I will try to not make this long winded. Last year I installed 18 inch carlini gangster apes on my 99 flstf. The bars are about 4-5 inches over my shoulder but very comfortable for all day riding until now. I had part of my scaphpoid bone in my wrist removed due to being broken and just making my wrist a mess with athrithtis.surgery was November so haven't been riding very much until the past couple weeks and my whole hand is completely numb after about 15 miles.
. My buddy has a 05 heritage with stock bars. I rode it into work yesterday and still numb I am already thinking going shoulder height bars. 14s would be shoulder height for me anyone else find anything else that helped them with a similar problem? Thanks in advance

 

This may help your situation, because I too have arthritis in my wrist, hands and shoulders.
1. "Cramp buster" throttle assist or something similar will allow you to just rest your wrist on the throttle for long rides .

2. Correct handlebars should have your elbow in a 90 degree bend. Shoulder height may be too tall, although they are "cool" and we've all been there.

3. Good old meds! Haha

Hopefully you will find something that helps.

 

Thanks I hope so too I rode alot last year and not looking that way so far. My job also gets the best of it pulling on wrenches etc. They wanted to fuse my wrist but 26 is a little young for that in my opinion especially with my job and hobbies.

 

 

Everybody said the same about my 18's but I could ride all day every day and be great well could.

 

Shoulder height will be more comfortable.

Besides the height, look at different handlebar shapes which will have different wrist angle.

You should also experiment with rolling the handlebars slightly forward and slightly back.

Another thing is a different seat could change your posture and therefore alter the wrist angle.

My 95 Heritage has handlebars from a 2007 Heritage which are a little taller than Stock and fit me well as long as I have them adjusted correctly. If they are too close to me, my back muscle burn like fire.

 

A 90% bend in the elbow seems to be awfully severe.

 

look towards bars that have the same wrist angle** as the Buckhorns...Ive used many styles of bars over the years and that angle( seems to work really well with over all wrist and hand comfort.)

I also find that if my arms are extended some ( certainly much less than 90 degrees ) a nice slight bend short of extended fully does a couple things.

it decreases the pressure on the dreaded basic *Harley slouch* lower back issues and helps to keep your body posture basically correct for riding.
it also keep you in position in the seat better...

for me just below shoulder height..."12 inches" with risers I'm like 5'10".

 

Thanks everybody I am shopping for bars now