Problem with B4 ergonomics...

[xocoatl]

First of all I'm a beginner biker...
I was told that when riding I should keep my knees close to the tank. I also noticed that my B4 has those rubber things on frame where you can keep knees. On the other hand my teachers told me to keep the feet on pegs in such a manner that I;m able to quickly press the rear brake lever. ( = keep the peg somewhere in between the midle of foot and heel)

The problem is that this combination is very uncomfortable after few minutes. Should I just live with it or is there something I can do with pegs/rubber knee thingies? Or is it just me riding not properly?

Thanks and sorry for poor english.

[Chris H]

Hi xocoatl,
You should ride your bike in a way that is comfortable, this will allow you to relax and beable to concentrate making you a safer rider. You should use your knees as part of the control of the bike and you should be using the front brake for at least 70% of the braking and so the foot position is again a position that feels right. If you watch motorcycles on the television you will see the riders using their knees and althogh they are going alot faster than you will and so stick them out a long way, you should use them. The bike should just be an extension of yourself.

[erik]

If what you were told isn't working for you, I'd say ignore it.

I've never worried about keeping my knees close to the tank. The only time I'd ever cover the rear brake is if I was in traffic, expecting to have to stop in a sudden and was also covering the front brake. I find on the bandit 400 it is actually more comfortable to have the peg under the ball of my foot, even when just riding in a straight line.

Chris' advice is good.

To help getting comfortable on the bike, I reckon it helps to move around, try different positions etc. Try supporting your weight on the footpegs more when cornering. The book "Proficient Motorcycling" has heaps of good advice for road riding, including stuff on getting more comfortable on the bike.

[greatmoorred]

Im with these guys, just take your time and ride it however you feel comfortable. Im just under 6ft so the pads on the frame for my knees dont fit. Its a pretty nice bike to ride, you can sit up and cruise around or tuck in and ride it ( almost) like a sportsbike.
I wouldnt worry too much about covering the rear brake, if someone pulls out unexpectedly then the back brake isnt going to have to power to stop you anyway. Having said that i dont generally tend to ride on my toes.
Just take it easy and enjoy.