Triumphrat

walt · 05-18-2008, 03:35 AM

I was sitting in a restaurant tonight watching all the bikes go by and I couldn’t help but notice all the different riding positions. You’ve all seen them before, from the aggressive riding posture of the sport bikes to the laid back cruiser style of riding, and lots of stuff in between.

So tonight, after a day of riding and a lot of eating (no drinking), I was sitting there all relaxed and my mind started to wander. I started thinking some of those cruiser riders looked too relaxed. So I started comparing them, and I began wondering if riding position makes a difference in reaction times.

I tried to categorize the riders into groups, and basically came up with 4:

Sport bike riders looked like cats about to pounce – that seemed good.
Bonnie type bikes had a “neutral” riding position but that still seemed ok.
Cruiser riders with feet out, especially if they were leaning way back looked like they were in a recliner – that seemed to me to be not so good.
Cruiser riders with ape hangers – looked liked laundry hung out to dry – not good.

I haven’t read of any studies (and don’t care to) on this, but I was wondering if any members who had a cruiser and a sport bike felt they could react quicker on one than the other?

Or maybe I need to lay off the restaurant food.

steventhechef · 05-18-2008, 03:59 AM

I think as well as the position is the mental zone that you happen to be in at the time.

I know that as a sports bike rider I can relax and just cruise around town but once you get in to the zone I personally think that (in a more aggressive position) you can attack corners more positively in a laid over position..

That said, I have seen some pretty aggressive t-bird and rocket 3 riders too.

ruscook · 05-18-2008, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steventhechef

.....
That said, I have seen some pretty aggressive t-bird and rocket 3 riders too.

Exactly, mental attitude will have more to do with reaction time than anything else.

Where bike design/ergos will come in is:
a) how quick will the bike react to rider input
b) how much will it react to said input
c) how much does the seating position put you in a lazier frame of mind (dull or slow your reaction time).

Russ

Old Scratcher · 05-18-2008, 05:35 AM

On the other hand, the cruiser mindset might be preferable for street-legal riding, because the "red mist" is less likely to descend on a rider, than a more sportier ride position.
I know that I prefer to ride my Scrambler on weekends & public holidays, as it's a much easier bike to behave myself on. Even though it's almost as quick & nimble as the Street, I just don't feel the need to prove anything with it. Whereas the Street's always teasing & temptng me to give the loud-grip a good twist.

ruscook · 05-18-2008, 09:54 AM

Good points there OS. Sounds like I need to get a Thunderbird to ride a triple slowly

Russ

Lee · 05-18-2008, 10:09 AM

I think you can looked relaxed, but have the state of mind that is ready to react. Also were and how you are riding at the time is a very big variable. If you are out in the country with very few cagers in your area (not counting varmit and deer) versus on a highway with everyone and their uncle on the road you are going to be a little more on guard. A small note about the engine guards and highway pegs.....someone mentioned to me yesterday that some biker's legs slip through the engine guards with highway pegs and their legs get caught up in them in the middle of an accident. Basically their legs get caught up in them, which would be very very unpleasant!

Baltobonneville · 05-18-2008, 11:12 AM

Cruiser position looks awkward and uncomfortable to me, but I've never tried it.

The sportbike position puts too much stress on my neck--from bending up--and my wrists, for my age, but no problem with reaction time.

Back to the Bonnie ...

HiDesert · 05-18-2008, 04:54 PM

Your four categories already go from most capable of pulling your (ahem) out of a dangerous situation to least capable. There's no question about the hardware. And the rider picks the hardware because of (among other factors) personality and the kind of riding they plan to do. Or in the case of #4, the kind of posing.

I think your basic point is pretty valid, walt. Yes, any rider can make a point of staying alert, and somebody who's been on a racetrack refugee that's ergonomically wrong for them won't be up to much but complaining, but I think the sport and standard (represented by the Bonnie) riders are generally going to be better able to respond. I've been on cruisers once or twice, and there's no way anything is going to get done as quickly on one of those. And you're going to be closer to the edge of the performance envelope sooner on a cruiser too. So if we did an experiment to answer this (perhaps using the new simulator, although we'd need 3 more of them), and measured the time from the development of the threat to the completion of an effective response, I think your list would stay in the order you gave it.

Tbirdnz · 05-18-2008, 05:27 PM

I think Walt has something there on the different riding characteristics. Sports bike riders in the main ride them race style and pick off other slower moving objects. The rear sets lend to a forward pouncing style.

TB's are also ridden aggressively in lots of cases, I do mine, I like to be on the power but I ride my CB with it's rear sets a little faster, it has sports tyres on it and has a better lean angle.

Then again my AJS loves full throttle, (it only has 4 gears with high ratios), and is a whiz around corners, a bit like a mini racing a Jag around a track.

Forward set cruisers in the main are not ridden on the power like a sports bike is, I don't mean in a forward line but they are not as quick around the corners and bends and maybe that's their appeal, cruising !

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Ride on !