Lower Leg Pain?

[Norman Hamer]

So I'm ~5k miles into my new '07 FJR. I've ridden for ~20 years, so I've experienced plenty of interesting kinds of discomfort.

It has a custom (not for me) Rich's seat, which I'm hopefully replacing with a Sargent tomorrow. Really quite a nice seat, but I realized pretty quickly that I had to have the seat in the upper position, and the way this one is constructed, it really only fits right in the lower (gap between the front/rear)

I consider that I had to increase the seat height actually kinda odd, because my prior bike was a Bandit 1200, and the seat/peg area is actually pretty similar. However, I had bad pain (day-limiting) in my hips on the FJR after about 200 miles with the Rich's until I put it in the upper position, so lack of pain is a completely adequate indication of better ergos.

But with that at least temporarily handled, I've been running into another (new and unusual) pain. After some-odd miles, and it's in the ~300 range, I've started to have significant lower leg pain. Sorta shins and ankles, and bad enough to force stops but not necessarily limit the miles.

Anybody have similar problems? I don't feel like I'm keeping anything tense. I have hopes that the Sargent will let me move around a little more, if that's the problem. I have wild-bill highway pegs on the bike, and use them regularly, but it returns pretty much as soon as I go back to the riding pegs. Have the same chaps I've worn for 20 years, on much sportier riding positions, so I doubt it's that.

I recognize there's not a lot to go on, but I really don't understand why I'm hurting. So if anybody has had similar shin/ankle pain, I'd appreciate tips.

 

[ER RN]

So I'm ~5k miles into my new '07 FJR. I've ridden for ~20 years, so I've experienced plenty of interesting kinds of discomfort.

It has a custom (not for me) Rich's seat, which I'm hopefully replacing with a Sargent tomorrow. Really quite a nice seat, but I realized pretty quickly that I had to have the seat in the upper position, and the way this one is constructed, it really only fits right in the lower (gap between the front/rear)

I consider that I had to increase the seat height actually kinda odd, because my prior bike was a Bandit 1200, and the seat/peg area is actually pretty similar. However, I had bad pain (day-limiting) in my hips on the FJR after about 200 miles with the Rich's until I put it in the upper position, so lack of pain is a completely adequate indication of better ergos.

But with that at least temporarily handled, I've been running into another (new and unusual) pain. After some-odd miles, and it's in the ~300 range, I've started to have significant lower leg pain. Sorta shins and ankles, and bad enough to force stops but not necessarily limit the miles.

Anybody have similar problems? I don't feel like I'm keeping anything tense. I have hopes that the Sargent will let me move around a little more, if that's the problem. I have wild-bill highway pegs on the bike, and use them regularly, but it returns pretty much as soon as I go back to the riding pegs. Have the same chaps I've worn for 20 years, on much sportier riding positions, so I doubt it's that.

I recognize there's not a lot to go on, but I really don't understand why I'm hurting. So if anybody has had similar shin/ankle pain, I'd appreciate tips.

Norman,

I think you already answered your own question as to why this is happening.

If I had to guess I'd say because the seat wasn't made for you when it is in the low position it places your hips in an unnatural (for you) position and aggravates either the joints, tendons, or muscles causing the pain. When you place it in the high position, which alleviates the hip pain, I'm guessing it places sufficient pressure on the back of your thighs to restrict blood flow and hamper nerve transmission to your lower extremities ergo the pain. By your own statement "I have wild-bill highway pegs on the bike, and use them regularly, but it returns pretty much as soon as I go back to the riding pegs" I would have to guess that those pressure points are temporarily relieved and the pain goes away. Ergonomics would seem to be the culprit here.

I hope you enjoy your new seat as much as I do mine. Nursing disclaimer inserted here....It should alleviate your symptoms BUT I going to suggest you see your doctor anyway and discuss the situation with him or her. Not knowing you and your health situation there may be something else going on here.

Harvey

 

[Intech]

Good advice so far. Lower leg pain can still be caused by pressure points in the seat area. Getting a seat that fits your butt is important. I was in pain on the stock seat after 150 miles. I took a chance on a Corbin and now the gas tank is my distance limiter. On the FJR, however, the Corbin is only fitted for the lower position. That is fine for me, but not for taller individuals. The key things the aftermarket seats do is spread out the contact area reducing pressure points or hot spots an also takes away the harsh ridge that contacts the inner thigh area. It sounds like you are close given the improvement with a slight adjustment.

 

[Mihalis fjr]

Hi Norman,

I use these..and my bike is much more comfortable now..!!No pain in my hips and legs..

https://www.motorcyclelarry.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_5&products_id=32&zenid=mib9eam79j3to1n70pt0eetf61

 

[Granger]

Hi Norman,

I use these..and my bike is much more comfortable now..!!No pain in my hips and legs..

https://www.motorcyclelarry.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_5&products_id=32&zenid=mib9eam79j3to1n70pt0eetf61

Boy, thanks for that link, I am ordering those ASAP.

It would seem logical that if you use a lowered seat, like the Rich's custom (I have the same seat, BTW) that you shorten the distance between seat and footpegs which causes your legs (knees/ankles) to be at a more extreme angle to fit the shorter space. Since I switched to the Rich's my feet are certainly closer to the ground which helps me when the bike is stopped because I have a shorter legs, but I also feel cramped on the regular pegs as a result. I got highway pegs which help immensely, but I am not always on the highway, so that only solved half the problem.

For me another effect of the lower seat was being farther away from the handlebars, which I addressed with a helibar triple-clamp, but it's still not enough, I find myself leaning forward and putting weight on my wrists, something I never did with my previous bikes. So I go back and forth either leaning forward or trying to sit upright and having my legs cramped. Raising the seat helps both, but when the bike comes to a stop I then find it hard to put both feet down to support it. I am thinking of lowering the entire bike suspension and then moving the seat to the upward position again, but I am not sure I want to go that far.

Let me know how you worked out your issue.

Joe

 

[Norman Hamer]

So I go back and forth either leaning forward or trying to sit upright and having my legs cramped. Raising the seat helps both, but when the bike comes to a stop I then find it hard to put both feet down to support it. I am thinking of lowering the entire bike suspension and then moving the seat to the upward position again, but I am not sure I want to go that far.

Let me know how you worked out your issue.

Joe

Yeah, I will. Let me know how the lowered pegs work?

For me, lower seat position = fast pain, upper position = the slower pain. I'm pretty sure I'm riding the same pony as you, though. Arched back = reasonably comfortable wrists/hands, not = swift back pain. This is a little odd given that my previous bike (Bandit 1200) had a significantly sportier riding position.

I think I need to get the Rich's seat modified to put the pan higher, and probably try out the lowered pegs.

 

[Auron]

You got a picture of that seat? Just curious, I plan one getting one of Rich's soon.

Anyone have problems grounding their pegs only after lowering them?

 

[Mihalis fjr]

Norman,

My bike is a 03/model Gen1,I use my OEM seat with MCL footpeg lowers and Helibars risers..My ride position now is much more comfortable!Why you don't buy and the Helibars risers with the triple clamp?I believe they can help you a lot..!

https://www.helibars.com/product/fjr1300-%E2%80%9806-09-optional-accessory-risers