Gen 3 Throttle Hand discomfort / what helps on longer rides

Random Kraut

Random Kraut

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I did my license three years ago and spend most of my saddle time in shorter bursts on nearby twisty roads, in the last week i did some attempts at daytrips and got some issues with my right hand and my butt. On a 5 hr trip on mainly straight roads i ended up using the cruise control a lot while resting my arm on the tank with my hand on the brakes. Yesterday i rode 4 hrs on roads i couldnt really take advantage of the cruise control on and got home with pain in the right wrist and shoulder. Left arm is fine, so does my throttle hand position suck? i keep a finger on the break lever all the time and i used to get numb hands back in riding school but it solved itself after i started riding on my own and got a less tense grip on the handlebar on my first bike, a gsxs 1ks, on the busa it is fine aswell. Is the issue something one get used to with more experience in longer rides on busas? i want to keep the clip ons.

Regarding the butt, is the fancier seat from suzuki for the gen 3 worth it?
 
Very common affliction and unless you have CTS, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome the pain and numbness you feel is due to your not riding very often for any real length of time. Even after all the years and miles I’ve put on bikes, if I don’t ride frequently my hands feel much the same as yours. When I go on multi day tours I’ll ride a couple hundred miles a couple days in a row, a couple days before I leave. This solves it. Adjustments to the bars, your angle grasping the grips, the tension you place on the grips, all can have an effect on your wrist and hand comfort. Nearly all manufacturers deliver their bikes with lousy seats. Makes me think they must receive kickbacks from aftermarket seat makers. I have Corbins on two of my bikes but surprisingly, I’ve never had a complaint with the seat on my Hayabusa. Ride em and ride em more often.
 
Everything Wuzza said is my same opinion. As far as the Suzuki upgraded seat, I have the that seat and it’s a huge improvement on looks and style but maybe only a tad bit more comfortable if any. It can’t be too different because it’s the same seat pan and foam with a more stylish cover. I do have bursitis in both hips so that doesn’t help. Others say it’s a lot more comfortable. If I go to the gym everyday and ride a seated bicycle for 30 minutes then I have no problem riding my Hayabusa long distance I don’t hurt at all.
 
This is the joy of riding a sport oriented bike.....there are a lot (a lot) of threads on here for all generations and how to get them more comfortable for trips. Although the Hayabusa is a capable platform for all manners of riding, it comes down to the rider and what mods they do to it in order to get the bike to a balance between comfort and capability.

I myself have arthritis in my hands which makes riding a challenge, everything else is fine, I have no other pain but in my hands. I can alleviate this slightly by riding loose gripped but that only works for so long.

Sometimes in rare occasions, some bikes are just not for the rider due to the riding position.....I know that a foot forward riding position isn't for me, I don't feel comfortable or in control in this seating position.

That all being said, drop pegs, helibars and a better seat might be in your best interest....

You may be gripping the throttle hand a little too tightly and honestly I never ride with my fingers on the brake lever unless I'm in a position which I have to.....(heavy traffic, tight twisties, etc).
 
ProGrip 761 grips, medium gel, and they taper down in diameter from the center.
I wear xl gloves, and dislike the lean to the bars on the Busa.
There is no magic cure, and one of the above mentioned mods (like seats, pegs, handlebars may help you, I've tried lots), but, a $15 pair of grips that fit your hands better, can make a big difference.
Their curved shape vs being the same diameter from end to end, feels better in my hands, and they are not squishy, but have a little give to them, vs stock grips which are pretty firm.
If not the 761's, try another type of grip, they are cheap, easy enough to install, and can really make a noticeable difference.
The 761's are a larger diameter than stock on most of the grip, and there are thicker grips available, or grip covers.
I have put these on multiple machines for many years, and put a pair on my new to me Goldwing last week.
I put short levers and Busa bar-ends on it last night, and you can see the shape of the grip.

20240523_233617.jpg
 
Thank you all for your advice and your opinions. I did a bit of research in terms of setting up the hand levers and noticed that my break lever is quite at a high angle and there is a even a kink in my wrist when i stand at stoplights or something like this. I want to give daytrips another shot with adjusted levers and more of a icecone/screwdriver like grip to see if that works for me. After that i will look into what the german aftermarket offers in terms of gel grips and will see from there. Since december last year i do the same gym routine as @60+ Busa Rider and it helped me a lot with the busas leg ergonomic, maybe i should throw in a bit more lifting for my arms or a bigger ass...
 
Random Kraut said:
Thank you all for your advice and your opinions. I did a bit of research in terms of setting up the hand levers and noticed that my break lever is quite at a high angle and there is a even a kink in my wrist when i stand at stoplights or something like this. I want to give daytrips another shot with adjusted levers and more of a icecone/screwdriver like grip to see if that works for me. After that i will look into what the german aftermarket offers in terms of gel grips and will see from there. Since december last year i do the same gym routine as @60+ Busa Rider and it helped me a lot with the busas leg ergonomic, maybe i should throw in a bit more lifting for my arms or a bigger ass...
Click to expand...

Yes, rotating the levers down to the front, to where your fingers just 'fall' on to them, and without moving your hand or wrist, makes a big difference in comfort.
It's also safer, as it takes less time to grab the lever.
Moving the lever perches/mounts inward can also help.
This is all part of basic motorcycle setup, and can make a huge difference in your ride comfort and confidence.
 
For slab work, I use the throttle lock and rotate hands on the tiller. This works for me. Off the highway I’m generally ok. Sometimes I just have coast down to the stoplight while massaging the feeling back into my throttle hand. I put Grab On foam grips over the heated grips.
 
LC4CARL said:
For slab work, I use the throttle lock and rotate hands on the tiller. This works for me. Off the highway I’m generally ok. Sometimes I just have coast down to the stoplight while massaging the feeling back into my throttle hand. I put Grab On foam grips over the heated grips.
Click to expand...


Grab Ons or any soft cushiony grips didn’t work for me. Being squishy made me grab them tighter than necessary which made my hands more fatigued. BTW, I had CTS surgery on both wrists years ago and have never had the tingling or numbness feel since.
 
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