So I took my GS to the race track for the first time yesterday.  And as I feared the Ergonomics still SUCK!!!!  Now I understand that this is not a cruiser but I feel like I'm stretching out on the damn rack!  I am so uncomfortable that I have a loss of confidence in the bike.  The forks are raised and the Vortex clip ons are bellow the top clamp.  I can't keep myself off of the tank, I also don't like how it steers (mainly because I feel so dumped over the front)......  I have stomp grips and the helped but not nearly enough.  After I crashed I switched to my friends CBR1000RR and what a relief it was!!!  Hell my Daytona 675 is like sitting on a recliner compared to my GS.

Now I understand that you need to get some weight over the front so it needs to be brought down.  But holy crap this is retardedly low.  So I came up with some alternatives, or maybe I'm just a pnazy and need more time to get used to it. 

89 clips (may be a smidge to high, hard to say)
Convertibars (best choice but big bucks!!!)
SV650 Clip on's (If they fit they may be a great choice)

Any thoughts???

How tall are you, and where are your clipons positioned?

I have woodcraft clip-ons on my GS race bike. The position is very aggressive, but it works very well with my riding style. I'm 5'10".

I'm 5' 7" and (evenly long in legs and torso).  The clip ons are under the top clamp. 

Are they positioned far forward, or angled back?

I have some old clipons off another bike on my GS. They're also under the top triple, but the forks are still in the original position. They're not too bad and I'm only 5'8. If anything they're a little low for the street but would be perfect on a track. Why don't you just move them above the top triple clamp?

I wouldn't move them above. On my GS Race bike, I've raised the forks 7mm above the triple clamp. Raising them the 40mm or so required to install clip-ons is going to have a disastrous effect on cornering clearance. I wouldn't feel very comfortable with the handling either.

Strider,

I'm guessing your body position may have a lot to do with your discomfort. There aren't really that many places the clip-ons can go on a GS. Mind are about the same position yours are at, and I find it works fine at the track... But, I run a very aggressive pace.

i have swept the bars back as far as I can without pinching my thumbs between the tank and bars at full lock.  I think having the bars on top of the camps would be to high.  If I could get them to the level of the clamps or a smidge higher I think I would be more comfortable.  The front ending being lowered is dumping me on to the front to much.  I know my body position is not perfect but having to keep trying to hold myself off the tank is driving me crazy.  I'm going to take a picture of me on the bike and then on my Daytona for comparison (Daytona's are known for having a pretty aggressive seating position compared to most sport bikes).  My instructor checked me out on the bike and he thought it was kinda a stretch for me too.  Optimally I'd leave them that low but bring them in to me or something....

Thinking about it some more today I think a lot of it has to do with muscles not being strong enough for that extreme of a riding postion.  My first GS was stock, then switched to Suburban Machinery bars, which took time to adjust to.  Then I got my Daytona, that took time as well and is still getting better.  So I'm sure it will get better with time as my muscles build up.  I'm just hoping to help them out alittle and be more comfortable while I'm trying to learn.  I was going through a turn yesterday thinking "This is so uncomfortable I couldn't race this bike, I'd never have my head in the game".

Do we know if SV650S clipons will fit our bikes?  I'd think I could just deal with this but I'm worried about the pychological factor and the role that plays in safety and learning.  If I can't get comfortable it will be much harder to learn.

The SV650 clipons won't fit, but I recall that one of the CBR models will... The F1? Search around a bit. Basically, find a bike with the same diameter fork tubes as the GS, and it's clipons should work.

With that said, no matter where the clipons end up, you shouldn't be putting any weight on your arms. Install some stomp-grip pads on the tank. Support your weight using your legs and core muscles. Keep the elbow bent and tucked in.

I think I have the cbr F1 bars on mine.

You've said a couple times you have the front of your bike lowered. If you think the front end is too low, why don't you just put the fork tubes back where they originally were in the clamps? That seems like it would fix your riding position.

That is an option but most people have their GS's lowered in the front to get better turn in.  I have not messed with the settings yet.  I'vw found this http://www.woodcraft-cfm.com/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=18129 which looks promising.  If I need lower I may be able to get something machined.  But if I lower the forks in the clamp I'll get back some height, but I wonder how much steering I'll lose....

how much of the forks are above your upper triple?  try swapping the clipons from under your triple to above it if there is enough room.

7mm above the upper tripple is the value recommended by my suspension guy. I race. The bike steers fine.

So unless I'm on crack (which is entirely possible) thats like a 1/4 of an inch???

my front end is lowered 1.25" but I have 0.5" preload for a total of 0.75" drop. I didn't notice much turn-in difference over stock.

Yep. Just about 1/4th of an inch. To be honest, I haven't experimented with much more than that. I can say that my belly pan gets pretty close to dragging, and the stock pegs have been ground down pretty far.

.5 inches of pre-load is a little less than stock for this bike, although the front end is so soft that there's got to be an awful lot of rider sag with the stock suspension.

Interesting, I may have to go get this action all dialed in.  This picture gives you an idea of how low the front is and the pegs are very ground down too


Leaving the pits (looks pretty stretched out IMHO)


I'd say that it looks ok while on the track (ignore my noobie body position)

I maybe partially mistaking lack of egro comfort for lack of stability........  I know that I gave myself 2 or 3 clicks more of bound and rebound on my Daytona, it was set up buy a racer I assume like his race bike.  It wasn't all to confident till I added those clicks then it was SOLID!!!

Suspension tuning is more of a voodoo art than carb tuning. If you have access to a suspension expert I'd take the bike to them for a look-see. Here in the bay area, Dave Moss of Catalyst Reactions helped me build and setup my GS.

What kinds of problems are you having with your GS? Raising the forks in the tripple will certainly reduce stability, but being 'tight' on the bars can be even more detrimental to stability and comfort. You seem to have my tendency, of 'strong arming' the front end. It's going to make you feel tired, and it's going to make that front end feel very skittish.

Also... What suspension modifications have you performed?

I honestly can't tell you what is wrong with it which is why I wish this   was on a bike not computer.  I'm so uncomfortable and am working so hard on staying off the tank that I'm not attentive enough to the bike.  It seems to steer fine and ride fine, I can't really seem to put a finger on anything besides the Ergo problem at this time.

As for strong arming, I kinda have to in order to keep myself off the tank.  I'm starting to use my legs more on the tank to hold myself off more so now.  Maybe I need to work more on that and develop the muscles to hold myself off the tank.

I have a Fox rear shock, Gold Emulators up front with either .95 or .8something springs, with fresh oil.  I did not build the bike.

EDIT:  The forks stick up 1 and an 1/8th inches over the top of the clamp.