Aching shoulders in the wind...

I have logged a little over 3000 miles on my 2000 VFR and almost all rides have been less than 2 hours in length on the backroads of Wisconsin.

Recently I tried 2 trips of a longer nature. One was about 4.5 hours (125 Miles) and one was 9 hours (266 Miles). In both trips I never rode for more than 60 minutes between stops. Sometimes I could not go more than 30 minutes between stops. I have to admit my shoulders felt like they were being hammered by the wind buffeting. In each case I was extremely sore at about the 3 hour mark.

I have the stock windshield and a corbin seat. I also have the throttlemeister so that helps a little. I am 6 ft tall so there is not much wind protection.

Anybody else experience this? Any suggestions? I would like to be able to travel on a multiple day trips, but If I can't fix this, I'm going to have to part with old girl, and that would be very unfortunate:frown:

Thanks

 

First, get rid of that stock windscreen! I'm 6'3" and the buffeting was killing me. I put a Zero Gravity Double Bubble on (order here), and it's much more comfortable. I did 1,500 miles in 4 days right after I swapped and it made all the difference.

Next, make sure you jacket is fitting right. Needs to be snug fitting anywhere exposed to the wind or else it just amplifies the buffeting.

Change up your riding position... At highway speeds, tuck in a little bit. As much as your lower-back/abs can handle supporting comfortably.

Hope that helps.

 

Thanks Sloav8r

So the ZG double bouble made a big difference? I'll try it, I've got nothing to lose

Jacket is a new Cortech GX Sport XL, and seems to fit about right. As far as the Tucking goes, I don't find that to be comfortable at all, even for short distances.

 

Two things..

Firstly, you need the wind to lift the weight off the bars..however , I found the standard screen put the windblast right at the base of my helmet, so I changed it to a double-bubble one for that reason.

secondly, you may have a death grip on the bars..only you can tell if this is the case...

the VFR's ergonomics are virtually perfect for all-day riding..























oh, you also might just be a big girl's blouse..:madgrin:

ki dd in gg..

 

Four Things ....

1. I'm willing to try a different "windscreen" as you folks across the pond say.

2. I'm willing to install a grip-o-meter and see if the needle's pegged at "Death". I don't believe that to be the case, however as an electrical engineer, I want some proof.

3. "Virtually Perfect" ergonomics are not the same as "Real World perfect". The VFR's ergos are very good but a far cry from perfect for me. I have ridden other bikes that fit me better.

4. Not familiar with the "big girl's blouse" terminology, but it could be fun if done correctly.

 

3) The VFR's Ergo's are real world perfect for most, enough room to be comfortable to do distance with enough lean forward front wheel feel to be sporty when you get to the twisties. You could try and use your thighs and stomach abs to keep the weight off your wrists and be conscious to relax your shoulders and arms, 500 to 750 mile days with only re-fueling breaks are no worries for my arms shoulders although my arse is usually a little tender by the end.

 

I am sort of an endurance rat riding ungodly amount of miles in a 24 hour period. You could say I qualify for the "Gold Member" status of the Iron Butt Club. I ride with stock handle bars, but I am also 5' 7" and have a Givi Tall touring wind screen to help me from the wind blasts.

Some of my secrets of riding great distances with out being in pain is

- Be relaxed
- Be comfortable, don't ride if the weather is getting the best of you.
- Change your riding position often
- Ride with ear plugs. Wind noise over time can actually make fatigue you.
- Use a light weight helmet, heavy helmets can cause neck/shoulder spasms. This dosen't mean ride without your helmet.
- Stay hydrated, and avoid mass quanities of caffeine.
- Ride with properly fitted gear.
- Eat a small meal every 240 miles (gas tank fill-up) instead of eating two or 3 larger meals during the day.

If these tips don't help, you can try using a tall tank bag filled with clothes and rest your chest on it. You may have a hard time seeing your instruments if you chose this method. If you have some soft saddle bags, you can always try laying your legs on them while riding to be streatch out. It will look goofy, and you might run into the law who may think it is unsafe.

 

have an 02 and let a friend ride it, he has an fz1, the first thing he said was that bike puts the wind right on your shoulders

 

One more thing I'd like to add, is you may visit a chiropractor. I was having pain in my neck, which eventually caused my elbow and part of my hand to go numb after a half hour of riding (ulnar nerve was compressed). After a few sessions with a chiropractor I can do multiple hour rides without problems on my Triumph, which makes my VFR feel like a couch.

 

Bingo !! he nailed it dead on !

But two more things,
1. stretch b-4 a ride & a little again @ a stop after 200 plus miles or sooner.
2. USE YOUR LEGS to support your upper body it's better to have your legs sore than your back!
I've used this for racing & long distance rides.
trust me I pop off 600 to 1300 mile a day rides with no more than a blink of an eye on a '04 VFR or '06 Triumph Sprint ST (stock bars & seat on both).
Which I believe if he's the gold member, I must be a Platinum member

I'm 5' 10" & 195 lbs & have more damage to my joints & back than your average pro football player.

 

Original Thread Poster

Well Thanks to all who have replied. I suspect that those of you who are iron butts could also ride just about any bike with a motor and two wheels great distances. Maybe I'm just too old or soft to ride a VFR (or any bike) great distances. In any case I'm going to try a new windshield and if that does not work, I'll modify my VFR so it looks like a Honda ST1300 with a proper windshield

Happy Trails to All :biggrin:

 

JJake, I could not have phrased that better. The wind hits me square in the shoulders. I thought I was the only one

 

I have often searched for a taller wind screen just to cut down the wind noise and be more protected from the environment. The best I could find was the Givi for the VFR. However, I have seen Avon ads with some endurance champion riding a Ducati ST4 with a modiifed wind screen. I looked up the company (can't remember the name) but they made wind screens mainly for BMW's.

I don't know if the next Generation Interceptor will offer and more wind protection options, but it would be nice if Honda did consider as an option.

 

I find that if I am cold, I have the death grip on the bars. Are you warm enough? As the summer comes on, it'll be warmer, but at this time of year it's probably still a little chilly in Wisconsin.

A Throttle Rocker or Cramp Buster helps me avoid the death grip on the bars, too.

Death grip on the bars = shoulder pain, at least for me.

Jackets that flap a lot in the wind are exhausting. If your jacket doesn't fit you closely enough to avoid all that flapping, try putting some straps around the arms and torso to cinch it in.

Pretend you are doing the funky chicken, flap your elbows like wings, it will help you keep your arms bent, and keep you from staying unmoving in one position for too long.

 

Thanks Elizilla;

It has not been cold during these longer rides, and I don't think I have a death grip on the bars. My evidence of this would be based on my ability to handle strong cross-wind bursts without much trouble. You know the kind that make the bike jump sideways about a foot. Jacket and Helmet fit properly

Anyway, I do like your Funky chicken idea and may use that.

 

I've found that if I concentrate on keeping my elbows pressed in and keep my grip on the bars fairly loose, it helps me fight off pain in the shoulders. I also ride pretty much all the time with a magnetic tankbag and like it up close to me on the tank so I can lean against it (even if just touching my chest). I'll alternate my riding position periodically throughout a trip just so's I keep all my body parts loose and comfortable.

 

Just wanted to reassure you that you are not alone. I am about your size and I have some trouble with my neck and shoulders. I use a Zero Gravity Sport Tour Screen and Helibars. Both help reduce the load on the back, arms and wrist. I also use a throttlerocker which lets you relax your right arm a bit more. Overall it works pretty well but given the many injuries I have I would not want to do more than 300-400 miles in a day. I would also take longer breaks (20-30 minutes) every 100 miles or so. To put it in context I have done 800mile days in my younger years without any real problems on a much less comfortable bike. Its just my body doesn't work as well anymore.

 

Thanks for the feedback Grinder.

I did just place an order for the ZG sport touring windshield and I do have a Throttlemeister. I might try the Heli-bars down the road. I love this bike and maybe this will help.

 

how did you end up?

I have an 04' with helibars and a Givi windshield..
I am new to the VFR (from a cruiser) and my spine hurts between my shoulders after 30 minutes... I hope this goes away as i gain strength in the areas i don't use. I also have a full face helmet now and I only ever used a turtle shell if anything in the past.

I am looking for anything that may help.

thank you,
Jim

 

Use your thighs and abs to keep the weight off your arms so you can relax them...I also use a Dainese back protector with kidney belt that seems to help support my abs, also try the original screen for a while as the air pressure on your shoulders may also help at Highway speeds.