HANDS GO NUMB EVEN ON A SHORT RIDE

[nayron]

THIS HAS SURELY BEEN COVERED BEFORE
WHAT CAN I DO TO KEEP MY HANDS FROM GOING NUMB EVEN ON A SHORT RIDE, LIKE 10 MILES OR SO
MY HANDS GO NUMB VERY FAST AND ALL I CAN DO IS LET GO AND SHAKE MY HANDS , ONE AT A TIME OF COURSE.
HELP. 89 GL1500 TRIKE

[Aussie81Interstate]

Sounds like you have circulation issues - or you need to adjust the angle of the handlebars to suit you better.

[Viking]

Whole hands, or just the outside three fingers? If just the outside three, then you probably have severe carpal tunnel syndrome. A surgical procedure can fix that but you do have to recuperate and do the hand exercises to get strength back afterwards. This is a procedure best done in Dec/Jan to ensure readiness for the next nice riding weather.

[tprender]

Before you go to the doctor, go to the store and by some wrist braces. Get the ones for carpal tunnel with the steel support. Wear them at night when you sleep. the doctor told me to try this before he operated on me and it works for me. Very seldom does my hand go to sleep anymore. Best of luck, I have heard that the surgery is very good now.

[dingdong]

For me, on the 1500, the angle of the grips in relation to my hands and wrists is not what it should be. (No adjustment possible) Lowering the bars helped some. Foam grip covers helped more than anything.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss ... ingdocs-20

[WingAdmin]

A lot of the time the numbness is caused by vibration. ISO grips can be had with bar-end weights that help reduce the vibration.

[wilmo]

I would echo the foam grips. They are a larger diameter than normal grips plus the foam doesn't transfer the vibration through it. Had mine wrapped in leather for longevity and aesthetics by a friend who does upholstery. The leather does not take away from the isolation of vibration through the foam and adds to the diameter, which I think is the main attraction. Your hands are more open and relaxed. I've given a pair to a friend for his birthday who used to have the same issue as you and now he claims that is completely gone now, 'best birthday present ever'.

[kiptap]

I have gravitated to "Grab-on" (foam grip covers) on all most every cycle I have owned. http://cyclemax.com/inc/sdetail/foam_grip_covers/15395
I felt like I was "white knuckling" the Goldwing on highway speeds until I installed the foam grips as I was experiencing numbness in the hands as well. They will seem god awful large at first but I find they work great with a pair fingers on the clutch & brake lever style driving. They will work with heated grips surprisingly well. If I recall, you get about three years out of them before they start to shrink and harden a tad. Just cut them off and put on new ones, they are rather inexpensive for what they do for ya.

[Happytrails]

A lot of the time the numbness is caused by vibration. ISO grips can be had with bar-end weights that help reduce the vibration.

Was thinking the same thing. ISO grips are nice and comfy. I've heard of riders adding "grip puppies" over there grips on other bikes when they got this numbness. They are sort of a thin foam sleeve that fits over stock grips to give a slight cusion barrier and relief the numbness. Or it could just be the angle of the bars and your wrists sort of kinking. Its not unusual for ergonomics to cause something like this.

[Alan_Hepburn]

[quote="kiptap"]I have gravitated to "Grab-on" (foam grip covers) on all most every cycle I have owned. http://cyclemax.com/inc/sdetail/foam_grip_covers/15395
/quote]

Are these covers glued on to the existing grips? If not, what keeps them from slipping, especially on the throttle?

[Bluewaterhooker0]

THIS HAS SURELY BEEN COVERED BEFORE
WHAT CAN I DO TO KEEP MY HANDS FROM GOING NUMB EVEN ON A SHORT RIDE, LIKE 10 MILES OR SO
MY HANDS GO NUMB VERY FAST AND ALL I CAN DO IS LET GO AND SHAKE MY HANDS , ONE AT A TIME OF COURSE.
HELP. 89 GL1500 TRIKETrike.jpg

I know your problem well. I just had a carpal release procedure done on my left hand in December. Over the years, I had experienced the issue in both hands while riding, and eventually even while not riding. It was always more severe in the left hand, I suspect from clutch usage, but would recover with hands hanging at my side or shaking them. It took a full 3 months for recovery of the carpal surgery. A very simple procedure. I did, and was given no physical therapy for it. No need. Strength and feeling came back after a 3 month time span. I had spinal surgery in September, and when I came out of the hospital, my left hand was numb, all the time. I was advised not to let it go for more than 3 month, as it can become a permanent problem if you do. I had it done at 2.5 months.

I also have foam grips, primarily because my hands are pretty big, or the stock grips are made for midgets, I don't know which. But the foam grips linked below are fantastic. Easy to put on, easy to take off, I discovered recently. And I was dumb enough to install them with contact cement the first time around. Not needed. The second set, I just pushed them onto the bars, and that was it. My first set only lasted 4 years or so, before the foam disintegrated, as well as the 'chrome' looking like crap. But it changes the entire feel of riding the wing. It imparts a feel of control, comfort, and security. For the cost, and ease of install, you can't beat it for a 4 year expense.


http://cyclemax.com/inc/sdetail/gl1500_ ... 111950/164

[dingdong]

All you need are the foam slip on grips. You have to stretch them over your existing grips. I just today put a set on my Rune. I had to use some silicone spray to get them on. Makes a world of difference.

[Happytrails]

I have gravitated to "Grab-on" (foam grip covers) on all most every cycle I have owned. http://cyclemax.com/inc/sdetail/foam_grip_covers/15395
/quote]

Are these covers glued on to the existing grips? If not, what keeps them from slipping, especially on the throttle?

They are thin foam sleeves that if sized correctly need to be stretched a little to fit over your regular grips. Problem is getting the right size if you have to guess at it. But they shouldn't come off or slip on the throttle as long as they aren't too loose.

[keithg64]

I have installed mine by spraying the inside with hair spray then slip them one, the hair spray evaporates, done.

[CrystalPistol]

I too have gone to the foam grips for both after trying them initially on the '85 GL1200 years ago. It was the mid '90s when I bought it and the factory grips just didn't suit me so I tried "Wing Leader" foam grips ... loved them.
In 2004 we bought the '97 Trike and it had some chrome Kuryakin grips that had small rubber sections poking through for "grip". They were pretty but I noticed the numbing or tingling on longer rides, I thought it was the angle.
A few years and some miles passed and I'd forget the grips while not riding .... or wonder how to get them off easily. Finally took a Dremel with cutoff wheel and cut the chrome part of the pretty grips so I could slit the grips to remove them and reinstalled new Foam grips ... swapped palm rest over ... and rarely do I get the tingles since.

http://cyclemax.com/inc/sdetail/gl1500_ ... 111950/164

I also1 use a "Vista Cruise" throttle lock on both .... which doesn't actually "lock" the throttle .... rather it just supplies enough friction to hold a setting as I relax my grip or let go with the right hand .... yet allows me to adjust throttle easily .... or even unset lock with a flick of the thumb.

I also2 use a Kuryakin rubber like strap on "palm rest" on my throttle grips. Adjusted so I can hold throttle just by the way I rest my hand on it. I first worried they wouldn't last long so I bought spares. They are over a dozen years old and show no letting go or deterioration.

[Bluewaterhooker0]

I forgot, I also use a Crampbuster on my throttle side. The CB4 version fits the oversize grips just right.

[kiptap]

I have gravitated to "Grab-on" (foam grip covers) on all most every cycle I have owned. http://cyclemax.com/inc/sdetail/foam_grip_covers/15395
/quote]

Are these covers glued on to the existing grips? If not, what keeps them from slipping, especially on the throttle?

No they are not glued, for the Goldwing I just worked them on, just moving them up the handle a bit at a time. <insert your large Johnson, small condom jokes here> I used no hairspray. I believe I used a bit of rubbing alcohol. (I think that is what the manufacturer suggested). I remember they were not to usable until the alcohol dried out, which was overnight, although I did take them out for a spin around the block, and actually they were pretty solid although I didn't try gorilla'ing them. If you use water it takes longer to dry out.

These are on a set of heated grips. Fantastic combo.

They are on solid and you will find that you windup just lightly gripping the grips anyway so you really wont muscle them loose unless they were wet and even then they don't slip, remember you have to work them up slowly to install them, kind of like a caterpillar walks. As far as rain, I remember leaving the bike out during rain storms and I just squeegeed the water out of grip from inside to off the end of the handle,(I didn't have a towel, no panniers on the old bikes), yes they were damp but no loss in grip, in fact I might argue better then a standard grip wet. However, they do get wet, at least the old ones seemed to, after all they are a foam sponge rubbery type device. They never moved on me even when wet.

I remember one of my old ones I used a soapy solution, too much. They were really tight and I was younger and really impatient to put them on. It took a few rains and washes to get them to be free of soap. I remember they were still stuck to the handles, however I got slimed when using them after a rain.

[FM-USA]

I used to get numb hands but found all I needed to do was loosen my grip. Not quite white knuckle grip but it was enough to slow the bloods circulation. That tight grip also begat cold hands.
Later on I was getting really sore wrist. Not sure why Honda decided their grip angle, but the way the end is pointed inward puts your wrists crooked inward, REALLY uncomfy for me. So I custom bent the bars bottom bend a little tighter and the higher bend a little more outward or to the front. This got me natural angle of the arms and wrists. Doing this the bars reservoirs JUST touch the windshield. EH, trade offs.

[rzaugg]

I have carpal tunnel in my throttle wrist and always had an issue with hand going numb. Also have acquired a questionable lower back over the last several years. Assumed I just had to live with the hand thing and was more than willing to, but for the back I could purchase a backrest. Surprising thing for me was that after I put the backrest on, it took some of the pressure off of my hands and arms and my hand stopped falling asleep. I can burn a tank of gas now and only have to shake my hand once or twice. Got on a buddies bike without a backrest and didn't make it five miles without noticing the numbness again.

Just a thought, but it worked for me.

Rick

[unkle buckie]

i've encountered the numb hands sensation myself, along with the dodgy lower back, and put it all down to the clubman bar/cafe racer style of my '79 gl1000... vanity has proved a bigger hurdle though ! i can't bring myself to put regular bars back on, even with a customized nose/headlight fairing, but as a last resort... this season i'm trying out new billet grips - the biggest i could find - and hopefully they'll ease the displeasure. good luck with your choice, but once you experience your hands being too 'frozen' to use the front brake, it's kind of a no-brainer... gotta do somethin'

[Fatboy46]

3 exercises for carpal tunnel... help to prevent carpal tunnel. The repetitive work builds up the muscles and tendons, and the 'tunnel' is limited in size- causing the sheath of the nerves to erode. stretching the tendons, goes a long way to prevent problems and delay surgeries. ( I twisted wrenches and play the drums)

http://www.healthline.com/health/carpal ... s#outlook5

the wrist stretch I prefer to do palm UP. hold it..

[Big Red 94]

There are a number of reasons why our hands go numb. But if you go to a Nuerosurgeon (spelling not sure) they can do an electrical impulse test to measure the signals getting to your hands. This also picks up carpal tunnel. I had to have mine done several years ago, in Australia, not sure of the USA...but they used laser on the carpal on my right hand. About 6 weeks to full recovery but I can ride for hours and hours, were before I lasted about 10 to 15 mins before numbness got to me, and some level of pain. But that test will pick up what could be causing your problem. But may not. Its worth a try. Giving up riding your wing is no option in my view. Good luck.

[goldwing8754]

Don't know your situation but maybe you are just holding on to tight? relaxing your hands can do wonders. Also what they call MOVE SMART which is a class they teach to workers to prevent injurys on the job. Most people think the first 2 fingers next to the thumb are the strong ones and use them to grip with. This is not true. Use your pinky and the one next to it to hold the bars. those 2 fingers are your power fingers and use muscles that go all the way down your leg. the inner two fingers next to your thumb use muscles in your neck only. this will make a huge difference once you get used to using your outside fingers to grip the bars with. By the way this works with EVERYTHING you do with your hands. Try it on everything from holding a hammer to using a wheelbarrow. If you notice on tools and things with handles, they contour the handles to almost make you do what I described. It works!

[dingdong]

Don't know your situation but maybe you are just holding on to tight? relaxing your hands can do wonders. Also what they call MOVE SMART which is a class they teach to workers to prevent injurys on the job. Most people think the first 2 fingers next to the thumb are the strong ones and use them to grip with. This is not true. Use your pinky and the one next to it to hold the bars. those 2 fingers are your power fingers and use muscles that go all the way down your leg. the inner two fingers next to your thumb use muscles in your neck only. this will make a huge difference once you get used to using your outside fingers to grip the bars with. By the way this works with EVERYTHING you do with your hands. Try it on everything from holding a hammer to using a wheelbarrow. If you notice on tools and things with handles, they contour the handles to almost make you do what I described. It works!

I never thought about that in that respect but I do it automatically. The first two fingers rest on the hand brake.

[goldwing8754]

reverse them even if it does not feel natural