Choosing the Right Riding Stance for You

Getting a new motorcycle can be fun and exciting, but you’ll also want to make sure you know how to properly use it. Part of what makes a good rider is someone who knows how to properly sit on their bike. Think it’s fairly straight forward? There is some nuance and you’ll want to be aware of how it affects you. Langston Motorsports has provided some information on how to choose the right riding stance to get you started. If you need additional help, stop by our location near Temecula, San Bernardino, and Riverside, California.

The Importance of the Correct Riding Stance

Most people think sitting is sitting and that’s all there really is to it. But over the past several decades, we’ve learned that the way we sit can have a huge impact on our health. Good posture can help alleviate and prevent strain, aches, and even some more serious long term medical issues. This all holds true for riding stances. Your riding stance can not only make it more comfortable and healthier to ride your bike, it can also make it easier, since your whole body goes into controlling your ride.

General Rules

We’ll get into the nuances in a bit, but there are some more general rules that you can be following. Firstly, make sure that your body stays mostly relaxed. If you’re constantly testing up, then even the proper riding stance won’t help you stave off the aches and pains of a long ride. It’ll also make traveling over bumpy roads a little easier, since it won’t be as jarring.

Keep your line of sight and head pointed to the direction you want to be going. When your eyes start to wander and your head starts to turn, your body might start to turn with you, which can pull your motorcycle into another lane or off the road. 

Finally, you’ll want to primarily use your core muscles for support, so start beefing up your abdominal exercises. Placing weight on your wrists, shoulders, knees, or anywhere else can not only leave you sore in places that don’t handle that kind of weight well for long it can actually make it more difficult for you to control the bike and slow your body’s reaction times.

Standard Position

Riding positions are generally dictated by the type of motorcycle you’re riding. The standard position is probably what most of you will be using (as indicated by the name). It requires you sit mostly straight with only a slight forward lean and your knees at a 100 degree angle. Your hands will be lower than your elbows to promote circulation (so ape hanger handlebars probably won’t work for this position). This can be an ideal position to place as little strain on the joints as possible.

Cruiser Position

The cruiser position is similar although slightly different from the standard position. Basically, you’ll be stretching out your arms and legs a little more so you don’t feel so cramped. Not so far forward that you’re struggling to reach the controls of the bike, but far enough that you can stretch out. You’ll also be getting rid of the slight forward lean and sitting perfectly straight, like you might in a chair.

Sport Position

The sport position varies greatly in that it’s all about maximizing that aerodynamic flow for high speeds. Think of it as basically hugging the bike. You’ll be pulling your arms and knees in so they’re essentially tucked into the bike and lean forward as much as is safe. It’s generally not good for longer rides as it can put some strain your muscles, but it’ll make controlling your ride at top speeds much easier. 

Check out what kind of motorcycle you have and test out some various riding stances so you can figure out which one works best for you. If you need additional help, or if you still need the motorcycle itself, stop by Langston Motorsports and we’ll help you with all your motorcycle related needs. We proudly serve Temecula, San Bernardino, and Riverside, CA.