Are you on your toes?

Part 3 Motorcycle Fit

Are you on your toes?

When you stop are your feet planted firmly on the ground? No... This situation poses a safety risk for you and others. When you need to stop quickly you wil not have 100% control if both feet do not touch the ground firmly. This issue may cause you to loose control of the motorcycle and could cause you to have an accident. You have several options to get both feet firmly on the ground.

Option one: You can switch our you seat to lower you center of gravity. There are several after market vendors out there with numerous seat variations. Some people have cut down their seat on their own. I would not personally reccommend this as there is an issue of safety. Spend a bit more and know you will have the peace of mind knowing that your seat will hold up and not fall to pieces. A narrower seat will allow your thighs to be closer together and will drop your feet closer to the ground.

Option Two: Suspension. You can check to see if your suspension be lowered. If not you maybe able to find lower shocks or have a shop custom lower them for you. Another item to check for your application is air shocks. With air shocks you can raise and lower your motorcycle as needed.

Option Three: Lowering Kits. There are many lowering kits on the market today. I do reccommend that you have the kit professionally installed. You shop have several size kits available and can guide you to the right kit for your fit.

Option Four: Lower profile tire. One major thing to do is check with your shop to see what difference this will make in your speedometer reading. This is very important as you will not have an accurate speed when running on the open road.

Option Five: Boot Lifts. As a last resort you can add risers or lifts to the inside of your boots. This will alter your boot fit as well. Most people are not comfortable with this option.

I have said it before ans will many times over. Ride safe. You bought the motorcycle to enjoy the open road stay alive and safe to see where the road leads you.

Do your hands hurt when you ride?

Part 2 of Motorcycle Fit

Do you suffer from tired hands when you ride?

Several factors come into play when you have tired hands. Hand grips, vibration, and gloves are the most common elements to tired hands while riding.

Lets start off talking about hand grips. When you purchase your motorcycle the manufacture uses a standard set of grips. Depending upon the size of your hand it may or may not fit. If you have smaller hands the standard grip may be too large and cause extra strain on your hands.  Check with the dealer to see if they offer smaller hand grips for your ride. There are several after market vendors who offer an assortment of hand grips in different styles and sizes.

Another factor that plays into tired hands is vibration. Todays bike manufacturers have reduced the amount of vibration that is transferred from the road and engine through to your hands and body.  To help dampen some of the vibration transfer you can get hand grip pads. Some of the pads slip over your exsisting hand grips with minimal cost. The issue with the slip on padding is the grip becomes big and bulky. If you have smaller hands this is a huge issue. There are padded grips available for most bikes. These are used in replacement of your standard hand grips. Your dealer may have availability to offer these padded grips in  multiple sizes. Be sure to try the grips in both hands to ensure a comfortable fit for a pleasurable ride. Be sure to wear your gloves when trying the grips. Wearing gloves also dampens the vibration transfer.

The third factor in tired hands ties back to your safety gear. Your gloves.  You want to get gloves that are comfortable and right for the season. Gloves that are too tight will cause the blood flow to be restricted and cause your hands to go numb. If you are riding in cooler weather be sure to weather lined gloves so your hands stay warm while you ride. In the summer vented gloves are preferred to allow your hands to breath. There are different type of gloves on the market today. An all leather glove gives the best protection from debris and injury. Leather gloves do tend to be a bit warmer but you can find a glove that has vents and breathes. Some gloves have a gel padding in the palm to help dampen the vibration. This gel padding will also impact the fit of your hand grips as well.

Be sure to flex your fingers along your ride. Relax and enjoy your ride. Be safe and follow where the road takes you.

Does your back hurt when you ride?

If your  lower back hurts when you ride here are a few things to check. Your seat may not be a proper fit for you. A different style seat may alleviate your pain. The position of your foot pegs can also cause lower back pain. Some motorcycles have minimal adjustments for the foot pegs. A different style of peg or "floor board" may also help alleviate your pain. Another factor in lower back pain may be your handlebars. If you reach to far forward you place unnecessary strain on your lower back. The strain may also be caused by a combination of all three factors. Check with the manufacturer of your bike to see what adjustments can be made and if there are optional seat variations, foot peg variations, and handlebar variations. The manufacturer may also have a fit guide for your particular model.


You bought your ride to enjoy so be comfortable and safe while you ride. Be sure to wear the proper safety gear such as: leather jackets, helmets, leather chaps, motorcycle boots, and gloves.

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Expect the unexpected

We had severe storm warnings and tornado warnings the other night. Reminded me of the ride my husband made from central Florida to Texas in September of 2009. He rode his 2006 Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 all the way. According to the weather forecasteres it was to be sunny and great weather all the way. Along the way as he refueled he would call and let me know how far he had gone. Smooth sailing through Florida, Alabama rain all the way. Well let's just say that the rain didn't stop until he arrived in Texas. One of the last calls I received was from the Louisiana/Texas border. My cell phone beeped that I had a text message with a photo. I saw it was from my husband and I excitedly opened it to see what he had sent me. The image popped up and here is this extremely greenish-grey sky with a tornado smack dab in the middle. I quickly called him and made sure he was ok. Luckily he was able to get to safety before the tornado touched down. He then proceeded to tell me that several trees around the structure he was in had fallen over or had broken branches. After the skies cleared of the green he continued his travels on to Texas.

The most important lesson we learned was to expect the unexpected with mother nature. If you encounter a tornado or severe weather take cover in a structure. If you cannot get to an enclosed structure head for an underpass. Once at the underpass climb up toward the top of the structure and take cover in between the supports that are there. Leave all of your riding gear on. Your helmet will protect your face from any flying debris, your jacket and gloves will protect your upper body and hands as well.

No matter how much you plan you will always have something unexpected come up. Deal with it in a calm and rational manner and you will be just fine.

Be good to Mother Earth

Happy Earth Day! Great day out there for a ride. Do your part for Mother Earth today. Ride safe and enjoy the day.

Make sure you have all your safety gear on. You don't have to worry about yourself but the guy next to you. He is multi-tasking on his way to work. Drinking his coffee, reading the newspaper and shaving. :)