Making throttle action lighter...

Bendy toy · Jul 20, 2017

I had badly aching thumb joints due to the strange rewards sweep angle that BMW use. I now have Renthal bars and my thumbs are much more comfortable. The sweep angle is much less than standard GS/A.

I used Rox anti-vibe Risers with MacGrath bend bars (low rise) to get the grip height close to standard. You could use other bend patterns to give a GS type rise without risers. You just need the same sweep angle as a McGrath bend.

stanley · Jul 20, 2017

It's not stiff cables causing the discomfort; it's just the return spring. I get it after about 6 hours or so of constant riding too. My solution.... If the road is fairly straight, then ride with left hand on throttle for a bit

Other than that, get your elbows up so that you have more angle at your wrist (think motocross position)... Better blood flow like that.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Rockred · Jul 20, 2017

Have you tried Grip Puppy's ?..... Yes they do make the grip a little wider, but in doing so it means that you need less effort to twist the grip. Do you know any mates with them fitted so you could give them a try ?

fs996 · Jul 20, 2017

Bendy toy said:
I had badly aching thumb joints due to the strange rewards sweep angle that BMW use. I now have Renthal bars and my thumbs are much more comfortable. The sweep angle is much less than standard GS/A.

I used Rox anti-vibe Risers with MacGrath bend bars (low rise) to get the grip height close to standard. You could use other bend patterns to give a GS type rise without risers. You just need the same sweep angle as a McGrath bend.

Honestly not sure what aspects of the riding position have an affect on certain aches and pains so I think I will leave the bars as is. I find the position itself quite comfortable, the grips and controls feel in a natural position.

stanley said:
It's not stiff cables causing the discomfort; it's just the return spring. I get it after about 6 hours or so of constant riding too. My solution.... If the road is fairly straight, then ride with left hand on throttle for a bit
Other than that, get your elbows up so that you have more angle at your wrist (think motocross position)... Better blood flow like that.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Hmm. Any way to change that return spring you speak of for a softer spring?

Rockred said:
Have you tried Grip Puppy's ?..... Yes they do make the grip a little wider, but in doing so it means that you need less effort to twist the grip. Do you know any mates with them fitted so you could give them a try ?

Haven't tried them and since I already found the GS grips to be on the large side (first bike I've had with heated grips) I don't want them larger. I am coming around to the idea of one of those cruise locks which rest against the brake lever though, think I might give one of those a try perhaps.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Bendy toy · Jul 21, 2017

I thought he bars were fine and had them as standard for a few years but when I came down to Devon most trips to "the mainland" added at least another hour (sometimes 2hrs) before the real journey started. This is when I began to get really uncomfortable thumbs. I noticed the wrist ulnar deviation was much greater on the GS than other bikes which seemed to explain why my thumbs struggled on long runs.

I also had vibration issues so took the chance to fit normal MX geometry bars with the risers. This improved the vibration a bit, but completely solved my thumb pain. Higher rise Renthal bars would have cost the same as my low rise McGrath type and could be used without the risers. However you get more useful adjustment with low rise bars and risers. Solid risers are not silly money.

fs996 · Jul 21, 2017

Bendy toy said:
I thought he bars were fine and had them as standard for a few years but when I came down to Devon most trips to "the mainland" added at least another hour (sometimes 2hrs) before the real journey started. This is when I began to get really uncomfortable thumbs. I noticed the wrist ulnar deviation was much greater on the GS than other bikes which seemed to explain why my thumbs struggled on long runs.

I also had vibration issues so took the chance to fit normal MX geometry bars with the risers. This improved the vibration a bit, but completely solved my thumb pain. Higher rise Renthal bars would have cost the same as my low rise McGrath type and could be used without the risers. However you get more useful adjustment with low rise bars and risers. Solid risers are not silly money.

I can appreciate all that, however for a numpty like me who simply doesn't understand how different bar positions have what type of an impact to muscles/nerves/comfort this is all witchcraft. I wouldn't have a clue where to start.

sproggy · Jul 21, 2017

fs996 said:
I can appreciate all that, however for a numpty like me who simply doesn't understand how different bar positions have what type of an impact to muscles/nerves/comfort this is all witchcraft. I wouldn't have a clue where to start.

Sit on the bike in a comfortable position - think only about the seat and the relationship between it and the pegs - ignore the bars. Get the seat position right (up/down/tilted). Now hold out your arms so they're at the most comfortable stretch (reach) and height. Curl your hands as if they were around bars. Now look at how far away your hands are from the grips and how different the natural angle of your hands/wrists is compared to the angle of the grips. The difference will give a guide as to how much closer/higher/narrower the bars might be for improved comfort and how much more/less (usually less) pull-back on the bars would give a comfortable grip angle. Now you have an idea of what you're aiming for and you can look at a combination of risers, bars etc that might give you that natural position. Bear in mind that a change in riding position may have an effect on how the air hits you so after you've spent hours/£££ sorting the riding position you can then spend more hours/£££ looking for the perfect screen design/height/adjustment. Which'll keep you occupied for pretty much ever.....

Santa-2512 · Jul 21, 2017

Try this

http://cycle-ergo.com/

as above but in graphical format

Bendy toy · Jul 21, 2017

Sit on the bike and with your eyes shut position your hands making a fist above the hand grips. Open your eyes. If you have to deviate your wrists a long way from your neutral position, the bars will never be comfortable for you.

I was putting way too much pressure on the little finger side of my palms, therefore, my thumbs had to pull my hands toward the bars. No surprise the thumb joints hurt.

oldnfat · Jul 22, 2017

As others have said, DO NOT lubricate your throttle cables....you may get some temporary respite but it will then gum up and get worse leaving you the only option of replacing them.

The inner teflon coating can wear down over time. Prior to a service, release the cables from the throttle bodies and then test for non sprung action. If not free flowing then replace. You with then need the TBs balanced when re attached....part of a service anyway.

You can get lighter springs but a faff to fit. My solution was a clip on go cruise throttle control....it cost about £10 and is very easy to use and on long stretches is invaluable. Give it a go, very cheap and simple solution. If you don't like it then you will be able to sell it here and will lose a couple of £.

fs996 · Jul 22, 2017

Bendy toy said:
Sit on the bike and with your eyes shut position your hands making a fist above the hand grips. Open your eyes. If you have to deviate your wrists a long way from your neutral position, the bars will never be comfortable for you.

I was putting way too much pressure on the little finger side of my palms, therefore, my thumbs had to pull my hands toward the bars. No surprise the thumb joints hurt.

Tried this earlier. Sitting on the bike I'm upright, on the move I'd be leaning forward slightly. That aside, the bars were lower than my resting position (which I think I would be fine with on the move due to aforementioned lean). However the grips are more canted backwards than my hands if that makes sense? Is that what's meant by the sweep of the bars?

Bendy toy · Jul 23, 2017

fs996 said:
Tried this earlier. Sitting on the bike I'm upright, on the move I'd be leaning forward slightly. That aside, the bars were lower than my resting position (which I think I would be fine with on the move due to aforementioned lean). However the grips are more canted backwards than my hands if that makes sense? Is that what's meant by the sweep of the bars?

That's exactly it. BMW bars "sweep" back a lot more than anybody else. They are ok if like to sit bolt upright with the grips close to your belly. But move them forwards to a normal position and the backwards sweep becomes a problem. I really do not like the bolt upright position, road bumps hammer your back and the grips are too close so you have less overall control.

Making throttle action lighter...

Bendy toy

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stanley

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Rockred

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fs996

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Bendy toy

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fs996

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sproggy

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Santa-2512

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Bendy toy

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oldnfat

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fs996

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Bendy toy

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