I still remember the day that I bought my first car. I thought it was the most perfect vehicle in the world, and I vowed to care for it diligently. Unfortunately, within a few days I had forgotten about my promise, and I started tossing fast food wrappers in the back like everyone else. After awhile I realized that neglecting my car was turning the inside into a garbage pit, and I decided to learn how to take better care of my vehicle. I took a class on auto detailing, and it really helped me to turn things around. I want to teach you what I learned, so you should read this blog.
One common problem for motorcycle riders is numbness in the hands while riding. If you're new to riding, you may not have experienced this yet, but that doesn't mean you're immune to it. As a rider, new or experienced, it's important to understand how your bike and your riding habits both contribute to this issue. Here are some tips to help you reduce the chances of numbness in your hands when you're riding.
Don't Hold On So Tight – Gripping the handlebars too tight can strain the tendons in your wrists and the muscles in your forearms. This can lead to progressive tingling and numbness working its way to your hands. Make sure you can comfortably wiggle your fingers without disrupting your grip – this means you're holding the handlebars safely but not gripping too tightly. You should also take advantage of stop signs, stop lights and traffic congestion for opportunities to shake out your hands. By letting go of the handlebars to shake your hands out periodically, you help encourage blood flow and loosen tense muscles.
Keep Your Weight Balanced – If you're riding in a position that puts all of your weight on your hands, you're going to strain your shoulders, wrists and hands. You can balance your weight distribution by gripping the tank with your legs, because that shifts some of the weight support to your core muscles. This gives your legs more control over your weight placement, easing the pressure on your hands.
Soften the Vibration – When you loosen your grip on the handle bars and ease the weight on your hands, it helps to reduce the vibration transfer that you feel in your hands. This can soften the nerve input that often leads to numbness in your fingers and hands. If you want to soften that vibration even more, put foam grips over the handlebars. The foam will help to limit the vibration, and when you pair that with a softened grip, you may find that your ride is more comfortable.
Adjust Your Handlebars – You can make the proper grip and riding position easier to maintain by adjusting the position of your handlebars. You should be able to grip the handlebars comfortably without having to bend your wrists at all. It's important that your wrists are straight, because that will help you avoid the compression that can cause numbness from the median nerves and carpal tunnel.
Riding shouldn't cause you pain and discomfort. With the tips here, you can avoid the risk of numbness in your fingers and hands, which can interfere with your ability to handle the bike safely. For more tips or to adjust your bike properly, talk with a local motorcycle service shop like Supreme Motorsports 1.
Share14 July 2015
