feedback on bars
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 814
Likes: 6
From: B-town, Washington State
RE: feedback on bars
I don't agree with anyone so far. I am all about the look! comfort comes a far behind second. come on, it is a bike, a piece of art, an expression of who you are!I went with some black mini apes with 4 1/2" risers. shoved them way forward to give them an off, something is not quite right look.
got seriously lucky with the set up. not only was it exactly what I wanted look wise, but it ended up being extremely comfortable for me. I am 6ft. 240lbs. with some gorilla long arms.
and yes, I do ride it! (I know that one is coming.) being in Washington State I only get a good 8 months of riding in before I get washed out, but manage to put around 10,000 a year on her.
Go for the looks! [sm=smiley16.gif]
got seriously lucky with the set up. not only was it exactly what I wanted look wise, but it ended up being extremely comfortable for me. I am 6ft. 240lbs. with some gorilla long arms.
and yes, I do ride it! (I know that one is coming.) being in Washington State I only get a good 8 months of riding in before I get washed out, but manage to put around 10,000 a year on her.
Go for the looks! [sm=smiley16.gif]
Banned
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 104
Likes: 2
From:
RE: feedback on bars
06bob- I'm sorry if my personal preference to handlebars offended you. In my post I went out of my way so as not to direct my opinion at any one individual. In your opening post you asked for pros/cons. I suggest that next time you reword your questions to read something like: Who agrees with me because that is all I want to hear? I don't get into "pissing contests" so you are on your own there. I hope that whatever bars you choose for your bike give you the look that you desire.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,015
Likes: 0
From:
RE: feedback on bars
ORIGINAL: Grandpa56
06bob- I'm sorry if my personal preference to handlebars offended you. In my post I went out of my way so as not to direct my opinion at any one individual. In your opening post you asked for pros/cons. I suggest that next time you reword your questions to read something like: Who agrees with me because that is all I want to hear? I don't get into "pissing contests" so you are on your own there. I hope that whatever bars you choose for your bike give you the look that you desire.
06bob- I'm sorry if my personal preference to handlebars offended you. In my post I went out of my way so as not to direct my opinion at any one individual. In your opening post you asked for pros/cons. I suggest that next time you reword your questions to read something like: Who agrees with me because that is all I want to hear? I don't get into "pissing contests" so you are on your own there. I hope that whatever bars you choose for your bike give you the look that you desire.
ORIGINAL: Grandpa56
If you are worried about a different "look", then I must assume that you park your bike and "look" at it more than you ride it................................................ .................................................. .... .................................................. .................................................. ................................
This is the most comfortable for me, but then I ride 20k + a year so I don't spend a lot of time "looking" instead of riding.
If you are worried about a different "look", then I must assume that you park your bike and "look" at it more than you ride it................................................ .................................................. .... .................................................. .................................................. ................................
This is the most comfortable for me, but then I ride 20k + a year so I don't spend a lot of time "looking" instead of riding.
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,993
Likes: 57
From: St. Louis, MO
RE: feedback on bars
ORIGINAL: Grandpa56
06bob- I'm sorry if my personal preference to handlebars offended you. In my post I went out of my way so as not to direct my opinion at any one individual. In your opening post you asked for pros/cons. I suggest that next time you reword your questions to read something like: Who agrees with me because that is all I want to hear? I don't get into "pissing contests" so you are on your own there. I hope that whatever bars you choose for your bike give you the look that you desire.
06bob- I'm sorry if my personal preference to handlebars offended you. In my post I went out of my way so as not to direct my opinion at any one individual. In your opening post you asked for pros/cons. I suggest that next time you reword your questions to read something like: Who agrees with me because that is all I want to hear? I don't get into "pissing contests" so you are on your own there. I hope that whatever bars you choose for your bike give you the look that you desire.
Chris
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,179
Likes: 0
From: Boca Raton, Florida
RE: feedback on bars
OK!!!
Now that everyone has made thier introductions and we've had a Group Hug, Let's get back on track!!!
My Wide Glide came to me with a short ape-type bar with the grip ends facing back... almost in line with the axis of the frame (sorry, I don't know the name of the bar bend type). They were narrow and, as a beginning rider, I didn't like the narrowness of the bars, the height, OR the angle of the grips... seemed to me to be too "immediate" in responsiveness. I wanted something that required MORE steering input before the bike would respond.
Went to a much wider bar, very minor rise, grips just a little off 90 degrees to the axis of the bike. Much more comfortable to me. I have more leverage on the steering and have gotten rid of that "sport-bike" type steering.
Just my opinion and response to my particular situation. At this point, I'd like to move the bars back just a wee bit (pull-back risers?) and maybe raise the bars 1-2 inches (still keeping the flat, wide bars I have on now.
Good Thread, BTW... Thank You!!!
Jim aka kiltiemon
Now that everyone has made thier introductions and we've had a Group Hug, Let's get back on track!!!
My Wide Glide came to me with a short ape-type bar with the grip ends facing back... almost in line with the axis of the frame (sorry, I don't know the name of the bar bend type). They were narrow and, as a beginning rider, I didn't like the narrowness of the bars, the height, OR the angle of the grips... seemed to me to be too "immediate" in responsiveness. I wanted something that required MORE steering input before the bike would respond.
Went to a much wider bar, very minor rise, grips just a little off 90 degrees to the axis of the bike. Much more comfortable to me. I have more leverage on the steering and have gotten rid of that "sport-bike" type steering.
Just my opinion and response to my particular situation. At this point, I'd like to move the bars back just a wee bit (pull-back risers?) and maybe raise the bars 1-2 inches (still keeping the flat, wide bars I have on now.
Good Thread, BTW... Thank You!!!
Jim aka kiltiemon
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,553
Likes: 17
RE: feedback on bars
I've got mini-apes on my WG, and a couple weeks ago I sat on a different WG at the dealer that had HD's street slammers drag bars or whatever they're called.
The only con of the drag bar I could tell was that I think over a longer ride, the strain would be felt in the back/shoulders because there is a bit more reach forward, and down.
I'm a big fan of the mini-apes for comfort reasons with regard to my body/riding style. They're definitely not the best look in my opinion, but I'm making a compromise between look and function in my mind, and that's ok with me.
I do think the street slammers look damn good. I might do something like that on a second bike. Hell, who knows I might do it to my current bike one day. I've always liked the look of drag bars.
The only con of the drag bar I could tell was that I think over a longer ride, the strain would be felt in the back/shoulders because there is a bit more reach forward, and down.
I'm a big fan of the mini-apes for comfort reasons with regard to my body/riding style. They're definitely not the best look in my opinion, but I'm making a compromise between look and function in my mind, and that's ok with me.
I do think the street slammers look damn good. I might do something like that on a second bike. Hell, who knows I might do it to my current bike one day. I've always liked the look of drag bars.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 642
Likes: 1
From: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
RE: feedback on bars
Bars fit everyone differently, that's it, nothing more or less!
For me, I need to sit straight up because of a bad back and disks.
I like a taller bar,so Iwent to a dealer and sat on a bunch of bikes in the workshop, all with different bars. (You may want to do something like this)
I actually thought I'd like the Buckhorns because I liked the look, but for a Fat Ugly guy like me, the Buckhorns are turned in way too much for any kind of riding comfort.
Wide shoulders + Fat body = No Buckhorns
Mini apes were the most comfortable bar at a reasonable price to change over.
Yeah looks count! But so does comfort, I guess it's called compromise.
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Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,881
Likes: 34
From: USA
RE: feedback on bars
Go to a dealer and check out the feel of a lowrider set of bars. Mine feels pefect with the riser and just enough pull back. Way better than my sporty. In fact the ergonomic "feel" is paramount to everything else IMO.
Banned
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 104
Likes: 2
From:
RE: feedback on bars
ORIGINAL: Ratbasturd
Well, when your first and last sentence is totaly condecending to what he asked, what do you expect....
ORIGINAL: Grandpa56
06bob- I'm sorry if my personal preference to handlebars offended you. In my post I went out of my way so as not to direct my opinion at any one individual. In your opening post you asked for pros/cons. I suggest that next time you reword your questions to read something like: Who agrees with me because that is all I want to hear? I don't get into "pissing contests" so you are on your own there. I hope that whatever bars you choose for your bike give you the look that you desire.
06bob- I'm sorry if my personal preference to handlebars offended you. In my post I went out of my way so as not to direct my opinion at any one individual. In your opening post you asked for pros/cons. I suggest that next time you reword your questions to read something like: Who agrees with me because that is all I want to hear? I don't get into "pissing contests" so you are on your own there. I hope that whatever bars you choose for your bike give you the look that you desire.
ORIGINAL: Grandpa56
If you are worried about a different "look", then I must assume that you park your bike and "look" at it more than you ride it................................................ .................................................. .... .................................................. .................................................. ................................
This is the most comfortable for me, but then I ride 20k + a year so I don't spend a lot of time "looking" instead of riding.
If you are worried about a different "look", then I must assume that you park your bike and "look" at it more than you ride it................................................ .................................................. .... .................................................. .................................................. ................................
This is the most comfortable for me, but then I ride 20k + a year so I don't spend a lot of time "looking" instead of riding.