Making YOUR Bike Comfortable for YOU! By: Rick Massey

Well, we made it to Summer and a bunch of folks are zooming all over creation on some pretty fine-tuned and a quite a few exceptionally good-looking XJ’s.

Now, let’s get Comfortable.

Look right down there on those Rider’s Footrests. See all that “Travel” that the fine Engineers built-in. You don’t have to do all that much to loosen that big Bolt and slide the Foot-rest … forward or back … to where you feel most comfortable.

Making the Adjustment changes the Geometry of your position when seated on the bike. We are “Tweaking”; again. We are fine-tuning the “Ergonomics”.

Exactly like tuning the Carbs, the Footrests can be off … just a tiny bit; or they can be off a couple of inches. You, and only you will know about this adjustment.
You are going to make it as comfortable as possible for how you feel with your feet on the foot rests.

Here’s the “Play-by-play”.

You loosen the Big Bolt Head allowing the Footrest to be moved forward or back to where you are the most comfortable.
It’s good to have an assistant.
They can move the Footrest as you direct them to position it where it most comfortable for you, while you are on the bike.

Once you find the place where the Footrest is … not too back – not too front; but “Just right” … tighten the Big Bolt.

There are a few other things to do.

First of all, the Nut for that Bolt is NOT captive. So, if you loosen the Bolt too much the Nut will fall off. No problem. You just put it back on.

The Brake and Shifter Pedal Height will change when the Rest is moved.
The Engineers designed a clever way to adjust it back to where it was or where you’d like it.

Just undo the locking Nuts on the “Turnbuckle Style” Pedal Height Adjusters and “Dial-in” the height you want.

You might find yourself making re-adjustments to ‘Super-tweak” the Rest and Pedal Heights.

It’s your Bike.
You should have EVERYTHING on the bike where it pleases you the most.
Adjust to your hearts content.

Get comfortable.
Enjoy riding your bike.
Have a ball this Summer.

All the best,
Rick Massey

 

gonna have to check this out. I looked before but thought none of this stuff was adjustable at all.

 

Hmmmm, '85 Maxim 700 seems to have foot rests that attach to frame with two bolts. Even if there is a bit of elongation in the bracket holes there would only be angle adjustment. No fore and aft.
Guess your tip applies to Seca's?

 

sure doesn't apply to my 550 Maxim. I have a bolt and a loccator pin. I can't move it.

 

Maybe its just the 750 Max.

 

Nope my Seca 750 is the same as yours.

 

Yeah, don't think it's going to work on a Maxim. I have an '85 XJ700 and there is only 2 bolt holes for the foot peg........no room for improvement in terms of comfort unfortunately! :x Such is life, time for some highway pegs............know where I can get some? :?:

 

I swiped a set off of an 86 Ninja (passenger pegs) and then used a set of old bicycle seat clamps to attach then to the case saver bars. No problems thus far.

 

I think my foot pegs are ok. Now if I could only figure out why my ass gets so sore after about 250km or so. Even though I have a good amount of padding in the seat, I'm in pretty good shape and about 6'0" 195lbs. Although this is the only bike I've spent a good deal of time on and have about 5000km on it since I got it. Maybe thats just the nature of the beast as far as motorcycles go...

 

After that fellow told the story about the One-dollar sheepskin he bought ... I'l looking for a sheepskin for my seat; too.

 

I may have had a great ride this evening but it didn't take too long on this humidity rich night to feel the dreaded butt burn set in. I'm thinking along the sheepskin line myself but until then will problaby start wearing my bike shorts under the jeans just to keep the cotton away.

 

Haha!! I have felt the same pain my friend!!! I usually take down my passenger pegs and prop my feet up on it for long rides. It helps (god knows how) to relieve the "butt burn" in a temporary manner, but helps non-the-less!