find it!!