Part One – Seats, Handlebars, Suspension and Handgrips

When choosing a motorcycle you have many options. Whether it’s a cruiser, touring bike or sportbike, you’ll make your selection based on style, fit, function and performance. Harley-Davidson explains fit as “a combination of riding position with reach; how you sit on the bike and how you fit in the bike.”  What I learned at the Harley-Davidson Women’s Garage Party was that there are many things you can do to enhance the fit of your bike.

The seat or saddle is one of the features that can make a big difference in not only the fit, but in the comfort of your bike. It’s important to find a seat that allows you to comfortably reach the ground and controls. If you’re a small rider, there are seats designed to move you closer to the controls. If you’re over 6′ tall, there are seats that can give you a couple of extra inches to stretch your legs.  Seats come in a variety of widths which will affect how close together your legs are. Again, this affects how firmly your feet rest on the asphalt. The thickness of the seat can raise its height, as well as provide a higher level of comfort. Thickness from comfort foam or biker gel allows for a seat to conform to a rider’s body and also distributes weight evenly across the seat.

Another option that affects the fit of a motorcycle is the handlebars. You may replace your handlebars to better reflect your style, however, an important thing to consider is which type of handlebars allow you the best steering control and overall comfort. The position of your handlebars is going to affect your hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, and back. The best way to decide on handlebars is to sit on your bike in a comfortable position. Hold your arms up with the palms down, and experiment moving them to find a position that is comfortable in both width and height. Handlebars may be either straight or pulled back toward the rider, and made of tubing of different diameters. Handlebars that are rubber mounted can eliminate rider fatigue caused by vibration.

Fit is “a combination of riding position with reach; how you sit on the bike and how you fit in the bike.”  

The next thing that can affect the fit of your motorcycle is the suspension; the shocks and front forks. Suspension can be adjusted to lower the seat height making a bike fit a smaller ride with a shorter inseam. Making this adjustment usually reduces ground clearance unless you choose a compact shock made to avoid clearance issues. Suspension can also be adjusted to raise the height of a bike. Some of the things you might notice with this adjustment is easier turning and a change in how far forward you lean. Adjustments to suspension can also change the “ride” of the bike, how smooth or bouncy it is. Sag compression (how far the shocks compress from full extension) and the rebound setting (how fast it pops back up) can affect traction and steering. You should have your suspension adjusted for your weight.

Handgrips are one of the easiest fit adjustments you can make to your bike. Handgrips are made in different diameters to fit hand size. One of the purposes of handgrips is to dampen road vibration that is transmitted through the handlebars to the hands which causes tingles or numbness. They also provide a better grip when riding in wet conditions and can help insulate your hands from cold.

In our next post… “Tailoring Your Motorcycle to Fit You”  Part Two – Foot Controls, Windshields, Hand Controls and 5 Signs of a Poor Fit.