now then , i have owned a fairfew bikes in the past, can anyone give advice re back ache, i never got it on my suzuki gsx 1400, but going back to a bit of a more leaning over the tank on the blackbird i find my back can ache right between my shoulder blades, is it because i need to lose my stomach and some weight, or is this experienced by other bikers.....sensible answers only please !!!!!!!!!

maybe you just need to relax a bit more on your new bike - try spaghetti arms (that's what my instructor told me I should have ) just make sure you're not tensing up & that your arms aren't rigid

Iv'e gone from a straight back sitting position on the v-max to a much lower riding position on the daytona and am enjoying the style again .Only problem i have is the collar of my jacket pushes the helmet lower down over my eyes and i must keep on pushing back on the chin area to raise it...the helmet is my size but maybe not the right design for the jacket collar (more convex on the back contact point required)....getting back to your backache perhaps some form of stretching exersize could help !

HFG is probably right Ian.   Aching between the shoulder blades is the classic sign for being too stiff on the bike.   Try and relax more mate.  I find that if I can easily shake my elbows up and down, I'm probably ok, but if I can't it's because I'm too stiff.                                                                                                                                                                             

Come to think of it, I've been feeling a bit stiff lately...                                                                                                                                                                             

Is that good or bad XK ? lol                                                                                                                                                                             

aww...can we get back to the post subject lol, exc it was all serious then ya have to go and lower the tone..lol how are you buddy..is the captain morgan gonna be re appearing tonight                                                                                                                                                                              

Ian i enjoy 2 things a lot in life , biking and sailing and you know that rum and salt water go together , but not at the same time!lol                                                                                                                                                                             

Nope, it's coz you're a fat git.

Mate at work has just got himself a Blackbird, big stomach, and has complained of the exact same problem.

Hard luck.

You've got to feel sorry for him though, traded in his XJR 1300 for his dream bike, picked it up lunchtime, binned it it the car park when he set of for home at the end of the day.

The bike was pristine.

Not any more it ain't

Vinnie thats bad luck ! was it insured ,i mean the bike not his stomach , seriously i cant think of anything worse than that ! an embarrassing moment for me...my 1st ride on my triumph up and down past Emzeds cottage , the 3rd ride i stopped in front of houses to make a u-turn and my right foot slipped on fine loose gravel in front of an audience , the bike on top of my leg ...somehow i managed to lift her and get back to where Em and my wife were waiting for me , completely snapped off the pillion footrest bracket that also holds the exhaust ...if the looks from my wife could kill i would be underground by now , the bottom line ..shit happens quickly . i'm sorry to hear about your mates grief , hope he's ok though .

I had the same problem on my bike Ian. The culprit? My leather jacket was a little snug and whilst it felt ok, it was making me tense my shoulder muscles. It felt like someone had stuck a red hot poker between my shoulder blades. Have gone back to my textile jacket and its tons better. Tension is also another thing that sets it off for me. I cant do a lot about that at the moment, but with every ride it gets better as i relax more.                                                                                                                                                                              

I'm really really sorry...but I can't resist:  but with every ride it gets better as i relax more.   **sniggers**                                                                                                                                                                             

Well we all get embarrassing moments ... taking the P*ss out of yourself is the best way to get over it tho                                                                                                                                                                              

Actually I find taking the p*ss out of other people works better   On the backache it certainly sounds like tension, classic pain, classic location. I have found in the past that moving your position on the seat can help although it peeves pillions if you slide back too far.                                                                                                                                                                             

If its thats sort of riding i'll be old and grey before i relax then!!!                                                                                                                                                                              

vimmie,re your post, i prefer not to be called a fat git thank you                                                                                                                                                                             

sorry for getting your name wrong , it was not intentional                                                                                                                                                                             

No upset intended Ian, not exactly on the slim side myself, when I go in clothes shops and I get asked what I'm looking for or what size I always ask if they've got a fat git section coz there's no getting away from it, I am one.                                                                                                                                                                             

lmao vinnie, moving house etx this week, so bit stressed, so apoplogy for reaction, have a good day fatty                                                                                                                                                                             

Can't argue with that.