Well i've done a few trials on the 4rt and have to say what an amazing bike. To start off with I was finding it quite difficult but I was trying to ride it like my Gasser. Yesterday it seemed to click and oh what a feeling, just rolling on the power it was effortless, coming out of tight turns and climbing out over some quite steep but shortish banks with hardly any revs. Talk about grinning from ear to ear. I now know what you guys mean when you say it's very rewarding. I didn't win but it sure felt like I did. My one and only problem is I feel a little cramped, like i'm too close to the bars and stooping forward, makes the old arms and back ache a bit but apart from that what a fantastic bike, love it

Andy

It is always great fun when you "click" with your bike.

About the cramped feeling of being too close to the bars. 2 possible solutions. Buy a set of taller bars and/or bar risers. Or shorten the width of your bars (I will explain) The following is merely my opinion and what worked for me.

Get on your bike and hold onto the bars. Look at your wrists. Your forearm and hand should be in-line with each other. If your bars are too wide the back of your hand will be pointed in towards the center of the handlebars. Keeping roughly the same bend in your elbows Slowly bring your hands in toward the center of the bars. (this may may be a small amount like a 1/2 in./ few mms) until your forearms and hands are in line. This will reduce stress on your wrists as well as move your upper body back a little bit, easing the tension on your back.

Being comfortable will also improve your riding and then you will feel just like Toni Bou, or if you are crazy enough you could feel like Fujigas!

Cheers for that Zippy, that does make a lot of sense, the bar risers are a no go as the bottom clamp and top yoke are all one piece and are angled backwards so the risers would just bring them further back. As for riding like Bou or Fujigas well in another lifetime maybe but definitely not this one!

You can get adapters for single piece yoke and bottom clamps.

Here's an up close shot of the Hebo Fatbar adapters on my '07 4RT. Adapters create slight to-the-rear and height changes. Didn't notice any difference. For me, the two big changes in feel were: a) moving to the Renthal bars. That bend just suits me better, and as Zippy said I cut my bars down by 2cm each side. A good friend suggested that 4cm off one side would have saved me one hacksaw cut and might have improved my riding more!

Edited September 3, 201213 yr by ross brown

A good friend suggested that 4cm off one side would have saved me one hacksaw cut and might have improved my riding more!

Different Strokes I guess,narrower bars always make me feel cramped and pull my shoulders and arms down,limiting how well I can twist the throttle. Before you hack off your bars just slide your throttle and left grip in some and give it a go,easy to go back to original width then without having to buy new bars. I also like mine well forward,but if I go too far it kills my ability to turn left full lock,but it seems to help my balance,since I haven't learned to hop yet I just run the bars in the conventional position for now.

I tried the bars forward as much as I could to get as comfy as I could but found the steering way too lively. Does anybody know much about these.

http://www.dualsportwarehouse.com/Rox-Pivoting-Bar-Risers-1-3-4-Rise-x-1-1-8-Clamp-3R-P2PPL.htm

I can't hop for **** either