Simple adjustments can make a big difference to your riding comfort.

All too often, people ride for years without ever adjusting their bikes for a proper fit. However, adjusting the controls and the riding position on your motorcycle can mean the difference between loving or hating it. 

All motorcycles offer a certain measure of adjustability to accommodate riders of different statures. There’s the basic handlebar, lever and foot control adjustability, and some bikes have adjustable seat heights, footpegs, and windshields. Getting the right combination between all these factors can make for a less fatiguing and easier ride.

A tubular handlebar can be pivoted up or down for better comfort — within certain limits. Adjusting it too high or too low will alter the angle at your wrists and possibly make it uncomfortable. Another limiting factor is clearance; too low and the switch assemblies might contact the fuel tank; too high, and they’ll hit the fairing or windscreen. 

Another way to alter the handlebar position is through a multitude of different riser spacers that can simply raise the handlebar, which is especially beneficial when standing up to ride off road on dual-sport and ADV bikes. 

Offset risers can raise the handlebar while moving it rearward, and products like the Rox Speed FX pivot risers offer a variety of handlebar positions, fore and aft. HeliBars is another company that offers similar products. You still have to check clearance at full lock, and usually, adding handlebar risers will necessitate installing longer cables and hoses. 

If you have a seat that’s adjustable for height, set it to your preferred position before adjusting the handlebar, as one adjustment affects the other. If the bike has clip-ons there’s not much that can be done about their reach other than replacing them with aftermarket items. 

One item that’s often neglected is throttle free play. Adjusting it correctly can affect how the bike launches from a stop, can prevent stalling, and can improve shifting. 

With the handlebar adjusted, it’s time to adjust the levers. The ideal level for the levers is just below your fingers, with the palms of your hands resting on the handgrips and your fingers extended straight. The levers can be pivoted to achieve this position, though sometimes this can’t be done because the switch assemblies are dowelled onto the handlebar — resist the urge to grind down the dowels, as this might cause the switch assemblies to move freely even when tightened. 

Some levers are adjustable for reach. Note that adjusting the brake lever in or out can also alter brake feel; adjusting it further will make the brake feel firmer; adjusting it closer will make it feel softer. Adjusting the clutch lever reach is a bit more complex. Even if the clutch lever is not reach-adjustable, you can still adjust it by increasing or decreasing the cable free play, done by screwing the cable thumbscrew in or out. 

However, adding too much free play (bringing the lever closer to the handlebar) might cause the clutch to drag and make shifting and finding neutral harder; not enough free play will cause the clutch to slip. If your bike has a reach-adjustable clutch lever you can experiment with different combinations of lever reach and free play to bring the friction point closer to or farther from the handlebar, depending on your preference, which isn’t possible with a hydraulic clutch. 

Most brake pedals can be adjusted for height via a threaded rod and locknut between the pedal and master cylinder, or at the brake drum. This is sometimes combined with an adjustable pedal stop. The ideal position is just below your boot with your foot on the footpeg; not too low that you have to push too far to apply the brake; not too high that you activate the brake light with your foot relaxed. 

The thing to watch for when adjusting the stop is to make sure that once the pedal height is adjusted right, that you adjust the threaded rod to maintain adequate free play. Having no free play will drag the rear brake, which can lead to a seized-up rear wheel. On bikes without an adjustable stop, the threaded rod alone adjusts the height, and the free play is fixed.

Most shifters can be adjusted for height. Some have finer adjustability via a threaded rod; some can be pivoted on their splines. Ideally, you should be able to shift up or down without excessively bending your ankle. 

Some manufacturers take different body types into account and offer different height and reach seats, either as options on new bikes, or as accessories. Kawasaki’s Vulcan S uses its “ergo-fit” system that offers a variety of seats, handlebars, and footpeg positions, which can be selected and installed when the bike is bought new. 

Note that adjusting your bike to fit your body might take some time; sitting on it in your garage might feel right at the moment, but an extended ride is needed to make any final adjustments.