Back Pain while riding

[Drake]

Hey guys long time reader first time poster here ....been wanting to take the plunge for a while now, and im just curious about how much riding can make your back sore/tired??? only reason for this is I get back pain quite regularly now farked my back up awhile ago so i gotta live with i just dont want it to ruin my chances and cause me not to be able able to ride much if at all in the long run .....

Cheers in advance

[MadKaw]

Welcome ..

What bike are you riding.??

Motorcycles in general, aren't good for your back as the seating position will transfer a lot of the bumps direct to your back.
Try looking ahead and putting weight on the pegs when you see bumps or pot holes..

Try a kidney belt / back brace or similar.. it may help..

[Cwidova]

i have a bad back from work and i rode daily. i found just generally shifting and occasionally resting on the tank can help just doin this has made it no worse and as madkaw said look ahead at the road ond prepare for bumps and potholes!! it also depends on what sort of bike you ride.

[Drake]

Im yet to get a bike but i dont want something in the sports category......probly sports tourer??? Like a zzr or sumthing i guess
I think my main concern was leaning/hunching over for a certain period of time as i cant afford to make my back worse off than it is now, thanks Cwidova and MadKaw

[robracer]

Hi Drake welcome
With the back pain..... I have had pain for quite some time due to bad posture & have found that I can only go for about 15 minuites at a time on sports bikes but on the little Zeddy its an all day affair, The more upright you sit the better it is for your back so if you are in a racers crouch position then it could be a problem. Dave has a good point about the kidney belt... they work a treat!

[Six Addict]

u want a Z, ZRX or ER6 if u have a bad back... all have an upright seating possy that would see u all day in the saddle...

in terms of leaner bikes... then a ZZR or new ninja 250 would be perfect, neither are too hunched over nor too upright so as to have u being buffeted too much at freeway speeds (or above )

[lifeofcrimeguy]

There are exercisers that can be done to strengthen back muscles which would help a lot too. I have an exercise designed for golfers which works the lower back muscles that actually sit on the spine itself and are great for posture holding and that kinda thing. Are you seeing a doc or anything? Ask them for opinions and exercisers, maybe see a chiropractor or even walk into a gym and ask one of the trainers for some advice. For choice of bikes, if it really is a problem them your best bet is to go as uprights as possible as others have said. I've always had fond memories of the zephyr I rode. Most comfortable ever. You may even want to consider a cruiser if it's that much of a problem.

[the kid]

Is no one going to suggest a teaspoon full of cement ?
Nah seriously , good luck working out a solution , strenghthening abdominal muscles did wonders for my lower back issues .

[Ali600+150]

With the back pain..... I have had pain for quite some time due to bad posture & have found that I can only go for about 15 minuites at a time on sports bikes but on the little Zeddy its an all day affair

I can second that! Ijust sold my Gixxer600 for that very reason. The longest ride I could go was 23minutes befor experiencing excruciating pain. The only way I got through a ride was NUROFEN and lots of it. I spent a full day on my Zed yesterday and I had NO pain!

I think it has a lot to do with where you experience your pain. If your pain is in the upper back then get an upright bike so you take the bumps thru your lowerback/bum, but if you have lower back pain then sometimes a slightly more leant over bike (like a sports tourer) will be better as you take the bumps through your shoulders.

[Drake]

thanks for the replies guys. Its mostly lower to middle pain.Didnt know about the ab exercises....might look into it been goin to a gym it has gotten a lil better...and cruisers dont really appeal to me look good my not my thing
thanks heaps

[Smitty]

Hey guys long time reader first time poster here ....been wanting to take the plunge for a while now, and im just curious about how much riding can make your back sore/tired??? only reason for this is I get back pain quite regularly now farked my back up awhile ago so i gotta live with i just dont want it to ruin my chances and cause me not to be able able to ride much if at all in the long run .....
Cheers in advance

as one with a seriously pharked back (degenerative loss of disc tissue between the spinal column elements means the back bones grind away)
I can recommend a pilates set of exercises...and riding of a sports barge


seriously...
I find that exercise strengthens the lower back and inner core muscles and riding something like the
12R ...with a supportive tank helps. Some time with a physio is also helpful

overall i never found that riding causes back issues (years of brick laying, paving, building and car mechanics are worse)


hth

Smitty

[aardvark]

On the B**%$r I find that I can do 14+ hours if I'm saddle fit. If not, I find 6 or 7 hours is a bit of a struggle. Increasing the strength of your stomach muscles and stretching early on into the ride will help.

[red_dave]

I used to get back pain...

It went away when i left the missus at home

[Nelso]

I find the Z much better than a sports bike, but after sitting on Phil's ZRX the other weekend that would be my first choice, as the riding position is so much better again. Sorry Baby_ninja, a ZZR250 is a terrible bike to ride if you are a larger rider.

A combination of week and tight muscles often cause poor biomechanics which create neural impingements which cause more inflammation, weakness and tightness and the cycle progresses. It's usually a combination of soft tissue work, joint mobilisation and prescriptive exercise rehabilitation that is needed to teach your body to move correctly again so it can start the healing process. If there is a lot of degeneration it will improve, but there is a limit to how much normal function you will get back. Unfortunately, the majority of trainers in gyms are very uneducated and will more than likely do more damage than good. I do know a few that are more than capable of setting you right, but I know hundreds that have no idea, and would be down-right dangerous to see with a back issue. As for physios, chyros and osteopaths, the good ones are all starting to work in a similar way which is taking the multifaceted approach that I mentioned above, but there are still plenty of shit ones doing business and it is hard for the average Joe to know the difference. The other option is to see a few different modalities such as a masseur and personal palates trainer (don't even think the big classes are any good for someone with dysfunctional anatomy) and let them know what you are doing with the other one. If they know what they are on about they will appreciate what the other can offer, if they claim that everything else is a waist of time and their method is the only answer it's a fair indication that they are too arrogant, or are too insecure of their own ability, and I would avoid them.

[stuartzx6]

Do some good mournings and abdominal work. If you don't know what good mourning are give me a yell and i will send you some pics. also like what has been said a few time get away from a "supersport" and move to a "sport" like a z

all the best