"cruiser" riding positions

[ultracyclist]

Would any of you on this information loaded forum know the origins of the cruiser riding position?

I am referring to the feet forward that one sees on H-D's and other manufacturers of that style of bike.

I am not endorsing that riding position, I just want to know how it started.

Special request: Let us not turn this thread into an H-D or any other bike bashing thread.

[jdmetzger]

Would any of you on this information loaded forum know the origins of the cruiser riding position?

I am referring to the feet forward that one sees on H-D's and other manufacturers of that style of bike.

I am not endorsing that riding position, I just want to know how it started.

Special request: Let us not turn this thread into an H-D or any other bike bashing thread.

OK, I'm not bashing any other brands. It's not going to happen.

I don't know the source of that either. I'm guessing it was a progression. They started out like bicycles, and then maybe after people rode for a while they started to think "I wish I had a place to stretch out my legs and rest them", and things evolved from there. Personally, I don't find it very comfortable, and it makes me feel less in control of the bike. I also really dislike the forward controls that go along with it. It's possible I would adjust to it, but it seems to make more sense to have the controls right under you. I'm happy perched "on top" of my Beemer. :)

[kbasa]

Would any of you on this information loaded forum know the origins of the cruiser riding position?

I am referring to the feet forward that one sees on H-D's and other manufacturers of that style of bike.

I am not endorsing that riding position, I just want to know how it started.

Special request: Let us not turn this thread into an H-D or any other bike bashing thread.

I have some insight here. When I was at Art of the Motorcycle, I took a tour with Ultan Guilfoyle, the curator. He explained that riding positions came from horses. The Europeans ride with their feet underneath them, using their knees as shock absorbers. The American riding style is relaxed, with feet extended fully (or close to it).

When motorcycles started to appear, this riding style formed the initial seating positions, which seem to have stuck.

[ltljohn]

They used to be called "highway pegs" so you could stretch your legs on a long ride. Somewhere along the way someone put controls out there and it evolved from there.

[lkchris]

Based on horse riding.

Europeans lean forward

Americans sit straight up

Watch http://www.princeton.edu/WebMedia/lectures/20020913alumnistudiesintroTAPE300K.asx

Cruiser is exaggeration of strait up.

[RJM2096]

I also have a HD and love the forward controls. It was a little awkward the first time I rode the HD. Now I prefer it over the touring positions. That is the only thing I do not like about my BMW. You cannot have forward foot controls because of the opposed cylinders. Highway pegs are not the same thing.

[boxerr]

As a Harley, and BMW owner, I fitted forwards to my Hog, and love them.
Takes the strain off my legs on trips.
It has to do with seating/peg relation. BMW more upright, so pegs feel natural where they are.
Cruiser more laid back riding, so I fing the original possy uncomfortable.
As for the origin, who know??

[darcym]

I've tried the foot forward position and basically I can't stand it. I'm short legged compared to some guys, so obviously I don't feel the need to stretch out. I can see where some long legged souls would feel cramped, and need to stretch out that way, though.

I do understand that many hours on a bike with your knees bent and locked into one position can be uncomfortable as well. However if your feet are always out in front of you the bulk of your body weight now rests on your butt. If your feet are under you, you can place more of your weight on your feet. Funny thing was I did find my feet hurting after a really long ride because I was resting my wt on my feet rather than my butt. I think the feet below is far more practical because you can always get highway pegs for that foot forward relaxation if you need it, without being tied to it to operate the bike.

On the other end of the spectrum, a lot of sport bikes are putting their pegs and controls back from center. This presumably to allow the rider to tuck their body low and forward over the tank -- stretched out the opposite direction and more aerodynamic. It also makes the body more part of the machine, so balance is compact and turns initiated by subtle changes in body position. The trade off with this position, even if you're not contorted like a pretzel to ride like this, is that your ability to see around you, including forward and above the cars in front of you is hindered - requiring you to "sit up". On my sportier but not quite sport bike I would sometimes move my feet back to the passenger pegs and lean forward to get low and out of the wind. But I found as soon as there was traffic, or obstacles ahead, I immediately shifted to the straight up position to better see and react to what was happening on the road.

Sitting straight up (think horseback rider) is perhaps the boring, unimaginative position of our grandfathers, but I think overall it is the most practical, ergonomically neutral, and safest position from which to operate a motorcycle.

[jimabmw]

I would think it started when they began extenting the front ends to build choppers.

[EXR911]

Would any of you on this information loaded forum know the origins of the cruiser riding position?

I am referring to the feet forward that one sees on H-D's and other manufacturers of that style of bike.

I am not endorsing that riding position, I just want to know how it started.

Special request: Let us not turn this thread into an H-D or any other bike bashing thread.

Forward foot controls began with the move of the various American makes such as H-D and Indian from bicycle pedals for starting (and braking) to gearboxes with a foot operated rocker clutch pedal on one side and a brake pedal on the other. this was around 1914. Almost invariably the feet were rested on footboards underneath the control pedals and had to be stretched forward to operate them.

When the idea of stripping down a bike to lighten it ("bobbing" or "chopping") became a fad the bulky - and to some people - ugly footboards were replaced by a simple footpeg. Possibly these were adapted "highway pegs" which clamped to the "safety bars" and date from at least the 1930's.

Early BMWs had footboards behind the cylinders and on my R100/7 the footboards (a 70's after-market accessory) give a nice change of position for the hip and knee joints without forcing the feet too far away from the brake and gearshift pedals.

The current forward control setup always seems to me to just make it difficult to push the handlebar for countersteering as with any that I have tried, my arms are pretty much at full stretch.

PT9766