ole man bad back touring setup

I've done similar setups on my previous 3 Bandit 1200's and 1250...Heli bars didn't do near enough....I bought a used, never installed Speigler handlebar riser kit with longer cables...added 3/4" spacers under the risers....and... GP touring Bikemaster bars...cut shorter a couple of inches...cut the seat down about 3/4"....now cross country ready comfortable...with my L4 L5 bulging discs...hope this helps someone else....I'm 6'1" 205 lbs, 33 inseam, 33 sleeve length...

 

Looks really comfy would be nice for enjoying the scenery! I have gen mar risers and im still leaned over quite a bit so you have to keep the speed up to get the weight off the wrists!!!

 

Nice set up and nice colour :thumb: I am looking to do my handle bar as well but thinking of the adjustable set up.
Did you repaint the bike?

 

1st owner repainted after marginal low speed (7 mph) lay down..

 

Like you the back is old, the spirit is young. I've modified several bikes with low bars and skinny windshields. Recently bought a 05 ABS model and knew those bars had to go along with the windscreen. Took the stock bars, rotated 180, cut in the middle, clamped standard---is there such a thing? bars to them. Rerouted throttle cables, brake and clutch hoses. Then called Madstad Engineering about a wind shield. They shipped one and it is much like the setup I had on my Yamaha FZ1. Aluminum plate replaces the stock shield, brackets bolt onto that and windshield bolts to brackets---which are adjustable for height and angle. Can't send pix right now as bike is in shop for cam chain tensioner replacement. Will post pix when I can

 

I've been using the Genmars since '08 but recently decided to 'upgrade' to Helibars. I want the slight offset to the rear that the Genmars don't give, to let me sit just a bit taller :thumb:. Easier mod than the OP's handlebars, although they do look good :nod:. I can set the Helibar on top of the Genmar too, if I want (now that I have both) ...

ACE

 

Something else you might consider, a set of nicely made lowering blocks (pegs not included) from Larry xlax Lovisone <netters2@comcast.net>:



Hiya... confirmed... PEG BLOCKS are still available to keep your knees in the breeze... the price + USPS flat rate priority shipping are as follows... as soon as I receive Pay Pal payment the shipping starts... my account netters2@comcast.net


USA Peg Blocks $85.00 + Priority Shipping $5.50 = $90.50

 

ACE, genmars under the heli bars does not work....I tried that....i.e. in order to get the genmars underneath...you must lower the fork braces 3/4"....therby defeating the original purpose......the front end is lowered... making handling too squirrely in my opinion....and in effect lowering the handlebars....

 

Ah, ok, won't do that then :biggrin: ... my suspension is very good the way it is now (.95 Racetech springs up front, Penske shock in the rear) verified by a day at the track :smile:. I'm a bit up there in years myself, but still have a decent back. Reasonable comfort on my VFR is what I look for. Now my Aprilia is a different story, although I do have adjustable riser clip-ons on her as well ...

ACE

 

What constitutes "an-old-man-back?" Age, and surgeries are appropriate answers. Cheers, I don't wana turn the thread into one of these old beege reads where everyone talks aboot geritol and ben-gay.

I got two MRIs of my spine and they changed over the two to three year span. Cheers, I feel better now, but it never affected the time in the saddle or general riding/wrenching on bikes.

 

Hey hey now, ben-gay is a great cologne, and geritol is full of alcohol so does double duty ... :rockon:

 

I had the Genmars...sodl them and bought the HeliBars, they MUCH better.
to the OP ... looks good, diggin' the white paint too!!

 

ahhhh well here 's what the ole man back is....62 yrs old....bulging discs at L4 and L5 lower back since 42 yrs ago....degenerated discs mean I can't do anything without my back hurting...I can work on my VFR with pain killers and anti inflammatories...steroid shots in my spine on several occasions.....scared of surgery...I won't bore you with more details...but its only downhill from here...It ain't ever gonna get better....ha haha....thinking I can ride to the blu ridge in Sept...pills in the tank bag...probably will......sure am glad I did my dream in the late seventies early 80's.... that would be..... completely refitting my 1971 35' Morgan sloop and sailing the Bahamas and Caribbean for 5 years.....no way I could do that now...TG..

 

Thanks, 48 here and have a whole bunch of bulging L level vertibrae. I remember being a teenager having back discomfort. Stuff changes over the years, some for the better, some for the worse. I had one spinal shot and it worked for a year, like I said above, my symptoms changed on their own, and now I can get up in the morining and change positions while sleeping in bed without pain/discomfort. I am careful of what I do and such, and have had a few manual labour jobs that could have done me in. Those type of companies literally build themselves on the bones of the dead ound:

Cheers and happy and safe riding. Used to love using a tank bag, now I use a tail bag.

 

yo gcarper...picture of that wind shield ???? thanks old man

 

Madstad windshield system

here are 3 pictures that show the Madstad system for our bikes. Notice that the shield can be adjusted over quite a good range. height and angle. They are the best I've found, had one on my Yamaha FZ1 which made that bike a very comfortable day long rider. Just google Madstad Engineering. They're located in Florida.

 

I looked up the Speigler handlebar riser kit and studied it closely. I came to the conclusion that installing that kit would just kill my back!

So far I have had minimal discomfort with my Heli bar set up so I guess I'll stick with that. I tested a NC700 last weekend. I wanted to see if the riding position was any better than my VFR. I rode about 5 miles and my back started to hurt in that short a time. I think I need to be canted forward just a bit to keep my arms and back straight and in a good posture.