Triumphrat

timritaharry · 04-08-2007

I'm having terrible problems with numb hands even after a short ride (2000 tbs),feels like bars are to low and to far back, been looking at the possibility of fitting gen mar risers (up and back, model no. x102) would this be a worthwhile mod ? (these are twice the price in the uk compared to the usa) and would i have to extend cables etc ? any advice appreciated as its spoiling an otherwise superb bike.

Mojoinco · 04-08-2007

Look through other threads here for suggestions others have made. My own experience has been related to handlebar angle (I was getting pressure points in my outer palm, a slight (5-15 degrees) rotation made a huge improvement) and vibration (some bikes have more than others). The vibrations can be helped by adding wieghts to the bars (generic solution, and available in the after market) and by changing the grips. Good over all handlebar fit is a more expensive (not necessarily much $) solution. Also, lean forward and drop your elbows (if you don't already do so). That often takes the pressure off of your hands (using your 'core' or gut muscles more).

WoodsieIII · 04-08-2007

Fatter grips help, not hanging on so tight, loosen all handlebar bolts and retension them to the correct spec. Might not sound like much but believe me it makes a difference.
Elbows down eyes up. And above all relax.

jenglandtoyman · 04-09-2007

While my situation was not as severe as yours, gloves with gel in the palms helped me out.

zimtok · 04-09-2007

Like mojoinco said relax.

My hands would get numb also when I first started riding my TBS.
After a while I found myself riding with a more relaxed grip and the numbness was gone. I also reduced the amount of my body weight on my arms/hands. I use more of my back to support myself.

.

parrycm · 04-09-2007

Since you have other bikes, I'm assuming that you don't have this problem riding them? So it's not a matter of riding style?

Why don't you buy the risers from the US - that way you could take advantage of the cheaper price and better exchange rate. I think the cables would be OK but can't say for sure. I concur with the idea of trying fatter grips -over here you can buy padded overgrips that slide over your existing grips and only cost a few bucks.

A barsnake or filling the bar with lead shot might help but Triumph OEM bars have mounts welded inside for the bar ends. But you can buy aftermarket bars pretty cheaply in the catalogues. You could also experiment with the bend.

Another thing to remember is that your bars will have a little hole at each end. The controls locate in that little hole to prevent uncontrolled rotation. This may limit how much you can play around with the current setup.

ecrabbit96 · 04-09-2007

I will agree with all, that riding position is important for comfort, it also has a role in numbness, I want to say this though. If a bike is not tuned properly it will numb you up really fast, here is why, and what to look for to correct the issue. If a bike with multiple cylinders is not running properly it will create harmonic vibrations that are very hard on the rider as well as the equipment. Valve ajustments first, get all 3 cyl's matched as best as possible. Now be sure the carbs are clean and SYNC them, once that is done get your Idle settings even as possible and re-sync, each of these has an impact on the other. Once you have the carbs matched up, take it for a ride and you WILL notice a difference. This is how we get all 3 banging and making as close to equal power as possible creating a smoother running engine. Imagine you have 3 individual engines and one is making 5hp another 5.5hp and the third 6hp, you tie the cranks together as one and put them online running full power, who is getting to do most of the work? and who is just along for the ride, get it? This causes the engine to vibrate more than usual backing out screws, bolts, cracking frames if dramatic enough, and numbing the driver. Once I finally got my machine matched up I went from getting numb in 5-10 minutes to a little bit of tingling from time to time after riding for an hour or more. Trust me, this was the very first thing I did to my bike after buying it used, I was so amazed at just how smooth one of these tripples will get. Takes a bit of fussing with but well worth the effort, and your machine will last so much longer, and the ride is so much better. If you can't do this yourself then get a mechanic that knows how to do this, and is willing to get it right rather than a"Close enough for the chicks I date" kind of mech. :-D

[ This message was edited by: ecrabbit96 on 2007-04-09 10:59 ]

Greaser · 04-09-2007

Try roating your bars back on forth. A small adjustment can make all the difference in the world. Plus it is totally free!

jimmyj900 · 04-09-2007

The first (cheapest) thing to try is gel grips. They're about $20 US or less a pair and make a huge difference in the amount of vibration transmitted. Vibration can cause a lot of nerve damage FAST.

The second thing is bar risers. The 1" GenMar extensions will raise the bars about an inch and move the bars back about half that (depending on front suspension angle.) That will let you keep the grip ends at stock height but with a bit more angle.

Both of those made a big difference for me. The grips stopped my left hand from going numb and the bar angle change took a lot of stress off my wrists.

I've got a pair of the GenMar 1" risers for sale. I've refinished them to match the stock risers pretty closely, so it's not an obvious add-on. If you're interested e-mail or pm me.

Jim

MickMaguire · 04-09-2007

Quote:

On 2007-04-09 07:58, zimtok wrote:
Like mojoinco said relax.

My hands would get numb also when I first started riding my TBS.
After a while I found myself riding with a more relaxed grip and the numbness was gone. I also reduced the amount of my body weight on my arms/hands. I use more of my back to support myself.

.

+1 on that advice.