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General Topics/Tech TipsDiscussion on break in periods, rider comfort, seats and pad suggestions. Tech tips as they become available will be posted here.
I had the same issue hen I was looking to put a se of apes on my crossbones last winter. After looking at a bunch of other bikes I decided the best way was for my to just mock up my bars.
I used 1" PVC pipe which is cheap and easy to work with and has an OD of close to 1.5". The bars I wanted have close to 90 degree corner at the bottom and a sweeping curve at the top. A couple of pre made 90s from Lowes made the top easy to make.
The mocked up bars allowed me to determine the height, width and pullback that was comfortable to me. I started looking at a lot of different bars but between the dimensions I wanted and the fact the bike is a springer I was unable to find a set close to what I wanted.
In the end I had a set custom made by a shop in Phoenix to my exact measurements.
Here are some pics of the mocked up bars and the bars that I had custom made. The bars measure close to about 16" and I am about 6' tall
I lamented over apes all last summer. Buying a set of bars is always the hardest decision I've had to make on pretty much every bike I've owned and it's something I know I would rather only change once since they can be expensive and a pain in the @ss. I finally settled on Factory47 14" Assault bars for my SGS because I liked the quality and the way they look. I won't know if I made the right choice until after they'e on the bike since I couldn't find anyone close to me who has them. Good luck with your search!
I really Crossbone's idea....
Last edited by RET_SCPO; Feb 26, 2018 at 10:09 AM.
Bars are far too personal to ask us to help you decide! Some dealers have a 'fit centre' where you may be able to see factory options and size them up, possibly customers with their own bars. Is there a local bike club or HOG group? Trying to get quick results is not wise! And if you're 5' 2" then 18" bars may not be a good idea.....
I'm 6'3 and have 18" Carlini Flying Apes on my RK. I like them, however I would prefer some a bit shorter only because I have a low profile CORBIN seat I like.
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