Hand numbness and pain.

[Caddoview]

Has anyone had problems with numbness in your hands and pain, particularly the right hand? I've not had this problem on other bikes. Any ideas on fixing it?

 

[Don in Lodi]

Has anyone had problems with numbness in your hands and pain, particularly the right hand? I've not had this problem on other bikes. Any ideas on fixing it?

The best I've ever read was; the rider sits on their machine in what would be a normal position, close your eyes and relax, picture where your bars should be, not where they are, reach out and grab the imaginary bars, move your hands around to find the sweet spot, no pinching, no tremors, elbows just so, wrists just right, now open your eyes. Sometimes all it takes is rotating the bars a bit to get them into your imagined space, sometimes risers, sometimes a new bar shape will do it. If you were our friend Ron here, you prolly wouldn't have bought the bike if it didn't fit right to begin with. This bike is worth getting to fit right. But maybe, just maybe, this seating style isn't your cup-a-joe.
What did you come off of most recently?

 

[~TABASCO~]

I had a tall customer telling me the same thing... After talking, we added straight up riser and Pro Taper bars... Fixed the issue for him......

 

[Mellow]

Re: Hand numbness and pain.

For me, a loose grip helped as well as some grip puppies so the bars are softer and not as hard as...well, bars.

 

[erenet]

This also heps me, not so good if I'm following another rider. I'm wondering if this thing will work with grip puppies.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Go-Cruise-Throttle-Lock-Motorcycle-Cruise-Control-1-inch-bars-/150854945023?hash=item231fa7c8ff&item=150854945023&pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr

 

[tpak]

Ignore RonH, he is a retro grouch and can't help himself.

What Don posted above is a great place to start. On my Vstrom I was all over the board with crazy pain between my shoulders - and fixed it by getting a straighter bar and bringing it up and slightly back. After that, no more pain. When adjusting it or even doing the above you can have someone put there fingers on the spot that is straining and they can pretty much feel when your muscles/tendons relax. Then you know you have found the right position.I'm tall and have long arms but skinny shoulders, I need a flatter bar than my Vstrom has. My S10 is pretty good but I will be fine tuning it a bit now that I have a few thousand miles behind me.

A cramp buster helped me some on long rides as did a Go-Cruise like @erenet pointed to on flea bay. Here is the link to their site:
http://www.2wheelride.com/throttle_pro.html
For $20 I like it more than my Kaoko that is on the S10.

@erenet - I think they make an oversized one that will probably work with Grip Puppies.

Bottom line, don't discount small subtle changes.

 

[roy]

It's a sign of carpal tunnel. Having the surgery sometimes works and most times does not. I have had my left arm done and it is only slightly better than my right which is pretty bad at times. A long trip will affect my right arm a few days after the trip. Left arm that has had the surgery does not seem to be bothered by it but it still has it's bad days too. If you get cut on it takes about 8 weeks to gain most of your strength back so it is not a in out done deal. I will probably never do my right arm unless it just get's unbearable. BTW I use a cramp buster while on trips and it does lessen the problems that normally without it would be aweful those days following a trip. I am affected by large diameter grips which are common with heated grips. I prefer small diameter grips like found on my GSXR but can't get heat in those so I live with the issue.

 

[Mellow]

It's a sign of carpal tunnel. Having the surgery sometimes works and most times does not. I have had my left arm done and it is only slightly better than my right which is pretty bad at times. A long trip will affect my right arm a few days after the trip. Left arm that has had the surgery does not seem to be bothered by it but it still has it's bad days too. If you get cut on it takes about 8 weeks to gain most of your strength back so it is not a in out done deal. I will probably never do my right arm unless it just get's unbearable. BTW I use a cramp buster while on trips and it does lessen the problems that normally without it would be aweful those days following a trip. I am affected by large diameter grips which are common with heated grips. I prefer small diameter grips like found on my GSXR but can't get heat in those so I live with the issue.

Roy, if you use the symtec heated elements you can use whatever grip you like... and they're relatively cheap. They may not work as well as the expensive stuff but I've got them on both bikes and they work well enough.

http://www.casporttouring.com/cst/motorcycles/SYMT.html

 

[Spider]

Has anyone had problems with numbness in your hands and pain, particularly the right hand? I've not had this problem on other bikes. Any ideas on fixing it?

Same issue here, and I haven't experienced it with my other bikes, including the others I ride currently. I recently installed the SW-Motech anti-shock bars, which don't by themselves do much but allow for a good bit of forward and back adjustment...the grips and switches can be rotated since the locating pins have to be ground off to fit the bars. I did 500 miles in neutral rotation, then about 750 with the bars rotated towards me, the latter was a lot better but not perfect. I've rotated them the other direction and am waiting for a chance to test that out on a good long ride. I also have short risers and grip puppies that I'll try next if needed. I did add the MC Cruise which helps; something like a Go Cruise or Kaoko may give you some relief. Also, I've cranked up the heated grips a couple of times even though it wasn't that cold, but it made my hand feel better. This is a great bike, so I'm sure there's a solution.

Good luck!

 

[jajpko]

This also heps me, not so good if I'm following another rider. I'm wondering if this thing will work with grip puppies.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Go-Cruise-Throttle-Lock-Motorcycle-Cruise-Control-1-inch-bars-/150854945023?hash=item231fa7c8ff&item=150854945023&pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr

I have one on mine and it works great with the Go Pro. I have used the band with it.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

I use the Go Cruise on both bike with grip puppies. No problem. The Go Cruise sits on the grip, the grip puppies go up against, but not under the Go Cruise.

 

[MurphCO]

Same problem here, no solution yet

Got risers
Thicker gloves
Throttle lock

Right hand still goes numb

 

[Dirt_Dad]

It could be the bars themselves. I know the stock DL1000 bars were very uncomfortable for me. Replaced them with Pro Taper ATV Hi bars and was much more comfortable. Also the seat could have you at an angle that causes stress. I did the lowering the rear of seat trick and it improved the overall comfort.

It's all so personal. Just a trial and error process until you figure it out.

 

[Caddoview]

Hand numbness and pain.

Thanks for all the input on the issue. I've already had surgery on my right hand several years ago. It's also been a number of years since I've been on a street bike. Mostly Mt biking and dirt bikes for the last 20 years. My late wife wouldn't let me ride the street. With all the ideas out forward, I'm sure I can find a solution.
Thanks.

 

[Dallara]

Re: Hand numbness and pain.

Thanks for all the input on the issue. I've already had surgery on my right hand several years ago. It's also been a number of years since I've been on a street bike. Mostly Mt biking and dirt bikes for the last 20 years. My late wife wouldn't let me ride the street. With all the ideas out forward, I'm sure I can find a solution.
Thanks.

If you're coming off dirt bikes then most likely you're used to bars far less sweptback - i.e. straighter across with less degree of sweep toward you at the tip. Also, most dirt bikes have their bars higher in relation to the seat than most street bikes, primarily to make the transition between sitting and standing easier... And usually the bars are closer to the rider than with most street bikes, too.

Soooooooo... Chances are if you can get the grip location a bit closer to you, a bit higher, and with a straighter angle, then you may solve your problem. You can get 'em closer with something like Rox Risers, and there are lots of taller, straighter bars out there. Look for some of the more popular ATV bends to get the necessary height as well as have enough *bar* after the last bend to get all your controls, switches, etc. on.

Just my two centavos... OMMV.

Hope it helps!

Dallara



~

 

[MidlifeMotor]

Re: Hand numbness and pain.

Thanks for all the input on the issue. I've already had surgery on my right hand several years ago. It's also been a number of years since I've been on a street bike. Mostly Mt biking and dirt bikes for the last 20 years. My late wife wouldn't let me ride the street. With all the ideas out forward, I'm sure I can find a solution.
Thanks.

Another thing to consider is your gloves. Are they too tight, or do they bind your hand movement without you realizing it? I have two pair of work gloves for my C14 PD duty bike. One pair for warmer weather and I have no hand probs at all with them. The other pair for cooler weather and my right hand falls asleep in five miles, cramps in ten miles, and i have to keep shaking it out after that. Just something to think about. You might want to try a slightly larger pair, or a style with more flexibility.

 

[Rasher]

I don't know if numb is the right spelling, but whatever, fact is my hands go that way on long rides on all motorcycles.

Yeah, I had it on a liquid smooth Kwak 1400 after while, right hand normally worse as you have to hold right tighter to stop throttle closing.

I use a cheapo go-cruise cruise control, allows me to give the right hand regular breaks or on long runs I set it for straight and if it slows a bit uphill I open it up a shade more, this allows me to have a very light grip and allows me to cover lots more ground without numbness.

On long motorway stretches I often barely hold on at all, or lightly with one hand at a time, on real twisties without breaks Jap fours would still give me numbness after a couple of hours - about the same as Tenere, and GS I had before.

 

[Caddoview]

Hand numbness and pain.

Gloves are an issue. There are not any large dealers around here so there is not much section. I have a pair on order but I am worried about size. If they don't fit I will send then back.