Numb hands

I have hands that dont like to grip motorcycle grips for long periods of time, They loose feeling and numb up...as the day goes on, the time I can put my hands on the grips shortens....my hands do this mostly on the throttle side because of the tighter grip, I suppose and I have to use the throttle lock or in the case of the FJR, the cruise control, to rest my throttle hand. They do this with every bike I have owned for as long as I can remember...Gold Wind, NT700v, C10, FJR. You name it. Grip cushions help a bit. Has anyone else so afflicted tried heavy bar ends with success? http://www.hvmp.com/Honda-s/2.htm

I would suggest you tape some extra weight on the ends and see if that might help. At $70 I would try to not 'waste' a few tanks on gas on something that might do little or nothing.

This is a problem with nerve compression. It may not be entirely in your hand -- you might also look at your wrist and elbow position. You want your wrist to remain in a mostly "neutral" position, so you don't compress the nerve.

The extra bar end weights is an interesting idea. Personally, I doubt it will help, but I would love to be proved wrong!

My hands do the same thing.....motorcycle, bicycle, spinning bike.

I use the Cramp Buster, and it helps a lot. It allows you to grip the throttle side looser, as the pressure to turn the throttle is on the heel of your hand. It is easily adjustable or removable....just takes seconds.
http://www.crampbuster.com/

First I don't know a darned thing. But my hands do the same thing. I don't think the vibration has very much to do with it. For me, It's a factor of comfortable gloves and grips.
I like these grab-on grip doodads. I like the extra grip thickness, it's way more comfy. I also think the foam has the same effect as the cramp buster...I don't have to squeeze hard for good grip on the throttle.

http://www.amazon.com/Grab-On-Grips-Grip-Cover/dp/B000WJAH5M?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

Now if I can just remember to notice when I have the death grip on the bars...

Chris, I don't know about you, but here is what worked for me. I had the same symptoms on lots of bikes. I discovered that pressure on the handle bars was the main cause. I added bar risers to my C10 and NT to help reduce forward lean thus reducing pressure on the bars. My Versys was better on my hands and arms than the other bikes, but the seat was a limiting factor on long days. That forward lean and pressure on the bars is a good thing when you are diving into curves at a brisk pace. But for all-day comfort I need to sit up a bit more. I like the riding position on the BMW R1200 RT and the GS. Both are a lot more vertical than the NT. Your C10 and expecially your FJR are more a forward lean position. Just be aware that the weight not on your hands goes directly to you butt which you will notice after a couple hours.

This web site has been around for years, but still works good. http://cycle-ergo.com

Why don't you try buying a new BMW R1200 GS. Then if you don't like it you can sell it to me cheap. I'd prefer the new water-head model.

Chris, I have the Throttlemeister on my NT and I use it all of the time. My hands don't go numb, but my wrist hurts on longer trips and the Throttlmeister allows me to 'drive' with my left hand and give the right hand a rest. The TM is not very expensive and works well for me.

Terry

you might want to look at bicycling gloves. While they are not armored like some motorcycle gloves many have padding in them due to the weight you place on your hands when riding dropped handlebar bikes.

I used to wear the Spenco brand that had a padding that was developed for medical use. It was squishy but also firm.

see link for an example but there are dozens of others including those with finger coverage.

http://www.amazon.com/Ironman-Elite-Cycling-Gloves-X-Small/dp/B000WUJNX8/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1460643128&sr=8-8&keywords=spenco+cycling+gloves

http://moto.gripswell.com/index.php

COyote, I put bar ends on my NT similar to those due to the same issue. It helped some, but is not a complete fix.

VR

I also have the problem.

It is mainly a problem with shoulder, elbow, and wrist angles aggravated by bar vibration and when gripping the throttle tighter. I have the same numbing when sitting in certain chairs where the armrest are at a specific angle.

I use gel grips and gel padded gloves, but, they only delay it a bit. The throttle lock/cruise control is the only thing that helps me. I've tried heavier bar ends and they make little difference. There are certain RPMs when under load that increase the issue. On the NT that was between 70 and 80mph. At 60-65 it wasn't nearly as bad.

Vibration damping gloves?
http://www.amazon.com/ProFlex-9000-Certified-Lightweight-Anti-Vibration/dp/B003WT1Q1S/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_sims?ie=UTF8

The numbness is primarily nerve compression--which gives you symptoms similar to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Like previously mentioned on this thread, hand position is critical. Bending the wrist up or down is a no no. I spoke to a Neurosurgeon about this problem (I have Martin Gruber Syndrome--find it on GOOGLE) which mimics Carpal Tunnel. His suggestion was to take Alpha Lipoic Acid (Available in Health Food stores) This increases the electrical conductivity in the nerves and helps mitigate some of the symptoms. Of course, experimenting with handlebar height and angle will ultimately help you find the most comfortable position.

Bear's post above reminds me that my symptoms are worse on my bicycles than on the motorcycle. AND the bike with the most forward lean is the worst because it puts more pressure on my hands and arms. Bicyclists are more aware of this problem than motorcyclists. They order bicycles with different length top tubes in the frames and handle bar stems of different length and height to acheive the ideal riding position. The motorcycle industry as a whole has largely ignored accomodating riders' ergonomics.

I would say the motorcycle mfgs for the most part have ignored ergos. BMW probably has the most adjustmants on some of it's bikes. I'd love it if mfgs would have a range of bars, seats, and pegs for their bikes.

But, the aftermarket is full of stuff you can do to adjust your bike.

Or, you can do it yourself. I machined some 3" risers for my Guzzi and completely rebuilt the seat to suit my riding position. The risers were mainly to get my hands in the right place behind the fairing. Then seat height adjusted from that. Pegs were fine as they were. Had to make new cables. Oh, and the windshield wasn't quite high enough (I have a long body and shorter legs) so I added an MRA X spoiler.

I agree that with bicycles--especially the road racing variety, that this problem becomes acute. Aluminum frames followed by Carbon Fiber frames are the worst offenders. BMW has done a lot in terms of ergonomics and so has--as of lately, Harley-Davidson. Their "Low Rider" is incredibly adjustable. For a while, when I had trouble swinging my leg over my Honda, I considered going to a lower bike--Our dealer is an H-D, Honda dealer. I test rode a Low Rider for over an hour and had a great time on it. Now, with PT, I can swing my leg over my Honda, so I will be able to keep it.

I have found that taking Alpha Lipoic Acid has helped a great deal. It has helped some people with Carpal Tunnel to avoid surgery. It has helped me with the numb hands. I am still playing with different handlebar adjustments on both the Honda and my bicycles.

I had issues with hand cramping and soreness in my fore arms...I'm a smidge over 6' so I had more weight on my arms than was comfortable on long rides...cured it with the Helibar riser installation...which gave me a far more up right riding position. I also use a "cramp buster" ..little plastic palm paddle that slips over the grip allowing you to hold/increase throttle with the heal of your hand, cost about $5 if my memory is right, worth every penny too.

The Helibar kits I think were discontinued but are still available on ebay for about $300. Only thing I don't like about the helibar is the hydraulic brake line extension...it's unsightly. I think I'll get a custom line made eventually.

Also, my wind deflectors no longer protect my hands due to the changed handlebar position.

Thanks to all for your advice. Actually, I COULD duck tape a one lb bar of lead to the existing weight and see what happens, but I suspect that Bear is more correct than anyone. I did put helibars on my C10 and put lead weights in them but even though the bike fits me perfectly, I still get the numb hands. I bought risers for the NT but never felt the need for them. With my bad back, it feels good to have a bit of reverse curve on the spine anyway. No cruiser for me. Interestingly, and to re enforce bear's thoughts, when I went long distances on the C10, I would set the throttle lock and put my hands on the clutch and brake master cylinders and the numbness would go away.

I'm in the same situation Chris. My back likes to be leaned forward a bit. But, my hands don't like the angles and pressure. The throttle lock is also my friend and why I will fit a cruise control at the end of the season. It is interesting that usually all it takes is a slight change in angles, like moving from the hand grip to the master cyl, or even sometimes just resting the heel of the hand on the lever with the fingers out straight.

Thinking about this, I may try readjusting the angle of the levers again. Maybe move them 'down' a little more.

charlie b said:

I may try readjusting the angle of the levers again. Maybe move them 'down' a little more.

Click to expand...

Charlie, when I got the NT, one of the first things I did was install MCL's bar risers. They helped, but my wrists weren't right and they would hurt after an hour or two. Then I rotated the bars down about an inch and the angle change helped a lot. Then I added the cruise control and now the bike as close to being "DayLong" as my Russell saddle is.

Yep, risers and bar angles mean a LOT. Sometimes you can fix things just by changing the angle of the bars in the clamps. Sometimes you need risers with up and back. Or get new bars. Rotating the clutch and brake levers to the correct position is also key.

Also, if you have back problems changing the peg location a bit can help as that will set your pelvis tilt. Mine is better with pegs further back than forward or down. Others want pegs further down or forward and bars further back to get back more upright.

After adjusting everything to the 'correct' position my hands will still go numb if left in the same place for any length of time. I have the same problem in a car or in my chair at home.

It is kinda interesting cause I can leave my feet on the pegs in the same place for an hour and they are fine.