Numb fingers

[Mayhem]

Or you could like me simply have Hand Arm Vibration syndrome sometimes known as white finger disease, which unfortunately cannot be cured.
The good bit is that most of the tips above can help and the most important thing is to keep your hands warm
lots of stuff about it on the net or have a look here which has lots of advice

http://www.hse.gov.uk/vibration/hav/index.htm

 

[wessie]

As mentioned, altering the bars may help. I read somewhere that, ideally, you should be able to put your palm on the bar grip, stretch your fingers out and make a straight line from your fingertips to your elbow, i.e. no kink at the wrist.

Before my recent trip to Austria I invested in one of Jaws' throttle locks. This has been excellent. Even on non-motorway roads you can lock it into position for a short distance to do a few stretching excercises. See
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145021&highlight=throttle+lock

 

[Voyager]

I also suffer from Reynauld's Syndrome - predominently in the right hand.

Initially, when riding my K1200 I would put it on Cruise Control in order to move my right hand & arm around to help the circulation. That seemed to work for a while.

Now it has got so bad that I get 'frozen' fingers on a mild day and have to wear winter weight gloves.

Heated gloves provide a cure, heated grips don't work as they can't heat the back of your hands (better than nothing though). In winter I also wear a heated vest as maintaining the core temperature is important

I'm now told there is nothing to be done about it. The Doc originally prescribed Nefedipine tablets but I couldn't detect an improvement.

If that is what it is you'll just have to get used to working around it. It doesn't just happen on bikes; working in the garage or doing gardening on a chilly day becomes very difficult. I am thinking of getting a pair of battery-powered heated gloves - saw them at the NEC Show.

The joys of getting old !

Bob.

 

[neptune]

this is a serious tip for anyone suffering, start playing the guitar, it helps a lot

 

[Annette]

Your gloves aren't a bit too snug are they. A friend was really suffering until she borrowed a pair of my slightly larger gloves, hey presto....cured.

Also you could try adjusting the handguards down a bit. I always got a numb thumb and ends of fingers, but when I moved the guards down a bit it moved the turbulence away from my hands and now everything is OK.

 

[Phil W]

Well Im resurecting this.
I have fitted bar risers ,pulled the bars back, worn thicker gloves ( that I hate as I cant feel what the bike is doing). Still get numbness
If its a mediacal condition why doesnt it happen on long off road days out on my XR400.
This is serious and could mean the demise of the GSA. I want to ride it to spain next summer and cant think of anything worse than numb hands the whole way.

 

[Voyager]

Well Im resurecting this.
I have fitted bar risers ,pulled the bars back, worn thicker gloves ( that I hate as I cant feel what the bike is doing). Still get numbness
If its a mediacal condition why doesnt it happen on long off road days out on my XR400.
This is serious and could mean the demise of the GSA. I want to ride it to spain next summer and cant think of anything worse than numb hands the whole way.

I recently had a three-week run to Bosnia and back - Sept/Oct. I had my heated gloves on most days. It was the only way I could ride and still undo zips etc when I stopped.

I use XXL gloves in order to allow my fingers to move around a bit.

It happens on all of my bikes (R1150GSA, R100GS, K1200GT) so doesn't seem connected to bar position.

It also happens on chilly days anywhere - in the house, in the garage, in the garden. Its a real pain !

If its Reynauld's Syndrom I'm afraid there isn't much you can do about it.

Bob.

 

[Mech]

Is it not possible this is down to simple vibration in the bars?

I here that filling the inside of the bars with silicone can help eliminate vibrations but have not tried this myself.

But with heated grips it would mean being careful not to stick the grip wires

But overall make sure all things are as tight as they should be and the wheel are balanced the forks are aligned correctly to eliminate the bike before you condemn your hand

As you have said you don't get it on other bikes which would lead me to think its the bike not you

 

[Jaws100]

Well Im resurecting this.
I have fitted bar risers ,pulled the bars back, worn thicker gloves ( that I hate as I cant feel what the bike is doing). Still get numbness
If its a mediacal condition why doesnt it happen on long off road days out on my XR400.
This is serious and could mean the demise of the GSA. I want to ride it to spain next summer and cant think of anything worse than numb hands the whole way.

I'm not a doctor, "BUT" your symptoms sound pretty much like what I went thru for two years , changed my bike (thought it was the problem), wore thicker gloves etc etc. Got worse and worse, thought I would have to stop riding the bike. My daughter worked for a medical specialist and made an appointment for me. Turned out I had carpal tunnel syndrome (never heard of it till then). Got the operation done last year and not had a problem since. Worth looking into, might be your problem.
The medical test to find out is very simple overall.

Just my 2 cents worth

 

[davegs]

Vibes

Havent read all the replys as I'm falling asleep!" (pissed!) put som muffs on I know they look horrible but they WORK! do have a go and as someone says earlier try to wear thinner gloves. I did have this prob on my 1150 last summer moveing the handlebars slightly made all the difference, used to get it badly omn my K1100LT but that was Vibes about 65 mph, but this is a well known prob.
Dave (I hate Chjristmas) GS.

 

[Phil W]

Havent read all the replys as I'm falling asleep!" (pissed!) put som muffs on I know they look horrible but they WORK! do have a go and as someone says earlier try to wear thinner gloves. I did have this prob on my 1150 last summer moveing the handlebars slightly made all the difference, used to get it badly omn my K1100LT but that was Vibes about 65 mph, but this is a well known prob.
Dave (I hate Chjristmas) GS.

Cheers for the effort, p**sed an all

 

[the celt]

Cheers for the effort, p**sed an all

Phil when out for a run do you ever get pain in your teeth
or gum's... now i am talking a about running here on foot ???

 

[t'other dave]

Hi, I get slight vibe/numb fingers but only in the cold when I've had the heated grips on but it's only after 100 plus miles, never have the problem either sub 100 miles or when i don't have heated grips on 500 mile days are not a problem. Sorry no help though..

 

[Phil W]

:QUOTE=the celt;1592909]Phil when out for a run do you ever get pain in your teeth
or gum's... now i am talking a about running here on foot ???[/QUOTE]

Nope