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The upright riding position is making a comeback

50K views 50 replies 35 participants last post by  alpe07 
#1 ·
Riding upright, also known as the standard riding position, was just about the only type of set-up available 40 years ago. The Universal Japanese Motorcycle (UJM) of the 1970's as well as the American-made models pretty much all featured the standard riding position.

Things started to change in the 1990's, with more motorcycles becoming specialized into either the laid-back foot-forward cruiser position or the head-forward feet-back position of the race replicas. The UJM was a thing of the past and a standard motorcycle design was becoming rare.

In the mid-to-late 2000's, a new trend was beginning to become more popular with riders. The adventure touring bike had come of age, and along with it the resurgence of the standard motorcycle.

BMW was probably the first to gain a large foothold in this market with their GS models. Other companies such as the big-four Japanese brands, Triumph, and the now-defunct Buell started experimenting with their versions of the standard seating position.

Triumph now has four separate models with upright seating. Kawasaki has the Versys and Honda is selling the CBR250. Kawasaki's Ninja 650, Ninja 1000 and ZX14 all feature a more-upright position on sport models as well.

Personally, I've always favored the standard riding position. Being able to use the foot pegs to stand up on over rough areas and keeping the arms in a neutral position is very comfortable for me. Long distance travel is less tiring. It really all comes down to personal choice and preference in the end, but I'm glad to see a resurgence in the standard style of motorcycle.

[Motorcycledaily]
 
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#9 ·
They never went away for me, I just went to the dual sport with the same style of seating.

The only real standards would be the V-Stroms and the Versys from Japan and a few of the Triumphs, I can't speak for the Harleys, but I think they do the one with what I think is called "mid-set pegs". These bike have pegs that put your legs at about a 90 degree angle with feet just forward of being under your butt. Handle bar reach allows either a mostly straight upright position as you might want in town or a slight lean into the wind for open road riding.

Most of what has recently been called "standard" have the pegs set back and up significantly compared to the original UJMs and the bikes I mentioned. They have somewhat lower bars in some cases giving more of a sport-"lite" seating, not quite sport bike, but more like that than standard.

Whether you agree or not, the pictures tell the tale. Just look at standard bikes from the 70s and very early 80s and compare them to some of what are called "standard" now.
 
#10 ·
Just bought a 2002 BMW and the riding style is really upright with the "super bike" set-up. (not sure if that is exactly what I have, but was told that.)

Very comfortable, so only makes sense that people are past the "leaned over to go 150MPH" bike stances of the sport bikes. First ride on bike today for 120 and no issues at all.
 
#11 ·
The "superbike" set up was also considered a "European" set up years ago. The pegs weren't quite as far forward as the original UJM was and the bars were lower, not at all like any of the sportbikes and the pegs not quite as extreme as those of bikes like the Z1 and the FZ series. It was called "superbike" because the lower bars and rear set pegs were what was done to the KZs, CBs, and GSs that ran the original American Superbike class, but the rear pegs were back further and higher on the racers.

They allowed you to either sit more or less bolt upright or by bending a bit at the elbows and waist, lean into the wind at speed. That was the way my old Nighthawk S, the 650 Nighthawks, and the 90s Nighthawk 750 were set up. Not sport and not cruiser, just right.

My Zephyr has too much "sportbike" in the layout. The pegs are pretty much sportbike high and back. One of the reasons I'm going to have to sell it. My knees will not take it anymore. I'll have to save up the bucks and start looking for another 86 Nighthawk S - a real standard.
 
#19 ·
Nope! Per the experience of the late 80s up to now, they never will be. A standard has NEVER sold well in the US over the past couple of decades, with the exception of the Honda CB750 Nighthawk. From there, the more plastic the better the sales or the more forward the pegs and the more steel the better the sales. Just life in the United States.

Every time a quality naked bike (with no fairing or shrouds) is brought in it just doesn't sell well enough to survive. Mostly because it is automatically assumed the bike is a budget bike with low buck prices. That was what sold the $3995 Nighthawk when everything else was a grand higher. The really well equipped dual disk more sophisticated bikes like the Zephyrs and the Bandits languished, although the big Bandit with fairings has barely survived. Even the SV had to grow a fairing. Drop the plastic or the excess chrome and everyone here sees it as a "K Mart blue light special" (for those who remember that), another WalMart price buster.
 
#43 ·
I went to the dealer and sat on the 1100. That is,I rode the 1977 CB750 there and the bike was a direct clone of my bike the way it sat. But,,, more like butt...The thing was hard and skinny at the front of the seat.
Honda needs to use the way back machine and put a comfy seat on there like the original and they would have it right for the guys who like standard seating. Or borrow the ergos from a Nighthawk seat.. anything but this thing.

I asked the sales staff if this bike is not being marketed at least in some degree to the old farts who started out on one. Maybe they would want the reliability of the new bike with the look and feel of the old one? Then I asked them when they see grandpa sitting on a pillow if they thought he might want a softer seat???

Oh,well
 
#24 ·
There's a lot of overlap nowadays, but in general:

-cruisers involve putting your feet out forward, with your back either upright or in a slightly reclining position
-standards involve putting your feet more-or-less vertically in line with your shoulders or slightly in front, and usually involves sitting upright or very slightly forward
-sportbikes involve putting your feet out behind you and leaning forward

Again, there's a lot of overlap. Many bikes easily fit into two of those categories. For example, I think the Kawasaki ER6N to be a standard, others think it's a sport bike.
 
#27 ·
While I love the foot positioning of a standard, (and even the sportbike peg position is good for me) I find I am more comfortable with some forward lean to my body. Fortunately, there are enough choices of bikes out there that suit me just fine, or can easily be modded to fit me best. (even for a short little hobbit such as myself)

One of my favorite ones that has come out in the past few years is the new RS. The Ninja 500 and CBR500 should fit the bill nicely for me as well.
 
#29 ·
Using that bike ergo thing, and modding the bars to simulate clip-ons, this is what I came up with for the mentioned RS. (which I REALLY would like to have)


Now, the site does not take into account how much the seat is compressed for different weights, (I am only 130lbs) or the fact that my legs are long in relation to my height, so this is not the best representation.
 
#30 ·
The street triple is a pretty standard riding position and is doing quite well in the US market. I like it....alot! The upright riding position is best for my knees. Believe it or not, the forward pegs of most cruisers actual cause some strain on my knee that has a torn ACL and meniscus from an injury in college. The Street triple puts less strain on my knee.
 
#32 ·
Well, Yea!!

Good news getting to me a little late. I've been riding my 1981 Yamaha 650 Maxim for this very reason. To my eye, the lean-forward screamers look like hell and the lean-back types make my tailbone say, "No, thank you."

When I see a bump or hole in the road, which is ALL the time, I want to be able to get up on the pegs and let my thigh muscles take the impact instead of my back. I don't get it: Is all that back-jarring worth looking "cool"?

A few years ago I almost bought a Sportster, which had the pegs-under-you position. Spent all afternoon at the dealer. Had to leave when he, and the reinforcements he brought in, would hardly move off retail.

And if my trip to the Yamaha dealer is any indication, what happened to padding in the seats? Have we become so fat as a society that cycle manufacturers just assume that we bring our own padding? My 1981 has this comfortable foam seat that you could ride on all day. I got on the new bikes in the showroom and felt like I was straddling a park bench. WTF!?

"There are old motorcyclists; there are bold motorcyclists. There are no old, bold motorcyclists."
 
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