How the right riding position can help you ride faster and safer(1)

I. Correct seating position

We often watch various types of motorbike races, road championships or motocross competitions on TV or through the internet media. The sitting position of racers is vastly different and they often adopt some extreme driving positions. Most domestic motorcyclists, on the other hand, are 90% of the time faced with regular riding in an urban street environment, and the main benefits of a correct sitting position are as follows.

More effective handling of the motorbike, improving manoeuvrability and driving safety

More relaxed riding, avoiding fatigue from long hours of driving

Safer and better protection in case of emergency

Sitting posture varies from person to person, depending on the height and build of the rider, but as long as we follow the following principles, we will be able to achieve the correct sitting posture and drive freely and safely.

Ability to change body posture: a good sitting posture should be able to change the weight of the body and the posture at any time according to the needs of the rider, through this "floating" body posture, in order to obtain the balance of the vehicle in different conditions

Keeping your arms and grip relatively relaxed: only relatively relaxed arms can move freely back and forth and allow the bike's steering mechanism to perform as it should.

Focus on the motorbike: Focus your attention on driving and look away to anticipate road conditions.

The daily road riding position

The sitting position on a cross bike requires attention to three details: the position of the hips and upper body, the position of the lower back and legs, and the position of the hands on the handlebars. We will take you through each of these three elements in detail.

1. Hip and upper body posture. As a novice, before you have fully mastered a relaxed and correct riding posture, you can try the following steps to achieve a correct and comfortable riding posture.

Lower your vehicle's centre brace or support the rear swingarm with your frame, keeping the motorcycle upright and standing on your vehicle's pedals.

Bend your knees and bring your body down vertically until your hips touch the saddle, moving your back from side to side to find the position that gives you the most freedom of movement.

With your back supporting your upper body, lean forward slowly until you have a gentle grip on the handlebars with your hands, bend forward with your back relaxed and lift your jaw naturally to ensure that your eyes can look straight ahead.

Here we should pay attention to this last detail, as a naturally bent back and arms will absorb the vibrations and shocks of the bike, protecting the neck and head from the shock. (Tip: Depending on the model, there are three types of seating position: a relatively compact forward position for road sports bikes, a standing position for motocross bikes, and a more relaxed position for everyday street riding.