SET UP YOUR BIKE FOR YOU !!!!! A newbie guide.
 

After doing some work on some friends bikes today, I struck me just have poorly people have their bikes set up for themselves.

How many people actually spend the time to adjust the bike to fit them properly ?? I adjusted their bikes and they're much happier and comfortable on them.

The amount of people you see riding around with brakes they cant reach, bars that give them sore wrists or brake pedals that drag is beyond belief..

Of course, most old hands on here can go back to their tea, but if you've just bought a bike, new or second hand and you're new to biking, spend some time to set it up properly.

Most new bikes from a dealership are thrown together out of a box in a hurry. When I used to sell bikes, I used to have the new owner sit on it and try and get a technician to move the controls to suit the rider. Was that done for you ?? Probably not.

Second hand bikes are set up for the previous owner... NOT YOU !!!!

Brake & clutch Levers.

Unless you're riding a 1940's boneshaker with drum brakes, you should be using 2 fingers (usually index and middle) for clutch and brake operation. This gives you more grip and control on the bars.

Losen off the clamps and move the controls inwards on the handle bars so you grip the lever near the very end of it with these 2 fingers. This will give you more "leverage" and therefore more power. Who doesnt want more braking power on a heavy bike ??? It also reduced fatigue on your clutch hand in traffic. Foam lever cushions are also nice as they reduce the sharp force on your fingers. Rotate the lever controls until you can grab them in a hurry without having to move your wrist off the bars.

Rear Brake pedal

Usually almost always forgotten about ! Is your back brake rubbish ? Do you find yourself wondering why your new pads and clean disc still doesnt stop you ??

Adjust the pedal using the rear master cylinder nut. Raise the lever so your foot (with the boots you ride in) just sits ontop of the lever. You should be able to just rotate your foot left and right and feel drag on the sole of your boot from the pedal. Many people have their pedal too low, reducing the effective distance they can push the pedal in stiff riding boots and in affect, giving them little stopping power.

If you cant almost lock your back wheel with fast, hard stomp on the pedal, it's not right !! (please dont try this on a wet road, fully loaded lol)

If you're pushing the pedal all the time while cruising, this is called "dragging" and will prematurely wear your disc and pads and cause poor braking as the disc is always hot.

Remember to adjust the rear brake switch to match the pedal.

Handle bars & Risers

Bad back ?? Aching wrists ?? Try rotating your bars forward and backwards until you get a position that doesnt put stress on your joints or aukward bends on your wrists.

Higher, wider bars give you more slow speed control as you can utilise your shoulder and back muscles more.

Don't be afraid to swap your cheap factory bars. "Renthal Dakar High" bars work wonderfully on almost all overland bikes.

If you need even more height, you can swap you "Risers" or "clamps" to get more height.

CONTROLS

Can you reach your indicator while riding slowly feathering the clutch ?? If not , its in the wrong place !! Rotate and slide it on the bars until you can... You may need to remove the control and grind off the plastic locater to allow movement. Dont worry though, a little electrical tape wrapped around the bar will stop it rotating when it's retightened.

Suspension.

Very few people set up their suspension even though its one of the MOST important way to how your bike feels and handles. It's too detailed to go into here but spend the time and DO IT !! It will TRANSFORM your bike and your comfort.

There are plenty of online guides and even detailed threads on the hubb. Use the seach function and find them.



Hope i've helped. Feel free to add your own advice and comments ! :clap:

This E-Book is one of the best suspension set up guides I have ever read. Dualsport Riding

Another tip especially with regards the controls on the handlebars, don't tighten them up too tight once the correct position has been found, tight but not lock tight. This is so, when(not if) the bike tips over, they will rotate on the bars and most liklely not damage the levers or switches.

Cheers
TS

Yup !! Forgot to mention that.. Good tip :eek2:

The problem with this old gem (and a lot of race based ideas) is that it can involve you needing to constantly fiddle with the bike. Personally I'd take a look at handguards and leave the levers alone if they look survivable. Loose bits get looser until they drop off, so you need to check again and again.

On the same tack, lets have all the new guys only carry one spare 21-inch tube (they get double the practice changing 'em but it saves gramme after gramme of weight) and route new cables alongside the old ones where they can sieze up before you need them :nono:

Honestly guys, don't worry about this micro-detail stuff, just do a little preparation and ride the ride :mchappy:

Andy

Get a good seat as well nothing worse than a numb bum

Grant covers some of these same things in the Gear Up video. Very nice.

He sure does, I would reccommend the DVD to anyone

Thanks Ted, great advice for a newby like me!:thumbup1:

I think it's important to note that when emergency braking you should definitely use all four fingers.

If you need 4 fingers, it's probably too late anyway !!

I could lock up my front brake on any bike i've owned bike with 2 fingers. If you can't, you should probably have your brakes serviced !

You lose too much bar control and body support just by resting your wrists on the bar while grabbing the lever with 4 fingers. Especially if your arse is out of the saddle at the time.

Many enduro/mx bike levers are only long enough for 2 fingers ! Maybe for this reason ??

I suppose it's all personal choice/riding style/what you feel comfortable with....

In motorcycle safety a few years back we were taught that it's not only about squeezing the lever but rolling all four fingers over the brake in a fluid motion followed by a tight squeeze which stops the front wheel from locking up and to practice this as much as possible.

There was a special name for this maneuver but now I have forgotten what it was called. Also I don't think it would apply to mx or enduro, moreso a situation such as a child running out on the road or car pulling out in front of you.

That's really interesting ! It was a very experienced/qualified Police instructor that told me never to use 4 fingers due to the lack of control and grip on the bars !! He noticed me doing it on one of those safety ride outs.

Just goes to show the difference in "the law" depending who you talk to lol.

If you're still a 4 finger braker, I do urge you to at least try just using 2 fingers. It takes a bit of mental unlearning/re learning but its soooo much nicer now :)

Under ideal conditions, using 2 fingers to brake is sufficient and maybe even preferable. Just a gentle pressure on the brake lever will get you to a safe and quick stop.

On the other hand, when you're descending that big mountain on an overloaded bike -- with your brakes overheating and fading -- you may need to use the full available travel from the brake lever to successfully stop before that cliff.

Yet you can't use all available braking power with 2 fingers, because the other two fingers get in the way of the lever. Hence safety courses tend to teach you to (smoothly) use 4 fingers for "panic braking" situations. You want to ensure that you can use full available braking power from your bike should you need it -- squeezing that brake lever right against the throttle if necessary (while simultaneously squeezing the clutch lever as well.)

Your brakes might seem very powerful, until mud gets into your brakes from that last get off, or when the pads become soaked from heavy rain.

Bottom line I guess is learn to use 2 fingers for normal riding, but train / condition yourself to use full 4-finger-panic-braking for emergency situations.

As a ROSPA Silver & IAM I have never been told not to use my 4 fingers or to only use 2 fingers.

Vibration is a distance killer, so find out what's causing it and try to effect a cure.

Tight or dry chains are a big culprit, as are loose engine mounting bolts. If it's a multi, check the carbs are balanced. If you've checked everything then try filling the handlebars with silicone sealant - works on Yamaha FJ's.

:thumbup1:

This is an old desert/enduro rider trick. One addition would be to USE Loc-Tite on the bolts in question. Why? Since you are not tightening them up full snug there is a minor chance, over time they may vibrate loose and you could have the bolts back out on you. Using Loc-Tite keeps the bolts in place. BTW, having crashed more than my share I can attest that this technique does save levers/brake master cylinders.

Levers can still get broken, even with hand guards fitted. One can break levers, master cylinders or clutch perches and the like. Hand guards a must on any bike intended for overlanding off road. But keeping levers/perches only semi tight is a must, IMHO. And they don't come loose. In a fall they may rotate a bit, saving you lots of trouble. The idea is to tighten enough to keep them in place (with Loc-Tite) but loose enough that when forced they rotate rather than snap off. It's technique .... not technical.

No fiddling really. My DR650 has had hand guards and semi-tight bolts for over 2 years. Never touched them, other than to lever them back straight after a fall. This is not a minor thing, IMHO. If you break a master cylinder or perch, you are screwed. Been there, done that.

Nothing gets loose cause Pros Loc-Tite everything. All perch bolts, lever bolts, all hand guard hard ware. Loc-Tite. Basic.

This is an excellent point Dave, and one of my whacky Pet Peeves.

Along with dry, kinked or worn chains ... be sure to check sprockets too! Amazing how many "experienced" riders never bother to have a close look at their sprockets.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_pXs6Z_85Tj8/TA...24_FU2CA-M.jpg
Can you guess which one is dangerous? This came off a newish BMW F650 Dakar. Very experienced rider. He set off on a 20,000 mile trip through EU, Russia, Turkey, Mongolia and this is what he found after just a week on the road. He never checked them before he left. (he shipped bike from USA to Italy with a bunk Chain and Sprockets. Luckily, he brought a spare.

Engine mounting bolts are hardly ever checked .... but should be! Sometimes, loosening them all up, then tightening in correct order, doing stepped torquing, can really make Vibration go away for good. Also, some bikes use Rubber bushings you may not be able to see. Change them out for new ones. on older bikes.

Carb or F.I. balance can really fool you on a multi-cylinder bike. Check it.
Mercury gauges don't always make it right. I go by "feel" and "sound" Test rides are the real test.

For bar vibe you can also put in Bird Shot. (lead pellets) Works!
Aluminum bars can also change the frequency, sometimes helping bar vibes.

One of my favorite things about the Suzuki DR650 is all the Vibe Damping it comes with from the Factory.

Bars: Bars on the DR650 are very well rubber damped on the top clamp, bar clamp piece. Works well. Also comes with Bar end weights. Very smooth, even at 80 mph.

Pegs: DR650 have rubber damped foot pegs. Nice. Passenger pegs are NOT rubber damped ... and they vibe bad!

Another commonly overlooked area of vibes is the Cush Drive. Some bikes wear out the Cush Drive rubber inserts quickly. Installing a fresh set can really change the feel of the bike and really can help drive line slop.

Lastly, is rear wheel alignment. Get is straight! Line up front and rear sprocket, set wheel straight. You will feel the difference! :clap:

I think one of the biggest things is Suspension... as was mentioned in the OP... when you pack bags and gear on, you need to adjust your suspension accordingly.

personally... my last day before setting off on any trip is to go over the bike, inspect all consumable parts (chain, sprockets, brakes, cables, air filter, lights, tires, ect) and set my suspension for my new loaded weight. (already been set up for just me, and recorded the info so I have my static sag and just need to set my race sag again)

Going back and reading Ted's first post gave me a business idea for Ted.
Why not open a little shop specializing in basic set up for travelers and their bikes? :eek2: I know there are one or two guys in the UK doing this now, but IIRC, most are fabricators?

I'm talking about helping relatively new riders with basic set up of their bikes for LD travel. Help them get the bike comfortable and safe. Educate them as to parts and pieces to get for their specific bike to make the bike last and ride better.

Even ... be the one to be HONEST ... and tell them if their old piece of crap will never make the trip ... as opposed to fleecing them and extracting hard earned money into a lost cause. Unscrupulous shops are famous for this. No one wants to be the person to tell a rider "... your bike is crap, dangerous and not worth fixing ... don't do it, save and get another."

We don't have MOT in the USA, but we should. But Ted's business could go way beyond an MOT. Doing things like checking or replacing often over looked wheel bearings, head bearings, chain/sprockets and wheel truing, spoke maintenance and more. All relatively simple stuff that many owners forget about.

You could help them with luggage choice based on the bike, the rider and the trip planned. Soft, Hard? Or some combination? Racks? Top boxes? Seems lots of beginners haven't a clue on some of these things. Of course they would order through you ... so a few bucks made there.

Work on custom tool kits, help design one JUST FOR THAT RIDER'S BIKE.
Also sell ready made travelers kits.
Sell First Aid kits. Good ones.
Do instruction in tire changing and flat repair. (so many are lacking in this critical area)
Teach basic maintenance, valve adjustments, chain adjustments, safety checks and on and on. Help figure out what spare parts to carry based on bike and destination.

To really expand this idea ... you could even teach off roading. Take them out ON THEIR OWN BIKE and do a bit of trail work. From there you could start doing organized tours! :stupid:

Just a thought for Ted or some bright entrepreneur. Seems this segment has growth potential in the UK. Am I far off on this?

To make money day to day the shop would also have to offer basic maintenance stuff, tire changes and the like. Might be possible to make a go of it in the UK if someone was talented and worked hard at it? Dunno? Any chance?
:confused1:

Mickey can you do me a favor... delete your post?

that's exactly what I want to do after I spend some years traveling the world and gathering knowlege on the road.

don't want someone coming in and stealing my (your) idea before I'm ready... you can post it again in 15-20 years LOL

Well, looks like Ted beat me to it .... had the same idea!

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...s-market-51326

I just saw this post now, or I would not have posted my above one.

Prepping bikes for overland in the USA could be a tough go. Dunno. Although it appears to be a healthy and fast growing segment, but not like the UK.
Specialty shops have been successful in Harley World for years. Nowadays my guess most are ready to close their doors. Once things come back (who knows when?) this type of business could be a winner.

I would pursue this idea nonetheless. But personal experience really adds to credibility. Grant has HU meeting where you can meet the big players in this world. None of them have set up a prep business, so the door is still open. Most are living by doing books, movies, presentations and leading
expeditions. A prep business would be a good way to go.

Go for it!

I adjusted my handlebars by 4/5mm towards me on my last bike. I have a disability that means that riding for more than an hour can be agony. This tiny change meant I could bear up to 3 hrs in one go on the bike, meaning 6+ hrs per day, and the difference between local ride outs, and continental tours.

Might be micro-detail, but was life changing for me!

Suspension was mentioned already couple of times, but I still also want to highlight it´s importance. It will make a difference between manageable and enjoyable ride. Also this is important safetyfactor.
Setting up suspension is not rocket sciense, just have a look Öhlins setup instruction (same basic prinsiples can be used for all bikes), do some measurements, have short testride and adjust more if needed.

4 vs 2
 

At the risk of being completely :offtopic: I'll launch into the debate. :innocent:

The problem with this theory is when do you know that an emergency is an emergency? It could happen that you are braking with 2 fingers but then the situation requires harder braking and you need all 4 fingers to do an emergency stop. In that situation, you would need to pretty much get all fingers off to wrap the 4 fingers back around to ensure full leverage of the brake lever...

The practice I was taught (rightly or wrongly) applies to 95% of the motorcycling population and it is be prepared for an emergency everytime.

When riding overland, and this is where I disagree with Ted (respectfully of course) is that you are on the road and it is unpredictable, this means that you don't have control of your environment. Keep following my logic... So unlike in a motorcross race where the traffic and conditions are controlled where you have a short brake lever for 2 finger braking to permit use of accelerator and keep bar control, on the road in normal touring mode this motorcross race technique is rarely going to help, and will not provide the security and stopping power in an emergency.

I think we've uncovered two different techniques and their applications rather than two schools of thought. :smartass:

1) 4 finger braking for full length levers in 95% of on-road in traffic conditions
2) 2 finger braking for 1/2 length levers when riding motorcross or off-road

and to cover the 5%
3) Experienced off road riders who don't ever need emergency braking or who's technique is next to god like, you can use 2 finger braking. :mchappy:

Oh and for the record, when you use 4 fingers, you don't loose control of the bar because (thanks to evolution) we have an opposable digit called the THUMB. :thumbup1:

Another off-topic chip-in on the braking front. I was taught the four finger, roll-round technique previously mentioned, but the rolling forward wasn't to do with braking efficiency/smoothness but to make sure the throttle rolled off. This was great for test day but for real-world riding I nearly always use two fingers and have never had any problems with insufficient stopping power.
This might be a learned thing from mountain biking, where having four fingers on the lever will DEFINITELY compromise your bar control.

P.S. buy a pair of lock-wire pliers and some lockwire (dirt cheap), and then lockwire everything onto the frame - that way if it does work loose or a bolt snaps you're not trapsing round in the dirt looking for your footpegs etc. It's also good for a variety of other things such as keeping your bar grips on if they are slipping a bit.

I always use lock wire and also Nylock type nuts (the ones with the ring of Nylon in them) on all of my bikes and have never had a problem....YET....
One problem with Locktite is that when it leaks in your bag.........
Once the bolt is drilled, it lasts, and no need to clean threads etc.
Things such as the sump drain bolt, I drill the head and when fitting, I only 'nip' the bolt enough to stop it leaking, and no chance of over-tightening. Securing the lock wire against the 'unscrewing' direction stops the worry.
A lot of machines have dots, lines or other marks to aid the mechanic build the bike from the crate, such as dots on the handlebars and handlebar clamps. This is to standardise the bike, nothing more. Its a good starting point, but as discussed, everyone is different.
Regarding front brake and clutch levers, I set mine (sat on the bike) hands on grips with fingers and arms straight and the levers just touching my fingers. In this position you have a staight squeeze on the lever with no bent wrist which will make your wrist and forearm ache. Do turn the bars from lock to lock to check clearence with the fuel tank or fairing etc. Obviously, you may need to alter this if you ride most of the time standing up!

In the event of an emergency stop, I have never had time to think of how many fingers to use! I use what comes to hand!:D

Well of course, this is another one of those "there is no right or wrong" situations. I think it's personal preference.

I used to be a four finger braker for many years before I untrained myself after doing a few track days (on supermotos and sports bikes) and realising just how much control you're losing taking all your fingers off the bar...

It's going to come down to finger strength too I guess. I ride every day so I have quite a lot of strength in my braking fingers now I suppose..

Although, I have to add... If you can't lock up your wheels with two fingers, you've either got shit brakes or arthritus ! :innocent:

One you can do something about....

I don't have particulary small hands, but I can't even get all four fingers on my brake! My first finger touches the joint of the brake lever. doh

My point was more about technique then ability though it depends which bike and what brakes you have, however on all newer bikes I would have to agree. Even 1 finger is enough...:smartass: but which finger? :tongue3:

As tasty as that bait is, I've already eaten.. hahahaha :D

10x very helpful

A bit late maybe, but here my two cents:

My wife and I travel on two Africa Twins, not the lightest I know...
We are roughly equal considering length etc, so we have the bikes in a roughly similar setup.
Maybe this is not perfect for the person riding his/her bike normally, but it does make it very easy to swap bikes when you need to.
e.g. when we were in Bolivia, playing in the mud for a few days above 4000 meters altitude, Mirjams bike ran on one cylinder. We swapped so I had this issue to fight with, and Mirjam drove my bike through the mud for 3 days. I think it is very nice when the other bike feels natural to you when you have to drive it!

maybe something to consider.

Regarding the 2 verses 4 finger technic can I suggest that as a starting point,
A) losen brake and clutch lever at clamps and rotate out of the way(facing down )
B)Place hands on grips and allow your hands to to hang in a natural fashion, i.e. don't hold your fingers up.
C)Look at the angle of your hands are at and rotate brake and clutch back to this position.
This is the optimum position wether you have a disability or not and will provide ample leverage for 2 finger braking even under sustained hard braking, and will substancialy reduce fatige on hands and wrists.

Hanlebar Set Up
 

Hi All :)

I've been reading around on setting up the handlebars but am none the wiser.

Just come back from a 3 week trip to Portugal and despite my having set up the bike for me as suggested by Ted, my right hand wrist hurt badly after about two day's riding. And from two days later my right shoulder and neck got really cramped up and painful. But I don't feel like my hand is using the throttle at the wrong angle...? - Probably cos I'm used to it....

Its a 2004 F650 GS with standard handle bars. I would consider buying another bar, if it helps. But my problem is that I wouldn't know what to go for, without test riding each for two days...?

So what angle should my hand/wrist/arm/shoulder be at? Can anyone give a detailed description? How should everything be set up?:helpsmilie:

For me, it comes down to the grip on the throttle; we all use the brakes now and again but we are turning the throttle continuously.
I try to vary my wrist position on the throttle grip while riding for hours - I guess I change it, subconsciously basically, while stopping temporarily at lights etc.

For the general muscle cramp, maybe you are gripping the throttle too tight?
IMO, some folks get such cramps because of cold air circulating around their body after vortexing off the screen.

The general idea regarding the controls on both ends of the bars is that if your fingers are extended straight out as a "natural" extension of your lower arm then the brake/clutch levers should lie in that natural-pointing direction.

For me, I find using a throttle rocker to be extremely helpful. Gripping the bars too tight can cause pain, and with the rocker there can be long stretches where the palm of my hand is doing most of the work, with my grip actually very loose. It's surprising just how little I actually grip the bars on long trips.

Just for completeness, I ride an F800GS with Rox Risers fitted. I've heard Grant talk about bike setup. One thing that rang true was when he said to close your eyes and hold your hands out as if holding the bars - this is the position in which you should ride. With my setup, this is what I've got!

The easiest thing you can try is rolling the bars back.

I wear a kidney belt on longer trips. Helps with posture and gives protection. Mines an alpinestars Orion..