Are there any options to relieve sore elbows?

[Serendipity]

I noticed that when I ride my Vision for any length of time my elbows start to get sore. Seems to be caused by the fact that I can't have very much bend in my elbows while riding it. I'm careful to make sure i don't accidentally lock them, but it still happens. I notice that sometimes if I slump a bit, kinda like when you ride a gaited horse (DJ might know what I mean) it helps a little but not much. Are there any modifications I can do that would let me sit a little more upright with more of an angle in my arms??

I'm assuming not, but just thought I'd ask. 

[dj]

Serendipity - Yes, I understand what you are saying.  I had the same problem with my GS1000 for a while (my fix is that I sit pretty much at the front edge of the seat which gets my arms closer to the bars so that they have a slight bend in them.)  It isn't the most comfortable ride because I am sitting half on the seat and half on the edge of the tank!.  :(

Different handlebars might help.  Ones with a little more lift/pull back should get it so that your arms are bent a little more if you like riding in a fully upright position.  It will also give a little different look to your bike!   8)

You can also try leaning forward a little bit more then you normally do.  Do you have the sport fairing on the bike?  If you do, then the position of the forward lean should also make it so that the fairing blocks the wind.  It is a little uncomfortable on the back at first, but you do get used to it fairly quickly.  Just remember these bikes are a sport bike style on the riding position for most people (slight lean forward), but not as bad as the new sport bikes where you are leaning about 75% of your weight on your arms (I don't see how that is comfortable!!).

[MotorPlow]

The bars are also adjustable. Take a look at the grip ends of each bar and see if adjusting them at the connection to the riser will allow you to rotate them any closer to your seating position. To adjust them, pop off the plastic disk cover on the riser. Underneath you will find a bolt. Loosen the bolt and it will loosen the bar so that you can rotate it around.

[haunter]

ease your grip on the bars too

thats what I do usually when my hands and elbows get sore

I tend to grab on too tight I guess ???

[Phatjap]

Hello
I understand how you feel, but I tend to get a sore/ache in my thumb area. I've put on higher risers, which I've got from Tiger and also as some one suggested, loosening my grip on the handle bars. Also sitting closer to the tank eases it for a while.

Incidently I have the lower rises if anyone wants them, for the cost of postage. They are loads different, it feels like about 3 inches difference, not exactly sure tho. However, although a sportier ride with the lower ones, you do tend to lean over more, probably not a help.

[QBS]

Changing to foam grips might help also.  They're thicker so you don't lean over quite as much.  Helped me on my '83.

[Phatjap]

Dont wish to thwart someones effort to be helpful, I forgot to mention it when I posted. I had foam grips on mine and I changed them back to rubber type because it increased the gap from the levers. This was causing a bit of a problem in itself because my hand/finger span is quite short. I know its not the same problem but might be useful info to someone who is concidering it.

Just a thought.

[zore]

Just a few things everyone may or may not know.  As you stated, don't lock your elbows.  Secondly, you should hold the grips as if they were little birds you don't want to crush.  Use your legs to hold you up.  I often lock on to the tank with my legs. 

As far as hardware goes, I found the shorty bars to be a great help in comfort.  The stock bars on my 82 hurt my back and didn't feel natural.  I also installed a throttle rocker on all my bikes some years ago and simply can't live with out them.  I find them to be almost a safety feature as it allows you to apply throttle and keep your fingers read at the break lever. 

I also installed an ACME Rocket Plus pack on my back which has gotten me ever closer to my main goal, catch the road runner.


-jv

[MotorPlow]

You could move out of Florida and find roads a little less straight. This way you would be using your arms a little more and not using them to simply point in a straight line.  ;D

[Serendipity]

Thanks for the advice I guys...I know GAWolf had done some changing already to their positions for his wife, so when I get Tailwheel to explain it all to me I can decide where to go from there. I know he had had it set up to make it as low as possible, but I am 5'9" so that may or may not be the best for me.

I've also *tried* to remind myself to relax as much as possible but being such a newbie I am sure there is a lot of tension still in my arms and shoulders.

What are you implying Motorplow? That it's like Kansas out here?? LOL Well, actually you are right. But I did find a few mile long road about 6 miles from me that actually has a few curves on it...so till I can get up to North Florida I at least have somewhere to start practicing on....in preparation for the Dragon. I've also been seriously thinking of driving around my parent's development to practice. They live in one of those 55 & Over Trailer Parks, with trailers nicer than most houses. But the road around the place is really windy, sure the speed limit is only supposed to be 15 mph, but I'm sure I can get a few runs in before I get tossed out. ;)

[QBS]

Zore.....Where did you get your Acme Rocket Pack from?  I've been looking for one for just the longest.  Ebay hasn't been very helpful.

[h2olawyer]

I think they're probably available used from Warner's Coyote Supply, Inc.  May be a bit damaged - Acme might be able to "factory refurbish" one, though.   ;D

H₂O

[YellowJacket!]

You could move out of Florida and find roads a little less straight. This way you would be using your arms a little more and not using them to simply point in a straight line.  ;D

Tennessee is the place to be!  :-)

David

[QBS]

Re: Rocket Packs........Maybe we could get TDub and Blake involved and do a group purchase.

[kiawrench]

Dipity-
   didnt one of those two bikes have a very low seat?  if so, the lower seat and rotation of the grips will put your hands in a more natural position.  if neither had the lowed seat (almost none) then you need to modify a seat, use my method, it will place you lower to the frame, easing the tweak on your elbows and make you sit a bit more upright, with much less lean towards the headstock,,, taking a lot of pressure off your elbows .

   if you want my seat mods, i can type it all up again, post it here for you .
you can see the end result in rider of vision e-zine issue one ,reader's rides   

[Serendipity]

I went for a lovely short little ride yesterday afternoon by myself. About 7-8 miles up a 55 mph road and then tooled around an Equestrian Community (35 mph) for a little while, then back home. I tried Zore's "baby bird" method, and at a lower speed, What A Difference!!! Thanks for mentioning that! I also tried locking my legs around the tank as you suggested, and though it didn't feel comfortable for long periods of time, it aleviated the soreness temporarily.

Now that I've really thought about it I realize it's much more my right elbow, than my left....and the soreness is more related to the amount of pressure I have on the throttle. Between the leg lock and baby bird method I was able to get totally comfortable at slow speeds, but I noticed that when I was on the faster road I couldn't....perhaps that throttle rocker something or other somebody mentioned earlier would help this?

Btw, amazing how now that my confidence/body memory/all-over skills are improving how quickly I get up to speed. Yesterday was the first time I pulled onto the "fast" road and got up to speed just by sound/feel instead of looking at the tach. I'm thinking I'm at about 50, maybe....glance down and I am already at 60 and climbing. Weeeeeee!!!!!!!!!

[QBS]

Sounds like you are doing great!  The way to hold onto the grips is to basically to use the pressure you would use to grip an egg.  Start out by using just your finger tips then you'll see what I mean.  I have a throttle rocker on my bike and it's possibly the best $ I've ever spent on the V.  You use the heal of your hand to maintain throttle position instead of your grip.

The light touch on the grips is critical in high speed turns.  Take your weight off the grips and support yourself with knees against the tank in conjunction with your lower back muscles.  This allows the front wheel to react and auto correct to bumps and road irregularities without the rider trying to force the bike into stable submission and thus leading to oversteering and related wobbles.  Trust the bike and let it do what its' designed to do.   Try turns with your hands on the grips, but barely touching them.  You'll be amazed at how it feels when its doing its' self correcting thing.

[kiawrench]

dipity,

     one other trick you may try ,, hold the grips as far out as possible,, near the outer ends on the bars,with the grip outr ridge in your palm,,, sort of very wide grip,, this removes the pressure from your hands and elbows , enough to make a 500 mile trip and still have feeling in arms .

[Rikard]

*reading backlog*

QBS - that's one of the better pieces of advice I've read in a long time (let the bike do its thing in curves). I'm a newbie (though I've had the licence for almost ten years, just haven't had a bike to ride on), and that kind of stuff just never gets into the riding manuals at driving school. Nor does the 'counter steering' technique, which is fairly amazing in my opinion. Maybe I was just unlucky and trained for my licence with a less than perfect instructor.  I mean, sure, these are tips perhaps most useful for the agressive rider, but on the other hand, what works to get higher speeds should in a lot of situations also help to increase safety/control at constant speed, right?

*goes looking for threads on driving techniques - or starts one if he can't find one*  :P

/Rikard

[Lucky]

Rikard, if you want a great read on motorcycling technique, go here:
http://www.msgroup.org/discuss.asp
--Lucky