My wrists ache during and after riding the RT.

[Beembish]

I have had my 2000 R1100RT for 6 years now. I am 52 years old. I have noticed that more and more often, after and during riding the RT, my wrists ache.

 

I notice that my wrists are turned in slightly as ride. When I place my thumbs over the bars my wrists are then straight. This does relieve some of the discomfort. I used barbacks but have since remeoved them. They don't change the angle anyway. Am I alone on this or does anyone else have the ache and discomfort?

Rob

[Tony_K]

A few things to consider.

 

Bar repositioning. Though you tried bar backs that didn't work I'm sure another manufacture with adjustable or custom made unit would work.

A custom can be made rather cheaply at a alu fab shop.

 

Grip selection. A more forgiving grip or cover that will release some tension in your upper body and hands.

 

Seating Position. Depending on your height and limb lenghts you may be putting too much emphasis (lean) on your arms.

 

Finding a good neutral upper body position is what you want. Using the repositioned bar angle that fits your specific body type will help dramatically.

[Lawman]

I do..I find myself using the very ends of the grips as a result..There is someone, an individual, that is a machinist that makes some very nice barbacks to address this problem. They not only move the bars back but they change the angle of the grips. I don't know who the guy is but if you can contact one of our members ( Plane Paul I think ) he can give you the information you are looking for..

[Boffin]

I have had my 2000 R1100RT for 6 years now. I am 52 years old. I have noticed that more and more often, after and during riding the RT, my wrists ache.

 

I notice that my wrists are turned in slightly as ride. When I place my thumbs over the bars my wrists are then straight. This does relieve some of the discomfort. I used barbacks but have since remeoved them. They don't change the angle anyway. Am I alone on this or does anyone else have the ache and discomfort?

Rob

 

I do not 'grip' the grips with my whole hamd - it just isn't necessary. I pinch the throttle between my forefinger and thumb and just rest my hands across the top of the bars. The grips enter my hand at the front of my palm and exit at the rear of the palms.

IMHO, most of the discomfort from arm angle and from vibration comes from holding on too tight. You get far more subtle control and feel from a loose grip anyhow.

 

In the words of my best friend 30 years ago - loosen up man

 

Andy

[upflying]

I had an ache and discovered I was holding a death grip on the bars. I relaxed and the pain went away.

[photojournalyst]

I find that if I use my legs to grip the bike, and good posture to stay upright, then I put little to no preassure on my arms and hands. It requires more out of your inner leg and stomach muscles, but it's a nice break on long rides for the hands. It's especially good if you're going over some bumpy road- the body adjusts much more easily to the bumps then when you've got the death grip- sort of like riding a horse. Just remember when/if it gets really really bumpy (GS type terrain) it's often better just to stand.

[Haynes]

I used to suffer some wrist soreness on longer rides but don't suffer it any more. I haven't done anything deliberate to alleviate it but it possibly comes from a more relaxed grip as mentioned by others.

[John Ferris]

I got foam grips. They are a little bigger and softer.

I don't grip them as hard.

I don't think you can get them heated.

[Uggles]

I've got / had the same sort of problem. Wrists ache and end of some fingertips become numb. Alleviated by changing the angle of the dangle and loosening up some as others have suggested.

I also now hope that I will never have that happen again as I have just installed a cruise control from the guys below in my sig.

Preliminary tests show that I should be a bit more comfortable from now on.

Cheers

[Beembish]

It isn't in my death grip. I've ridden beemers since 1978. Never had a problem before. This is something I have noticed since I got the bike. I am conscious of the grip and many times just hang my finger tips over the bars, as I use a Schnieders manual cruise control. I thought that if I could move the bars back but move them wider to straighten the wrist it would be fine. Just need to have someone build an adjustable pivot on the barbacks.

Rob

[Keith S]

I have had my 2000 R1100RT for 6 years now. I am 52 years old. I have noticed that more and more often, after and during riding the RT, my wrists ache.

 

I notice that my wrists are turned in slightly as ride. When I place my thumbs over the bars my wrists are then straight. This does relieve some of the discomfort. I used barbacks but have since remeoved them. They don't change the angle anyway. Am I alone on this or does anyone else have the ache and discomfort?

Rob

Beembish

(hope this is not classified as a highjack)

 

I also have the same problem. Mine comes from tendonitis is both wrists (victim of the pc age). I am also 52 and just got back into biking last year and had my first long road trip this summer from Calgary to South Dakota. The pain totally took the fun out of the Needles Highway. My solution is a bit of a pain in the butt but it works. What I am testing out now is using wrist supports (both hands) as people with carpal tunnel syndrome would use. These supports come with 2 aluminum supports, one upper one which I removed to maintain the ability to rotate the wrist when required and the other support goes along the bottom of the lower arm and then "cups" in the palm. The curved part in the palm conforms to the grip nicely and the Velcro/lace tightening system is quick. I just did a 500k plus ride this Sunday and the results were fantastic, no pain and the extra support makes your wrists feel like they are weightless. The downsides are, time to get them on, rather hot and you have to get use to them when it comes to getting a tight grip during drastic maneuvers. Bottom line is that it has given me the opportunity to do multi day runs.

 

Keith

[Beembish]

Thanks Kye

Maybe it is more about carpal or maybe it's arthritis. It is something that is getting worse over time. I have been thinking more along the lines of arthritis as I don't do anything that is repetitve, work or hobby related, that may cause carpal tunnel. I sure think if I could straighten out the wrists, by changing the angle of the bars it would help. If it didn't, I would at least have my answer.

Rob

[Ken H.]

A lot of people are (correctly) mentioning position, pressure and grip. To through one more tidbit into the mix; make sure your elbows are bent not locked. Adjusting your body position such that they are will automatically reduce the downward pressure and force being applied to your wrists.

[ninermatt]

I can sympathize, although I'm relatively young (for an RT rider) at 35 I had to let my "S-bike" go for the same reasons In my case it was arthritis. Any significant time aboard the R1100S would just destroy my hands and wrists. I also play guitar, I get together with a buddy of mine every week to "jam" and was finding it increasingly difficult to play without pain. So in my case the RT was my saving grace. I can continue to do two of the things I love the most, even if my wife now thinks I'm an old man!

[tom collins]

sorry to hear of your problems. that sort of thing took me from an rs to rt. i also have a harley and prefer the thicker grips and downward angle of the end of the bars. interestingly, the rs was adjustible for angle. i have not found anything to help with bar angle and as pointed out earlier, barbacks just raise the bars and move them back, which helped, but did not cure the issue. i found some grips that were designed for atv's which slipped over the stock grips to make them a little larger for better leverage. i recently say another neat fix where a guy took bicycle wrap and wrapped his grips to the correct width, doesn't slip either. a recently purchased throttle meister helped a lot. i take glucosomine when it starts to bother me and usually after a month or so, it has gone, until the next time.

good luck, don't let it stop you.

 

tom collins

[Unity]

When rally season comes and I start doing longer rides again, my moderately arthritic wrists ache until they get accustomed again to long spells in the same position. I get relief from simple, drug-store type elastic wrist bands that fasten with velcro. They live in my tank bag. After a few longish rides, I find that I don't need them anymore -- my wrists "break in" and tolerate the abuse.

 

--John

(I have about a decade and a half more wear and tear than you; I was noticing some arthritic twinges by your age. )

[Kevin McKenna]

Does anyone have a drawing and/or picture of the proper riding posture for an RT?

[SAMSAR]

I bought a pair of Throttle Rocker 2's for both Right and Left Grips. No more problems on the long rides.

 

Throttle Rocker Website

[Jerry Johnston]

Now you're talking Heli bars they'll let you chose any angle you like. http://www.helibars.com/

[Kevin McKenna]

I don't see anything for the RT on Heli web site??

[Ken H.]

Does anyone have a drawing and/or picture of the proper riding posture for an RT?

Well this picture is at least close.

 

Key points are bent at the hips, leaned forward supported by the stomach muscles, elbows bent and loose, arms loose, wrist slightly downward, or at least level. My shoulders are genetically rounded over more than the proper position should be, but back should be straight, or at least not hunched forward.

 

I advocate balls of the feet on the pegs with heals back, but some others don't agree with that part.

 

[bmwmick]

 

The only thing missing from this pic are the VAROOM, VAROOM noises the passenger is making.

 

Mick

[David]

A lot of people are (correctly) mentioning position, pressure and grip. To through one more tidbit into the mix; make sure your elbows are bent not locked. Adjusting your body position such that they are will automatically reduce the downward pressure and force being applied to your wrists.

 

Here's something that'll illustrate Ken's good advice (thought it's a GS and not an RT):

 

Bad...

 

 

Good...