First I want to say I'm loving the hell out of my new rig....have put some serious saddle time in the last few days...now for the question....has anyone else found that when finished riding they felt like they had a serious upper body workout when they first started...
I know I'm somewhat out of shape and my back and neck surgeries have taken their toll...I'm just thinking I'm working muscles that I haven't used on a regular basis in sime time?...
am I on track here?
You're right on track. In a few weeks, you won't even notice it.
And you do it for free. No helth club membership.
Bob,
just do not exaggerate....Do you have a steering modification? Is your rig well set up?
I do not have one and 3 years ago on new years ride around 1000km and several thousand mountan bends in 48 hours a hand paralisation reappeared after 16years calm.
My wife was blaming me that my "escapes" cause way higher medical and repair shop bills then they would be worth it.
Well, meanwhile I got a treatment for to take out all the calcium from the cartileges and bam... I not even need to visit the chiropractics any more.
Just frequently pop out my bones... when I force my biceps too much. (mechanical fuse! That way I didn't bend any prybars or wrenches any more!)
Anyhow, becomeing soar after strong riding is normal and will strengthen all those muskles that haven't got trained for years.
But if the trouble persists or becomes bad, then you should first visit a professional mechanics for track set up / steering modification.
Only if after that and a few month regular riding you still have that problem, then You should visit a serious medic.
(in my personal case the treatment of a russian neurologic made me painfree after decades of abusive chiropractic treatment => which is very good for rare use, but seems to cause calcification if done too long, often and regular => this statement is my personell theory, not at all a medical oppinion!!!! (I got regular treatment since 16 years old after I crunched a vertebra))
My first rig never got set up right. my actual rig does not have any steering modification but gets an excellent track fine tuning from the importer, so my soarness comes from the road conditions and an abusive rider...me the 30st horse.
As I am an industrial engineer and not a medic, take my 2 cent advice for what its worth for.
Enjoy your free bodybuilding gym at fresh air!
Sven
I have no steering mods as of yet.....and have been playing with the lean....yesterday I finally got the bike to run straight down the road at speed with no resistance....but I do have a bit of a slow speed wobble now...I do have a steering damper that came with my sidecar...the more I ride over the last few days I don't find myself as sore.....as far as my injuries I now sport a plate in my neck and a cage and rods along my spine..5 surgeries later......thanks for all the pointers!
Bob, welcome in the club of those who can say they are lucky to be able to tell their story and feel their bones in the morning.
Be worried the day you don't feel any pain one morning....
Here we say "pura vida = pure life". always life has good and bad prepared for us. Each day is a gift.
Enjoy living extra time. There is a task for us to fulfill still, otherwise we wouldn't be here.
Best wishes
Sven
Bob, Yep upper body workout - no question about it. After you get your rig running straight down the road - recheck toe in etc. After getting things adjusted and settled in the first time I rechecked my toe in and it had changed another 1/2 inch. Readjust that and then I had to tweak lean-out just a tad to get it back to going straight down the road with little or no steering effort. So far I've been lucky - except for the first test ride when I was off on lean-out and toe-in I've had no problem with steering wobble, and I'm not running a steering damper. I'm glad your enjoying your rig - I know I'm enjoying mine. Took my rig to a small rally where a group of my friends were - several tried to get in and out of the Spyder - pictures and videos were taken when we could stop laughing long enough - Spyders, I don't think, were designed with Old Overweight Folks (OOF'S) in mind. At least we didn't have to use a crane on anyone.
today i took my harley out for some fresh hi test [it was 60 deg out] and a spin around the town .it was the second time i have had it out since it was delivered..it handels better than those old police bikes i had many years ago.so there isnt the workout i remember.the nice thing is i can get on it easier .of course i have to step on the passenger pegs to get my leg over, then move to the running boards but thats fine with me . so i am happy to be out again
Glad your back on the road Horrorguy. I was off bikes for 15 months due to injuries. Now I have to (and am enjoying it) use a sidecar because I don't trust the left leg to hold up a bike anymore. I have to start with my left let on the floorboard or if I'm hurting real bad on the left passenger floorboard. Once I get the right leg over I'm ok. I'm careful where I park so I don't have to back up much, if any, and never back up hill. What sidecar do you have mounted to your HD?
its an 87 harley sidecar mounted on an 88 FLHTC .it was easier to sell my 83 FLH than to set it up for a sidecar[adjust a glide ,damper ect].i also had a victory but it was too tall seat wise.i have the problem where my left leg wont hold up the bike.so i sold them both dirt dirt cheap because i hadnt ridden them in a long while .found the bike/sidecar i have now in a dealership in indiana and had it shipped to me.i always knew i would get back into sidecars and thankfully i can enjoy riding again .
If you install raked trees on those big twin rigs you can dump the steering damper (less resistance) and the turns won't be such a shoulder exercise. A hellova lot less tiring, especially with a passenger in the hack.
(I still need to use the passenger footpeg to hoist my right leg over the drivers backrest tho'.)
Lonnie
I guess some of us need to make a work-out video about the lengths we'll go to stay in the wind and ride motorcycles/sidecars. It would probably look like a Keystone Cops flick just of me getting on and off the bike. Then there's all the action shots that can be taken of going through curves. A camera mounted on the front of the sidecar and pointed at the operators face could capture some unique expressions - especially on us newbies, I'll bet.
Crippled Ol' Man i like the work out vid idea..i dont know i may be in competition with you for the getting on the the bike vid.if you want to see funny you should watch me climbing into my demolition derby cars .[and i wonder why my body doesnt like me lol]
Since I've gotten the car installed I've put on almost 1000 miles.........LIFE IS GOOD!
Was at a pre Daytona party today 3000 bikes + and 3 hacks.....most of the aches and pains have left but still muscling the car in the turns......
Horrorguy, I believe we'd have to classify it as a comedy vid.
Wow Paddler your really cooking. Thats a lot of miles in a hurry, congratulations. I'm impressed.
