I've been curious about this for a while....but why do motorcyclists often ride with just their right hand on the bars?

I understand why it's the right hand (as opposed to the left) as you have to hold the throttle, but why just one hand? Why not both?

Fatique? Comfort?

 

we are just cocky that way....it comfort more than anything, just like driving your car with one hand, no different....now if you have a throttle lock or cruise control, you don't need any hands....

 

I ride with both hands. I do not have a harley cruiser. I ride Triumph Rocket 3. Performance is such that it requires full attention. Gary, Red SE

 

Two hands here!

That is unless I am reading a book, or talking on the cell phone.

 

I have a quarter turn throttle lock on my Harley. Using the throttle lock allows me to ride hands free comfortably down to around 30 Mph. I can even change lanes this way. While I don't ride hands free in traffic. I do on the highway. Though certainly not exclusively. Comfort on a bike like mine demands switching your riding style once in awhile. Of course the wind, curvy roads and road condition affect this being comfortable. But I can still ride right or left handed.
All in all I would say it's a 50/50 mix of comfort and bravado.

 

Haven't owned a bike in many years, but I always kept both hands on the bars. I would say a lot would depend on the type of bike and the traffic around you. As one of my friends would say, you have to have that one hand free to drop the little ball bearings for they guy ridding your tail as much as your rear fender does.

 

I gotta agree. Reading the new Easyrider is nearly impossible on the highway. Can't stop the pages from flapping and flying away. And the wind noise for both caller, and callee during cell phone calls are almost insurmountable.

 

Very true. And with no cup holder, who's gonna hold your beer.

 

Very true. And with no cup holder, who's gonna hold your beer.

Oops, double posted while riding. Posting requires great care.

 

What a Great idea Rush!

I am going to see if I can mount An Apple, or PC. On my Road King

E-Mail would be much easier than that darn cell phone,
Seems I only hear my end of conversations when on the highway.

 

It's tough keeping the screen up with the wind. It also blocks your view forward. But you aint lived till you have viewed internet **** from the comfort of a leather Corbin saddle, ridin' down the interstate. WHEEEE!!!!!

 

Interesting guys. Thanks for the answers. I often see motorcyclists with their left arms kind of resting on their thighs or on their hips. It's not like these folks are holding beers or posting to Crossfireforum.org (lol) or behaving in an unsafe manner. It just appears to me almost as if they are "cradling" their left arms/hands and treating them rather gingerly. Kind of like favoring a leg if you sprained an ankle. I thought maybe there was something about the "clutch hand" that was special.

 

Nope, nothing special. Monkey see, monkey do. Kinda like the biker wave. Unique to bikers, yet purposeless.

 

Yeh! A rocket three will leave you on the highway as it goes sailing on. My Vmax was a handful when I got it because it had almost no dampening. I threw the rubber triple clamp washer away and installed a steel one, got rid of the ball point pen springs in the forks, and now I ride with one hand.

 

I often ride with just the right hand when I am on my old FZR600 sport bike when I am not at speed. This is done by slightly twisting and reaching with my right hand. At slower speeds it allows me to sit up a little straighter, which is easier on my back and wrists. When you are at speed and both hands on the bars, the wind supports your upper body. When not at speed, your wrists take most of your weight and riding with just the right hand, is just a much more comfortable riding position.

 

I never really thought about it that much, but now that you mention it, I use to ride my 1975 GoldWing one-handed lots of times. On long cruises I would keep "snacks" in the faux gas tank glove compartment and that was the only way to get to em on the road.
One hand on the handle bar is the best way to show somebody that you're actually turning the handlebars in the "opposite" direction when you make a turn at speed too. (Lots of people don't believe it when you tell them, until you prove it).

 

More comfort when riding a rice rocket. You don't have to bend over the front of hte bike all of the time.

 

rush, i laughed out loud at your comments about holding the windscreen, the books and the internet on the bike. way too funny of a picture in my mind.

I will sometimes do the one hand hold, no not that one, while on the bike, and as mentioned sometimes my shoulder stiffens a bit so I relax my shoulder with a hand on the hip. But never in traffic, just when I can be sure to get both my hands back on the bar in an emergency swerve or braking. Plus, btw, i do have a cupholder on mine and do have a soda in it at times to drink while riding. Maybe I shouldput an empty whiskey bottle in it to really rattle em up out there when they see that!

 

You think one hand is bad.......

Last weekend in I-75 I had a guy on a softail blow by me with BOTH hands re-adjusting his helmet strap! If that doesn't seem like a death wish you need to come to Michigan and try to drive on our roads.

 

On two lane highways I have passed slower cars without ever touching the handlebars. You would be surprised how much you can maneuver a bike just by leaning.