excellent ride, but....

[talonfs]

picked my 12GS last week, blue '04. what a great bike to ride, lots of fun and the view you have of the road ahead instils great confidence. The pull from low down is amazing.

I have read quite a few of the threads regarding aftermarket bars with great interest. My throttle arm goes numb after about 10 miles riding, don't appear to have a problem with my left arm. has anyone else had this problem, if so how did they sort it out???

I would like to go to narrower lower bars, but the hit and miss that could happen at great expense is a bit off putting. I quite like the idea of the R12R bars as they are a fair bit narrower. i will probably go to my local dealer at the weekend and try the R.

 

[Fanum]

Bar risers.

Chances are your wrist is a bit bent in your normal sitting position which cases the numbness over time....raise the bars, straighten the angle of the wrist, then there's a good chance you'll cure the numbness.

Sounds daft, but make sure you're not gripping too tight as well

 

[JayGee]

oops!

 

[Fanum]

I can't see how anyone needs bar-risers on a GS, they'll make it like a chopper but each to their own I guess

I'm six foot four......I found my wrists cramped, so I need bar risers.......easy really

They only raise the bars about an inch and a half......we're not exactly talking ape hangers here

 

[talonfs]

. thanks for the replies, I consciously make an effort to grip as light as possible, although I do find the grips very thin. I find it strange that I only get numbness in my throttle hand.

 

[Fanum]

. thanks for the replies, I consciously make an effort to grip as light as possible, although I do find the grips very thin. I find it strange that I only get numbness in my throttle hand.

Might also be worth trying a throttle rest....6.-7 quid from Heine gericke

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Vibes....

Always had a numbness in my throttle hand with all my boxers after a while because of the vibration you can`t avoid. It`s not in the wrist though and only in my fingers which a little stretch sorts out no problem.

10 mins seems a little soon for this though so I would agree with trying some risers which will alter the angle of your wrist.

 

[ALEXG]

You might also want to try rotating the handlebar having slackened off the clamp bolts . This moves the grips slghtly further away and up . This - in conjunction wth adjusting the clutch and brake lever angle - sorted numb right wrist for me .

 

[Gipsy]

Agree with Alex. Fiddle with what you've got before you buy any new stuff.

 

[cockneyjanner]

Agree with Alex. Fiddle with what you've got before you buy any new stuff.

this worked for me too............ and gave my pillion a bit more space at the same time

 

[Bazza]

Agree with Alex. Fiddle with what you've got before you buy any new stuff.

Maybe thats why he has a numb right hand.

 

[Ash]

I'm six foot four......I found my wrists cramped, so I need bar risers.......easy really

They only raise the bars about an inch and a half......we're not exactly talking ape hangers here

i have TT bar risers on my 1100 makes your back more upright and makes the world of difference on a 500 mile day.

 

[Pukmeister]

I bought some 25mm risers from Migsel for about £20 IIRC, the difference in comfort is quite surprising.

 

[ironandsteel]

CTS?

See this:

http://www.trailrider.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=30

I get a bit of trouble sometimes and did consider moving the bars but the symptoms disappear after more miles - as mentioned above, I put it down to vibration, gripping too hard sometimes (especially when tired), getting old and not moving hands enough (Sgt Bilko).

The more you sit on it and ride, the more your body adapts and relaxes - I did find that a throttle stop helps though.

Thanks to all for sharing info and experiences.

 

[Nigel Statham]

I agree

Bar risers.

Chances are your wrist is a bit bent in your normal sitting position which cases the numbness over time....raise the bars, straighten the angle of the wrist, then there's a good chance you'll cure the numbness.

Sounds daft, but make sure you're not gripping too tight as well

+1

 

[Howard Millichap]

Bar risers.

Chances are your wrist is a bit bent in your normal sitting position which cases the numbness over time....

This happens to me especially on motorways where the throttle is held in one postion for a long time. My cure is to be concious of it and make sure when I hold the throttle open my wrist is more or less in line with my arm. And it's a free cure.

 

[(RIP) Arkwright]

As with Alex G I moved upwards and forwards by rotating the bars, makes you sit more upright, as for thin grips see my post on fitting 'O' rings either 31mm ID x 5.6mm as per the picture or 31mm x 3.5mm for a slightly thinner grip you either need 22 per side with 5.6 or 34 per side for 3.5mm.

Duncan

 

[Sparky GS'r]

My '04 1200 only started doing this to me earlier this year after 2 years and 16k miles, without the slightest numbness.

Then all of a sudden, 10 miles, every ride and my arm goes numb.

I believe I have traced the problem to my rear disc!

It keeps warping, I've already had one replacement, this solved the vibration problem for about a week and then it came back, as did the warp in the disc, currently in talks with BMW.

I have had the rear caliper over hauled twice and it keeps binding, I'm trying to persuade them they really want to give me a new one.

But it is certainly linked in my case!

Stu
Ride Safe & Rock HARD!

 

[talonfs]

rotated the bars forward and up a bit, Rode 150 miles last weekend - solo!!, and did not have the problem, although today got a little numb in the hand after 30 miles.

Commuted to work this week 2 up(I was also wearing a small backpack) and the same as before - 10 miles down and right arm going numb.
I took my ZZR out for a ride and just got a slight tingling on the outside of my right of my right pinkie. What I did notice is that although the bars are fairly angled back the outside of my palm rests on the grip. On the GS all the pressure is on the area between thumb and forefinger.

I have a set of Twinwalls (999's) waiting to go on, want the bars narrower and lower, more street-fighter like (kawa Z750), I have also fitted raquet tape to bulk out the grips, this helped a bit.

Will hopefully get this sorted out as I really like the nature of the GS, easy to ride and insipres great confidence - I know can already ride the GS faster abdsafer than my ZZR.