Topic: Throttle hand goes numb

[jaytee-nz]

I'm having an increasing problem with my throttle hand going numb after a short time riding. It's not my whole hand, just the area around where the base of my thumb grips the throttle.
I have a '74 CB750 and I suspect one of the issues could be the stiff carb return spring so I may change that out to see if it makes difference. I also have lower handle bars on it so my weight is a little more forward leaning.
Anyone else have a similar issue and a fix maybe ?

[seanbarney41]

Make sure you are not locking your elbows, support your body with legs and stomach.  Make a conscious effort to stay loose.

[Don R]

 I bought one of those throttle aid thingies, it wraps around the grip and has a tab to let you loosen your grip.

[spotty]

tried foam grips ? that used to be the solution to hand numbing vibrations on brit bikes . they look disgusting to me but if they work...

[jaytee-nz]

Thanks guys.
Sean- I am conscious of my posture and definitely don't lock my elbows but I'll check again.
Don - I have seen those and they could be worth a try.
Spotty - The bike is totally stock so foam grips would not be a good look but if it means I can ride further then ya gotta do these things sometimes.
Cheers - JT

[BenelliSEI]

Also..... if you are using standard push/pull cables (incorrectly named, but that’s another post), make sure they are lubricated and routed correctly under the tank (around the ignition coils). Incorrect routing can make for high “pull” effort, which can get tiring FAST!

[Tim2005]

It could well be the lower bars- I get numbness in my hands after riding my zx12r for a bit, and the bars on that are rather low, so it just puts a lot of pressure on the wrists. It could be the lowness and/or the angle of them.  I don't get it at all from riding by higher-barred cb750 with its much heavier throttle.

[jaytee-nz]

Talking to a few riders at work, they all get some soreness / numbness on their throttle hands after a period of time so it sounds like it may be a combination of holding the throttle open and weight on the wrists / hands (and in my case, old age as well !).

[Kelly E]

I use Throttle Rockers on both sides and after 3700 miles in 11 days last summer  it is way better than without them. I can relax my hands while riding and haven't had a hand cramp since I started using them. The handlebar buzzing on my Concours doesn't bother me because I am not hanging on as tight. I have them on all of my bikes.

[jakec]

I would argue that it's probably your weight being on your hands? this happens on my 400F which has low bars. On my 350 with high bars I've never had sore arms/hands. But my ass does get sore after about 2 hours.

[Terry in Australia]

I don't remember having the problem on a CB750, but it was common on my two BMW R100RS', my K100RT, and K1100LT. (I can't remember if it's a problem on my K100RS, it's been 4 years since I rode it last) As Spotty's mentioned, foam grips are the go, but if you're worried about originality, you can get some foam tubes that pull over your OEM grips, called "Pussy Grips". I've got them on my Yamaha FJR1300, and they helped on the 400 mile each way runs from Canberra to Melbourne and back.

The zip tie cruise control is also a great trick, because once again, you can remove it just by chopping off the zip tie after a long ride. The benefit of the zip tie cruise control is that you can set it, take your hand off the throttle and give it a shake to get rid of the pins and needles. And just like me, zip ties are cheap.........

[jaytee-nz]

Thanks for all the tips guys.
Terry - I found an old thread where you replaced the throttle return spring with a lighter one on one of your CB750's. Did it make much a difference to the problem ?
The zip tie is a great idea as well - I'll try that as I'm always wanting to take my hand off to relieve the numbness (err - kinda sounds wrong, but you know what I mean).
Cheers - JT

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks mate, the zip tie cruise control works great, the throttle spring conversion did nothing, I reckon it was actually stiffer than OEM, so I've returned the original spring. I only had some springs I bought at Bunnings, so maybe if you went to an engineering supply store you might find something better? But I had a play with my K2 today, and as long as the cables are routed with no real tight bends and of course as long as the cables are lubed, it's not that bad? Not anywhere as light as a CV carb setup or injection, but OK?

[demon78]

And the there is the old brit bike mod a pencil and electricians tape cut pencil so that it's out to the end of the grip set the pencil so that the first joints catch the pencil at cruise, tape and away you go. Yes  a bunch will look at you and say why'd he #$%* up his throttle. the ones in the know the true old timers will say  had a Beezer, trumpet, etc did ya ?
Bill the Demon.

[Stev-o]

Numbness [or sometimes called falling asleep] can be caused by blocked blood flow.  You may be blocking an artery in your hand gripping the throttle tightly.   

Do you wear gloves?   [I always do]

[Kelly E]

Throttle Rockers are less than $5 apiece. I have put them on a few friends bikes that were doubters, they are still there. If you try them get them for both sides. This summer I rode 1300 miles in two days without any hand issues. I couldn't have done that without the Throttle Rockers. I also use a simple and cheap NEP throttle lock so I can let go with my right hand some on the long rides. In my experience most locks slowly slip but they give you enough time to rest your hand especially with the rockers.

[jaytee-nz]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I've got some experimenting to do !