Beach Bars vs Ape hangars
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 875
Likes: 2
From: Where I lay my head is home.
I had big ol' beach bars on my old Roadstar. Forget the size but they were the biggest ones I could find (42's I think) with a decent turn back. As said above... super comfy... hands just seem to land right on 'em naturally when you get on the bike.
I went to apes on my FB because I really wanted everybody to look at me!!!
Just kidding... freeway fighting in So Cal with giant beach bars was a giant pain in the ***. The 18" apes are really comfy and put my grips/hands above most cage mirrors. That and making slow parking lot turns with one of the grips essentially landing right in my crotch was the other reason.
Both are good... one was better for me.
I went to apes on my FB because I really wanted everybody to look at me!!!
Just kidding... freeway fighting in So Cal with giant beach bars was a giant pain in the ***. The 18" apes are really comfy and put my grips/hands above most cage mirrors. That and making slow parking lot turns with one of the grips essentially landing right in my crotch was the other reason.
Both are good... one was better for me.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,492
Likes: 19
From: Illinois
I will be very honest. I had the Harley style beach bars on my bike but I wanted to go to apes. I have been riding 43 years and never rode anything with apes. I didn't think I was going to like them, I thought I was going to sacrifice comfort for a particular look that I was going for. My 1st impression of them once I was done was, " I paid nearly 2k for this"??? I went with the 14" 1.5" Gangsters with Carlinis 1.5" bra riser. Now? I could never see myself going back to any other kind of bars. It's like the SS, I could never see myself riding or owning another Softail and going without it. The same now applies to apes. If you go Carlini just remember they run a little tall. I am 5'10", 225. Also, my back, shoulders and tailbone no longer hurts me and although I got my seats reworked it is mostly due to how I now sit with the apes on my bike. Good luck with your choice and pictures when your done would be great.
!["HI"'s Avatar](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 50 50'><circle class='avatar-circle-default' fill='%2389d66f' cx='25px' cy='25px' r='20px'></circle><text class='avatar-text-default' x='49%' y='53%' fill='white' text-anchor='middle' alignment-baseline='middle'>"</text></svg>)
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 865
Likes: 36
From: So. Cal.
When I bought my 08 Deluxe last Nov. they had beach bars on them (1st H.D., cam from 10 years of riding sporties) they were ok, but not MY style. They put my hands basically at waist level right at my sides and they put my wrists in a weird position.
I've LOVED the look of apes and knew that I would own a HD w/ apes 1 day, so after a few months, I picked up some 16"x1.50" Carlini Gangster apes. Now that I (5'11") have apes, I dont think I would go with anything else. I love the looks and the position I ride in, I can prob. do a couple hundred miles w/ out issue. If anything it wouuld be my seat that I would change.
This is how my bike looks now:
Also, Im in the SGV area if you'd like, we can meet up so you can check them out......
ALSO...my OLD beach bars are for sale.
I've LOVED the look of apes and knew that I would own a HD w/ apes 1 day, so after a few months, I picked up some 16"x1.50" Carlini Gangster apes. Now that I (5'11") have apes, I dont think I would go with anything else. I love the looks and the position I ride in, I can prob. do a couple hundred miles w/ out issue. If anything it wouuld be my seat that I would change.
This is how my bike looks now:
Also, Im in the SGV area if you'd like, we can meet up so you can check them out......
ALSO...my OLD beach bars are for sale.
Last edited by "HI"; Aug 15, 2013 at 10:36 AM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,492
Likes: 19
From: Illinois
A HUGE improvement, IMHO Hi. Your bike looks so much more bad *** with the apes. I'm like you, I could never see myself using anything else. I'm still a little surprised at how I no longer hurt anymore with these apes. It's the exact opposite of what I thought I was going to get or have to put up with. I will admit, my right hand does go a little numb once in a great while but I can shake that off going down the road with a few fist pumps. The reason for that though is because I have the carpal tunnels syndrome ****, not because of the apes themselves.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 233
Likes: 2
From: Central Cali
I have never ridden on beach bars, only stock and apes. Going higher than stock was a big improvement on my lower back, the only problem is my hands go numb after an hour of riding. No big deal, just pull them off the bars for a couple of seconds. I'm 5'10 and have 14" Wild 1 Chubbys. I wish I would have gone with the 16's. Thats a rule of thumb around here, go 2" higher than what you think you need because you will end up going higher down the road.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 81
Likes: 1
From: Sarasota
I've got the 42" beach bars on my "other" bike, the Indian. Looks great and going down the highway in between semi's and such great for handling.
The way I look at it there really is no compromise, you see beach bars are really "Horizontal Ape Hangers" when you think about it.
The way I look at it there really is no compromise, you see beach bars are really "Horizontal Ape Hangers" when you think about it.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,553
Likes: 36
From: Four Corners
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 323
Likes: 1
From: Aurora, Colorado
beach bars were great just tooling around town and they look cool .... but at speed and long distance I always felt like my feet were lifting, that wind pushing me off balance all the time, they wore me down
apes ... actually feel very natural and no weird balance issues
ride very well ... like driving your car with your hands at 10 and 2 on the wheel
apes ... actually feel very natural and no weird balance issues
ride very well ... like driving your car with your hands at 10 and 2 on the wheel
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 2,298
Likes: 0
From: BC
Coming from the guy on a fire engine red bike!
