How to avoid death grip?

[manusingh]

I seem to have picked up a bad habit of "death gripping" my throttle. When I try to be conscious to relax, I lose my sense of riding and the road and before you know it I am strangling that thing again.


Any advice from the experienced barf crowd?

 

[Abyss]

Pinch the tank with your legs instead.

 

[jdhu]

Do you grip both clip ons that tightly? You might try starting with your clutch hand, and just trying to loosely rest your hand on the left-side clip on, get a feel for how that feels, get comfy with it, then move to throttle hand.

Just for me, I am fortunate that I don't have this issue, and it has saved me in difficult situations. I (now, can't remember in my early riding days) barely rest my hands on the clip ons, even throttle side.

 

[Ant]

Occasionally flap your arms like a boneless chicken as a reminder to relax your arms and hands. Also focus on your breathing and again, relax. The more you practice this the more it will become a natural flow and second nature.

 

[Entoptic]

I seem to have picked up a bad habit of "death gripping" my throttle. When I try to be conscious to relax, I lose my sense of riding and the road and before you know it I am strangling that thing again.


Any advice from the experienced barf crowd?

push the pegs with your feet to remind yourself to lower your CG and not control the bike with your hands but rather your body.

 

[EastBayDave]

push the pegs with your feet to remind yourself to lower your CG and not control the bike with your hands but rather your body.

^^^^ THIS ^^^^

Also, try one finger constantly on the front brake. This will teach you throttle control w/o your full hand; you will notice you have to use them separately, yet at the same time.

 

[Spec-ECU]

Occasionally flap your arms like a boneless chicken as a reminder to relax your arms and hands.

This. In fact, both my arms actually move to the undulation of the road whenever I'm out riding.

 

[ElectricPrunes]

Tank grips helped me a lot.

 

[louemc]

Get a 1200XR Or whatever that Euro born Sportster is...It was made to be easy..The Wide Glide is a tank.

Death grip is everything in your mind and body saying...
if this gets any farther out of hand, even a death grip, might not be enough.

 

[Karbon]

Occasionally flap your arms like a boneless chicken as a reminder to relax your arms and hands. Also focus on your breathing and again, relax. The more you practice this the more it will become a natural flow and second nature.

This.

also, you may want to think about the ergonomics of the control and go about adjusting them so as to reduce strain or tension.

 

[TheNibbler]

also, you may want to think about the ergonomics of the control and go about adjusting them so as to reduce strain or tension.

^+1

 

[8Lives]

Very much a mental thing and (bad) learned behavior. Taking a page from climbing, where you want to use the absolute least amount of grip needed to stay on the hold: Try consciously releasing pressure till you are using the very least amount you can without the throttle moving. Then every time you tighten back up and realize it, relax the grip again. It takes awhile to recalibrate but eventually light will feel right!

 

[Gds7]

Occasionally flap your arms like a boneless chicken as a reminder to relax your arms and hands. Also focus on your breathing and again, relax. The more you practice this the more it will become a natural flow and second nature.

+1

 

[Jasepaste]

Are you on a new bike or have had an "oh shit!" moment lately?

 

[manusingh]

Thanks for all the great suggestions

This.
also, you may want to think about the ergonomics of the control and go about adjusting them so as to reduce strain or tension.

How do I do that? Any pointers?


@Jasepaste: Not new on the bike (just a bad habit I developed over the years) but I ride seldom. Fortunately, no "oh shit" moments recently either.

 

[ScottRNelson]

On cruisers, especially the ones that have me sort of leaning back, I tend to use my arms to help hold my body up. Gripping the tank with your knees doesn't help a lot when you have forward controls.

I think it was Keith Code who recommended flapping your arms. That's at least a way to remind yourself to keep them loose.

 

[Lazerus]

Very much a mental thing and (bad) learned behavior. Taking a page from climbing, where you want to use the absolute least amount of grip needed to stay on the hold: Try consciously releasing pressure till you are using the very least amount you can without the throttle moving. Then every time you tighten back up and realize it, relax the grip again. It takes awhile to recalibrate but eventually light will feel right!

Yep! Also, climbing helps reset your reflexes to "falling off" through... Repeatedly falling off That by itself has relaxed my grip on the bars.

Additionally... Repeatedly riding fire long distances will help.. Your hand will become so exhausted that a relaxed grip becomes the only option, and the lasting soreness serves as "training" via negative reinforcement.

 

[iehawk]

Yup! It's mainly have to be a conscious effort in the beginning, you think about it and loosen up the grip. Flapping your arms (the chicken wing exercise) works as a reminder that they should be loose enough they they can flap.

The way I see it, it's a matter of confidence. Something you may have to build up further, trusting the bike that it would not just slip out from under you.

The climbing thing is a great explanation. You do want to find out for yourself what's the least amount of effort you need to hold the bar and remember it. Then you'll realize that you don't need to put more effort than that.

I remember the feel of riding a cruiser at the bar is different, the bar tends to feel a bit more floaty than on standards/streets or sportbikes due to the rake and trail. But keep thinking about it, you'll figure it out. And eventually, it'll become muscle memory.

 

[flying_hun]

Occasionally flap your arms like a boneless chicken as a reminder to relax your arms and hands. Also focus on your breathing and again, relax. The more you practice this the more it will become a natural flow and second nature.

Another vote for the Ant solution. Additionally, wiggle your fingers periodically.

In no time at all you'll look like that Australian hurdler warming up. Well, maybe not that good, but kinda.

 

[Outta Control]

Pinch the tank with your legs instead.

This!

What you are essentially doing is off loading the tension from your upper body to your lower body. This will also allow you to do execute and perform emergency braking with better control and clearer thought process.

Ant's recommendation is also good but I found that it temporary and can partially distract your arm movements in the event of any evasive actions.