I have had both. Handling is not compromised with apes. In actuality with apes your steering becomes much lighter and you can make minute adjustments with ease. All the pressure is taken off your chest. Drag bars are originally for drag bikes that go in a straight line. It puts you in a position where more of your body weight is on the front. Steering is heavier. That is what you want on a drag bike.

With that said most of the bikes on the road with "drags" have pullback risers of some sort, and are not true drags.

There is nothing wrong with either, you really need to try both. I can grind my primary just as easy with either bar. I settled on 16's with stock risers in a vertical position. For me they are the best for all around comfort.

 

I'd go with a set of street slammers. FXDC looks awesome with these bars, Search for Red Devil. His bike looks killer .

 

"There is no question that high-rise handlebars compromise a rider's ability to control a motorcycle, especially super-tall "ape-hanger" bars. The act of steering a motorcycle involves interaction between the rider's arms and the motorcycle's handgrips, which then have to send those commands through the handlebars and the steering head down to the front wheel. Obviously, the most direct route offers the best control and feedback; but high handlebars send those messages on an unnecessary detour, requiring the rider's inputs to be first diverted upward, almost in the opposite direction of the intended action, then make a 90-degree or greater turn downward along a thin tubular pipe. The sheer length of high bars allows them to flex when given substantial input, delaying the delivery of rider commands to the front end and causing the feedback received by the rider to be vague and often tardy."
-Paul Dean

you will never see tall bars on a bike thats made to turn
-Asa

 

Asa... sorry man, nothing personal, but that quote from Mr. Dean is like mental ************.... and it's bullshit for street riding a Harley. Track racing is a whole 'nuther ball 'o wax... and no, you won't find apes on racing bikes....

The apes are comfortable, and they do not f*ck up your handling.... unless you're an absolute newbie... and this is your first bike.... ever..... or you actually do intend to take your mostly stock Dyna and race at Laguna Seca.....

 

I did notice a delay in my inputs just from going from buck horns to my 8" Zbars. it just depends on how you like to ride, in Arkansas there is a lot of great curvy back roads. I like the looks of higher bars, but it ridiculous to say that the help the handling of your ride.

 

Well no, and I would not say they "help" the handling of the bike... but they don't hinder it any either....