ST1100 Proper Riding Position?

[jacMA]

Hi All,

First time 2000 ST1100 owner. I just moved from, well not totally since I still own it, a Honda 3rd Gen 750 Magna - love that bike btw. I've been reading over posts on how to deal with back issues, changing positions, seats, etc., but what I'm curious about coming from a cruiser lounging back position is "What is the proper riding position for the ST1100"? I'm 5'10", with "normal" length arms and legs. I have to learn slightly forward on the ST, while still trying to keep my arms loose. Do people arch their backs to get more upright? Scoot forward? What? I wouldn't imagine that you'd want to round over your back. I know this is a personal thing, but as an engineer and scientist, I'm wondering if there are "best practices". I mean Honda designed this bike for sport touring, with touring being the optimal word here. They must have factored in a riding position to get you through a few hundred mile a day. Before I go down the path of risers, seats, and rubber balls, I'd like to see if there's an anatomical approach. The person I purchased the bike from added some foam in front of your shins, so I have used those to take some of my weight. I'm a weightlifter, so I do have some weight to throw around <smile>. Other than those everything is stock. I do have a Corbin seat that I may try, but again, looking at what "I" can do first.

Any advice would be welcome

 

[red one]

Every rider will be different. For me my wrist and back ached because of the forward riding position. A set of gen mar one inch risers took care of that. I ride with the stock seat and windshield and it's perfect for me. I am slightly forward now with little weight on my wrist and back. I have a friend that has a 99 ST1100 who thinks the stock position is just fine. It's all subjective so ride it for a month before you decide to make changes.

 

[kiltman]

Don’t over think…just ride. Making sure that the hand controls allow your hands not to break at the wrists.
Try the Corbin seat, as that makes you sit in the bike as opposed to sitting on it.
Using a throttle lock or electronic cruise control does wonders with regards to comfort in riding.

 

[Styles]

I've enjoyed my ST since '06 and a Honda Blackbird since '08. Between them—one my Sport TOURER, one my SPORT Tourer—I've learned this lesson: their forward lean may be your friend, like some personal "posture therapist." Provided you heed your doctor's advice: "Always ride like a Marine—head up, chest out, arms loose—with balls of the feet on the pegs." YMMV, of course, but keeping off the tailbone is really the key. I can hardly sit on cruiser today without appreciable pain.


Styles

 

[Larry Fine]

I too don't like the cruiser position, but I also don't like the sport lean. I'm 6'3" and the OEM position bent my knees and hips so much that I couldn't ride even one hour without stopping to walk it off.

Since the foot-pegs are fixed in place, you must first position your butt in a place that suits your legs, then position your hands in a place that suits where your shoulders end up. So, here's what I did:

My '01 came with Helibars already installed, but set as low as they could be to suit the previous owner. I raised them to the highest position, which was a great improvement, but my legs still burned.

After a couple of tries, I found a Russell Daylong seat for sale locally, so I took it for a test ride and brought it home. It moved me far up and back enough that my knees actually didn't contact the fairing.

Of course, that improvement rendered the handlebar no longer high enough, so I replaced the stock bar clamps with 3" risers, which once again allow me to sit upright and comfortable for an hour or more.

Note in the first pic how thick the seat is, as well as how wide, flat, and not tilted forward it is. Also note how high the grips are compared to the shape of the fairing. My legs have no complaints now.

In my opinion, another long-ride must is a set of highway pegs, which allow a different part of your butt and thighs to bear your weight and allow the blood to circulate better, minimizing numbness.

 

[Oldbikefixr]

I'm about your size, jacMA, and lucky to be the owner of two ST's...a 1991 and a 2006. The ST1100 found me leaning too far forward and placing excess weight on my wrists. After an hour or so, my right would go numb and I would have to remind myself to scoot forward a bit and relax my grip. Finally installed a generic 1" riser set that made a great difference. There are taller risers and bar assemblies available, consider Larry Fine's suggestion.
Also a great help was a throttle lock, which reduced my unconscious desire to grip the throttle too tightly. These also come in every imaginable size, function, complexity, simplicity and cost. I think there is a discussion thread on this site, as well as risers. Just use the 'Search' button top right of the screen and search on 'ST1100 bar risers' or such.

 

[PmodelinUS]

I have been riding my ST for just about 2 years. I think it took me almost a full season of riding before I found my comfy position. I have a pair of Heli bars which were on the bike when I bought it and a Corbin seat. Love the seat! I think I tried everything to get comfy. I even went so far as to lower the bars way down more like a sport bike. Finally I got a set of inch and a half Rox rises. That was the trick. A few weeks of riding and I had it nailed in. Really all I can say is don't give up it could take a while. Enjoy the new bike I love mine it's a great bike.

 

[Bikeric]

I added 1" bar risers to my 2000 ST and it made a world of difference to me. I had a disc out from my lower back in 1998 and get sciatica quite a bit due to the nerve being stuck down with scar tissue, so every little helps. I also had a friend lower the seat slightly and put different foam in it for extra comfort and now have n trouble riding up to 200 miles before I have to stop for fuel and a stretch.

 

[jacMA]

Thank you all for your suggestions:
"Always ride like a Marine—head up, chest out, arms loose" - I was in the Air Force, but I can do the Marine thing
"...installed a generic 1" riser set that made a great difference " - Was thinking about this, and will test it out if needed
"...a Corbin seat " - I have a well loved one for the ST, will put it on and give it a go. Love the Corbin I have on my Magna.
Also thinking about the Blade highway pegs, but will read more about those versus some drop-style pegs. On my last ride, I always wanted to put my feet up, like on my cruiser, but not quite the right body position.

I tend to go all-in too fast sometimes, so I'll fool around with it a bit. It's winter up here in New England, so I'll get out when I can.

 

[Upt' North]

Thank you all for your suggestions:
"Always ride like a Marine—head up, chest out, arms loose" - I was in the Air Force, but I can do the Marine thing
"...installed a generic 1" riser set that made a great difference " - Was thinking about this, and will test it out if needed
"...a Corbin seat " - I have a well loved one for the ST, will put it on and give it a go. Love the Corbin I have on my Magna.
Also thinking about the Blade highway pegs, but will read more about those versus some drop-style pegs. On my last ride, I always wanted to put my feet up, like on my cruiser, but not quite the right body position.

I tend to go all-in too fast sometimes, so I'll fool around with it a bit. It's winter up here in New England, so I'll get out when I can.

Jac, you'd do well to take baby steps has already mentioned. The original seat is generally good for about one hour before the seat base becomes all too apparent. So try the other one too.
There really is no point changing three things all at once, bars, seat and pegs; how will you then know what helped or made things worse. The original ergonomics with your height should work well enough.
Good luck finding the sweet spot, it ain't easy.
Upt'North.

 

[ST1100Y]

"Always ride like a Marine—head up, chest out, arms loose—with balls of the feet on the pegs."

First I'd swivel bar and hand-controls to achieve that
a) my elbows are fully straight to support my torso (and a possible pillion) stable and safely during heavy braking and
b) the forearms and back of my hands (metacarpal) form a straight line while operating clutch and front brake...
While on the road I tension the muscles on my legs and torso slightly, taking my body-weight off my wrists (unless I need to brake hard)
So that "head up, chest out" is good... unless the upper edge of your windscreen is too low, by which you unconsciously might start to "duck" to reduce wind-noise on your helmet, so that involuntary crouching will lead to back pain on long, straight runs...

 

[Pop-Pop]

Wrist discomfort. Period! Thats how i judge it.

 

[dduelin]

Google "Yoda Riding Position." You'll probably find it on a BMW forum and Honda paid close attention to BMW sport tourer seat, peg, and bar grip relationships when designing the ST1100.

It is at least 20 years old now but is a good read for what the 'Sport Touring' riding position can be like and why it works so well for long distance riding. In the text change every reference to KRS1200 to whatever sport touring bike you happen to own.

 

[ChriSTian_64]

At 6 foot tall, on longer rides (when I've been riding for a few hours, even after I took a few breaks), it is for my knees that it starts to be a bit painfull.
I feel like my legs are getting a little squeezed too much.
I've tried to put my feet where a set of highway wings would be, just to see, but, I don't find it comfortable at all.
What works best for me, is from time to time, (on highway that is), I simply put both feet about 10-12 inches (30 cm) more backwards, right on the passengers footrest. It allows me to arch and stretch my back a bit, knees are a bit more extended. After 10 or 15 minutes, I get back to normal foot position.

I found this is the best way, for me, to stretch my knees (legs) a bit more, as well as a way to arch my back toward the gas tank, wich is a big relief.

 

[huntingdog]

The ST1100s seating position is not as comfortable as I thought a sport tourer should be. I think it is a combination of the things. Longitudinal V4 so your knees are cramped, but that isn't a big problem since you can put them to the side, although this makes your thighs too abduct.

My biggest problem is lower neck pain and sitting on my nuts constantly. Neck pain I think is due to the slightly leaned forward position (although I have 20mm bar risers), and the lack of headwind (because of the windscreen). I ended up buying a new even lighter helmet to remedy this, and it did help, but didn't cure the problem. The seat is very comfortable overall, but because of the slightly leaned forward seating position and the tilt of the seat itself, I constantly pitch or seat on my balls.

Has anyone dealt with these problems, or is it just me? On longer rides, I just don't feel comfortable. On my Aprilia enduro bike the more upright seating position has never given me such problems, although the seat is like half the width of the STs, in the end it feels more comfortable. I am 6.1, long legs, and I am familiar with the leaned forward seating position: back straight and muscles engaged, shoulders down, chest up front, arms loose.

This is bumming me out because I love the bike overall.

 

[Oldbikefixr]

My greatest issue with the ST1100 riding position is my knees. I'm just under 5' 11" so it may just be my age/physiology. MCL highway bars didn't provide any relief but resting my legs on them, straight out, relieves the cramping pretty quickly. Our 1300, which is quite similarly laid out, doesn't create the same knee problems. Also, I do get wrist numbness when I lean too hard on the handlebars which I seem to do when riding in 'interesting' traffic. Otherwise, no real issues.

 

[Erdoc48]

I’m ~ 5’ 11” (used to be ~ 6’1” - shrunk due to age I guess)- anyway, I’ve done a few mods on both of mine such that I can ride a really long time in comfort- the biggest upgrades are bar risers and peg lowering kit (easy to find risers, not so much for peg lowering, although you can get lowered pegs via Knight Design at a cost of ~ $180). This will take the weight off your arms and give you a bit of leg extension, just enough to avoid cramping up your knees. This way, you’re sitting more upright (the only downside is if you live in a mountainous region and really lean it over, you may scrape the peg underside- this is not an issue for me since I don’t lean that far in the turns, especially where I am). Lastly, I have highway pegs (no longer available but people have been able in many cases to engineer their own) to change leg position from time to time.

 

[Upt' North]

H.D.
For a big bike they can feel cramped, which is strange innit.
Honda acknowledged the knee issue by making oem knee pads, but good luck finding any of them.
I can't think you want to lower the pegs riding in Bulgaria and surrounds, your boots wouldn't last too long.
I think you've got to start with adjustable bars, you need to be more upright,
Good luck and strangely my 650 tiddler is much roomier, especially with the mods.
Upt.

 

[Upt' North]

HOW F'IN MUCH?

Honda - Honda ST1100 - HeliBars

www.helibars.com

 

[Oldbikefixr]

H.D.
For a big bike they can feel cramped, which is strange innit.
Honda acknowledged the knee issue by making oem knee pads, but good luck finding any of them.
I can't think you want to lower the pegs riding in Bulgaria and surrounds, your boots wouldn't last too long.
I think you've got to start with adjustable bars, you need to be more upright,
Good luck and strangely my 650 tiddler is much roomier, especially with the mods.
Upt.

HD? You know good 'n well that if you have 18" ape hangers, your knees can fit nearly to your armpits quite comfortably.