Riding position post by Franz

[bwr]

I think it was Dick Franz who wrote a nice post about how to deal with the forward riding position on sport tourers -- squatting and using leg muscles, keeping back straight, etc. I've been searching the board, but can't find it.

 

Does anybody have the link to it handy?

 

Thx.

[Mike]

Master Yoda's Riding Position. Also, if you'll do a search on that phrase or "MYRP" you'll find additional discussions and explanations.

[bwr]

Thanks!!!!

[rdfrantz]

Brian, Master Yoda's Riding Position, MYRP is not just for Sport Tourers.

 

It's about learing, training up, and getting better and better at maintaining a riding position that promotes comfort and control, and decreases body damage. It applies to riding all types of bikes. My view is it probably provides the greatest benefit to Touring Riders since it calls for doing the things that prevent damage and fatigue from the common position most Riders get into in response to the layout of those bikes.

 

It calls for a slight arch backward of a straight back, shoulders back.

 

It calls for an amount of forward lean of the torso appropriate to the control and contact position layout of the kind of bike being ridden - more forward on sportier bikes.

 

It calls to create that forward lean by bending at the hips, not the waist. Actually, the bend is at the hip/leg joint. Some help can come, especially initially and for the portly, from spreading the knees farther apart than usual.

 

It calls for continuously applying some downward pressure of the feet - to help provide support for the large back muscles that are slightly arching the back and holding it upright in its amount of forward lean.

 

It calls for using the muscles at the sides and backs of the thighs, more so than the front of the thighs to provide that downward pressure and back support. These are larger muscles (as are being used in the back when it's held properly too) and are the predominantly slow twitch muscles that endure better because they tire less easily.

 

It calls for, very often, moving the butt further aft on the seat than common so that the body center of mass is as nearly over the foot pegs as possible. This a position of balance, and allows the big muscles of the body to hold the body up without resource to using the hands and arms as support devices.

 

Hands and arms free, balanced, and atop the pegs, the Rider is in the best possible location and position to effect control of the bike, and to move from there to positions that provide better balance than that during maneuvers.

 

 

It takes some working with to understand. It takes some exercise to grasp what muscles to use. It takes some practice to put it together. And, then it takes consistent use to become fully comfortable, an adjustment to change, and do it all the time.

 

 

Best wishes with what you discover about it.

[tallman]

Works great at the keyboard too!

Hi yoda .

Thanks for all your insightful contributions.

Since I've moved from the sit up and beg to the MYRP (or reasonalble facsimile ) I find I'm not comfortable on bikes that have upright seating positions.

Very different than my first 30 years on beemers.

[pedro cerveza]

Thank You for this, Dick. It got me from South Florida to Vermont and back withoout Advil!