Painful Legs

[spindrifter]

I don't know if anyone can assist with advice …


I drive a 2003 XL1200S Sportster sidecar outfit. As some of you know, I've finally sorted the handling and now the plot drives much easier. But …. I'm really uncomfortable in my posture on the bike. I can't explain why, but my legs are killing me after half an hour in the saddle. It's the tops of my thighs that really get painful. Something isn't right with the seat and ergonomics.


Now, driving a sidecar outfit isn't like riding a bike … it's very different. On a bike there's virtually no handlebar input except a bit of counter-steering on bends. On a sidecar the thing is steered like a powered lawnmower and you need some effort to turn the bars. So … the effort is not so much push and pull, but also like twisting your torso, especially if you are badly located on the seat. And this is how I am on the standard Sport seat. It's not flat enough and does nothing to support my hips in any way. And it's far too long, the raised section is miles too far back for someone like me with a short 28.5” inside leg. I slide about too much on corners and my legs begin to ache.


Another problem is the ridiculous too soft “anti vibration” standard foot pegs. They squash down on the outside causing my ankles and legs to be forced outwards John Wayne style!! Bad Idea!! I need harder slightly higher pegs that, if anything, make my legs angle slightly inwards. I've tried tightening and then angling the pegs upwards and the makes quite an improvement. Basically the peg angle should be at the same angle as the natural angle of your legs. So … any advice on harder pegs would be good. I can then lock them up at the correct angle to suit my posture.


I know Sportster pegs are in a daft place ergonomically but I will have to put up with that. Forward pegs footplates are utterly useless on a sidecar outfit, you need the pegs in the standard position to help with the steering effort and body balance.


I have 4” wider handlebars fitted and these seem fine. The location of the bars is about right.


I need to be able to sit about 2” further forward and have a decent angular position for my feet.


The dual seat needs to be flat and wide and reasonably soft to give support at each lower hip area. I've sat on a 2007 XL1200C Custom seat and that felt good but I've not ridden one.


I suppose I could try my local Harley Dealer (50 miles) away and hope that they “might” allow me to try umpteen seats but they are a bit expensive. There's loads of seats on eBay. So any help is welcome. I'm 5'8” short with 28” inside legs and weigh 12 stone.


Help!!!

[grbrown]

I've followed your various developments with interest! Also agree about your Sporty footrest problem, as we have it with our SuperLow.

Those darned footrests are a stupid design! On a solo it is usefull that they fold up, but that may not be important in your case. I haven't dismantled mine yet, but it should be a simple job to make a new fixed footrest for each side, with the peg at the appropriate angle. That could also bring the silly thing in closer to the bike.

As for comfort, there are various options, that get mentioned occasionally. Harley make a reduced reach seat, which will bring you closer to the bars, also there are Sundowner and Mustang touring seats, which provide a backstop, to keep you in place. An alternative is to find a custom seat maker to modify your current seat.

A further thought is that a taller seat may help your knees and perhaps improve comfort?

[banquo]

Various short reach seats avaiable to move you further forward and allow the back support to reach your back.

The trouble with this is that everything comes at a price, and if you find it doesn't work out, it's a load of money down the drain. As fitting is really easy, you may be able to try out someone else's seat for size? This is a case where Harley's fitting station might work for you too, but I've no idea how it works, as they can't possibly have every seat available for you to try...?

I swear by my Saddlemen seat on my Softail, and they do a short reach Sportster item too.

[grbrown]

Originally Posted by banquo

This is a case where Harley's fitting station might work for you too, but I've no idea how it works, as they can't possibly have every seat available for you to try...?

The only one of those I've seen in action was a softail bike in a showroom. It is not rideable, as the various handlebars etc are not connected up to any controls, just plug-n-play, although they have grips and levers etc on them.

Also Spindrifters bike is a 2003 so no longer current. Swapping seats with a few fellow Sporty owners would be a jolly good move.

[spindrifter]

Thanks so far. I wonder whether there's scope for making new footrests? Would probably fall foul of some legislation tho'?? I've bought a couple of cheapish seats off ebay and will report on progress.

Today I put the pillion footpegs on the front and locked them up at a slight angle. Feels a bit better, actually lets my legs lean in to the bike ... but not ridden yet. I noticed that the Harley is assymetric. The LH footpeg is miles further out than the RH side peg. Not a lot you can do about that!!! Is that why all Harley riders prefer right handers?? Lol

I will try building up the footpegs to allow my knees to actually grip the tank. That might work.

All this may take a while but I'm sure that it must be a common problem for all sidecar or trike Harley Sportsters.

I think that Harley has missed out big time on posture. None of this matters if you just cruise the sea front but we want to ride Europe this year. Even in solo bike form it can't be very comfortable.

Maybe a knee and hip WD40 massage would be good ... :-) And platform shoes ... haha!!!

[dodgyloner]

How about some small aftermarket footboards? I think Ive seen some with a single footpeg style mount. They allow you to position your feet in different ways and get more leg leverage as you can put your feet flat on the boards