Motorcycle Safety & Driveability: riding, handlebar risers, freeway speeds

Question
Hi,I got a Yamaha FZR1000 1987 recently.It's riding position is quite different from a Yamaha 750 seca that I had before.The arms are stretched and hands are lower than the gas tank.Also hands are not separated by much distance.The footpegs are higher and placed more backwards.Can you give me some pointers on how to ride this bike safely at low speed as well as freeway speeds.Thank you.

Answer
The trick to adjusting to the dedicated sport bike riding position is to hold on to the bike with your lower body: butt, thighs, and knees. Grip the bike with your legs enough so that your arms and hands can be loose and relaxed. You may want to move forward in the seat, too, so the tank is pressed up against your inseam.

This takes some endurance and getting used to. Your lower back will protest at first. Take it a little at a time, building your stamina for the aggressive riding position. When your legs get tired from holding on, you can shift some of the support to your hands/wrists, but not for long. Bike control is much easier when your upper body is loose.

If the seating position absolutely doesn't work for you, look into getting some handlebar risers (Heli Bars, Gen Mar, et al.) You can probably also find some footpeg mounting brackets that are more forward (maybe even use those off a Seca?) or at least are adjustable, with different settings depending on what you like.

Good luck.

Pat