Numb Fingers - what can I do?

[mrsquirrel]

I can't feel the my left little finger and my right one is intermitantly numb.

I have just bought a CBRxx1100 2000 model.

My big problem is that I live in Thailand so ordering parts is a pain and expensive unless I find them second hand on the net for a decent price.

I have seen people mention buell pegs that need modifying - how are they modified can it be done at home with no problems?

What bars can I change to - realistically a pair of 300 dollar Heli are a bit out of my price range with import tax etc - it will cost about 500 in total if i brought them in new - how much are they second hand.

There is a relatively good supply of bike parts here so what bars can I change to from different models?

I know that the numb fingers are from the angle that the outside of my palms are resting on the bars.

I am 6'4" and most if it is legs.

Any help is appreciated.

For interest my previous bike was a Honda Varadero 2002 - beautiful bike to ride for long distances 300km+ no pain or tiredness but she was a bit scary in the corners and greasy Thailand roads.

Cheers Mr Squirrel

Any questions about life/riding out here are welcome.

[rickrad]

The VFR bars are the best thing so I have heard. You prolly can pick a set up on ebay from someone in your neck of the woods. You can try just moving your hands around a bit and also a heavy throttlemiester would help some.

[Redbird]

Start by getting your weight off you hands. It may seem natural to rest on them, but you should be holding yourself up with your back, not your arms.

V-tec VFR bars are a direct swap.

[MileHi]

Modifying the Buell pegs is quite easy... You just have to grind 'em down to make them fit. And slips a sleeve in them so the stock Honda pin doesn't rattle around.

As for the bars, you could try and find a set from a 2002 or later VFR. A lot of guys have had good luck with those.

Damn... three responses... bam bam bam...

[Hobicus]

Don't forget that you can also just loosen them and lift them up on the fork tubes... that will get you about the width of your thumb of extra height, and may be all you need. Just remember to tighten them down after you lift them.

[86gn]

Grip with your fore finger and thumb. This keeps you from resting all your weight on your palms.

Raising the bars will give you almost as much as changing to other bars.

[mrsquirrel]

Need to look and see how much they can be raised - thanks for that - i could do with them being angled out slightly as well for my broader shoulders - so will look into the VFR bars at one of my bike shops here

VTEC or later

[mrsquirrel]

Does anybody have the photographs showing the modification of the Buell pegs.

And/or the whole modification process?

I should be able to get some here no problem - there are a few harley outlets here.

[smoothmotion]

Fingers going numb? Relax, sometimes people tend to hang on with a death grip and this results in a tingle in their hands.

[mrsquirrel]

Never got it on the Varadero - might be the change of riding position.

Wear good gloves to try and keep the vibrations down a bit. Will look into movein the bars up half an inch today.

[Obby]

Start by getting your weight off you hands. It may seem natural to rest on them, but you should be holding yourself up with your back, not your arms.

V-tec VFR bars are a direct swap.

+1 . When I first got my bird, my wrists started hurting after about 1/2 hour or so, then my little fingers went dumb.

That all started going aways as I kept riding (i was a little out of shape). Like Redbird said, get you weight off your wrists and use your lower back a little more. Also, on the straights, move around a little to the right, straighten up your back and put your left hand on your leg to get the weight off your arms (works for me). A nice aftermarket seat can help alot too.

-Obby.

[jrdxx]

Relax. Get rid of the Death Grip. Instead of clenching with the fingers, try resting on the bars with a little forward pressure distributed across the palms. A little pressure with the thumb is all the contact presure you need in most circumstances. Cover the levers with your fingertips; if you can drum your fingertips across the tops of the levers, the pressure is about right. Slightly change your hand position frequently. Try some thicker (foam) handgrips.

[Old Feller]

Had a bit of problem with this myself, esp. as the bike got older. Local chap suggested replacing the clip ons with Heli Bars. Both the riding position improved and the vibration was greatly reduced. The stock bars are aluminum castings with steel tubes pressed & pinned. I think over time the steel loosened up and started vibrating a lot more than when new. The Heli Bars are all steel construction. So far, so good.

The riding position is now a lot like my old, dear departed RF900R.

[arcticflipper]

sell the bike.....

:twisted:

[GriffXX]

All good answers. Don't forget the cheap and easy partial solution - Gel Grips...... every little bit helps. I forgot the exact make and size that everyone around here swears by, but somebody will chime in.

[matey_peeps]

I suggest a rigorous regimen of hand/forearm exercise. The best way to do this is get a comfortable chair, high-speed internet, privacy, and numerous pornography websites. Be sure to switch it up so you don't over-develop one arm.

[matey_peeps]

As mentioned above, gel grips are a good solution, as is relaxing your grip. You should hold the grips no tighter than you would a pair of baby birds.

My grip critique:

Pro Grip 714

They're OK I guess, but I don't like that they're thicker in the middle than they are at the ends. Lots of people use them however, and I did for a year.

Pro Grip 699 - My favorite

A more traditional look and feel with gel comfort, same diameter the length of the grip.

[EVLXX]

First off...

Relax your grip.... totally. Push on your Bars to turn them, don't pull. When you lean in to a turn.... push.

Other than that Foam grips will help.

Or you can slow down or speed up 5, to change the harmonic frequencys (vibration) that's clotting up the blood in your wrist. Or try rideing in a different gear.

Lots of things you can do...

Personally the Gel padded gloves are all I need.

Good luck.

Oh ya.... One thing at a time. :wink:

[Warpster]

Saving your hands is in the knees. You should be able to squeeze the tank just hard enough to let you hands rest on the bars when you need a break. Your hands get numb because your cutting of the blood supply by leaning on the grips too hard. Back off the bars. For long trips trips I would recommend throttle miester. You can lock your throttle and again, allow you to rest your hands on the bars rather than resting your body on your hands.

I modified and installed Buell pegs and I am 6-4 as well. Didn't like them at all. I do like my heli bars. With the pegs lowered I always felt I was going to grind a foot off......

PS if you are going to modify the buell pegs all you need is a bench grinder.

[Helvet]

I.M.O. the best bars are the Gilles Tooling VarioBars (www.gillestooling.com). They are fully adjustable in all directions, so you can set them up the way you like them. The VFR-bars are good, but they can not be adjusted.....

Gilles is expensive however, but well worth the money (I bought them...).

Also a cruise-control to relax your hands now and then could work for you...

[Scot]

if it's vibrations that's causing it, Heli bars are the wrong way to go. They are actually lighter than stock. Gel grips help, heavy bar ends help, filling the stock clip ons with silicone helps. Try a different pair of gloves and make sure your jacket sleeves are not too tight and that your jacket does not bunch up in your arm pits. Numbness is a circulation issue.

[trucker]

yeah i had that problem too, i found as long as i was able to move my fingers while riding the wouldn't go numb. SO i bought a Throttlemeister, man it's great, i mean not in traffic but out on the highway it's real nice

http://www.throttlemeister.com/tm.html

check it out

[alfonso132]

How tall are you? These convertabars: http://www.convertibars.com/ seem really cool you could adjust up & down. Thing is they cost $468.86 + S&H.

[sykotek-xx]

I moved my bars up so that the pinch bolt is even with the top of the fork. The top of the clamps are about 5/16" or so above the top of the fork tubes.

I also pulled the bars back toward teh tank a little. What I did was put a bungee around the left handlebar and the mirror, to hold the bars at right full lock, then put a 5/8" wide screwdriver between the right handlebar and the tank and clamped them there. That way they're as close as you can be to the tank without hitting the tank at full lock. I then reversedd the bungee setup and did the other side.

Huge improvement And free. As said make sure you really crank down on the pinch bolts since the locator tab will now not be in it's slot. So far so good.

[Mikey]

I've got my bars raised a bit. I'd like to lower my pegs, but that's a different issue. When my hands get a little tingly I slide up in the seat to relieve some pressure. Then I shake the hand to get the circulation going. I have a throttle rocker on my bar so I can open my hand and wiggle it around without loosing speed.