Is it time to pack it in?

[Clickjack]

I love my bike, but I'm frustrated.    My bikes been out of commission for about a year, just got it back and all I wanted to do was ride again.  I spent about 500 bucks adding risers and making the clutch easier to pull...  Let's say I had 4 problems all in my hands, all due to ergonomics.  I got rid of 3 of them, but the worst one is still there.  My throttle hand goes to sleep if I'm touching the throttle.  My gloves are loose, I'm holding it as lightly as possible, sometimes with just my palm, or thumb and index finger.  I'm holding myself up with my core.  I road 160 miles yesterday and my hand is asleep to one degree or another the whole way.  It's the same if I just ride to the corner and back.

What do I do?   I love riding, but I don't want another bike, this is the bike I love.  but it's about put me off the whole thing.  And I could really use the cash/don't have the cash to be throwing at this problem and not getting results.

What am I missing?

[scduc]

Your problem is very common. I also get numbness in my right index and thumb. There can be several reasons for this, mostley due to wrist angle. Lower you elbow, touch your index and thumb, lean back slighly, continue to change hand position. There are also exercises to help combat this problem.

[The Don]

I use to have the same problem, I changed to Tommaselli clipons http://www.guzzino.com/toadcl.html they are adjustable, up and down, back and fore. I don't know if this will work for you, its worth a try.
Don

[Clickjack]

I started getting numbness alot for a while.  But I stretched wrists out, relaxed my grip at work/and while playing guitar (the two things I saw it the most on outside of the cycle), and it got way better but it's still affecting my riding. 

A retired chiropractor told me a good chiropractor could adjust the bones in my elbow and wrist and possibly help the problem.  She recommended one but I haven't been yet.

[fastwin]

I have a similar problem but it's the three fingers of my right hand. Middle, ring finger and "pinky". They don't go as fast as yours but on a long ride it will hit about half way through. I change my hand placement often, try to keep it relaxed and I always have used my index and thumb to hold the grip. Kind of like you are making the OK sign with your hand. I rest my other fingers on the brake lever. I know my problem stems from nerve damage due to a broken neck and the surgeries. Never had it before that. Even went from medium to large gaunlet gloves. Didn't help. I just live with it and consider I am lucky to still be able to ride and not be dead or paralyzed. I know none of this helps you but I know it's a pain in the ass.

Have you tried one of those "cramp buster" things that slips over the throttle grip. I know folks who use those and swear by them. They're only $10. Might be worth a try. [moto] Good luck with it. You'll miss riding if you quit and will probably turn real fussy!

[Clickjack]

I'm thinking I'll try the cramp buster and maybe the grip puppies(?).

I've been doing the Ok sign, and it helps a little.  been changing my grip alot, doesn't seem to help much at all.   It just sucks all the fun out of riding.  And takes my attention away from everything but my hand. 

What really worries me, is my PT doctor (had PT for a knee injury a year ago) told me to stop riding that the grip and vibration could make it worse.

I don't want to quit and I don't want to go back to cruisers.  I just want to enjoy what I'm doing.  Sorry if I'm whining. 

[bdub]

I hold the throttle with my thumb,pinkie and ring finger. Other two fingers covering the brakes. I used to use thumb and forfinger but I went numb also + the middle finger and the one to the left does a better job of braking.

[Goat_Herder]

I don't know if you believe in this kind of thing...  But have you considered acupuncture?  Maybe the eastern philosophy/medicine has the asnwer that western technology/science isn't able to answer?  

It seems that you've tried every possible remedies known to men.  Just thinking outside of the box here.

[MotoCreations]

For a bunch of my customers over the years, we find a set of large OD (Harley aftermarket) handgrips.  Then cut the throttle mechanism off the HD grip, take aluminum tubing to create an insert for the diameter difference between Ducati OD and HD OD and bond together.  Probably @30 minutes to do as it is easy.  Let dry before riding!

The larger OD grips allow your hands/wrist to relax more.  Try this: tighten your fist and then bend your wrist.  Repeat: Loosen your fingers as if holding a larger OD grip and then bend your wrist. 

[stopintime]

I love my Grip Puppies  they really help.

My wrist problems went away when I installed clip ons - mostly because of the sweep, which is enabling a natural angle of my wrists. If you want to keep your risers, there's the Suburban Machinery bars - at 24 degree sweep they are often all that's needed. (stock 18, SM 24, clip ons 30+)

This and/or the above advice is all you need. It's NOT time to pack it in!

[stopintime]

A couple more advices in this thread.....

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=37208.0;topicseen

[Mr Earl]

I'm 53 years old.  Three years ago my left hand middle two fingers went numb as a function of riding the Monster (I think.)  Despite my opinion of chiropractors as modern-day witch doctors, on my wife's insistence and out of desperation, I went to one.  It took 10-12 consecutive sessions, but I have NEVER experienced this problem since.

Now, because there is no control, and the sample size is about as small as it can be, this result cannot withstand statistical scrutiny.  But...

For about $40 a session, maybe give it a try.  FYI, they also do great stuff with lower back pain, SI joint pain, sciatica...  Yeah, I'm a convert.

[pitbull]

I started getting numbness alot for a while.  But I stretched wrists out, relaxed my grip at work/and while playing guitar (the two things I saw it the most on outside of the cycle), and it got way better but it's still affecting my riding. 

A retired chiropractor told me a good chiropractor could adjust the bones in my elbow and wrist and possibly help the problem.  She recommended one but I haven't been yet.

find a good chiropractor or PT who has does active release. It's not the adjustment of bones you need, but soft tissue. A good ART practitioner can clear up adhesions, trigger points and neuro-muscluar issues that are likely causing the problem. Often one treatment will restore proper movement and a significant improvement.

You could try more traditional PT treatments, but you will likely have to get weeks of treatment and will be lucky to see much improvement.

[psycledelic]

I started having serious issues with numbness in both hands as soon as I started riding my 999.  It carried over to my Monster (a problem that I haven't had trouble with before).  I started trying to support some more weight with my torsuo, which allowed me to drop my elbows, and payed more attention to the angles I had my wrist in and it corrected the problem.  I guess the new position, and my lazy posture, was causing the issue.

[greenohawk69]

For a bunch of my customers over the years, we find a set of large OD (Harley aftermarket) handgrips.  Then cut the throttle mechanism off the HD grip, take aluminum tubing to create an insert for the diameter difference between Ducati OD and HD OD and bond together.  Probably @30 minutes to do as it is easy.  Let dry before riding!

The larger OD grips allow your hands/wrist to relax more.  Try this: tighten your fist and then bend your wrist.  Repeat: Loosen your fingers as if holding a larger OD grip and then bend your wrist. 

+2 on this...