Do you ever give your left hand a break?

[CHEMIKER]

First of all, if you drove at highway speeds and an animal jumped in front of your bike there wouldn't be much you could do about it really

Except keep the front wheel straight as you go over it so that you don't crash. I've never hit an animal at highway speeds but I'm assuming that you would need both hands on the handle bars to keep the wheel straight to have some hope of not crashing....

 

[mstewar1]

...as the day I decided to throw my feet over my gas tank (although I kept both hands on the bike!) to stretch my knees out. I think the person riding in front of me had a heart attack when they saw my feet wiggling at them I quickly removed them, but it was great for the muscles!

Lol. Dang you flexible youngsters! I'm so stiff any more that if I tried something like that either I'd pull a muscle like a mo-fo or I just eat it. Too funny.

I'm not saying that my hand never ever comes off of the left grip, but I just grate at the site of riders zipping through traffic with their hand on the hip like that. I agree with all y'all who are saying that they do it when it's safe and you're pretty much alone on the road, etc...

 

[wrightme43]

I do it. I also rest my legs on my frame sliders, stand up on the bike and ride for a mile or so, put one foot on the slider and lean my arm on it.

The bike will carry right on down the road.

 

[Deleted member 2349]

I do it. I also rest my legs on my frame sliders, stand up on the bike and ride for a mile or so, put one foot on the slider and lean my arm on it.

The bike will carry right on down the road.

I'm right there on this post...at 6'1" though, there is no way my legs are getting on the tank. So I do whatever I need to get the blood flowing.

 

[Soap]

I do it occasionally, just because of a slight rugby related injury when it gets cold. Seen a Hyabusa rider cruise past me at 100mph (Roughly) the other day with his left hand on his hip, I was sat there thinking I'm glad I'm not that bloody stupid.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

If you ride long distance, you'll find yourself resting you're left hand, on your hip, on the tank, etc.

It's not illegal to ride with one hand, at least here in Nevada.

Obviously, both hands on the handle bars is better than one. It's a personal comfort factor for the rider I guess.

When I merge onto the freeway, I will usually put my left hand on my leg or hip so that I can turn my head farther around so that I can see all the lanes behind me. If it's clear, I usually throttle up and bolt into the fast lane. Just be careful that you leave yourself a nice safety margin with the traffic in front of you, you wouldn't want to be slamming up against a vehicle that has stopped or slowed down when you're looking back with one hand.

 

[FZyLarry]

I do it. I also rest my legs on my frame sliders, stand up on the bike and ride for a mile or so, put one foot on the slider and lean my arm on it.

The bike will carry right on down the road.

Me too. I'm sure MSF would flunk me and maybe some people that see me think I'm a poser (too old to bother with lookin' cool) but on long rides and too many years of abusing my wrists (not from that!) they need a break once in a while. I'm not that guy on the 'busa doing a hundred, I try to use a little common sense and as someone mentioned, I'm much more alert in this more vulnerable state.

 

[mstewar1]

Just as I merge on to the freeway (traffic doing 75 -80), what should pass me on my left (in the fast lane), but a guy on a sportbike, following way too close to the truck in front of him, in jeans, he's riding in the center of his lane, with his left hand planted on his left hip. I mean, c'mon, it's evening traffic. Folks are in commute mode and probably not all that sharp, it's edging on dusk....

Darwin award waiting to happen.

 

[Humperdinkel]

Im guilty of being a poser i guess , on a long ride i constantly rest my wrist on my left hip or lean my whole forearm on the fuel tank.....On downhill runs i'll even rest my right wrist aswell , better to be fresh and nimble for the next lot of twisties i say .....After a hard session in the twisties ive even been guilty of sucking in the big breaths with both hands on the top of my helmet :spank: , now that gets people looking :thumbup:

 

[robertdroberts]

Shake it out on occassion...still paranoid about the chance encounter with a rogue darter

 

[PAULED]

Yep, I take my hand off now and then. Also when time allows I will give my right hand a break and stretch my legs.

Cheers

 

[teeter]

We could do with a little more respect for our elders and what they can teach us...

 

[geetarhero]

solution: Buy a second crampbuster and put it on the clutch side.

 

[chunkygoat]

My buddy likes to take both hands off the grips when he's slowing down to a stop. Don't ask me - I've done it a few times but it just feels unnatural to ride with no hands.

Sometimes though, on a familiar road with little or no traffic, going at a comfortable speed - I will rest my left hand on my hip. Maybe its out of habit? or instinct maybe? I'm not sure, but I know its not the safest idea so I try not to do it often.

 

[Wolfman]

Yep, on long rides, and i am out in the middle of nowhere, i put it on my hip, or let it hang down to one side, or give it a good flex...i also sometimes, let my feet hang down, to stretch my arthritic knees, or even stand up to have a bit of a stretch too...Arthritis is a b****!

:thumbup:

 

[bmccrary]

I'm with Steve on this one.

If there is little to no traffic around I will throw my legs over the frame sliders and ride like that for a few miles. It helps to stretch out my legs from time to time.

As for my left hand I do throw it across the tank or rest it on my leg. My shoulders will tense up from time to time so I have to relax them.

As for the no hands on decel, I will do that also espically on exit ramps. When I get on the highway for an extended amount of time, my right hand, mainly my ring and pinky finger will go numb. So I take the decel op to open and close my handa few times and get the blood flowing.

When I am feeling really lazy, I will throw my feet up on the sliders and my left arm across my knee. (Did that alot on the way to Flordia, you can see where the road is headed for MILES.)

I am a safe rider, but it is also good to strech when you can.

-bryan

 

[AJ_rider]

I do it all the time...feels good man.

Anybody also do the occasional no-hander?

(never in traffic or at high speeds of course)

 

[CHEMIKER]

Wow, glad to hear that I'm not the only one!

I didn't think about it when starting the thread, but I do also put my legs on the frame sliders to stretch, especially after hitting some twisties when I've been putting a lot of pressure on the pegs and tank. Need to change position and get the blood flowing in the legs. For some reason it hits me in the hips so a good leg stretch helps. I also stand up on the pegs for parts. Obviously (or not) I do this when the speed limit is reduced and the road is straight, like in a small town in the mountains that pop up out of nowhere.

 

[Mississippi]

I do it. I also rest my legs on my frame sliders, stand up on the bike and ride for a mile or so, put one foot on the slider and lean my arm on it.

The bike will carry right on down the road.

+1 for me except for the arm to leg part. I am 6'-7" and a stretch every now and then is nice. I have to unfold a bit or I will cramp up something fierce. The traps and hip are what get me the most.

 

[paul1149]

Yes, I take my left hand off the bar occasionally, as conditions (seem to) permit. Be sure to couple it with one-hand maneuvering practice, though. That way you're actually increasing your skills.

be blessed,
p.