Triumph 675 Forums banner

Ergonomics Discussion, anyone?

8K views 11 replies 10 participants last post by  tuxedo 
#1 ·
You know, I just read the article mentioned in the SportRider 600 Shootout thread and realized something very odd about me and my 675. Everyone complains about the ergonomics of the bike. I don't, though.
"I mentioned earlier that the 675's overall narrow shape helped make for a good handling bike when transitioning corner to corner. It's very similar to the CBR's racy ergo package, yet the reach to the bars proved to be a little too much, even for Steve who's a tad taller than most of us. He commutes daily on his personal 675 through L.A. rush-hour traffic and usually calls the bike a "torture rack." " (2008 Supersport Shootout)
I bought my 675 because of how COMFORTABLE it is to me. One of the ergonomic changes I have made is the Triumph gel seat, and I think the damn thing should come with that seat from the factory. I am 6'3", 145lbs soaking wet in gear, and my pelvis is crooked from being shattered last year. Yeah, yeah, I know I'm scrawny. Lost a third of my body weight when I was in the hospital, still rebuilding myself.

I don't have to reach very far for the bars, and the waspy width of the tank means I can slap my balls on the tank without having to spread my legs like a whore with a fat client.That is a VERY good thing considering the damage to my hip, femur, and pelvis.

I will say that the best bang-for-the-buck modification I have made, aside from the gel seat, is the addition of StompGrips to the sides of the tank. If I plant my toes on my pegs, my thighs naturally grip the tank and give me an utterly remarkable amount of stability on the bike.

Having that amount of grip on the tank means that I don't press down on my handlebars, negating the horrible wrist pain that I was giving myself the first two weeks I rode the bike. I think that the wrist pain most riders complain about on the 675 is from improper body positioning and weight distribution.

I keep my elbows very low and hold my bars like they're rotten bananas, managing all my weight with my stomach and lower body. This lends itself, in my own experience, to a lot more maneuverability into and out of street cornering situations and adjustability of body position for changing situations such as ye olde fast-fun-corner-woohoo-oh-shit-that-car-is-doing-35 scenario that we have all come to know and love. Popping my body up on the interstate as an "air brake" or "hey, I'm riding here, ASSHOLE" sign is easier on the 675 than on my SV650, as is dropping back in the saddle to tuck.

I do have complaints, though. I feel like I am forced to slap my balls on the tank, pretty much. If I sit further back on the saddle, I feel like the front end is low and have to put an inordinate amount of pressure on my wrists. Maybe that is what everyone complains about with the wrist pain.

The StompGrips have aided that issue quite a bit by allowing my knees to "stick" in place and stabilize my lower body with my ass back on the saddle. Only complaint there is that my knees are squeezing a hard-ass tank so my ass can be...well, not MORE comfortable, just differently placed.

Changing between those positions over a long ride more than doubles saddle time for me, though. The StompGrips, gel seat, and my recovering strength from riding so much, have changed my average smile time on the 675 from 30 minutes to "have to re-fuel and piss" which is something I can't say for any of my other bikes.

So, what do you guys think of the ergonomics of the 675 versus other bikes you own, ride, or have ridden? What are your praises, what are your complaints? Anything you've done to increase/decrease your comfort?
 
See less See more
#2 ·
good write up!

I had the same problem for the first 2 weeks i had the bike! I was getting worried that I made a bad decision on getting the bike if i couldn't get comfortable on it! But the more I rode it the more I learned how to position myself on it and the more i love it! I don't even have a gel seat or stompgrips yet and the only thing that bothers me is my ass after about an hour of riding! hope the gel seat will help on that! But as far as my wrists hurting or my back, no problems there!
Where did you get your stompgrips at and what other brands are there out! I've seen pics of people that have the black looking suede tank grips that look really good!:sifone:
 
#3 ·
I have had pretty much the same experience with the bike as you. Being the same height and weighing about 165lbs with gear on I haven't found the bike all that uncomfortable especially compared to how the magazines complain about it. I do plan on getting a gel seat though. But I don't move my body up to the tank as it becomes rather uncomfortable for the jewels. I had to teach my body to hold itself up instead of using my arms which was really beginning to hurt my wrists. I really feel that I need to play with suspension adjustments though as my light weight makes the bike a little more stiff than it should be.
 
#5 ·
I just rode a demo bike for the 1st time... i think im in love. 1st impressions:

Height:
It's actually shorter than my friends 08 R6. At 5'10 i can almost flat foot the triumph. The "sitting on top of" the bike feeling is similar to the R6. But honestly i felt like the triumph was more comfortable. Granted, i only went about 5 miles and never really got above 60mph - so it's hard to say. I've ridden just over an hour on my friends R6 at a mix of highway/traffic, and it while it wasn't luxurious, it's nothing i would bitch about. Overall i was more comfortable on the triumph.

Ride:
The demo route they took me on was super bumpy. The pavement qas straight NASTY in some areas. The bike didnt feel too upset, but at one point something felt a bit wierd. I'm about 200lbs w/no gear on. In the 2 years ive been riding, those were by far the worst roads i'd ridden over lol. Levers: The demo bike i rode, the clutch/brake levers seemed they were pointed more vertical than horizontal. Compared to my friends R6 and my own 08 ninja 250. I'm pretty sure these are adjustable, it just took some getting used to. Braking at those speeds were a 1 finger affair, but i didn't really get a feel for the brakes. I think i was too enamored with everything else.

Gauge cluster:
I like the look. I think i just need more time on one to get used to it. It felt like the cluster was recessed further down than i would have thought. I think im used the R6 in that regard, where the MPH is displayed in big numbers to the left of the tach, instead of below. The windscreen felt too close to my helmet/face position. I think i read this somewhere else, but an aftermarket bubble helps this out. We'll see, i think it's just retraining myself where to look for the information i want.

Pegs:
I liked where the pegs were at, i felt very comfortable. Overall i felt the triumph was more nimble/lighter feeling than the R6. In terms of feel, it felt closer to the ninja 250 than the R6. I probably would have bought it. But my wife did a quick check w/our current insurance, and they wanted 414/mo to cover her on her ninja250, and me on the D675. We have insurance with progressive. THey wanted 500+/month to cover us individually on both. (wife will never ride the D675, she wont ride a bike she cant flat foot)

Wife has a lot of incidents on her record, i have one violation (illegal left turn) in about 9 years. I'm gonna be making some calls to different insurance companies on monday. I think progressive is for some reason punishing me for my wifes record, which i dont think is right.

I have a hard time believing a married 28yo w/1 incident in almost 10years runs close to 300/month. My roommate/friend with the R6, who has a speeding ticket AND an accident that totaled his 05 R6, pays 150/month. He is also 28. He gets his insurance through state farm, so im going to give his agent a call on monday - they wouldnt give me a quote over the weekend. Sorry for the long post. :thumbup:
 
#6 ·
I get a bit of wrist pain on long rides. Considering the riding position of the bike it's not really that bad. There is not as much vibration as other bikes I've ridden. I also get a bit of pain in my shoulders too.

All in all it's actually a pretty comfy bike - as far as sportbikes go.

M
 
#7 ·
Stomp grips alleviated the wrist issues, and made braking a calmer affair. I'm 6', 175lbs, and I have no complaints with the ergos of the bike. They are what they are, and I have adjusted to them. Now I need to up my riding skill to get more out of such a wonderful machine.
 
#8 ·
damn abrasive, that insurance is killer. I'm 28/single have had a couple of wrecks (totaled 05 FZ6 3months ago) and 2 tickets (last one 10/06)in as many years and with state farm full coverage for me is $39/month
ergos: being 5'5" 125lbs
I'm on my tip toes at stops
my legs dont feel cramped on the pegs
reach to the bars is not bad, but I dont sit all the way back in the seat
grip the tank with knees, hold my torso up w/ abs and back=no wrist pain
broke my left arm when I killed the FZ. had temporary pins in my wrist. still in PT but riding doesnt hurt because I put no pressure on my wrists
 
#9 ·
I also wonder what all the fuss is about. I'm 5'11" 160 and the 675 feels like it was made just for me! Once you're moving over 40 or so the wind helps prop you up just enough. I do keep weight off my wrists and use my core to hold me up, but this is proper riding procedure anyway. Doing core exercises, and riding frequently, can extend the time to discomfort. When I find myself uncomfortable, my core has invariably tired and I'm putting weight on my wrists.

(incidentally, "holding the bars like rotten bananas" is a great analogy!)

The only problem I have is one of carrying stuff. I can't figure out how to bungee stuff to the back seat without melting something... And therefore carry a backpack. The backpack's weight on my shoulders eventually becomes a pain (literally). I got stuck in horrible traffic a few weeks ago, about 1.5 hours of stop and go with a heavy backpack on, and i was cursing the decision to ride the Daytona that day. My shoulders were burning with pain when I got home.

I guess I need a tankbag, but I just don't like them. I try to ride my wife's scooter when I need to carry stuff.

For me, the Daytona 675 is more comfortable than the BMW F800S that I sold. I thought that bike would be a nice sport tourer, but something about the position bothered my neck and wrists. The Daytona wins for my body shape, oddly enough. Ergonomics can be an odd thing.

And, of course, it's way more fun :)
 
#11 ·
I also wonder what all the fuss is about. I'm 5'11" 160 and the 675 feels like it was made just for me! Once you're moving over 40 or so the wind helps prop you up just enough. I do keep weight off my wrists and use my core to hold me up, but this is proper riding procedure anyway. Doing core exercises, and riding frequently, can extend the time to discomfort. When I find myself uncomfortable, my core has invariably tired and I'm putting weight on my wrists.

(incidentally, "holding the bars like rotten bananas" is a great analogy!)

The only problem I have is one of carrying stuff. I can't figure out how to bungee stuff to the back seat without melting something... And therefore carry a backpack. The backpack's weight on my shoulders eventually becomes a pain (literally). I got stuck in horrible traffic a few weeks ago, about 1.5 hours of stop and go with a heavy backpack on, and i was cursing the decision to ride the Daytona that day. My shoulders were burning with pain when I got home.

I guess I need a tankbag, but I just don't like them. I try to ride my wife's scooter when I need to carry stuff.

For me, the Daytona 675 is more comfortable than the BMW F800S that I sold. I thought that bike would be a nice sport tourer, but something about the position bothered my neck and wrists. The Daytona wins for my body shape, oddly enough. Ergonomics can be an odd thing.

And, of course, it's way more fun :)
Just finished a weekend with a backpack that started out light and ended up heavy. Unfortunately, I figured out how to carry it about 45 minutes ago, LOL.

  • When sitting on the bike, drop your ass back in the seat and press your stomach down into the tank. This should arch your back like you're a female porn star showing off for the camera.
  • Drop the straps of the backpack until the bottom of it is resting in the lower curve of your back. This incidentally removes all the weight from your back and abdominal muscles and places it on your hips.
  • The shoulder straps become no more than points of attachment to keep the pack from flying at speed.
An easy way to picture this is if you've ever seen a woman with a shelf ass and said something about it looking like a good place to put your beer or an ash tray. Well, you turn your lower body into that "place for a beer or an ashtray" and then put your backpack on it. Then the straps just sorta keep it there.

I discovered this while stretching myself on a straightaway about 30 miles from home, and got pissed about how much discomfort I had dealt with over the weekend. This position removed shoulder and back stress and also allowed air to flow through my jacket normally, cooling my back immensely.

In traffic, I wouldn't recommend this position. In heavy traffic, I've found that dropping the straps of the backpack to place its weight on the pillion seat is the only way to go. The problem with that weight distribution at speed is the lack of security in the straps. I think a hybrid of these positions would be a great way to carry weight on your back on a bike.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top