Pain between shoulder blades

[stevenolts]

The cramps are probably because the bike and seat are so wide.
Stevenols

[SeaSteve]

Highway pegs and an Ultimate King Seat with a backrest fixed any other cramps or pains I had.

[Eternalydamd]

So if the physical adjustment is not in your reach, and or not desired, you should at least try the more prudent inexpensive options offered here on the board, which just about cover all known remedies known to mankind.

All the posters above have touched on the known fixes from multiple years of experience, one I would suggest is to reevaluate your grip constantly, think and act like you are playing the piano, sit upright, relaxed, and just have your fingers on the handlebars, you won't crash, no worries there.

Now kinda let your arms flop a bit, like doing the chicken dance movement, this will assure you that you are going to relax that arm on purpose, do this exercise as much as you can to start.

Once you start feeling better, you will do this routine less, because you become a more relaxed rider.

You will get rid of that extra exertion on the bar.

I'm going to use some other suggestions for you from my LD pals with their inputs

For that between the shoulder blades pinch, try slouching. Well known as the 'Sport-Touring Slouch' among distance riders on bikes like the FJR and ST1100/1300. Others find this a symptom of the bar sweep or rise being off for them. Play with the ergos if you can.



It is somewhat dependent on-bike position. Roll your hips back, shoulders forward, and relax instead of sitting up straight. Doesn't really work on an ADV bike or full Sportbike since the natural seating positions are in opposite directions of the neutral Sport-touring body position. But works great on a F6B.

Good luck, practice it, and you will get results.

I tried these suggestions on multiple 400+ mile days over a 4 day ride, happy to say no pain! Thank you so much!

[Heathen]

Hello all, I have a 2015 Deluxe. I believe it is the stock seat with a stock back rest (driver) that I added a spacer in to move it a bit forward as I'm short (5'5" with 29" inseam). I got the bike just about 2 months ago and have already put about 4,400 miles on her over the weekends.

When I first got her I was riding with ridding shoes on with thin soles, I noticed a bit of pain between my shoulder blades but the more I ride the more it's hurting, for days on end. I purchased some boots with a little thicker soles so I can foot the bike easier. I purchased risers after seeing some suggestions in here for them, but it already had some installed.

I tried searching in the forum, but couldn't find anything specific to upper back pain/pain between the shoulder blades.

My question is has anyone else had this issue? If so how did you fix it? I'm only 38 years old, this is my third bike, and my favorite so far and I'd love to do some long distance trips, but if going to my local mountains makes me hurt so bad I can't sleep I may have to trade her in.

Thank you in advance.

I have a new-to-me 2015 F6B dlx and the previous owner installed Helibars. I can say they are incredible awesome! Also, from my experience with them, the pain in your back could very well be some very minor position or alignment that you're doing and not aware of.

What happened to me was that I changed from one seat to another. The new seat moved me forward into the handlebars a bit. I could touch the ground better, but now I felt crammed into the handlebars. Thankfully I had the Helibars so I started adjusting them. The downside of the Helibars is that you can individually adjust each grip, but keeping them or getting them symmetric is a trick. I ended up with my left arm just ever so slightly down and rotated out as compared to my right, such a minor difference i didn't realize it until I started in a semi-long ride. It became pretty clear around the 100 mile mark!! haha! of course I didn't have the hex wrench set so I could adjust, and didn't want to hold the group up anyway. My left forearm was aching by the end, and I really think it was the ever so slight difference. I've since adjusted it again, but I'll need another ride to see if I managed to get it just right this time. Anyway, it may not sound like it but I'm trying to upvote Helibars despite all my griping about em!! haha

[taxfree4]

Heli-bars made all the difference for me.