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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: GeorgiaGuzzi on July 30, 2020, 10:15:05 AM
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So my Quota is not going to be done in time for my road trip in August. So I’ll be on my other bike, a Victory V92 cruiser. It still has the stock seat, which is decent, almost but not quite on par with a mustang seat. On long trips my hiney starts cooking, which results in me riding along in the one cheek on one cheek off riding style.
Suggestions for something to add some comfort and coolness? No I don’t want to buy a new seat. Once my Quota is sorted that will be my main commuter/tourer. The Vic will be shorter day trips during pretty weather.
Thanks in advance, Robert
(https://i.ibb.co/3fcQ2yD/631-E489-C-E0-DE-4-F74-9-E44-D4269-C8-F4297.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3fcQ2yD)
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https://www.ebay.com/itm/SIT-FLY-SIT-N-FLY-motorcycle-seat-cover-US-distributor-Size-XXXL1/133013363544?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2748.l2649
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SIT-FLY-SIT-N-FLY-motorcycle-seat-cover-US-distributor-Size-M/133013363216?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649
this is like having an air-conditioned butt.
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So my Quota is not going to be done in time for my road trip in August. So I’ll be on my other bike, a Victory V92 cruiser. It still has the stock seat, which is decent, almost but not quite on par with a mustang seat. On long trips my hiney starts cooking, which results in me riding along in the one cheek on one cheek off riding style.
Suggestions for something to add some comfort and coolness? No I don’t want to buy a new seat. Once my Quota is sorted that will be my main commuter/tourer. The Vic will be shorter day trips during pretty weather.
Thanks in advance, Robert
(https://i.ibb.co/3fcQ2yD/631-E489-C-E0-DE-4-F74-9-E44-D4269-C8-F4297.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3fcQ2yD)
I have an airhawk and a sheepskin, both covered by a King of Fleece seat cover on my Norge, all of those on top of a Corbin seat. The combination is superb...no aches, numbness, flat spots, and really gives you one less item to get fatigued on a long ride.
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I find that the V7II seat is becoming more uncomfortable on long rides. Add to that the lackluster stock suspension, and my derrière requires some persuading to ride.
I looked into all three options myself recently. I like trying cheap stuff out first. I haven’t checked out the sheepskin or Airhawk yet, but I did recently purchase a beaded seat from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LW7PURZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_rOUiFb8J4RC92 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LW7PURZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_rOUiFb8J4RC92)
It’s added more comfort—I appreciate the pressure points, and I’ve already driven in rain and liked not sitting in wetness. I’d still like to try out an Airhawk and sheepskin, but I’ve read the Airhawk is too shifty for some, and the sheepskin didn’t quite do it for some others.
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Beads work for me in all weather.Cant beat the price.
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The Airhawk takes a little getting used to and experimentation. The trick is to get just enough air into it to provide separation between your butt and the seat. Too much air makes it feels a bit jiggly.
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I had good luck with the bead covers, someone else pointed out they are great in rain too. I cant imagine a sheepskin is cooler than a bare seat
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As stated above, I have a zillion customers who use my covers over one thing or another. The sheepskin reports I get mirror my own experience, and are the same reports I get from Corbin owners-love or hate with no middle ground.
I have thousands of miles on an Airhawk-and I take the recommendation of a IBA competitor I sponsor: use anything for a bit, than swap it with something else-it changes up the pressure points and provides relief for long distance riding. Seems to work well. Also as mentioned, a properly adjusted Airhawk will seem like there is almost no air in it.
I use beads on my Jackal and Norge, mostly to keep cool as I have great custom seats from BMS and my own making.
Sheepskin never did a thing for me but I do use it under any new cover pattern I make as it will let me know right away if there is a spot passing water thru.
Finally, for a LONG slab run when it just has to be made over inflating the Airhawk does some interesting things for comfort. WAY to unstable for normal (or abnormal) riding but fine for floating down an Interstate Highway.
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I know that Airhawk was sold a few years back and the new product isn't the same as that of the original manufacturer.
The original manufacturer produced seats for wheel chairs and truckers. Both conditions require long term sitting comfort that the original Airhawk provided.
Not sure about the new stuff.
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It's sort of like asking "Should I wear Merino boxer briefs, Ex Officio nylon boxers, or Fruit of the Loom y-fronts?" :wink:
What you cover your tackle with, or set your posterior on, is the most (well almost) personal decision you can make. I don't see how it's possible for other peoples' experience to have any relevance to you yourself.
People sweat differently, weigh different amounts, have different comfort levels, different tolerance for pain, different bacteria on their skin ....
I would think that the only relevant information would be "Has anyone found a seat material to be less quality than they expected?" ....
Me, I use a Russell Day-long seat on the Stelvio and a Bead-Rider on the Triumph. Others who have ridden the bikes say they're terrible ...
Lannis
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I've added the air hawk to my v7. A huge improvement!!!
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Airhawk, beads, or sheepskin? Yes!
I've taken all 3 on longer trips and rotated them out at gas stops.
Also, I will slightly over-fill the Airhawk and have become quite deft at bleeding off some air every 75 miles or so. Different pressure points...
YMMV
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Got beads last year for my 1200S stock seat. Keeps my butt cool and is more comfortable with hundreds of contact points. Just move a little and those hundreds of contact points are at a new location. I can ride longer with the beads.
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I have both the Beadrider ceramic beads and an Airhawk, both have worked to extend my saddle time pretty comfortably on long trips.
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I use both beads and Sheep together and seperately. The beads work to keep things cool, but I do find they get hard to sit on after an hour or so.
I have found sheep skins to work very well in hot and cold.
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Airhawk, beads, or sheepskin? Yes!
I've taken all 3 on longer trips and rotated them out at gas stops.
Also, I will slightly over-fill the Airhawk and have become quite deft at bleeding off some air every 75 miles or so. Different pressure points...
YMMV
That is what I do too, though I don't own an Airhawk.
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I had a sheepskin on the Cal-Vin getting ready for a ride and noticed my air hawk sitting on a shelf, so I slid it under the sheepskin. It's REALLY comfy!
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I won't ride a bike without a sheepskin cover on the seat. They do absolutely nothing for comfort (an uncomfortable seat will still be uncomfortable) , but they do make it much cooler.
I bought mine from https://alaskaleather.com/collections/sheepskin-buttpads.
It's been rained on dozens of times and it's still going strong after 7 years and 90k miles.
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Sheepskin for me. Air Hawk let me down big time. And yes, I tried and tried to air pressure per the instructions and the people that like them.
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Any of the three can comfort the arse. However nothing can take the place of getting off after a few hours.
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Never had an Airhawk, but some riders swear by it. Never did the bead thing either...always had sheepskins on several of my bikes and they worked just fine....(....just sayin') :thumb: :cool: :wink: :smiley:
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I used an airhawk on my Quota, and it sure helped. I was thinking of getting Novacaine in my butt before that.
JD
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https://www.ebay.com/itm/SIT-FLY-SIT-N-FLY-motorcycle-seat-cover-US-distributor-Size-XXXL1/133013363544?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2748.l2649
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SIT-FLY-SIT-N-FLY-motorcycle-seat-cover-US-distributor-Size-M/133013363216?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649
this is like having an air-conditioned butt.
I saw this on his V85. Well worth looking into. Who doesn't want an air conditioned ass?
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Any of the three can comfort the arse. However nothing can take the place of getting off after a few hours.
Or standing up every 20 minutes or so. I find that even on a long-range (340 miles) bike like my Triumph Trophy or my Norton Interstate, if I stand up and let the blood circulate for 30 seconds or a minute, I can ride without having to get off the bike.
It's one reason I don't do foot-forward or footboard bikes. I don't know about the acrobatic skills of others, but I can't stand up stably on those while running 70; I can on the feet-under-you bikes.
Lannis
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It hit me one day after a dual sport ride on my now gone XT350 that I never thought about butt pain and the stock seat isn't that great, but on the dirt roads i'm standing up a lot which had to help.
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Or standing up every 20 minutes or so. I find that even on a long-range (340 miles) bike like my Triumph Trophy or my Norton Interstate, if I stand up and let the blood circulate for 30 seconds or a minute, I can ride without having to get off the bike.
It's one reason I don't do foot-forward or footboard bikes. I don't know about the acrobatic skills of others, but I can't stand up stably on those while running 70; I can on the feet-under-you bikes.
Lannis
I stand on the Tiger pegs frequently, It does make a difference. Usually reserve that for slower speeds however.
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I stand on the Tiger pegs frequently, It does make a difference. Usually reserve that for slower speeds however.
I ride occasionally with a guy who lives near me who rides a LOT faster than I do normally. He knows a lot of good routes, so he picks them and I follow.
Sometimes, on roads that are pretty clean and have good sight distances, I can comfortably ride fast enough to where he's happy. On bumpy roads with loose surfaces, or roads with lots of blind turns, I don't ride as fast as he does, so he stands up on the pegs for 10 miles at a time, leaning through turns that almost put his helmet over to the fences around the pastures, and I can still barely keep up even sitting down.
At any rate, it taught me about standing up and riding. When I'm behind a windshield with my helmet face-shield up, I just need to remember to flip it down before I stand up, and I'm good for 70 - 75 MPH for a mile or two. Keeps the blood circulating and the monkey-butt at bay ...
Lannis
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Standing every 20 minutes may be a resolution of sorts to butt pain, but that frequency of a ‘solution’ is like plugging a hole in a kayak with your thumb. Maybe it’s time to get a better solution, especially for high speed. Standing is certainly a small luxury that standard motos offer over cruisers and sport bikes, but when I occasionally do 300+ mile rides, I don’t want to have to do it every 20 minutes—the fun in riding begins to evaporate. Hence, the search for better, and perhaps safer, solutions.
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I used an airhawk on my Quota, and it sure helped. I was thinking of getting Novacaine in my butt before that.
JD
[/quote
The Airhawk was originally designed by a company called ROHO in Bellville, Illinois for wheelchair cushions, designed for the prevention of decubitus ulcers (pressure sores) I'm sitting on a ROHO now in my office chair. I "acquired"it in a former profession. As far as preventing pressure points, you really don't get any better. They are typically only dispensed with a prescription and patients have to have a pressure sore to even qualify for insurance coverage for one. If you can't get comfortable on a airhawk, you can't get comfortable.
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I ride occasionally with a guy who lives near me who rides a LOT faster than I do normally. He knows a lot of good routes, so he picks them and I follow.
Sometimes, on roads that are pretty clean and have good sight distances, I can comfortably ride fast enough to where he's happy. On bumpy roads with loose surfaces, or roads with lots of blind turns, I don't ride as fast as he does, so he stands up on the pegs for 10 miles at a time, leaning through turns that almost put his helmet over to the fences around the pastures, and I can still barely keep up even sitting down.
At any rate, it taught me about standing up and riding. When I'm behind a windshield with my helmet face-shield up, I just need to remember to flip it down before I stand up, and I'm good for 70 - 75 MPH for a mile or two. Keeps the blood circulating and the monkey-butt at bay ...
I spent 14 years in the wheelchair seating industry. Lack of blood flow starts the pain felt by sitting in one position too long, so standing is your best defense to let the blood return to the pressure points. For folks that can't feel the pain or stand, it becomes a pressure sore eventually.
I learned to stand and ride in trials riding :laugh:
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Another thing the IBA competitors tell me is they get their custom made seats constructed with a bit of fore/aft space designed for movement.
They say that they shift slightly every 15 min or so before hot spots develop. They never want to be fully "locked in".
All the IBA riders I know stand from time to time and make sure drink hoses and such are of the correct length.
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I have a sheepskin on any bike I am going to ride longer than 50 miles. I move it between the Himalayan and the Road Glide.
I carry an airhawk with me just in case, but it does make me feel a little disconnected with the bike.
I've used beads in the truck and like them in the summer.
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I'll stand up upon occasion as the situation dictates. Speed doesn't seem to make much difference except for the wind.
BUT every so often I flash on the mental image of the fellow who was standing at speed when his footpeg broke off.
:sad:
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I'll stand up upon occasion as the situation dictates. Speed doesn't seem to make much difference except for the wind.
BUT every so often I flash on the mental image of the fellow who was standing at speed when his footpeg broke off.
:sad:
I was pulled over and threatened with a ticket for stunting when I stood up for 100 yards coming up to a stop sign. I think my riding gear, and grey hair saved me.
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I'll stand up upon occasion as the situation dictates. Speed doesn't seem to make much difference except for the wind.
BUT every so often I flash on the mental image of the fellow who was standing at speed when his footpeg broke off.
:sad:
I do stand on the pegs while on the center stand now and then just in case. Also inspect for bolt tightness. (I did find them loose 1X)
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Standing every 20 minutes may be a resolution of sorts to butt pain, but that frequency of a ‘solution’ is like plugging a hole in a kayak with your thumb. Maybe it’s time to get a better solution, especially for high speed. Standing is certainly a small luxury that standard motos offer over cruisers and sport bikes, but when I occasionally do 300+ mile rides, I don’t want to have to do it every 20 minutes—the fun in riding begins to evaporate. Hence, the search for better, and perhaps safer, solutions.
See, that's where the difference between people comes in.
I've tried sitting in a "touring cruiser" position like my Cal III had, and it was very uncomfortable for me to have my weight on my spine and no way to shift it off. Other folks can ride an EV for 3 hours, shift their weight to their other butt cheek, turn on the reserve fuel supply, ride 3 more hours, shift their weight back to the other cheek, ride another hour and stop 10 minutes for a bag of peanuts, a tank of gas, and a Pepsi, and do it again.
It's no big deal at all for me to stand up for a few minutes every 25 miles or so. Flexing my legs and working my thigh muscles during a trip is way better than NOT flexing my legs and ending up with one of them clots or whatever people get from sitting too long.
Matter of fact, all my touring bikes have throttle locks or cruise control, because every 15 minutes or less, I have to take my hand off the grip and shake it a bit to get the carpals back into the tunnel where they belong, or it'll all go numb. I do that BEFORE it gets numb - if you wait till the feeling's gone, it's too late.
I can't possibly see what the "better solution" might be. I've already got a sprung, customized, shaped, lovely touring seat on the Stelvio, and I still need to get off of it every once in a while. But Fay and I can go 600 miles in a day two-up, and not be hurting at all at the end of it, and do it again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next .... so aside from a perception of "safety" somehow (and I don't do anything "unsafer" than riding in the first place), I'm happy with it as is.
It's why I generally comment when someone asks "What's the best seat?" or "What's the best underwear?" or "What's the best butt powder" .... that "No one is going to know that except YOU! What I do has little or no relevance ....
Lannis
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See, that's where the difference between people comes in.
I've tried sitting in a "touring cruiser" position like my Cal III had, and it was very uncomfortable for me to have my weight on my spine and no way to shift it off. Other folks can ride an EV for 3 hours, shift their weight to their other butt cheek, turn on the reserve fuel supply, ride 3 more hours, shift their weight back to the other cheek, ride another hour and stop 10 minutes for a bag of peanuts, a tank of gas, and a Pepsi, and do it again.
It's no big deal at all for me to stand up for a few minutes every 25 miles or so. Flexing my legs and working my thigh muscles during a trip is way better than NOT flexing my legs and ending up with one of them clots or whatever people get from sitting too long.
Matter of fact, all my touring bikes have throttle locks or cruise control, because every 15 minutes or less, I have to take my hand off the grip and shake it a bit to get the carpals back into the tunnel where they belong, or it'll all go numb. I do that BEFORE it gets numb - if you wait till the feeling's gone, it's too late.
I can't possibly see what the "better solution" might be. I've already got a sprung, customized, shaped, lovely touring seat on the Stelvio, and I still need to get off of it every once in a while. But Fay and I can go 600 miles in a day two-up, and not be hurting at all at the end of it, and do it again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next .... so aside from a perception of "safety" somehow (and I don't do anything "unsafer" than riding in the first place), I'm happy with it as is.
It's why I generally comment when someone asks "What's the best seat?" or "What's the best underwear?" or "What's the best butt powder" .... that "No one is going to know that except YOU! What I do has little or no relevance ....
Lannis
Feet forward is a relative term. All of my touring bikes have been like sitting at the formal dining room table. Sport touring like sitting on a bar stool. I've had cruisers where my legs are almost no knee bend forward like my Mean Streak.
With the touring bikes I always have highway pegs or boards mounted, and long running boards for the controls. Many different places to put my feet. Also, if you keep the handlebars short, you can shift around on the seat and lean forward for a time if needed. Then there is the rider backrest, or what I like to do, which is put all my soft gear in a T-bag strapped to the passenger seat. Now it is like sitting in my truck going down the road.
(https://i.ibb.co/RcknJQz/My-Mean-Streak.jpg) (https://ibb.co/RcknJQz)
Now that is "feet forward". LOL!
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Feet forward is a relative term.
Yep, it is ... and I can tell you exactly what it means for me.
If I'm straddling a 2" x 6" board between two sawhorses, and I stand up from that position naturally, putting my feet wherever they need to be to keep me from falling forward or backward as I rise, that's where I want the footpegs on my touring bike ... right underneath my center of gravity.
I don't want anything even CLOSE to the position I'm sitting in when I'm in my car or truck!
Lannis
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Yep, it is ... and I can tell you exactly what it means for me.
If I'm straddling a 2" x 6" board between two sawhorses, and I stand up from that position naturally, putting my feet wherever they need to be to keep me from falling forward or backward as I rise, that's where I want the footpegs on my touring bike ... right underneath my center of gravity.
I don't want anything even CLOSE to the position I'm sitting in when I'm in my car or truck!
Lannis
When I am in my truck, I have it on cruise control and my feet pulled back for a 90 degree knee bend, so I can relate. Of course, with my current stable of bikes I have just about every riding position covered. Spice of life. LOL!
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[quote author=Lannis link=topic=106852.msg1692607#msg1692607 date=1596128442
What you set your posterior on, is the most (well almost) personal decision you can make. I don't see how it's possible for other peoples' experience to have any relevance to you yourself.
I would think that the only relevant information would be "Has anyone found a seat material to be less quality than they expected?" ....
Me, I use a Russell Day-long seat on the Stelvio and a Bead-Rider on the Triumph. Others who have ridden the bikes say they're terrible ...
Lannis
[/quote]
Thanks Lannis. That is actually why I asked, to see if any of the mentioned items are terrible. In my experience most people have an opinion for what they prefer, but when it comes to truly bad products there’s generally a high consensus to avoid. I’ll be trying some beads out this trip. The cheapskate in me likes the price!
I also appreciate the suggestion of standing. Unfortunately I’ll be on my Victory, and I don’t like standing unless I’m on pegs. I also don’t care for the foot forward position. It’s fine for a short hour or two ride, but longer trips it gets old fast. My Quota has a great riding position that I can stand and stretch, but to have it ready I’d have to hurry getting it running and nothing good happens when I rush mechanical work!
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Airhawk, beads, or sheepskin? Yes!
I've taken all 3 on longer trips and rotated them out at gas stops.
Also, I will slightly over-fill the Airhawk and have become quite deft at bleeding off some air every 75 miles or so. Different pressure points...
YMMV
This is a good suggestion. Someone had also mentioned changing positions to prevent sores, which is what I do on long distance rides. Myself and a buddy did the 1500 miles in 36 hours, I think it’s the butt burner? (I get it and the saddle sore mixed up) and shifting around and using highway pegs, floorboards, and passenger pegs was what helped me the most. For someone who doesn’t like the foot forward riding style, I sure have put some miles on that way!
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Alaskan Butt Pad sheep skin. Works great . If caught in the rain. It takes a while to dry. Air Hawk, It just didn't help with my "Joy".
Excercise is just the best solution. I'm not riding much for the last couple years. Just dipping a toe in again. Haven't done any real excercising since the gyms closed in March. Jumped on a bike for a short ride.
Everything hurts from the neck to my toes.
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Bicycle shorts help a lot with thr beadseat,also monkeybutt powder.
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As well stated, you may have to try a combo of things to find what works.
When I reply to posts like these I attempt to pass along what the competitive long distance riders tell me about what they do, what worked, and what does not. It's a basis to start. Again as mentioned, one think I always do that most of my customers in the IBA cannot is use the passenger pegs to really switch it up from time to time. The IBA guys almost always use that location as a mounting point for hydration or fuel (aux) support(s) making it unavailable to their feet.
Not the best pic but maybe you can see. This is Wolfe Bonham, 11th in the rally prior to the most recent one that the mother (forgot her name) finished first in.
(https://i.ibb.co/P4T8zgJ/Wolfe-2019-start.jpg) (https://ibb.co/P4T8zgJ)