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K1200 GT Pain


kinchy

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I'm not going to dwell on my age but it may be a contributing factor to subject issue. The move from RT to GT has been been fun, exciting and unfortunately painful for my wrists. I have risers on, a new Sargent seat, the pegs on the low setting and can't eliminate the wrist ache that starts 30 minutes into a ride. By the time the ride is ending I'm constantly using cruise control to rest my wrists.That said, should I work out with a wrist/hand strengthening device? Pad the grips so they are softer? Wear gloves that one might wear in an Alaskan dog sled competition? Or, will my wrists eventually get use to it? I really like the GT, (have come to appreciate the RT) but this particular issue makes riding.. well, painful. Again, thanks for the counsel.

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Ignore the age thing, I notice more aches and pains with the seasons as well. What I have found that contribute to pains in my hands, wrists and arms...

 

1) If I let my wrists sag down so there is valley shape between arm, wrist, fingers, I have some pain It works better when like a piano teacher, a keyboard teacher, and some articles in books on good form for sport touring riding teach, keep your wrist straight in light with the arm and hand.

 

2) My joints around my wrist will hurt, like around the thumb /wrist joint when I ride tense. If I am gripping the bars too tight, my joints and muscles fatigue and hurt. Monitor this level of 'tight' grip and hold the bars easily. To relax this try gripping the bike with your knees. Squeezing with your legs does amazing things in making the rest of your body becoming at ease.

 

3) Learn to use your torso more to support your body, not your wrist and arms. Getting more core strength will make the ride much more enjoyable. Over time I have even found that riding with my feet up on the passenger pegs is a nice alternative position when needing to move around on the bike some for a change of position. The wrists and hands on the bars are for control of the bike, not body support.

 

I have also found that this slight forward lean is easier on my back. (aches and pains for those no longer young 101). The downside of this is making sure nothing is behind your neck to prevent you looking upwards a few degrees. If there is (scarf, thick, tall jacket collar etc), the slight pressure you must use to raise your head will create severe upper back pain quickly.

 

Good luck with exploring this. Let us know what you find.

 

NCS

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Two additional thoughts:

 

One of my riding instructors implored me to think of them as rests, NOT GRIPS! Relax your hands so that your palms are doing the work and you can wiggle your fingers while cruising.

 

Also, invest $10 buck or so for a couple of wrist rests. These are small plastic gizmos that can be fitted to each grip near the ends and they allow the weight of your hand / arm to rest. With the throttle hand, you can actually modulate rpm's with the heal of your hand.

 

+1 on grip puppies too.

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Thanks everyone. I'll begin making the necessary "adjustments". Oddly enough the Grip Puppies set off the light bulb. Most of my previous rides had thicker/larger grips. The RT and HD certainly did. The GPs are ordered - I'm encouraged that they (in concert with the other suggestions)may be the ticket.

 

Why the hell didn't I think of that?

 

 

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MYRP

 

The support is from the abdomen/hips/thigh not the wrists.

 

That said, sometimes I'm lazy or it has been 5-600 miles and I find myself putting too much load bearing on the wrists so I understand.

 

Master Yoda Riding Position is a huge key.

Best wishes.

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