aching arms/shoulders

[ka4564]

Hi All,
Sorry to post this question in here, but can’t get into font of all wisdom again!! Even though I subscribe!

My problem is that when travelling long distance on my 02 1150 gs my left arm / shoulder starts to ache. I have tried tilting the bars back and forward in all sorts of position. I use a standard seat so my height is the same each ride. Does anyone else suffer from this?

 

[oyster]

Pain

Hi Ka,It is a problem that i have suffered in the past,i have moved the clutch
lever down 10 degree so that its a more natural pull on the fingers/wrist/arm/shoulder!
The other more drastic thing that i done, was changed my job from a physical(repetitive) manual one to a button pushing job, problem solved for me.

 

[Morticia]

Hi KA I know it may sound daft, but are you relaxed when riding your bike. I used to get really bad pain in my right arm, but once i had learned to relax more it was fine.

Have you thought about handlebar risers if moving the clutch doesn't work.


Hope you get sorted soon

Morticia

 

[RayS]

To relax your arms & wrists, lean forwards a bit and bend your arms at the elbow. If you do this for a few minutes you cant tense the muscles in your forearm or wrists, ie, you relax!!!
Ray

 

[Duchess]

Hi All,
Sorry to post this question in here, but can’t get into font of all wisdom again!! Even though I subscribe!

No member here has full access to the font of all wisdom, threads are verified and approved before being moved over. Members can view only.

 

[Keith Chapman]

Ka, do you wear a back pack when you ride?, if the strap is a bit tight on the shoulder that can cause aches and pains as it restricts the circulation down the arm.

 

[jonesai]

Ka

I have exactly the same problem with my left shoulder during a long ride
I fitted bar risers which helped a little but it still recurrs after a while. A real pita it is .
I will try the relaxation therapy suggested by RayS once the snow here eventually disappears and I can get back on the bike.

 

[Happy Hour]

I used to ache and get pins an needles in both hands. Someone told me that when I ride Im very stiff and 'upright' and I should just get on the bike and slouch like a sack of pototos. Worked with me.
Takes a while to alter your riding stance but its worth it..

 

[Tractor Boy]

I used to ache and get pins an needles in both hands. Someone told me that when I ride Im very stiff and 'upright' and I should just get on the bike and slouch like a sack of pototos. Worked with me.
Takes a while to alter your riding stance but its worth it..

Yeah, the answer is to chillax and keep a light grip on the bars
tb

 

[monkeyboy]

Agreed with the relax thing... If I'm riding a long long way I frequently just drop my arm off the bar and let it hang in the wind for a few minutes. Whenever I stop at lights I also reach around with the left arm and grab the offside of the seat, then twist my body round hard to try and look backwards - then the other arm too, just to stretch. I did 5k in a week earlier in the year and relaxation is the only way to keep going IMO.

 

[iftikartaxis]

ache

I also get pains in the left sholder
i usually stop and take a break
mainly happens on motorways
try rotating your sholder
i take my left hand off the bars i know i shouldn't if it gets too bad ask the wife to rub it thats if shes on the back

 

[Wrigsby1]

Several possible ways...

Drop bars (you've tried) so hands are lower or level with elbows..

Relax shoulders by letting them sag a little and light grip on bars and loose elbows...

Sit up to tank in as neutral position as you can...

Get "bar backs" as they help, approx 1" back...

Possibly bigger screen as the standard one and lots of aftermarket ones give you not protection for your shoulders and arms...

My neck and shoulders really tighten up sometimes which is probably from riding lots of miles on sportsbikes at 6'6" over many years. I bought a 2nd hand Aeroflow screen (not for eveyone!) and fitted an old set of KLT bars. The bars help your hands to sit slightly further back and in a more natural position so you stay relaxed on long journeys. It was an experiment that worked for me...

GS's are fantastic for wide bar manouvreability but they leave your arms/shoulders taking a lot of wind on long journeys.

Try sitting on your bike and seeing where your hands want to be and then work towards that.

 

[Colban]

I've had a similar problem with my left shoulder.
Draughts and windchill from a loose collar may have been the cause.
Change of jacket,extra warm layers around shoulders seemed to fit it.

 

[ka4564]

thank you all for the advice i wll try the relaxation methods as well as dropping the clutch slightly.
i bought a new jacket a about a year ago and I'm wondering if the jacket is tight around the shoulder area? will try another jacket and let you all know how i get on.

Many Thanks

 

[Aussie]

I use to get it in the r/shoulder and wrist and a numb bum, fitted a set of Ricky bars, raised the seat by 3" and fitted fastway pegs and dropped them by about 1 1/4" that made a big difference, but I still have to rest after about 4 hours on the bike.

 

[MattW]

I used to get a real sharp pain at the base of my neck between my shoulder blades on a longer ride. I get exactly the same pain when I paddle my canoe (open boat, single paddle) so I guess I have some sort of posture / possibly physiological issue (or I need a longer paddle...).

However for me, bar risers (1" up, 3/4" back) have completely fixed the bike riding pain (can't really use them with a canoe paddle ) - they remove my natural tendency to stoop and make it easier to ride with more of a straight backed posture.

Of course we're all different, but at £20 odd it was worth the experiment and worked for me.

 

[Timolgra]

Drop your elbows

 

[Roge]

A bit of advise I was given; sit on the bike in a comfy posture close your eyes and put your hands where you think the should be open your eyes and work out what combination of riser/ bar tilt, and bar backs will get the bars to that position. Worked for me on the 1150 and 1200

 

[Pip_UK]

+1 to all the suggestions about relaxed posture and avoiding muscle tension.

I would also suggest doing a few press-ups now and again, to keep your shoulder and arm muscles limber and more resistant to fatigue. Despite having an engine, biking any distance is quite a physical activity, even on a comfy GS with spot-on ergos.

 

[Wrigsby1]

A bit of advise I was given; sit on the bike in a comfy posture close your eyes and put your hands where you think the should be open your eyes and work out what combination of riser/ bar tilt, and bar backs will get the bars to that position. Worked for me on the 1150 and 1200

That's why I fitted my KLT bars (stangely less vibes) ditto for the Aeroflow...