Wrist pain & numbness

[freak2180]

I have issues with my wrist causing my hands to fall asleep and /or hurt when I ride for too long.

I have a 12r and have considered swapping to a lightning upper and using either clubmans or crossroads to help me sit up & back a lil more.

My question is do yall think this will help any at all. I have noticed that my riding position seems to play a major part in my issue. To start I have very broad shoulders so I have to really pull my arms in to keep my elbows from sticking out like Im on a dirt bike and I think that that along with the angle of the bars on the R's upper tripple are causing my issues. I have wondered if there was that much of a diff between the R's stockers, crossroads,and clubmans to warent the change. If I do change Im thinking the 0* bars wouold suit me a lil better tha the -7* bars. Anyone have a clue what the *'s are on the factory R's tripple? Also would I need to swap cables to do the swap since the distance the controls would move wouldnt really be all that far.

 

[nativeXb12Rbuell]

I have owned my 2005 XB12R Firebolt since april 2008, i have put about 5000+ miles on it since, & when i first got it, 95% of that riding was my hour and half ride to work each day (90miles one way) I love the lightnings and wanted one
(xb or X1) but knew my ride to work would keep me in the wind alot of the way and i thouught the firebolt with the front fairing would help cut down on the wind . i really cant compare between the lightning and the firebolt . but i can tell you i love my firebolt and how it feels to me and how comfortable it is when i ride it right and when i dont ride right, position wise.
when i first got it (it is my first bike) my hands would get sore from not being in a good riding position and not using my abbs(core). but I asked for how to keep from my hands from getting sore and the best riding postions for riding the firebolt. for long rides, no matter what, i learned that you have to switch postions from using your abbs(core)& back,& not to lean on hands and NOT to use your arms to support your self (at least not for very long ), and that tucking in and laying down on the airbox keeps me out of the wind (and thats lets me rest my abbs(core)too for long rides)also use your legs to help support to a degree , also always use legs when turning, to help keep your body in a good postion, but you should know that. and being only 5'6" it helps me along with good gloves with padded in the palm below the fingers and along the bottom of the hand above the wrist. maybe it's me being short but i mostly sit close to the airbox when riding in upper(almost upright)position, & then sit further back sometimes when tucked in to stretch out my back and abbs.
i hope thats helps and my explaination is understandable. checkout some of the riding postion threads too i learned alot from them too. i will see if i cant find a few for you.(see below)

also checkout some of the videos on riding positions on from keith code's twist of the wrist and and some others too.



http://www.buellxb.com/Buell-XB-For...s-CityX-XB12Scg/Firebolt-handlebar-conversion

http://www.buellxb.com/Buell-XB-Forum/Buell-Firebolt-XB12-XB9/Buell-Firebolt-or-Lightning
i know there is a few more but cant find them.

Firebolt Ergos

here's one about old vs. new buells too
http://www.buellxb.com/Buell-XB-Forum/Buell-X1-M2-S3/Old-Buell-vs-New-Buell-how-do-the-compare-

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp...=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=e5b130cc10bf5fa1
http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&...=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=e5b130cc10bf5fa1

search of buelxb.com firebolt bars
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=+site:buellxb.com+firebolt+bars+site:+buellxb.com

http://www.buellxb.com/Buell-XB-For...XB9/Firebolt-handle-bar-risers...just-an-idea

http://www.sporttwin.com/index.php?/topic/14877-heli-bars-for-firebolt/
http://www.streetfightersinc.com/Buell-Handle-Bar-Riser-Kits.htm
http://www.americansportbike.com/shoponline/ccp0-prodshow/9077.html
http://www.buellxb.com/Buell-XB-For...B9/Buell-aftermarket-parts/Bars-for-commuting


more buell venders here too..

Buell-Clothing--Parts-List---Foreign--Domestic

 

[bentlife]

The traction grips that we're on my bike when I first got
It put pressure in the middle of my palm and made my hands numb all the time I switched them up and havnt had a problem since.

 

[Lesley]

I have issues with my wrist causing my hands to fall asleep and /or hurt when I ride for too long.

Freak2180,
First off I like that handle.
Good luck on your pursuit of more comfort. I have a lightning and after two years of riding upright(lightning position) my back begun to bother me in my lumbar/lower back area. Especially on long rides I found after a while from sitting straight up and in the wind the pain was a bit too much. So now I have crossroad bars which give the bike rider a lean into position. My back doesn't hurt as much now but MY palms and wrist get sore quicker.LOL I'm gonna get some old man foam grips for it and hope for the best.
Maybe your body just ain't adjusted to riding this year after a long Wiinter or you're getting old like me. At any rate I hope you find some relief.
Nativexb12rBuell gave you some pretty good info so hopefully you'll find some answers. Best of luck.

 

[chucks_net]

bend your arms and don't squeeze the grips

 

[WALLSXB]

I have issues with my wrist causing my hands to fall asleep and /or hurt when I ride for too long.

That's the exact reason I can't ride an R or other bikes where you lean forward. After 10 mins of riding I was wanting a red light because my hands/wrist were numb as hell. I'd love to have an 1125R , but this is why I can't. Good Luck with your solution!

 

[freak2180]

I will start with a lil info about me and my history on 2 wheels..........

Im 31
6'2 tall
250 lbs without riding gear
on 2 wheels since age 5 and raced competivly for 17 years (dirt bikes) In TCCRA. <-------50 mile cross country races through some of the worst terrain possable.
I know I have carpril tunnel issues with both my wrist ( never effects my daily life just riding).

As far as I know Im not putting all my weight on my arms. I do shift body positions while ridding so as not to get uncomfortable. I do use the air box at times durring a full tuck to rest my body weight on while shifting my ass as far back as possable to allow room for my big torso inbetween.

It just seems to me that the position of the bars in relation to the width of my shoulders is the main issue. In my mind if the bars came out straighter off the tripple insted of down and back it would help me out a ton. Being bent over in a sportier position dosent seem to bother me at all.........its just the angle at which my wrist have to bend in order to use the controls. Its almost as if I need my wrist to be almost perfectly straight in order to keep the feeling in my hands at times. I find myself riding one handed alot on the freeway just so I have atleast one hand awake......when it come time to slow down i start further back than normal because I will switch to my clutch hand for control while the throttle hand gets a short break ( and its feeling back). I have learned to control my bike with numb hands ( not the smartest Idea I know) so I can still enjoy my rides to a certin extent.

 

[freak2180]

I have also wondered if the upper tripple on the XBRR was more agressive or if it was the same as the XBR street bike. I only mention this because Every "R" ive seen has a plate on the upper tripple in the center and mine does not.......nor does it look as if it has ever had one. this leads me to beleive it has been swaped out at some point.

I dont know.....maybe I just over analize crap too much.

 

[myronman3]

i had the same problem when i owned a firebolt. i find the lightning MUCH more comfortable. (i still liked the firebolt though).
i just chalked it up to being too old for that aggresive of a riding position.

 

[Alfatango1]

Get a throttle lock of some sort, I use a Vista Cruise, $25 bucks and no more hand fatigue.

 

[freak2180]

Too old is a state of mind..............lol.

Im guessing the only way to find out if they will help is to just do it. This experiment will be costly so I guess I need to start saving my pennies now.

I will take donations for this experiment........Keep in mind this is for the betterment of the Buell community.....not just me.

 

[ct1200]

Personally I just have to learn to distribute my weight on whatever bike I'm on.
My Sporty came with the pull back buck horn bars and I sat straight with them, hated that, went to drag bars and got a forward lean, which helps with the lack of suspension.

On my R I just lay on the tank as much as I can.
But in town that does get hard sometimes with slow traffic.
I've found the light grasp on the grips and don't lock your elbows makes a big difference.
But it all depends on the area, roads, traffic, etc that your in.
I tend to slide side to side at times in traffic too, I actually slide my butt on the seat, so 1 cheek on 1 cheek off, and then counter steer to stay straight.

But this is a common problem with sport bikes in general. They are designed to go with you in an aggressive stance to be able to shift your weight to help twist the beast into submission and do what you want it to do.

 

[Iamarchangel]

Why do people keep suggesting abs? They do very little riding sport bikes. The back muscles are doing most of the work.

I'm 6' and it took a bit to get comfortable on the 9R.

Lower pegs (XB) made a huge difference.

Comfort seat helped a bit.

Lever set up helped.

There's a youtube vid out there with an instructor using pilates balls for racing workout. I adapted that to a soccer ball between my knees when I'm at the computer or watching tv.

Padded bicycle shorts made the biggest difference.

Last run of 500 miles, four fuel stops, was no problem.

This is not a city street cruise bike.

 

[2004xb12s]

Get a flatter bar setup as well...if the angle is what is bothering you...I ride an xbs and I had to change the bars as well because the angle was too steep and all the presser was going on the outside of my palm. I replaced with dirtbike bars so there is a much flatter grip and it has been working great I have experienced no discomfort at all

 

[freak2180]

The deal with changing bars on a "R" is that it requires changing the upper triple. That was the point of this post........ To find out if 0 degree clubmans or crossroads would help my situation. Either of those bars would sit me up a lol more so the riding position wouldn't be as aggressive as a stock "R" but not as straight up as a lightning......... I guess one could call it semi-agressive. My main question is what degree are the stock "R" bars? If the angle won't change much and the only diff will be the height the bars sit at the it won't do much good to change them.

 

[vanson1200r]

I know I am Captian Obvious when I say this but you should be supporting your upper body with your torso and not your arms and hands on the bars. The only pressure on your hands should be for steering inputs. Your arms should be relaxed while riding.

 

[freak2180]

I know I am Captian Obvious

Did you not read all the way through this topic?

Its not the weight im putting on my wrist.............its the angle my wrist have to be in in order to hang on to the contols.

My goal it to get my wrist in a better position without entirely loosing the agressive ridding position.

 

[Alfatango1]

I'm 5'7" 175 lbs and I don't know if my riding angle will have anything resembling yours but my hands would go numb real quick on long trips too. Now I can boogie 350 plus miles at a clip or more without an issue. Oh and an MP3 player doesn't hurt either

 

[ROJO]

I had a terrible first few months on my lightning. My hands went so numb that I really questioned keeping the bike. I suffer from a mild case of Carpel tunnel syndrome, so that made it worse. I was given a few tips from guys here on the forum, and I am much more comfortable now. It is very easy to just put all your upper body weight on the palm of your hands and prop your body up. That puts pressure on the nerves in your wrist. It will take some practice and you have to remind yourself, but these simple tips will help a bumch.

1. loosen up the death grip on the bar.
2. tighten up those stomach muscles to help support the upper body weight.
3. number two will help you do this. focus on just resting your hands on the grips when you are cruising. Keep the weight off the palms of your hands.

I hope this helps you. These three things made my experience much better.

 

[Iamarchangel]

1. loosen up the death grip on the bar.
2. tighten up those stomach muscles to help support the upper body weight.
3. number two will help you do this. focus on just resting your hands on the grips when you are cruising. Keep the weight off the palms of your hands.

1 and 3 are good. In fact, try the MX trick of having your fingers loose, touching the fairing edge, as a relaxation technique.

2 is false. Abs don't do anything when you're bent forward, like pushups don't help biceps. However, the lower back is doing all the work so focus on that. (btw, pushups will help you in this instance.) The problem is really an isometric issue.