Hand/Palm Pain on Throttle Hand After a Short Ride

[MECHANICALMASON]

Hello all. This is my first post. I have been posting on another site but they do not have much on the Katana so I had to look elsewhere. I have been scanning through the posts and there is alot of very helpful information on here. Good job guys.
Anyways, here is my problem. I just bought a 2001 Katana 600 a couple of weeks ago. When I bought it I drove it 90+ miles home that day. The pain in my right hand was very intense. I had to stop 3 times to rest on the way home. I have checked over the bike and do not see anything wrong in particular. It does seem like the grips are original. It also seems like the grips are a smaller diameter(slightly) then normal. I have ridden the bike about 300 miles to see if it would get any better and it has not. Any suggestions. I really like the bike and would rather solve the problem than have to sell it and buy something different. By the way, yes I have been riding for 20+ years. All of the bikes I have owned were Kawasaki's though. The last 3 were ninja's. So I know that you are never really comfortable but this is unbearable. Please Help.

[meanstrk]

Are your gloves slipping on the grips? If so, you are being forced to hold them tighter.

Grips too small for your hands? Try a different diameter grip to see if that helps.

You could simply be trying to strongarm the bike also, which will wear your hands out. I am not there, so I really don't know what you are doing or how you are doing it, but MANY try to wrestle the bike into submission, when all they really need to do is ride it.

Could simply be a change of ergonimics not agreeing with you too.

[MECHANICALMASON]

I am considering replacing the grips but there are so many out there. Any suggestions?

[md86]

Like Ron says , it may not be the bike , it MAY be YOU . Relax a bit and let up on the deathgrip . That is what causes MOST people problems . If THAT don't cut it , then yeah , try some different grips . Progrips has these gel ones which are a bit fatter than the stock ones . I actually didn't like them because of the fatness . I never could get used to them , and they made my hands cramp up after too long .

[KatanaSoldier]

Grip puppies to the rescue!
I had the same problem and just kind of ignored it until I found these! Try them out and you will see the difference. They will take you about 5 minutes to put on and you won't have to modify anything on the Kat; plus, they are cheap. These are great for big paws.

http://www.casporttouring.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=GPLARGE&Category_Code=grips

[hardlydangerous]

GEL grips and GEL gloves

I wear gel padded gloves when riding
"First racing carbon gloves" to be exact.
I rode a single crank pin cruiser (Honda VT600 VLX) before the Katana and that thing would shake and vibrate something crazy and I had gel grips and gel padded gloves to help keep my hands from cramping up and getting sore.
A couple times in the summer I just wore cheap mechanics gloves with no padding and my hands got sore quickly, put the gel padded gloves back on and no more issues.

[md86]

I wear gel padded gloves when riding
"First racing carbon gloves" to be exact.

You mean Firstgear carbon race by chance ? I have those gloves , and used them for 4 years until the finger started wearing HOLES in them . I LOVED those gloves ! Tried to find another pair , and couldn't .

[hardlydangerous]

No these are a cheaper knock off but same design.
Made by a company called First Racing made in pakistan

They are almost identical to my Alpinestar SMX gloves

[MECHANICALMASON]

Thanks for all the helpful posts. I'll find some new grips this weekend.

[steves]

Thanks for all the helpful posts. I'll find some new grips this weekend.

But the point was, that it may not be the grips... it may be your riding style.

Generally speaking, if your upper body/arms/wrists are getting overly tired, there is something wrong with your posture.

It sometimes happens to me in the spring time.... grip the bike with your knees, and relax your upper body.

If the issue is virbration causing your hands to tingle, you might want to check the bike to make sure the driveline is straight.

[Madman]

Have the bar ends been replaced? If so, they may be lighter in weight and be causing the bars to vibrate.

[KatanaSoldier]

Have the bar ends been replaced? If so, they may be lighter in weight and be causing the bars to vibrate.

Great point.

[Cheriff]

Haven't done it yet, but you can load the bars with weight (lead shot ect.) By increasing the relative weight of the bars signficantly (overall of bike maybe a few pounds) vibration should reduce a lot.

Then again, if you are an experienced rider and are having this problem, then I suspect that there is a problem with the bike and these are all solutions to fix the symptoms and not the problem.

Finally, if you suspect posture could be the problem - go for some situps. Increasing ab strength will take the stress off of one's back and also the arms/wrists. And fortunately the abs are a muscle group that can be worked everyday without fear of muscle breakdown.

Doing mine right now Enter -> :smtdoingsitups

[MECHANICALMASON]

Just installed new pro grip grips. Also got a Throttle rocker II and installed it. I will ride it tomorrow to see how it feels.

[toastershakins]

in the march '08 issue of sport rider magazine, they talk about a book called "blood, sweat and 2nd gear" by flash gordon m.d.

he writes about numb hands, fatigue, hypothermia and "monkey butt". maybe you should check it out...

http://www.whitehorsepress.com/product_info.php?products_id=5708