Rushmore handlebars suck
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 204
Likes: 21
From: Boise, ID
The stock bars work for me... And that's a first! Ergonomics sometimes feels like black magic... You fix one thing like the bars and then the seat and everything else seems to be just not right. When I replaced the seat I found that rotating the bars forward helped. Time will tell if this works, otherwise the bars will be next.
took a 2017 demo out for a 3 hour ride and my wrists were aching. They had to be fully turned out to accommodate the pullback. Not comfortable at all. I guess they make them as shitty as possible so new buyers swap them out and they make an extra $600 on the sale of the bike. Same with exhaust and seats I guess.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,867
Likes: 268
From: People's Republic of Boulder Colorado
All I know is that the bars that came on my '15 Ultra fit like they were custom-made just for me. Ditto for the rest of the bike.
Wouldn't have bought it if it wasn't comfortable right out of the box!
Wouldn't have bought it if it wasn't comfortable right out of the box!
Tourer
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 251
Likes: 40
From: Silver City, NM
I just bought a 2016 Road Glide Ultra. This is the 5th Harley I have owned, and I can't believe what the motor company has done. The handlebars make this bike totally unuseable as a touring bike. The pull back is so large that it puts you wrists,elbows and shoulder at a completely unnatural position. I am changing to chizzeled low bars at an enormous expense just to get something I can ride.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 32,934
Likes: 36,032
From: Carlsbad, CA
Uh...how did the test ride go? I've always advocated renting the bike model you are considering to buy. That's the best way to get the proper feel of a bike.
FWIW...my '12 TriGlide, based upon an Ultra Classic fits me perfectly. But, when I have rented a '17 Road King, it kills my wrists and my hands go numb. The problem seems to be that the controls are rotated too far down. The optimal angle would be for a straight line from the forearm to the hand. Where as on the RK my hand had to be bent at about a 45 degree angle, and that really aggravates my well earned Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Seems that by simply rotating the controls, to achieve the fore mentioned straight line would significicantly help.
Also, some dealers have "fit" specialists...you might want to see if you can find one.
FWIW...my '12 TriGlide, based upon an Ultra Classic fits me perfectly. But, when I have rented a '17 Road King, it kills my wrists and my hands go numb. The problem seems to be that the controls are rotated too far down. The optimal angle would be for a straight line from the forearm to the hand. Where as on the RK my hand had to be bent at about a 45 degree angle, and that really aggravates my well earned Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Seems that by simply rotating the controls, to achieve the fore mentioned straight line would significicantly help.
Also, some dealers have "fit" specialists...you might want to see if you can find one.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 5,691
Likes: 1,651
From: Olean, NY
You can do test rides and see that the bars suck, doesn't mean the bike does too. Big difference. Plus, the "fit specialists" can't do anything for the shitty wrist angle that the stock bars on some bikes present the rider with. They can suggest new bars as a fix...but then they'd just be telling you something that most people already know.
