Riding position - thumb discomfort

[Swipe]

I have had my Bros about two weeks now with stock bars and I am finding that I get a slight discomfort in my hands around the thumbs if riding for more than around 30min or so. I'm not sure if this is to do with the riding position and the amount of weight placed on the wrists / hands or if I am gripping the bars too tight while riding.

I am hoping that my hands will harden up to this over time. Did anyone else suffer with this when they first got their Hawk?

The only other discomfort is my testicles against the tank when I go over a bump but I can live with that.

[nab]

I have found in the past on my sportbikes, that you must make an effort to hold your weight off your hands. This will get tiring after a while, but you will get stronger. Riding a motorcyle takes its on group of muscles, even thought you are just sitting. The hawk has a fairly aggresive riding postion, if your used to riding a cruiser. Hope this helps

[balou34]

Same thing happened to me last year, after 9 years or so off a motorcycle. I tought it was like Nab sayed, a matter of getting use to the position and trying to relax a bit more when riding. At the end of summer it seemed a bit better.

Good luck.

[jaysun0ne]

after a long winter my wrists need about a week of riding before they get used to holding me up again.

[ARCIE31]

I tend to suffer wrist and elbow ache (from riding...honest) at the start of the season.
I've Just got back from a ride out to Squires Cafe about 2hrs there and 2hrs back and I'm they're a bit stiff but in a couple of weeks I'll be OK.
ARCIE31

[MrDude_1]

what gloves are you wearing?

[joel]

You might want to try adjusting the angle your levers are positioned and also the sweep angle of the bars.

[Swipe]

what gloves are you wearing?

My 20 year old gauntlets. This can't be helping the problem. I'm buying some new ones this week.

[MrDude_1]

what gloves are you wearing?

My 20 year old gauntlets. This can't be helping the problem. I'm buying some new ones this week.

if you're commuting or riding it reguarlly around town, try looking at some motorcross gloves... easier on and off... smaller, and i find them MUCH more comfortable then heavier leather racing gloves.... only downside is the possiblilty of a gap near your wrist if you ever go down...

[cafebaltimore]

I get thumb pain that feels like a bone bruise after riding for a while. The pain is on the inside of the first thumb joint (the one closer to my findernail, not my palm). It is a very annoying type of pain and I only feel it when I go to pull the clutch lever.

[joel]

what gloves are you wearing?

My 20 year old gauntlets. This can't be helping the problem. I'm buying some new ones this week.

if you're commuting or riding it reguarlly around town, try looking at some motorcross gloves... easier on and off... smaller, and i find them MUCH more comfortable then heavier leather racing gloves.... only downside is the possiblilty of a gap near your wrist if you ever go down...

I would add that very much compromised abrasion and impact protection as well as much worse retention are significant downsides to wearing motocross gloves as street gloves as well.Part of the reason for wearing gauntlets over the sleeve to to help stop the cuff from riding up in a crash and the wrist strap is to help keep the glove on.Don't skimp on hand protection.

[Swipe]

I bought some Richa gloves this week. These are summer gloves with kevlar protection and this has improved the situation considerably. The leather seems to stick to my grips much better than my tatty old gauntlets and, as a result, find myself not having to grip the bars so tightly.

I've also made a concious effort to try to take the weight off my wrists by supporting my body more with my torso muscles. One more thing I may do, as suggested here, is to adjust the height of my clutch and front brake levers as the guy I bought it from was a bit of a short arse

We're in the middle of a mini heat wave here in the UK today. It was bloody hot in leathers stuck at slow changing traffic lights though.