Shoulder Pains on first Sports Bike

[dragstaar]

I've recently purchased my first sports bike. GSXR 600 1999.

Now, after 4 years of riding, I'm experiencing a new problem, after about 15-20minutes of riding, my left shoulder kills.

The pain is almost behind my left shoulder blade, and travels up to the top of the shoulder and a bit of the neck. Its mainly town riding that does it.

I used to have a bandit which was more "lean-forward" than my CG, and when I first got it I had a similar problem, albeit not this bad. I got used to the position in a week or so, and on the bandit I could ride for hours and not feel any pain.

The GSXR is not so. I'm assuming its my riding position, and I've tried to relax etc, but I find myself tensing my arms a lot so I can hold my torso up, esp when braking, which I do a lot of when commuting through London.

I've thought about bar risers to bring the bars back and up a tad, but they're quite expensive. What's your advice? any tips?

Oh and PS I'm not an old fart either, only 22, so quite surprised at this

[pinkyfloyd]

When you changed from the CG to the Bandit you had to adjust your riding position. Going from the Bandit to the GSXR is the same thing. Your now riding a bike that demands a much more alien riding position than the Bandit did and until you get used to it you'll find aches common. its because you are now using muscles that you did not use on other bikes.

It ends up being a case of correct positioning on the bike to maximize comfort. Fore arms parallel to the ground, elbows bent, back straight with your lower back supporting much of your weight, lock your knees into the tank and that helps support you too. Essentially you want you weight to be supported as much as possible by your lower back rather than your shoulders.

Once again the Happy Flappy Chicken dance should be easy to do. If you can do that then your getting there.
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
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[doggone]

[Poseidon]

Oddly enough I suffered a very similar thing on the zx9. Being used to a very upright position on the trident, anything more than 30minutes on the 9 resulted in pain exactly where you described. It felt almost like a burning/stinging sensation, but only on my left shoulder. I was going to look into making the bike more ergonomic, but I fell off it, breaking my collar bone instead.

I just put the shoulder pain down to the stresses of the riding position from the lack of ergonomics for my 6'2 frame.
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1977 Honda CG125
2002 Ducati Monster S4 (currently restoring)

[c_dug]

I agree, the weight shouldn't really be going through your wrists or upper back, you should be supporting yourself using your core muscles.

Of course I don't follow my own advice, but then I don't seem to suffer much with aches either.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[dragstaar]

So you guys reckon its more a question of adapting riding position.

As much as I try, in and around town the braking means I have to use my arms to stop myself slapping my face on the tank. When I try and support my weight with my lower back, that starts to ache. I'm really not enjoying riding the GSXR at the moment because of the aches. At high speeds on the motorway the wind blast makes it nicer to ride because my back and arms have to work less to hold me upright!

I've had a look at the handlebars and there doesn't seem to be any way of adjusting them either.

[pinkyfloyd]

[Pie-Roe]

If you go faster the wind takes pressure off your arms and wrists.

Just double the speeds you were previously doing
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Previous: GSF600, FZR600 x2, ZXR750, XT600 Tenere, CB125, CZ125, ETZ 250, ER5, CCM R30, DRZ400, RF600x4, RF900x2, GS500, VTR1000F, 640 SMC, CB250 NIGHTHAWK, GT550x3, GPX750 TE610, CB500, X11x2, SV650, ZING 125, TL1000R,CB250 Superdream, CBR1100XX

[lihp]

[MattJ]

Going from my CG to FZR was a massive difference, it was a lot harder to keep myself upright on the FZR because on the CG i was sat straight up anyway, but I didn't really ache, it just felt a bit awkward. I think that's probably because I'm 18 though.*

When I first got on the FZR I tried gripping the tank with my knees a bit, that takes the weight of your arms. I did this especially with braking. After a week or two the riding position felt comfortable and very normal, hopping back on my CG just to ride it up the drive felt completely weird; it's just what you're used to.

After a while your muscles should build up and you won't ache anymore, but I would recommend gripping the tank with your knees with braking mainly. It should keep some weight off your arms/shoulders.

*Just noticed you're 22

[Kwaks]

[Sako]

commuting on a sportsbike is going to be less comfortable than a sit-up type bike, but you will eventually get more used to it.

[scorps]

the pains i were getting were what made me go back to cruisers, after eight years i had just had enough and for slower commuting, the gixer was crippling me. I have got used to not being able to throttle it anymore and am positively sloth like in comparison but having a bike where I can reach the pegs and handles and for the first time ever, get both feet on the ground, Im re embracing my love of riding. I am getting on a bit now mind so cant use the getting used to it excuse here
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Do not presume that I am male.

[paddys bandit]

im just over 6ft i had gsxr last summer and had to get rid of it cos of same thing i had to go back to bandit so could still play out

[TheDonUK]

It takes a few weeks at least to adapt to the sportsbikes.
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[Current Bikes - GSXR-750 K5 & C90-97 ] [Previous Bikes: Runner 125, YBR 125, GS500, Bandit 600, Hornet 600, ZX6R-99, C90-99, R1-99, XT600E-04, GSXR-750 K4, CRF250L '16]

[G]

How heavy is your helmet?

I was suffering similar, though more central pain - turned out it was using my fairly heavy flip-front sun-visor'd caberg which was fine on a more upright bike.

Went back to a Shoei and it was fine.

[Louise]

When I went from Bandit to Zx6r I ached for weeks.. More so my wrists, couldnt put anykind of pressure on them at all.
I find If i also dont ride for a couple of weeks and jump back on, i get the same pain for a while

[The Tot]

Sit further back and get some stomp grips. Use your thighs and knees to lock yourself into the bike and ride with a relaxed/ bent elbow so that it's doing the funky chicken.

Sportsbikes... painful!? Dude, you'll get used to it. I used to hoon my blade into tottenham court road on a daily basis from North London and never ached whatsoever.

Stomp grips certainly made braking more comfortable since the strain was taken away from the elbows/wrist, transferring it up to your shoulders, so use your limbs for grip! I also found that if I've been feeling fit, i.e. been working out and done a lot of core exercises, I can use my abs and torso more solidly to brace against the forces.

Even when I take pillions in town, never been an issue on the blade.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[binge]

Get a similar issue on the R1.
But it's running Harris rear sets, and racing clip-ons, forks have also been pulled up through the yokes by about 10mm, and the clip-ons are lowered on the fork legs too.
So it's a seriously sporty riding position.

Agree with Titz, Stomp Grips are ace! I need to get some for the '1.




Ben

[yambabe]

A couple of times a day, go and stand in a doorway. Put your arms out to the side and rest your forearms on the doorframe at a 90degree angle so your upper arms are parallel to the floor and your hands are about level with your head. Stand with one leg in front of the other, and lean forward pushing on your forearms til you feel the stretch in your upper arms, chest and shoulders. Count to 10, change legs, repeat.

You will feel like a tit but this is a really good stretch for that area and will help untense your muscles after riding while you are adapting and adjusting to the new riding position.
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[The Tot]

Alternatively do a lot of upper body workouts as well - chinups, shoulder shrugs and pressups. Physical conditioning is your friend in this one. Never ever felt sore hopping off a bike, even on 250 mile + days.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[Handsome]

Had the same going from an NSR to a Zephyr to the SV...

Grip the tank with your knees/thighs a little more and relax your grip, give it a few weeks for your lower back to get used to the position and strengthen up and you'll not need to grip the tank as much if it all...

Few weeks you'll be reet...
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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

[dragstaar]

went for a ride today, and took on board all the advice about position. Definitely been trying to ride it like the Bandit.

Keeping my forearms parallel to the road made a huge difference. Definitely felt the stress on my back, but it felt more like a workout rather than an ache or a pain. So I'm sure with time it'll get better.

As for the Stomp Grips. They're bloody expensive!! £40 for some rubber stickers! are there any cheaper ones that do the same thing? I understand StompGrip is a make?

G, My helmet is exactly the one you described, except its the Nitro one. Cheap. It is a heavy helmet, especially with the flip-up front and the sun-visor mechanism etc. Maybe I'll have to invest in a lighter lid.

but glad to see I'm not the only one who's having this problem. Hopefully I'll start to enjoy riding the GSXR, because at the moment I go outside and it smirks at me and calls me a pussy.

[G]

[Pete.]

How heavy is your clutch? Added weight on the arms from the sporty lean-forward position plus wrestling a gummy clutch cable might give you odd aches and pains.

I actually found my GSXR600 more comfortable to ride than my 'busa.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good