Introduction
01-05-2010 | 11:59 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Squid
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 20
From: Rancho Cordova, CA
Introduction
Hey guys,
I'm new to this forum. Just wanted to introduce myself. I just bought my first SH a week ago. I haven't ridden a bike in about 14 years, so needless to say, I have a serious case of permagrin. My last bike was a 1976 KZ1000Ltd. It's nice to be on a Honda again. I guess for starters I have only 2 questions. I've already felt my hands getting a little sore-even on short rides. What do you recommend? Gelpack gloves, risers, what? I've also seen many posts about how the first thing to be changed from stock is the suspension. I'm 5'11", 150 lb. I won't be on a track for quite awhile and I'm light, so what should I be thinking about concerning that?
Thanks in advance.
I'm new to this forum. Just wanted to introduce myself. I just bought my first SH a week ago. I haven't ridden a bike in about 14 years, so needless to say, I have a serious case of permagrin. My last bike was a 1976 KZ1000Ltd. It's nice to be on a Honda again. I guess for starters I have only 2 questions. I've already felt my hands getting a little sore-even on short rides. What do you recommend? Gelpack gloves, risers, what? I've also seen many posts about how the first thing to be changed from stock is the suspension. I'm 5'11", 150 lb. I won't be on a track for quite awhile and I'm light, so what should I be thinking about concerning that?
Thanks in advance.
01-05-2010 | 12:10 PM
#2
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,132
From: Phoenix, AZ
Welcome!
To address your questions: Risers are probably the most common option to help ease hand pain.. Also consider how you sit on the bike.. You should be supporting your weight with a combination of wind blast and back/leg muscles rather than with your arms.
As for suspension: At 150lbs you are much closer to the weights that the stock forks work for than some of us. You would still benefit from upgrading them (especially valving) but you may be better off dealing with the shock first. I expect more knowledgeable people will have better information here.
Your other things to consider are:
reliability issues: namely the Cam Chain Tensoner, and Voltage Regulator (only two common fail points on the bike)
and upgrading the brakes (several easy swaps available)
To address your questions: Risers are probably the most common option to help ease hand pain.. Also consider how you sit on the bike.. You should be supporting your weight with a combination of wind blast and back/leg muscles rather than with your arms.
As for suspension: At 150lbs you are much closer to the weights that the stock forks work for than some of us. You would still benefit from upgrading them (especially valving) but you may be better off dealing with the shock first. I expect more knowledgeable people will have better information here.
Your other things to consider are:
reliability issues: namely the Cam Chain Tensoner, and Voltage Regulator (only two common fail points on the bike)
and upgrading the brakes (several easy swaps available)
01-05-2010 | 01:21 PM
#3
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 344
From: Concord, NC
Welcome. your stock suspension in the front will be fine for street use. Just tune it properly. I'm still running a stock front on the track with mine and it's doing fine for general skill levels.
If you have a good volt meter, check your voltage while the bike is running and at various RPM levels. I found my regulator to be weak as the RPMs went up. Do a search, because there is a better replacement for it.
Check to be sure you have the proper size battery in your bike. You need one that has at least 210 cold cranking amps. Mine had a cheap 180 CCA replacement in it and it does not turn the bike over properly. There is one on the market with 230 CCA which would be even better.
The only potential issue I've heard with risers is that the bars will touch on the tank. you will have to tinker with them to get them "just right".
If you plan to do much corner carving, you'll eventually find the pegs are low and your toes will scrape. You can get rearsets, but there is a cheap solution to make an insert to rotate the peg back. it works great.
If you have a good volt meter, check your voltage while the bike is running and at various RPM levels. I found my regulator to be weak as the RPMs went up. Do a search, because there is a better replacement for it.
Check to be sure you have the proper size battery in your bike. You need one that has at least 210 cold cranking amps. Mine had a cheap 180 CCA replacement in it and it does not turn the bike over properly. There is one on the market with 230 CCA which would be even better.
The only potential issue I've heard with risers is that the bars will touch on the tank. you will have to tinker with them to get them "just right".
If you plan to do much corner carving, you'll eventually find the pegs are low and your toes will scrape. You can get rearsets, but there is a cheap solution to make an insert to rotate the peg back. it works great.
01-05-2010 | 01:36 PM
#4
Senior Member
SuperSport
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 805
From: Delmar NY
Helibars or VFR clipons (what I have) are taller and help, but if your hands are "sore" sounds like your leaning on them. Elbows should be bent.
And Welcome!
01-05-2010 | 04:16 PM
#6
Administrator
World Champion
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 105,287
From: Fulton, MO
Give it some time. Even switching from sportbike to sportbike the riding position is somewhat different, and you will feel it in the diffrerent muscle groups used. I'd say do nothing for 1500 miles (except maybe a Sargent seat). If you're still cramping up or getting numb hands then consider mods. Until then, use the recommendations above about legs, back, and stomach.
01-06-2010 | 06:33 PM
#7
Senior Member
MotoGP
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,934
From: altoona, pa
Hey guys,
I'm new to this forum. Just wanted to introduce myself. I just bought my first SH a week ago. I haven't ridden a bike in about 14 years, so needless to say, I have a serious case of permagrin. My last bike was a 1976 KZ1000Ltd. It's nice to be on a Honda again. I guess for starters I have only 2 questions. I've already felt my hands getting a little sore-even on short rides. What do you recommend? Gelpack gloves, risers, what? I've also seen many posts about how the first thing to be changed from stock is the suspension. I'm 5'11", 150 lb. I won't be on a track for quite awhile and I'm light, so what should I be thinking about concerning that?
Thanks in advance.
I'm new to this forum. Just wanted to introduce myself. I just bought my first SH a week ago. I haven't ridden a bike in about 14 years, so needless to say, I have a serious case of permagrin. My last bike was a 1976 KZ1000Ltd. It's nice to be on a Honda again. I guess for starters I have only 2 questions. I've already felt my hands getting a little sore-even on short rides. What do you recommend? Gelpack gloves, risers, what? I've also seen many posts about how the first thing to be changed from stock is the suspension. I'm 5'11", 150 lb. I won't be on a track for quite awhile and I'm light, so what should I be thinking about concerning that?
Thanks in advance.
welcome aboard. I'm with Hawkrider relative to doing nothing for a while. if you haven't ridden for 14 yrs., you are basically starting over. The most likely cause of you hand soreness is holding the grips too tightly, which will tire you quickly, i.e., sore on short rides. You need to have soft hands on the grips, relax, support your body with core strength. You're long enough that the reach to the bars is not a stretch, but if you can't support your weight with your core, you may want to raise your fork tubes just enough to lift your clip-ons up out of the stops and rotate them back toward you(remove the thin wire clips at the fork tops so you can bring the clip-ons to the top of the tubes.
Most riders relax their core and lean on the clip-ons. Not a good idea.
01-29-2010 | 07:42 PM
#8
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Squid
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 20
From: Rancho Cordova, CA
Hey guys,
Thanks for all the replies. I've been doing alot of reading and just wanted to see what you guys had to say about some things that should get immediate attention-hopefully helping me get back into the swing of things.
No more hand pain-very little anyways (didn't put on the risers, think I'd rather keep the clipons where they are). Guess I'm adjusting. Now I'm working on gear, tuning front end, and testing R/R tomorrow.
ALSO Thanks to all of the posts on here about ATGATT, I am working my way to being fully protected. Never wore much gear years ago, but you guys have got me convinced-Thank you so much.
Thanks for all the replies. I've been doing alot of reading and just wanted to see what you guys had to say about some things that should get immediate attention-hopefully helping me get back into the swing of things.
No more hand pain-very little anyways (didn't put on the risers, think I'd rather keep the clipons where they are). Guess I'm adjusting. Now I'm working on gear, tuning front end, and testing R/R tomorrow.
ALSO Thanks to all of the posts on here about ATGATT, I am working my way to being fully protected. Never wore much gear years ago, but you guys have got me convinced-Thank you so much.
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