I'm curious, do most of you sportster riders sit primarily straight up on your bikes when you ride? I realize the bars play a major role in your riding position and the types and variety of bars are limitless. Being new to riding a cruiser bike, I just assumed sitting bolt upright is the way to do it, but riding in that position is an absolute killer on my back. I rode sport bikes before getting my sportster and the forward leaning position on a sport bike never once bothered my back. Do many of you find that leaning somewhat forward is more comfortable than sitting straight up?

I'm completely frustrated with how torn up my back gets from riding my sportster -- even for relatively short distances. I'm almost to the point I'm thinking I'll have to ditch the sportster and get another bullet bike (the thought of doing that makes me sick because I like the way the sportster looks and sounds and I'm digging the fact that I'm now a harley owner). I've changed to progressive shocks, got a couple of new seats, and I'm going to switch from the buckhorn bars to some straight drag bars to put me leaning a bit forward in hopes that it will help.

Sorry for all the complaining and venting, but I'm not sure what the hell to try next -- other than another bike altogether.

Any ideas on riding position changes that might help are much appreciated. By the way the bike I have a love-hate relationship with is an 05 883L and I'm about 6 feet and 175 lbs.

Thanks

 

hope you have forward controls??

and i like having a choice of places to put my feet- have a lindby lindbar on the bike now...

also guessing that you should not be riding an "L" sportster- (you prob know that the L stands for low- someone your height should prob be on a regular sized bike)

 

I ride leaning slightly forward with my drags. Something that popped into my mind while reading this is the fact that if you have been used to sport bikes, then you back is not as used to taking the brunt of the force when you ride, it is more your arms, wrists, and hips.

 

If you sit straight up with your back straight you will beat the heck out of your spine. Try slouching a little. Let your back bend forward a little. Just relax a little more and you'll find a position you like.

 

Hey man, don’t sell your bike. I own a '07 XL1200L and the stock handlebars that come on the bike have my riding position sitting upright as well. I am more comfortable with a slightly forward lean too as I do mostly Highway riding. It is the only bike that I own that makes me sit upright and at 65 MPH it is just acceptable, but at higher Freeway speeds (80 + MPH) it can be a bit uncomfortable to take the wind blast for very long. I have thought about changing my handlebars and am in the process of deciding what to put on in place of the stock bars. I normally have my feet on the rear passenger pegs (slightly behind me) to help me lean forward into the oncoming wind blast at Freeway speeds. I would rather not install a windshield. I bought a used ’07 XL883 that had a windscreen on it but the buffeting was not acceptable so I yanked that POS off. It may be that I just need to buy a bigger, better windshield and that might do the trick. Of all the people that I have ridden with, I seem to be the only one who likes to have my feet a bit behind me (rear sets) or on the mid-mounted foot pegs to help encourage a slightly forward lean while riding. I have ridden some Harleys that have forward controls but I still prefer to have a slightly forward lean and forward controls do not seem to help me feel comfortable in that position. I feel that if you change your handlebars to help you achieve your desired forward lean riding position, you will much happier. Good luck and ride safe.

 

If you've stil got the stock bars then I recommend getting rid of 'em and getting some drag bars. I'm also 6' and ride a Low and the stock bars were the first thing to go.

 

change my OME to drag and added the adj highway kit hell i'm more relax now than was before and i'm lil forward but not much just enough.

 

I've riden a whole range of bike types over the years, but personally found the prone position of sports bikes hurt my back. But I guess were all different.

As someone above suggested, although I ride sat upright, its deffinately not a rigid bolt upright position. I just kind of relax into a slightly slouched kind of position that feels comfortable to me.

Changing the bars might help. It might also help a little if you experiment with adjusting the pre load on the rear shocks. I was suprised what a difference it made to my comfort.

I do hope you manage to find a solution as riding with back pain or discomfort isnt good.

 

Weird how you need help on figuring out how to sit so your back doesn't hurt.

 

Thanks guys! We'll see what kind of difference drag bars make and go from there.

And freebird, there's nothing weird about it. I have ridden in every possible position I can muster with the bars I currently have -- straight up, slouched down, leaning back, sitting forward on the seat, sitting toward the back of the seat, etc etc etc. Tried new shocks and two different seats. Nothing weird -- just continued pain that makes riding zero fun.