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Whether you are a bike rider who rides for short commutes or long tours, you have to be in the correct body position while riding your motorcycle, else it may poorly affect your back or neck. Knowing the correct body posture, therefore, is very important in motorcycling:
- Eyes looking straight, anticipating what lies ahead (Looking far ahead, as discussed in Universal Motorcycling Rules)
- Elbows flexible and slightly bent, to make it easy for the handlebar to adjust to changes due to road undulations, directional changes, etc. (Your elbows act as shock absorbers)
- Back straight, to avoid back pain or bad posture
- Shoulders relaxed and stacked back, to avoid any discomfort and/or pain in the neck or upper back
- Knees lightly gripping the fuel tank
- Feet pointing ahead
Broadly defined, there are 3 types of body postures: Standard, Sport and Cruiser. The below picture indicates the correct body position for different types of motorcycles (dirt bike, sportsbike, cruiser and sport-touring):
Each kind of riding position has its pros and cons. If you want to ride better and safer for longer, then the correct body position is of the utmost importance, in the long term.
Learn about motorcycle riding gear which will keep you safe while riding on the roads.
