Aching Shoulders

Forum Sponsor
For anyone interested, a great site I use that shows ergos, mostly for newer bikes (last 10 or so years):

Simulator - Motonomics

motonomics.com motonomics.com

Another site if you're looking for something older:


And here's a really good one for comparing seat height, reach, foot peg height, bar height etc side by side:

www.philharmonicmoto.com

Motorcycle size, ergonomics and specs comparison

A tool to compare motorcycles side by side, with specifications and a size comparison with ergonomics, to help you buy your first bike, change style or upgrade.
www.philharmonicmoto.com www.philharmonicmoto.com
 
Mad Mike said:
I swear by physiotherapists - more than once they have rescued me from nagging to excruciating pain. Luckily my SIL is one… a very good one. I was on the wait list for knee and rotator cuff surgeries in 2018 - knee so bad I was walking up stairs using one leg. Shoulder so bad my wife had to roll me out of bed. Crazy Cathy assessed me, gave me some simple stretches and squats to do while having my morning shower. I never had the surgeries, both knee and shoulder aren’t 100%, but they don’t nag me or stop me from doing what I want to do. I still do those stretches daily.

As for seats, I got a saddleman adv gel seat for my Vee. It’s comfortable all day and for my physique, keeps the weight on my ass, not my arms.

@sburns - you’re a lot taller than I am, not sure how it would work for you.
Click to expand...
Thanks Mike, I think @V-Tom might have had a similar seat.

I didn't know saddleman was an option at the time, I swear look for it.
 
N234 said:
It could also be which muscles you're relying on for balance, i.e. posture.

Have you tried putting slightly more weight on your feet instead of simply resting them while your butt carries you?
Have you tried arching your lower back a bit, and supporting your upper body with your legs and abs and minimizing effort in the arms?

It helps me on my hourlong commutes.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
It's worth a try maybe, I feel like my shoulder might be bearing most of the weight and or since the posture is off they are more impacted. Just theorizing.
 
sburns said:
When I added the new corbin seat it set this all in motion. The new seat is great but changed the position. A bit back and lower. It made me feel like I was reaching for the bars and rounding that left shoulder, not good.

Added some risers to bring the bars back (but they also increased the bar height), left shoulder problem solved, and reach solved, but now this new issue.
Click to expand...

I'm surprised the riser helped. You'd think the seat going lower puts you lower relative to the handlebar, and the handlebar riser would put you even lower relative the handlebar.

Could you just get rid of the risers altogether, rotate the handlebar back towards you, to give yourself more pullback, and then rotate the controls and lever forwards so they're where you need them?

You'd reduce the rise, which would offset the seat height decrease, and increase the pullback, to account for the seat setting you further back. No risers needed?
 
Hate to say it but it may be an age thing. I’ve lived and breathed motorcycles since I was 9 years old. When I hit 50 my knees and hips started to bother me when I rode and only when I rode. An aftermarket saddle like Sargent and popping a few Advils definitely helped. Unfortunately the pain got progressively worse and now at 62 I can’t ride more than an hour on pretty much any bike, the pain can become excruciating. Needless to say I don’t do a whole lot of riding these days but fortunately I’m fine otherwise.
 
sburns said:
It's worth a try maybe, I feel like my shoulder might be bearing most of the weight and or since the posture is off they are more impacted. Just theorizing.
Click to expand...
If a 2016 seat fits your bike, you can borrow mine for a week.
 
Bobo said:
Hate to say it but it may be an age thing. I’ve lived and breathed motorcycles since I was 9 years old. When I hit 50 my knees and hips started to bother me when I rode and only when I rode. An aftermarket saddle like Sargent and popping a few Advils definitely helped. Unfortunately the pain got progressively worse and now at 62 I can’t ride more than an hour on pretty much any bike, the pain can become excruciating. Needless to say I don’t do a whole lot of riding these days but fortunately I’m fine otherwise.
Click to expand...
No it's ok, also crossed my thoughts. I also spend waaay too much time in front of the computer, which isn't great either, and I don't have a set exercise routine. Something I need to work on. Believe it or not I'm still sore (not as much) from the ride on Tuesday.
 
adri said:
I'm surprised the riser helped. You'd think the seat going lower puts you lower relative to the handlebar, and the handlebar riser would put you even lower relative the handlebar.

Could you just get rid of the risers altogether, rotate the handlebar back towards you, to give yourself more pullback, and then rotate the controls and lever forwards so they're where you need them?

You'd reduce the rise, which would offset the seat height decrease, and increase the pullback, to account for the seat setting you further back. No risers needed?
Click to expand...
Something we can agree on ;)

In one way it did, maybe in another not as much.

Yes I'm thinking the same thing, going back to stock bar config, no risers, then roll the bars, see how that goes.

I've got another set of risers on order which just pull the bars backward with minimal on the rise.
 
Last edited:
MacDoc said:
OP - Celebrex is your friend.
Getting old sucks - might as well use the pharmacy to help.
I also have long term rotator cuff injury that can hurt after while if I don't have Celebrex in me.

Lately my low grade sciatic has been quiet. Very little riding is likely.
Your frequent changes of positioning also adding to issue.
I found pain where you indicate usually helped by risers.

Not a "bar grip" issue? I like the fatter grip on Grip Buddies to keep neck pain down.
Click to expand...
Be careful with Celebrex. That was the last of a series of NSAID`s I took daily for over a decade, I had a very physical job and couldn`t function without it. I began with Vioxx then Bextra, then Celebrex. I`m certain they are responsible for my endless stomach issues. The first two were pulled from the market regarding heart, stroke, death, mega buck lawsuits. Vioxx worked really well though. I have some left over Celebrex I take not often. It does help with my spinal stenosis, buggered L hip, sciatic and SI joint issues. Gee kids, `ain`t getting old fun?
 
sburns said:
Thanks Mike, I think @V-Tom might have had a similar seat.

I didn't know saddleman was an option at the time, I swear look for it.
Click to expand...

My seat is a "Russell Day Long" (RDL) It is the favorite of long distance riders and Iron Butt riders and I understand why. My longest day ended up being 1,600 km. (I went riding the next day.) For the last five years I have been riding out to Calgary. It is about 3,300 km from my home depending on which route I take, I normally do it in three days which so back to back to back 1,100 km+ days. the RDL is expensive but for long distance riders it's worth every seat (BTW mine is heated as well.)

..Tom
 
Glenn/RZ500 said:
Just a thought....how, possibly unknown, tensed up are you on the bike? Shoulders relaxed and down, not up toward your helmet. Keep your jaw and face relaxed too? If that`s on your `Strom that dirt bike rider triangle is about as good as it gets.
Click to expand...
I caught myself doing this on a day with bad crosswinds. When I got home I could hardly take my jacket off. Didn’t realize I was riding so tense, as usually I am aware and drop the shoulders and just be at one with the bike (okay that never happens). I also noticed I was gritting my teeth.
Do you think your sear needs more break in?
 
Lot of that comes from grip and larger grips help - the neoprene Grip Buddies are much better than the cheap grip puppies.
Also cramp buster on the throttle helps as well as a throttle lock all in aid of keeping shoulders relaxed

There are variations on this but so far this is convenient - the red click off button is a step up.
www.aliexpress.com

Verrouillage de l'accélérateur de régulateur de vitesse de moto, poignée universelle légère, pince de verrouillage, poignées d'assistance d'accélérateur de moto - AliExpress 201355758

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com
www.aliexpress.com www.aliexpress.com

These are cheap and cheerful - one of the other riders put me on to these - avoid the ones without straps as they don't stay in play
www.aliexpress.com

Accélérateur universel en caoutchouc anti-aldes pour moto, régulateur de vitesse, assistance à la bascule, poignée, bouchon de crampe - AliExpress 201355758

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com
www.aliexpress.com www.aliexpress.com
 
Mad Mike said:
I swear by physiotherapists - more than once they have rescued me from nagging to excruciating pain. Luckily my SIL is one… a very good one. I was on the wait list for knee and rotator cuff surgeries in 2018 - knee so bad I was walking up stairs using one leg. Shoulder so bad my wife had to roll me out of bed. Crazy Cathy assessed me, gave me some simple stretches and squats to do while having my morning shower. I never had the surgeries, both knee and shoulder aren’t 100%, but they don’t nag me or stop me from doing what I want to do. I still do those stretches daily.

As for seats, I got a saddleman adv gel seat for my Vee. It’s comfortable all day and for my physique, keeps the weight on my ass, not my arms.

@sburns - you’re a lot taller than I am, not sure how it would work for you.
Click to expand...

Your S-I-L sounds like a good one. If you don't need 100%, surgery can be offset by the right exercises.

The weirdest one was my late brother developing a shoulder pain that kept him from lifting above the shoulder. Being a carpenter, it was a game changer. This was before MRIs and the doctors could see any solution other than opening him up and disconnecting the nerve.

When they opened him up, they saw a snag on a tendon that hit the shoulder blade as it moved. They snipped off the snag and he was good to go.
 
V-Tom said:
My seat is a "Russell Day Long" (RDL) It is the favorite of long distance riders and Iron Butt riders and I understand why. My longest day ended up being 1,600 km. (I went riding the next day.) For the last five years I have been riding out to Calgary. It is about 3,300 km from my home depending on which route I take, I normally do it in three days which so back to back to back 1,100 km+ days. the RDL is expensive but for long distance riders it's worth every seat (BTW mine is heated as well.)

..Tom
Click to expand...
Hey Tom, did you also have RDL for your 650? Does the RDL change the seating position from stock?
I've a corbin, it's good, my butt isn't sore, but it changes the seating position adding to this issue.
 
Sunday Rider said:
I caught myself doing this on a day with bad crosswinds. When I got home I could hardly take my jacket off. Didn’t realize I was riding so tense, as usually I am aware and drop the shoulders and just be at one with the bike (okay that never happens). I also noticed I was gritting my teeth.
Do you think your sear needs more break in?
Click to expand...

I enjoy letting go of the handlebar when riding in heavy winds. It's amazing at how motorcycles are naturally stable in cross wind conditions if we don't interfere. Most of the time I ride with a light touch in the wind. The tighter you hold in to the grips the more the bike will move off track, the lighter your grip the more the bike is able to stabilize itself.

..Tom
 
sburns said:
Hey Tom, did you also have RDL for your 650? Does the RDL change the seating position from stock?
I've a corbin, it's good, my butt isn't sore, but it changes the seating position adding to this issue.
Click to expand...
I added a Corbin to my first DL650 (2006) I actually wore out the leather and got a sceond one. The Corbin on it was really comfy. I bought a Corbin for my 2nd 650 (2012) and it was nowhere close in comfort to the 2006 Corbin's. (I think there was a manufacturing/ordering mistake made for the 2012.) On my 2015 DL1000 I heard about RDL and got one for it. (That seat was super comfy and I wished I had gotten one earlier. On my 2020 V-Strom DL1050 I ordered the seat modification before getting the bike. RDL modifies stock seats and I sent my seat out when I took delivery of my 1050. It takes a while so I managed toi get a loaner stock seat. The stock seat was a torture seat and for the first few months before getting the RDL I used an Airhawk and all I could say is it extended the time before my butt started hurting. I rode about 10,000 km before The Russell Day Long shipped to me.

The RDL is taller (as was the Corbin on the 650's). I dont know if it changed things much, just a biit taller on the 1050. The stock seat base can be adjusted to be lower so the RDL ends up witha higer seat height but not a big difference.

My 2020 DL1050 now has a bit over 260,000 km so the RDL has about 250,000 km. I had it re-padded and the leather refinished last winter.

..Tom
 
RDL is the ultimate seat mod and I loved mine but the one for the Vstrom 650 I found too tall.
I still think your problem is not seat comfort related directly rather than positioning with bars/arms/grips plus seat. my 2 cents.
60 years riding I'm still fiddling with risers/grips/Airhawk.
 
Can you have someone take pictures of you sitting on each seat from 4 sides to give you an idea of the angles. Hopefully you have a centre stand or need another person to hold the bike steady.
If you changed the windshield that could be a factor too.
Forum Sponsor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom