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Tingling Arms

5K views 33 replies 19 participants last post by  cobbler 
#1 ·
OK- this is not a joke... anyone else experience tingling in their arms- especially after riding?

This new bike riding position causes me to put a lot of pressure on both wrists. I wonder if I am getting carpal tunnel problems?

Any experience or thoughts appreciated.
 
#2 ·
hopz said:
OK- this is not a joke... anyone else experience tingling in their arms- especially after riding?

This new bike riding position causes me to put a lot of pressure on both wrists. I wonder if I am getting carpal tunnel problems?

Any experience or thoughts appreciated.
Hopz,
Our HDs have a totally different riding position and I have to think about not leaning on my wrists. I also move my fingers around often while riding. There is also that almost annoying buzz that comes through the grips while riding around 4K rpms that I think adds to the tingling. Try to ride with your elbows loose so you don't rest on your wrists. Maybe some grip puppies on the grips will help reduce the buzziness.
 
#3 ·
That will happen if you are leaning on your hands. I quickly overcame this problem by practicing the "Master Yoda" riding position. Keep you arms loose when you ride by flapping the elbows from time to time. When you do this, you should feel some tenseness in your quad muscles and lower back. If you can adjust without resorting to bar-backs, you'll be rewarded with better handling and confident peg-scraping cornering. If you can't adjust, then get the bar-backs and peg lowering kits.
 
#4 ·
Yes, mater yoda has been good to me... I am slim of build and pretty much in shape for a 63 year old guy. I can do the MYRP pretty well but there is a geographic challenge here as well. for instance there is 1.1 miles of strong downhill as you leave my garage... hard to take the weight off those wrists. I am learning though, getting better every day.

Still have concern about the tingling sensations though. Was hoping someone would have a tip or two.

The Gorilla-grip of the throttle return spring is not helping either- gonna have to figure that one out too.

thanks again.
bob
 
#5 ·
Might want to try a throttle rocker so you dont have to grip the grip ...just relax your fingers around the grips...i have that problem big time when i hold on....but try and let go and relax the whole arm and hand...disclamer:...dont try this while doing the bends....for use with straight line riding only...... :teeth
 
#7 ·
Ok, downhill. Braking too, but the downhill will show you the difference better.

Next time you're heading down that 1.1 mile downhill, ride with the balls of your feet on the pegs, and squeeze your knees into the sides of the fairings below the tank (where there's a nice relief area just for this). Keep the squeeze on for, say, 30 seconds, and see how much you can unload your hands from the bars. Your body needs the support going down hill, but it doesn't care where it comes from...you legs are parallel to your arms, so angle is about the same, and, your legs are much better equipped than your arms are at doing this bodily support.
Give it a try on one of those downhill sprints, and see if it doesn't make a difference.



 
#9 ·
I have a set of American Machine Barbacks on the way... I have learned MYRP and I can relieve most of the wrist pressure by using my knees on the seat/tank.

I will get the throttle rocker. I will look into the throttle spring tension reduction after my Clymenr book gets here. (soonly I hope)

Thanks to all who have replied with those tips, now- does anyone have any exercises, incantations, pills etc to relieve the tingling?
 
#10 ·
hopz said:
... now- does anyone have any exercises, incantations, pills etc to relieve the tingling?
Actually, flapping the arms / elbows was a great exercise for me. It forced me to keep a light grip on the bars. After two weeks, the tingling went away.

For my long rides, I use the cruise control often, and rest my right arm behind me, on the seat. That seems to help bunches. I also do windmills and shoulder circles with the right arm.

I still get the occasional soreness in the right shoulder and sometimes in the elbow on the long rides. I attribute most of the shoulder soreness to reconstructive surgery I had 12 years ago. I keep ibuprofen in the tank bang for those times.

Of course, YMMV, but I've been able to complete two 1,000+ mile days on the bike with stock pegs, bars, throttle spring setting, and seat. I raised the pegs last week and will be doing an 850 mile day this Thursday on my way to Paonia to see how this works.

Hope this helps.
 
#11 ·
Hi, I have a K1200rs of 98 vintage and I find if I grip the bars tooooooooo hard I get pins and needles in my fingers and wrists......

Solution.....relax....bend your arms so you drop into a more natural position on the bike....flap your arms and elbows like a chicken....have very loose hands on the grips....and lean back/sit upright slightly when going down hill..

I have tried all of these and they work for me. :D
 
#12 ·
hopz said:
OK- this is not a joke... anyone else experience tingling in their arms- especially after riding?

This new bike riding position causes me to put a lot of pressure on both wrists. I wonder if I am getting carpal tunnel problems?

Any experience or thoughts appreciated.

ke... anyone else experience tingling in their arms-


Is your eyesight fading also???
 
#13 ·
I have an 06GT with heli barbacks. I still find that I get that tingling feeling. If our riding positions are similar I think its caused by the pressure applied to keep yourself from sliding forward. I put a russell daylong seat on the bike and that helped some. But because I bought the seat second hand it wasn't exactly fitted to me. I now have a sept.3rd. date (earliest they could get it in) to have the seat reworked. I'm hoping that they will be able to eliminate the sliding. Even with the barbacks it seems to get totally upright I have to hold on to the bars with just my fingertips. Was even wondering if it was possible to double up two sets of heli's or if they could make one out of a block that was twice as thick
 
#14 ·
Dunno how close the riding positions are, but I find that riding the older K is better if you interact with the bike, like squeezing the tank with your thighs as you are braking. Just passively letting the seat support your lower body, while using the arms to support the upper body while braking would likely result in poor handling and might be leading to the tingling in the upper body.

Guess I just got used to squeezing the bike from my mountain bike days, where you rode with your weight off the saddle when downhilling or heavy braking.
 
#16 ·
I think I found the solution to Tingling Arms/Wrists problems.

While looking through my shop I spied the trailer hold-down straps with the ratcheting buckle... I slipped the hook under the luggage rack and made a loop around the other end which I put around my neck. I ratcheted down till I was able to reach the grips but not much pressure on them. Seems to work good- can't wait to ride this afternoon to see how it works on the road... wish me luck! :dance:
 
#18 ·
rhhall said:
I hope you are joking. That sounds like a perfect way to get decapitated if you have even the slightest mishap!

If you are doing this, please seriously reconsider.
Rich...read his sig.

HD.

'Nuff said.


:teeth



 
#19 ·
Yes, it was a joke....

The Harley is not a joke though, and no I do not want to debate it or start a brand-wars thread.

I like it, she likes it, it is the comfy cruise liner of the garage. 'nuff said. :dance:

Like I say below - Different Tools for Different Jobs.
 
#22 ·
Sorry- I must have been too "sensitive" (prolly as a result of my recent drive to California) (another joke)...

There is so much "Brand" bashing over at another site- I just get tired of it.
 
#24 ·
hopz said:
Sorry- I must have been too "sensitive" (prolly as a result of my recent drive to California) (another joke)...

There is so much "Brand" bashing over at another site- I just get tired of it.
Hey...was that a crack about California???

Huh?

Man, my feelings are Hurt!



 
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