does your right hand get numb before your left hand?

Sir Real Ed

XS650 Enthusiast
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All you old guys here probably know this trick already........

In exchange for the good info shared with me, here is a tip so old and obvious, it is easy for us old farts to forget it. Apologies in advance if this has already been posted.

In my experience, a numb throttle hand is often caused by too much clearance between your throttle tube ID and your handle bar OD. All the handlebar weights in the world, or rubber in your handlebar might help but might not fix it, simply because the mass of the throttle tube is so small.

Removing the excess clearance between the throttle tube ID and your handle bar OD is very easy and cheap.

I have measured a couple bikes (on which I would get numb throttle hand) and found handle bar diameter = 0.870" and throttle tube ID = 0.910, or 0.04" of diametrical clearance. Moto Guzzi riding buddy complained of numb throttle hand, we did not measure it, but his bike had at least .060" of clearance!!
Get some UHMW bearing tape (McMaster.com, pn 76445A722, 0.005" thick) and in 3 equally spaced places, wrap your handle bar with a couple loops of tape. One wrap increases handle bar diameter/reduces clearance by 0.010". Wrap an extra turn more than you think you need.

Slip the throttle tube over the tape and rotate. The goal is to have virtually no clearance, but still turn freely enough so that the throttle return spring pulls the throttle closed. If it is too tight unwind a little bit, (1/2 to 1 wrap) at a time until you get little or no clearance, but no binding.

Re-assemble your throttle and test that the throttle returns by itself before riding.

Take it out for a ride. I'll bet your milage increases before your right hand starts feeling numb.
 
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