thereisnospoon

Thank you all for the suggestions! here's my slow progress... 1. new, soft, Superbike grips - and i hadn't realized how worn and thin my old ones were :/ 2. covered them with grip puppies - the increase in grip size is great and they're really soft - i found the easiest way to install these is to: cut to length, roll them up like a... well it ends up looking like a doughnut, work the doughnut over the end of the grip, unroll towards the center just like a.. doughnut. Of course I did 1 and 2 at the same time, so I just have the sum, but it's far better. 3. steering head bearings - i replaced the original ball bearings with roller bearings about 25k ago and have checked them a few times since (once for a fork rebuild). the originals had a slight detent right in the center which is now gone and smooth. 4. bar ends - I imagine the rubber in these wears over time so they may be worth replacing. when i put pinky and ring fingers over the bar end weights though, they're-a-buzzin compared to the grip. I'll look into heavier ones though. I need to go through the manual and see how to remove them 5a. i loosened my gloves. i prefer gloves with long gauntlets but may have had them too snug. they're a little looser now but certainly won't fall off. 5b. i didn't change anything with my jackets, but i do pay attention to them more now and wriggle around if i notice any tension or tightness in my shoulders. also re-adjusted my backpacks a little 6. avatar description fixed :/ how many years... So .. to do... 1. balance throttle bodies - it's been a while and they always need a little adjustment. I noticed there is a particular vibration at 4000 rpms, +- a few, i'm avoiding this range now and it helps. 2. re-balance front wheel - i need to replace pads anyway, so while i have the front wheel off, i'll balance it and replace the wheel bearings. this set of tires only has a couple thousand miles but worth a re-balance. 2a. same as above, i'll re-balance it. 3. I need to replace my gloves, the left has a nice hole in the palm. they're sedici so the exchange is free (frequent too) and i'll see if they have others with thicker palms 4. ugh. x-rings are burned out of my master link. chain/sprockets are only about 5k old but the master has to go. i do keep it lubed and adjusted It's possible that one aggravation is that I always ride with my pointer and middle fingers over the brake and clutch. so they are always absorbing a little vibration through the levers. I might see if I can find a little sleeve of foam to cover them.

omg how did i not think of googling for shit? "what is your take" - that's the sort of question you ask when you're looking for personal experiences. but thanks for your grade A+ commitment to providing useful input and getting another post count. to clarify for you, i climb and ride. neither am i willing to give up without a fight. this is why i come to a forum like this to find out if others (see above replies to learn) have had any sort of similar experiences or knowledge that i can learn from. i don't mind throwing money at this but i'm going to try to learn from others along the way. 1. laterally sliced squishy grips 2. look at dirt bike grips 3. heavier bar ends 4. and a link to the first thing everyone found.

i didn't know that was an option! thank you. i'll look into it. yes, just a change may help.

hi Max. there isn't an underlying condition, but i started indoor climbing some months back and this has aggravated what already happened on long rides. I remember seeing the grips you describe, but can't find them now. i think i'm going to try a pair of "grip puppies" and see if they work at least as well as my foam. do you still use softer than standard grips? if so, which ones?

Hi all, I'm having trouble with my hands starting to go numb after fairly short rides. If this has been discussed, please point me in the right direction ... What's your take on the "best" grips for reducing vibration? the rubber and weights inside my handlebars are ok, i definitely feel them vibrate more than the bar does so they're working. they just aren't working good enough for me. I know there are gel and foam grips available but I'm hoping someone has found one that works well to better quell vibration. My current fix ... is thin foam sheet wrapped around my regular grips. it works, but isn't very sticky so the throttle doesn't stick to my glove particularly well. I have decent riding posture, forearms somewhat flat so that i can't put weight on my hands, and i make sure that i'm holding all my weight with my rather than hands.

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snoman, how did this end up working for you? I have a spot about the size of a dime, almost in the line of sight, that is scratched pretty bad and considering trying the heat gun technique...

I've had my tankbag mounted backwards all this time :( Great write-up, as usual!

Math Check... so the increase from 17/43 to 17/45 is 4.453%, and that translates roughly to 6267 instead of 6000 RPM in top gear? That isn't much change. One of the reasons that the mileage isn't hurt much or at all is because the engine is running slightly "easier" even though it's spinning a little faster. Sounds like a decent change. For the increase of two teeth in the rear, does the new chain need to be +2 links from the stock chain length (don't remember that count off hand)?

I had it all memorized then got a speed-o-healer... now i must relearn, and it is much more difficult now that i'm oooooooooolder :p