wrist pain

im an auto tech by trade so my wrists get a workout on a daily basis and they are not as strong as they used too be. now for my question, what is a good way too alleviate the pain in my wrists in slow traffic conditions, its not bad on the hwy, but riding slow after workin all day can get real taxing on my right wrist

Dude, I had the same problem, i was an auto tech by trade but doing this job should strengthen your wrist muscles,I actually had a squeezer in my car that i used to strengthen my wrists even further it worked similarly to a stress ball. Try loosening your clutch and brake lever and twisting them as far as they can go to the ground then tighten them,, Factory settings suck,,the levers are nearly parralel to the ground which is wrong,, also try shortening the throw on your clutch then you wont have to reach so far to grab it and let it out,, GOOD LUCK....!!!

I hear this complaint all the time. The problem is not your wrists. Don't take this wrong, but the problem is your riding technique. You are supporting your upper body with your arms instead of your lower back. The only time you should have weight on your wrists is when you are braking pretty hard. The rest of the time your arms should be loose. The bike will handle better and you wrists will no longer get sore. Your lower back muscles will be sore for a while but they will get used to it. Scott

thanx guys, i found that most of my trouble ended up being that i wore a different pair of gloves than i ussually do as it was pretty cold the other day. the gloves i wore were my snowmobiling gloves, much larger and thicker than my regular gloves, so they put alot more pressure on my hands. last nite i switched back to regular gloves and changed my riding position some and no pain, i also think i need some new rearsets, something that will put my feet back a little cause it seems that when i tuck in my legs are too straight up and down from my knee too my heel, it seems like i need something further back. and yes, it is my riding technique that is wrong. i have been riding cruisers for the past ten years since i sold my last sportbike so im still getting used too riding position again. thanx again for all your help :thumbup

Ace, glad to hear you are working out the details that are causing pain in your wrists, but don't discount what "Grip Twister" wrote. He is 100% right about the lever positions from the factory. I'd HIGHLY recommend you move them as he suggested. The difference will amaze you! If you can't rotate them far enough, cut off the "ball" on the end of them. That will allow you to rotate them even further. I was a machinist for 15 years & my wrists never let me forget it, but when I rotated the levers, problem solved.

I used to get some wrist pains but only after riding all day. Was later told on track days that the problem was my riding style... the arms were too straight putting strain on the wrists. If you try and ride with your forearms parallel to the ground your wrists will be straight and the factory positions of the brake and clutch levers will probably feel better. Counter steering is also a lot easier if your forearms are parallel to the ground.

Ive been riding sports bikes for years, worked out a hell of a lot for years and been using computers and never had any problems with wrist pains or RSI or anything. But, just before xmas, i was having a good punchbag session and sprained my wrist quite painfully. Now i find sometimes it will be okay during the day, then i only have to push a bit of preasure on it. i.e. bending my hand back a bit and it will really hurt. It means i cant do any bench presses or anything like that now. And ive now started finding on the r1 i get sharp pains in my wrists sometimes when riding it, which i didnt get before. Even tho, i dont put much preasure on them when riding. Its really anoying since i hurt my wrist back in december and im still experiencing problems with it. :(

Here is how I learned to get my weight off my wrists: Get going 15-20MPH, and take your left hand off the bar. You will damn sure get your weight off the other hand too, if you want to keep going straight. Use your legs and back to hold your body up, and your weight off your left hand. Now, just put the left hand back down, but keep your legs and back tight like before. That's the riding position you want.

I found just getting a good pair of riding gloves helped a ton. They allow holding the throttle without gripping tightly, thus your arms are relaxed. I had bad wrist/forearm pain when I first started riding, but I'm fine now...:eek:

turbonutter -- Get that wrist checked. You described the symptoms of a scaphoid (navicular) fracture perfectly. I broke mine two months ago riding motocross. I've learned alot about it since then. Like you, I thought it was a just a good sprain (and didn't bother to get it checked for a few days). This is an extremely common misconception for a fracture of that bone. (You'd think there would be more pain with a break.) If it doesn't heal properly, you will have much bigger problems! Get it checked. On the bright side, I can still ride my R1 with the cast.

Winders, Capa, & Smiler are absolutely correct! That's the reason they designed it (the levers) that way (parallel). You should always think "why did the engineers do it that way?"... & sure enough, there will be a logical reason. I know that these bikes are mass produced and not customized, but most items are placed logically in accordance with other components. The R1 is NOT built for everyone. You should always try a bike on for size (you do it for cars, clothes, hell-even women). Your lower back should be supporting you, NOT your hands/ wrists. Capa's exercise to break a bad habit sounds good, too. I have to agree that gloves play a big part in comfort (as well as safety), but your riding position is the #1 cause of wrist pain (unless of course you do have a medical condition, then it's #2). I was diagnosed with bilateral Carpal Tunnel syndrome and I can still ride frequently without additional pain or injury because of correct positioning. Good luck & ride safe! :rock

Shit man all this time I figured I had nasty tendenitis. I never would have guessed that moving your brake and clutch would make it more comfortable. Thanks for your help people:iamwithst I'll give it a try and get back to you..... NOS.

Capa thanks dude for your input on riding techniques. My wrists didn't hurt half as bad due to your instructions on a better stance. I could have rode all day providing my back holding up my weight all day. Your right about your back taking a little strain, but is minor compared to my wrist. Thanks again for the help, I can't wait to see the difference when I alter my brake and clutch levers..... :yesnod .......later brothers........ NOS.

I've heard others say in track schools they teach you to ride with your elbows bent, and in the Twist of the Wrist books it says the same thing...I noticed that little exercise got me to start bending my elbows too. It's not second nature yet, every once in awhile I catch myself straight armed with weight on wrists, but not very often.