Everyone has a different idea of uncomfortable.
For some it might be lower back issues, for others wrist weight, for others coccyx pressure may be an issue- whatever.
I'm interested to know what the most uncomfortable bikes you've ever ridden are.
For me the most uncomfortable factory bike was a Norton 961 cafe racer. Don't get me wrong - is was FUN, but only for a short time. After half an hour I was well over it, and happy never to ride one again.
The most uncomfortable bike of any kind I've ever ridden is my mate Neil's custom Moto Guzzi cafe racer thing.
It's an absolute work of art with the standard of finish and the custom parts he's made second to none.
But ergonomically it's all over the place.
I had a ride and it was a case of notable extremes jumping off the 1400 on onto that Guzzi.
Everything about the ergonomics from a riding perspective was wrong for me. High wrist pressure - extremely bent lower back, neck had to crank back to see properly, and clip ones were high so legs very cramped.
It sounds glorious. It has power to burn, but after 15 minutes I was miserable and desperate to hand it back to him.
I think he knows more than he cares to admit too, because he wouldn't ride up from where he lives to North Brisbane, instead we rode around his part of the world down around the Springbrook area. :lol:
Ergonomically 916 Ducati and F4 100 MV Agusta. Worst seat would have to be the 1400 by far,too soft and squishy for my weight which meant after short distance The foam was squashed to nothing and leg room reduced by a good few inches, redone higher with high density foam its now the most comfy bike I've ridden
The 916 is a glorious thing but was petite by Superbike standards, the Jap ones are generally physically larger.
I can't remember what it was.... (good start eh?) but a 90s 400cc supersport thing.
I sat on it, my my hands by my ankles to find the bars & got off again knowing I just wouldn't be able to ride it. Bloody thing was designed for a 7 year old kid.
Suzuki Bandit 1250S for me, after an hour in the saddle my arse was numb. Standard seat was horrible, hard as a brick, and I found the bike itself a bit bland
An early model GSXR750 closely followed by my GSX1100SZ Katana. Seeing I owned the Katana I had to modify the footrests and handlebar positions to make it rideable but there was no way I could get my feet near the Gixer footrests.
Although reasonably comfortable with the feet forward position I had to hand my mates Harley Dyna back after a couple of kms when my back went out after the first bump.
Katanas were shockers. Worst was Mk 1 Guzzi Le Mans. No seat padding. Long reach to clip ons with fuel tank into body. Heavy throttle, old Brembos that needed quite a pull, crap gear change, arse end going up and down due to primitive shaft drive. One of my worst.
SV 650 - had it while my bike went in for service - wrists were so painful I left it in the garage and used my car :bugga:
Gixer '11. High footpegs!
Ducati 998.
Any sports bike or bike that has sports bike low bars as I broke my neck In a car crash in the early 1990's
But the very worst before that was a Kawasaki zxr750rr 10mins and i was in pain
KATANA the original one, that's why I got rid off it.
Worst bike I ever rode was a Honda cx500, bloody thing was awful,no wonder it was called the maggot. The best bike I owned comfort wise was a Yamaha FJ1200. As a courier I was up and down the country all day and in all weathers on that bike, loved that one and it had a 200 mile range before reserve. The best bike I owned for having a riot on was my Triumph T595 as long as you knew a chiropractor for when you got home. :lol: :wheelie:
I found I was uncomfortable when I didn't have a bike :hat:
Beat me to it Kiwifruit, I was going to say my push bike, no matter how hard I twisted the rh grip it just wouldn't go any faster.
Quote from: grog on Friday, 24 September 2021, 06:03 PM
Katanas were shockers. Worst was Mk 1 Guzzi Le Mans.
Funny how some of the most iconic bikes are - when ridden - appreciated more as art than bikes LOL
The Mk 1 Le Mans was probably the worst of the Le Mans ergonomically but I bet you wish you still have it given prices these days...
Quote from: Irish in Oz on Saturday, 25 September 2021, 01:18 AM
KATANA the original one, that's why I got rid off it.
I'm surprised you could reach the handlebars
@Irish in Oz :happy1: :happy1:
I have very long arms :stir:.
One thing I did like about the Katana was passing BMW riders, even 14 riders and best of all R1's on the twisties.
Quote from: Notty on Friday, 24 September 2021, 06:30 PM
SV 650 - had it while my bike went in for service - wrists were so painful I left it in the garage and used my car :bugga:
Forgot those. My wife had one about 15 years ago, horrible. Gave me pins and needles in my hands
Getting off the gsxr1000 K6 at 70 was great jumping on the 1400.
But worse were those gsx1100 's ,water cooled ones.
Long reach to the bars and high pegs.
More of a problem of course was getting older really....(72 Now !).
Roo. water cooled GSX? Did i miss that one?
Quote from: grog on Monday, 04 October 2021, 06:49 PM
Roo. water cooled GSX? Did i miss that one?
Sorry mate gsxr1100 93 onwards ...........
999 Ducati hands down worst seating position and reach to handlebars was faaaarrr. The heat from exhausts cooked your bollocks too.
So that's why they hang off the side of them all the time when not leaning over, it's to cool their bollocks!
Thruxton 1200 i rode, so much heat off motor/pipes. I read test on V4 Panigale, Spain from memory, only 26 degrees, bloke had to stop every 15 mins as his legs getting cooked. Thats a bike youd long for, NOT.
The heat off Guzzi the cylinder heads can be a bit over-warm on the shins in a Qld summer...
I've still yet to ride one. :rolleyes:
Doesn't look easy to wheelie :confused1: has anyone else :onya:
Never had a problem touring on the Katana, mind you, that was 32 years ago and prior to fracturing 4 vertebrae.
My very own Z1000... but never mind that it feels like you are sitting on a concrete block, just look at it :P
I know a lass with a Z1000, they make a good girls bike in that colour :stir:
I've ridden one & didn't think it was that uncomfy, but I only did about 5 miles because I really didn't like it.
Quote from: Hooli on Friday, 08 October 2021, 08:58 AM
I know a lass with a Z1000, they make a good girls bike in that colour :stir:
I've ridden one & didn't think it was that uncomfy, but I only did about 5 miles because I really didn't like it.
Oh that cuts like a knife :facepalm:
If you knew the lengths that I had to go to to get the last
Candy Burnt Orange and Diablo Metalic Black Z1000 in England...
Quote from: Batkwaka on Thursday, 07 October 2021, 08:44 PM
Never had a problem touring on the Katana, mind you, that was 32 years ago and prior to fracturing 4 vertebrae.
I still have a pair Wes Cooley replica Aria from the 80's, colours suited my RZ500.
I've had a couple of katanas when I was younger and loved the riding position..but I've got to say the most uncomfortable bike I've ever had was probably the best bike I've ever had too.....I hadn't long been out of hospital after bike crash ..so that obviously didnt help...but my Harris magnum was crippling.. my knees were in my armpits and the lean forward on a newly plated wrist was excruciating. Anything over 30 miles and I couldnt get off it...dropped it in a garage forecourt once because I couldnt get my foot off the peg when I'd stopped at the pump...loved that bike :rofl2:
Out of the ones I currently own this is probably my least comfortable, but I still love it.
(https://i.ibb.co/HVgZRTV/6-CDB1-FF5-9-BAD-46-A1-80-D0-B1261936603-B.png) (https://ibb.co/wR6t8hR)
(https://i.ibb.co/HGPFD2Q/2-D1-D0659-67-CA-441-B-9-A73-2797-F8366-D57.jpg) (https://ibb.co/frN1YS7)
(https://i.ibb.co/TYDHtL6/A59-B2558-0-BF9-4-B36-AA26-80489-F608-B80.jpg) (https://ibb.co/LYDC15m)
Back in 70s, Mate had H2 750 Kawasaki. Great bike stock, we often swapped, i had GT750s. He decided to fit some huge tank, clip ons and a racing type seat. That was the worst ive ridden. Reaching to bars, tank was touching my guts, only skinny then, every vibe thru body, no tacho needed, literally a gut feel. :grin: Then the weight on wrists, would last 2 minutes these days, Seat was like sitting on a vibrating file, then total cramp in legs, stock foot pegs, not rear sets, far too forward for that position. Bloody quick bike, so un controllable due to pain, position etc. Loved it to ride, just not at all friendly.
999 Ducati hands down no further discussion :stir: :stir: :stir: :whistling: :whistling: :whistling:
As I broke my neck In a car crash in 1991 any sports bike is a no no for me ..
The worse I had a go on was a zxr750rr I could hardly walk after 5 miles on it .
Worse bike I owned was a zzr1100d3
Pic of H2 is pretty much my mates bike i posted about yesterday. This one at least has rear sets.
My 1973 Triumph Bonneville 650 - god that saddle was like a plank of wood all those years ago :lol:
Next uncomfortable - sad to say it, but probably my GSX1400, was a lot better after I had it modified to round off the edges and had a gel pad inserted
I've not ridden many bikes
But the GSX is the worst
Someone had a go at the seat and its terrible
Hopefully fix that soon and get to enjoy it more
1. Harley Sportster
2. RGV250/KR1-S (equally awful)
3. ZXR750
GSX1400 is like a two wheeled Jason Recliner IMO - never had a more comfortable bike (once I changed the bars, anyway).