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Joint Relief


gswanson

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Need some help or suggestions on possible ergonomic changes to relieve hip joint pain after being in the saddle for an extended period of time.  I have a 2007 Anniversary Edition, Sargent seat, Buell pegs and stock bars.  I am 6'2" with a 36" inseam, 62 years young.  On all day rides I start experiencing pain in my right hip joint after about 1.5-2 hours, then in less than an hour after each break.  This occurs both while slabbing and in the twisties.  Straightening my leg while riding, both forward and backwards helps, but I need to eliminate the cause if possible.  I am wondering if Helibars or the LSL bar kit will help by allowing me to sit more upright and reduce my hip angle.  Plugging the Heli or LSL rise/pull back numbers into the CycleErgos calculator shows that I can reduce my hip angle by about 5°.  If I simulate the riding position by just fingertipping the bars it seems to reduce some of the hip stress, but I'm not sure if it is enough.  Are the bars the missing piece to the puzzle or do I need to start saving for a Crosstour?

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I've read that the VFR 800 has relatively cramped leg ergos for a sport tourer. In the past, VFRD member BusyLittleShop has fabricated footpeg lowering blocks to remedy this very issue:

 

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/index.php?/forums/topic/79268-bls-lowering-blocks

 

You could contact him to see if he still has inventory. The install can be a little tricky:

 

http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/index.php?/forums/topic/34097-bls-footpeg-block-install

 

I have almost the same measurements as you and have similar hip trouble (knees too!). I find that regular stretching is an invaluable maintenance technique for aging joints and muscles. The human body was not designed to spend ten or more hours a day sitting. One result of all that sitting is that the muscles on the front of our hips eventually shorten and become more prone to cramping. Regular stretching (at least weekly, near daily is best) restores length to muscles and quiets their grumpiness. The two muscles most likely to cause discomfort for a motorcyclist are the flexor (pulls your thigh up) and the tensor fascia latae (TFL), which pulls the leg up and out.

 

How to stretch the flexor:

http://www.stack.com/a/4-hip-flexor-stretches-to-relieve-tight-hips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQmpO9VT2X4

 

How to stretch the TFL:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS7cYp4Z2kk
 

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Quote

 

My discomfort seems to be more joint related rather than muscular, but I will try the stretches and see how it feels.  The Buell pegs I have on the bike are about 1 1/4 inches lower than the stock pegs.  My knees do pretty well, it's just the hip joint that has started acting up.  I do sit most of the day.  Thanks for the video references.

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Tumeric.  After sever Sciatica pain I was off the bike for about a year.  I started taking concentrated Tumeric and the pain went away.  I'm back on the bike again.  :beer:

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I think Lisa might have some exercises and therapy that will help, along with some really good stuff to help with the pain. Voltarin, I think it's called. I can attest to being cramped on the vfr. Coming off the fz8 to the new interceptor I had a ton of new aches and pains. As much as I love the vfr I think I'm at the end of being able to ride them long distance anymore. Like you, another bike is probably the only way to fix the pain.

Sent from my SGH-T999L using Tapatalk

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Get the seat reupholstered and have them add some height to it to extend the hip joints a bit. 

 

Voltaren is the NSAID drug. 

 

Speaking of drugs... 

 

" Joint relief " brings something illegal to mind. 

 

Between a raised seat and lowered pegs and maybe some helibars... I'm 6'4"

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About the time I was starting to have hip and knee discomfort on the VFR, I happened to buy a Ducati 748.  The 748 is very cramped, but I enjoyed riding it so much I was commuting to work on it for a few months.  110 miles per day, 5 days per week.  Since I got used to being cramped, the VFR now feels pretty comfy... I did a 1,200+ mile week on it this summer and it was fine.  Also, I added an Airhawk seatpad to the VFR which let my legs stretch out a bit more.

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I'm 60, 6'2", 220lbs, 34 inseam, 33 waist. Have a total right hip replacement. I get synvisc shots in my left knee. Torn meniscus in both knees. Tears in my left rotator cuff. Starting to get the same pain in my left hip, as I had in my right hip. Ti pins in my left foot. Yea, I'm a mess. :blush: What I found out, is to take 2 Bayer Back and Body aspirin before climbing on the VFR. I have other meds if it gets to be too much at the end of the day. :wink: :beer:

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Esteemed list, I'm following this thread also as GS has shared concerns which I have.  First off, I love the VFR.  Love it and on my second.  Like more comfort though - I'm going to follow the route with the airhawk as I think it will help and possibly elongate the rider triangle overall.  Adding this to help revive GS's thread.  :-)   I've done a lot of searching on bar options but still seems unclear.   (LSL or Heli) Had Heli's on my '01.  Thinking the LSL high setup would be ace but don't want a wide dirt style bar.  Can you narrow these and have it still work well?  GS, this may be another option.  To me, a wider bar is going to make the rider angle narrower as you have to reach out which will negate somewhat the drawback and rise.  

 

Dave

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I love my bikes too, both gens, and don't want to get rid of them for something else but the older I get the harder it is to stay in the saddle.  I don't think the extra width of the LSL bars would affect me too much, I have long arms to match my long legs.  I would like to get some input from those who have swapped to the LSL set-up before buying.  I may have to try the airhawk pad also.  I guess I could simulate the airhawk by sitting on some towels to see what the raised seat height does.

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Whilst I can't lay claim to the esteemed ages of some of the contributors here, I am 55 and have been riding VFRs for over 15 years.

 

Over the last year or so, I have been having increasing trouble with losing feeling to my hands on my 08-plate 6th Gen, not the same issue as everyone else, but the cure has worked.

 

I bought another VFR800....a Crossrunner. It's a VFR800, same engine/hp/torque with increased length + softer suspension and high & wide bars. The riding position is a revelation to me and the ease with which it turns, especially at slow speed, is fantastic. And yes, the numb hands have stopped. It's an excellent bike and I'm loving my commute on it. So maybe it would be worth considering for others who are suffering with the effects of too many fun miles.

 

So if the 800X is available to you, I'd recommend you try one out! The Crosstourer (VFR1200) is the same, having test ridden one a few years ago.

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One of the things I forgot to mention in an earlier post. When I did my fork conversion. I used a set of Helibars that I modded. I changed the height of them by adding a piece of machined rod to them. Which I tig welded. I got them high as possible without having to lengthen the throttle cables. Plus I have a throttle boss.  

 

DSCN1159.jpg

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DSCN1167.jpg

DSCN1730.jpg

 

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On October 11, 2016 at 11:58 AM, gswanson said:

Need some help or suggestions on possible ergonomic changes to relieve hip joint pain after being in the saddle for an extended period of time.  I have a 2007 Anniversary Edition, Sargent seat, Buell pegs and stock bars.  I am 6'2" with a 36" inseam, 62 years young.  On all day rides I start experiencing pain in my right hip joint after about 1.5-2 hours, then in less than an hour after each break.  This occurs both while slabbing and in the twisties.  Straightening my leg while riding, both forward and backwards helps, but I need to eliminate the cause if possible.  I am wondering if Helibars or the LSL bar kit will help by allowing me to sit more upright and reduce my hip angle.  Plugging the Heli or LSL rise/pull back numbers into the CycleErgos calculator shows that I can reduce my hip angle by about 5°.  If I simulate the riding position by just fingertipping the bars it seems to reduce some of the hip stress, but I'm not sure if it is enough.  Are the bars the missing piece to the puzzle or do I need to start saving for a Crosstour?

 

I have somewhat the same issue but I like the stock riding position and learned how to get used to it.  The cause isn't the bike, it's the body.  I use tumeric as someone else mentioned, keep the leg muscles  very strong through exercise (proper sport bike riding requires strong legs) and use Sombra, a pain relieving cream you can get from Amazon.  I rub it on the affected area before and after a ride.  It works amazingly well and isn't snake oil.  Old bodies just plain hurt more.  FWIW.  

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I modified a set of bars from a Triumph Sprint for my VFR. (I happened to have a spare set). They not only raise the height of the bars but bring them backwards towards the seat.

 

By doing this I have reduced the angle of my leg to the body and that seems to have alleviated the pains I was getting.

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On November 20, 2016 at 9:18 PM, Rich said:

Bent, if you see this: which Sombra do you recommend- the warm or the cool? Thanks!

 

Both work well.  If more people knew about it, they'd be using it.  The warm will come back to "visit" you after you get active again later on after applying it.  I just switch back and forth and go through about a jar a month.  It works.  

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+1 for BusyLittleShop lowering pegs.    Best upgrade  of all the ones I've made for the VFR.  Completely changed the comfort of the bike and improved the riding position.

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Doubled, I got a set of those, but couldn't adjust the brake lever low enough.  I've checked since then to see what users have done but maybe my feet and legs are just too long.  34" inseam and size 11's.  Obviously you've made those work = I've checked this site in detail.  Did you have to resort to bending the lever?  How did you make it work? 

 

Many thanks as comfort is key.  :-) 

Dave

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Wow guys,  some of you really go the distance here, keep up the good work. That being said,  One word "YOGA"   one needs to be flexible here,  on any bike, It is what I got into back in 99 after I found out I'm not so in shape as i thought after a near miss accident that should have put me 6' under.  PT was what got me back  I'm 62,  6'1 180lbs 34 inseam, 36 sleeve length. The stock set up works best for me. I just need to stretch out before going out,  seems thats the case more often of late,   as noted it's not so much the bike as it's the body.  I agree  LOL, Alleve ain't to far away for those days that the body just won't have anything to do with riding, but the mind does. ;)

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I have a 5th gen fighter so take this with a grain of salt...

i went higher pegs to go with my higher seat.

the higher pegs bent my knees more, which bent my hips forward more, which made it all a bit more comfortable.

 

All your joints have to work together. I find that it feels worse when the seat says lean forward but the pegs/handlebars encourage you to sit up, if you know what i mean.

So on my bike, my seat had a bit of a forward slope. so i raised the pegs, and it made it all work together.

 

 

 

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12 hours ago, RVFR said:

Wow guys,  some of you really go the distance here, keep up the good work. That being said,  One word "YOGA"   one needs to be flexible here,  on any bike, It is what I got into back in 99 after I found out I'm not so in shape as i thought after a near miss accident that should have put me 6' under.  PT was what got me back  I'm 62,  6'1 180lbs 34 inseam, 36 sleeve length. The stock set up works best for me. I just need to stretch out before going out,  seems thats the case more often of late,   as noted it's not so much the bike as it's the body.  I agree  LOL, Alleve ain't to far away for those days that the body just won't have anything to do with riding, but the mind does. ;)

 

Very good points.  I lap swim regularly to stay in shape.  Riding a VFR out of shape is a painful thing to do.  Any bike for that matter....except maybe a Hardley "couch", LOL!  

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Actually be it known, riding a HD ain't so great, having it pounding on your tail bone sending all  that jarring all up through the spin +. By riding a so called sport bike you lean forward to take the pressure off the spin using your upper leg muscles and core for the support,   But instead of just laying back hopping for the best. I know there's  a trade off, now it's the wrists for some. but i can work out wrist aches. Now those Ape bars HD have, they may be on to something  LOL I say might ,  as I found of late hanging helps big time realigning the spin and hips. Just saying ya gota do what ya gota do to ride the Viffer, right ;)

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On 11/22/2016 at 7:10 AM, Bent said:

 

Both work well.  If more people knew about it, they'd be using it.  The warm will come back to "visit" you after you get active again later on after applying it.  I just switch back and forth and go through about a jar a month.  It works.  

Thanks Bent, I'll try them.

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