Numb Throttle Hand

14972 Views 48 Replies 37 Participants Last post by hondafan, Sep 23, 2011

Boss250

Discussion Starter · May 13, 2011

Hey guys. Been riding the 250 for a week now and love it except for one thing: my throttle hand gets numb really quickly. This morning I was only on the bike for 15 minutes before I had to pull over and shake the blood back into my hand. It was so numb I couldn't tell if I was touching ANYTHING!

Now, before someone jumps in and lectures me on riding position and putting too much weight on my hands, please let me say I have tried varying a lot of things. On the list of "adjustments" is where on the seat I put my butt, where my feet are on the pegs, which part of my hand is on the grips, how tight or loose my hand is, how much pressure I have on the hand, how cocked my wrist is, what RPMs the bike is putting out. Seems like no matter what I do, the hand inevitably goes numb which raises a safety concern.

I have tried to boil down the list of possible causes and here is what I've got:

1. gloves are too tight (though they don't feel tight and I don't have the issue with my clutch hand)

2. grips are too thin

3. engine mounts might be over torqued thus transferring vibration

4. clip on angle (not height, but angle in relation to the tank) might be putting my wrist in a bad position, which doesn't affect my clutch hand because it has more freedom of motion/contact.

The grips are cheap and easy enough to replace, and I have new gloves on the way. Engine mounts I'll have checked at the 600 mile service in a week or so. That leaves me with clip on angle. I think the angle is a little too far inward so my wrists are being cocked somewhat with knuckles facing outward instead of neutral since I am a bit on the broad shouldered side.

Does anyone know if/how the clip ons can be adjusted or have any other ideas to alleviate the numbness?

Thanks!

1 - 20 of 49 Posts

Boonty

· #2 · May 13, 2011

Sorry mate but I would suggest that you are on the right track by looking at your riding position and posture. You should have the majority of your weight being supported by your stomach muscles. I think you may be putting to much preasure on your wrist and hands as well as gripping the throttle to tight. Keep checking your position and ensure that you keep your arms bent at the elbows and are not riding with straight arms pressed against the grips.

I would be interested to hear if anyone else has had the same problem as I havent experianced this on my CBR

BikerSuz

· #3 · May 13, 2011

I've heard about a similar problem faced by a fellow rider here in India. And when he checked with the Service Centre, they said that the clip-ons are not adjustable.

I don't own a CBR yet, but would be getting mine before the end of this month. I've done couple of test rides on the CBR and didn't feel any problem. But can't conclude anything based on the very short ride I had on the bike.
Can the riders height be a problem? I'm not sure. By the way I'm 5'8". How tall are you?

White_Eye

· #4 · May 13, 2011

I experienced the same numbness in the first week or so. Usually worse on the long freeway stretches where your throttle arm tends to stay in the one position for extended periods.

I think Boonty is right, it may just be a matter of adjusting your style a bit.

I found I was putting to much weight on my arms, and possibly gripping too tight. I'm an old dirt bike rider, so holding on tight was a habit.

I found that if I adopted a more relaxed position letting some of my weight lean on the tank, let my shoulders drop and pulled my elbows in a bit. That it was greatly reduced...or I just got use to it....

Once you get on the road, just relax your grip a bit. The bike is quite stable, and unless the road surface is not too rough, you should still be able to steer, throttle & clutch without gripping tight. Of course you are watching the road ahead and preparing to hold on during braking etc...

Give it a try let me know.

Luke

· #5 · May 13, 2011

Several guys I know use one of these, called a cramp-buster:

they swear by it, but I'm not sold... worry about always being able to unload the throttle quickly.

What others said - relax your grip. Another thing would be to get a rubber ball to squeeze to build up the muscles. a good exercise for the wrist is to put your palms together, fingers pointing up, then flex your elbows up as far as possible - hold for 30 seconds. then do the same thing with the backs of your hand together.

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madd-trapper

· #6 · May 13, 2011

Ive experienced it in my left hand. What ive found that works is not only changing my position but gripping the tank tighter with my legs.

Xplorguy

· #7 · May 13, 2011

madd-trapper said:
Ive experienced it in my left hand. What ive found that works is not only changing my position but gripping the tank tighter with my legs.

Is Madd on to something here! By gripping the tank tighter..he is relieving downward pressure on the grips. Ideally you are riding with arms slightly bent , mimimal downward pressure on the grips..light grip vs. the death grip.....

Honda-biker

· #8 · May 13, 2011

that would make a lot of sense by gripping the gas tank more. it would remove a lot of stress on your hands

basil

· #9 · May 14, 2011

As soon as I feel numbness creaping into my hands I let go the grip ,hang my hand down and open and close my fist to get the feeling back. It usually only happens on highway rides after about 1 hour. I have had it on a Suzuki DR 650 worse and a numb bum to go with it.

tofuprod

· #10 · May 14, 2011

Yea, you are just putting too much weight into your arms. Relax

debra stanley

· #11 · May 14, 2011

I agree with too much weight transfer. My early experience of riding was a cruiser so when I got my first sport bike I had to get used to a more forward position and found that keeping my legs gripped to the tank and supported my weight with my core muscles my arms didn't feel the weight and got sore. Also elbows shd be slightly bent. Legs and core muscles help with stable riding.

pagefamily7

· #12 · May 25, 2011

I know exactly how you feel! I just bought mine. Have been riding for a week now. I had to train myself to relax my shoulders and loosen my grip. Still a little numbness but not at much as it was. I couldn't feel to close the trottle or use the front break. SCARY!! Good luck, and take it easy and happy riding!

may2nd

· #13 · May 26, 2011

Im a realativly new rider, and ive got to go along with what madtrapper in saying..squeezing the tank does help alleviate that pressure on the arms, staightening up the torso and that may or may not help circulation..I hope your problem goes away with a little experimentation with different little adjustments...

furious_blue

· #14 · May 26, 2011

Luke said:
Several guys I know use one of these, called a cramp-buster:

they swear by it, but I'm not sold... worry about always being able to unload the throttle quickly.

.

I swear by those !
With them, you no longer have to grip the throttle with your hand, just have it lightly in position. No worries about not being unable to unload the throttle quickly, just position your hand the way you would if you were unloading the throttle while holding onto it.

I did a month long trip around the U.S.A. some years ago on my old Honda Shadow 1100. Without that device, I don't think it would have been possible

It was about of 7-9 hours of riding a day, every day for a month...

madd-trapper

· #15 · May 26, 2011

The CBR's riding position is alot more forward then a Shadow so that cramp buster thing isnt gonna make much of a difference till you get your riding position right.

furious_blue

· #16 · May 26, 2011

madd-trapper said:
The CBR's riding position is alot more forward then a Shadow so that cramp buster thing isnt gonna make much of a difference till you get your riding position right.

I also have one on my CBR1100XX (which I've taken on multi-week trips) and on my Triumph Speed Triple (which I've taken, well, multi-day trips on).

Even with the right position on a more forward leaning stance, that device saves your hand from all kinds of fatigue and pain that one mind otherwise get from so much time holding the throttle open.. but you're right if you have that device but still lay more weight on your hands that you need to, you're still going to hurt even if you're not riding all day.

Smokinjoe

· #17 · May 27, 2011

I recommend a throttle lock for when you are doing longer drives. They are not so good in traffic when you are always adjusting speed but on the open highway you can let go with your right hand and shake out the numbness.

HSR01

· #18 · May 27, 2011

i usually change the riding position a little bit upward, whenever i feel tired with my hands and it helps my hand and my back.

DoubleRGirl

· #19 · Jun 3, 2011

i don't know your riding experience so don't think i'm trying to insult your intelligence. try gripping it like you would when you shake someone's hand, on an angle which puts your elbows out a little bit. if you already knew that, disregard

madd-trapper

· #20 · Jun 5, 2011

Theres always the sailing pics.

1 - 20 of 49 Posts

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