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I'm going from the stock bars (6in. I think) to the HD mini-apes. My bike is at the shop having this done now since I'm not willing to mess with controls and cables yet. I am hoping the new ones will be a lot more comfortable by not making me lean forward as much.
I knew when I bought my '48 that bars were in the plans for me.
I needed more width and pullback for my personal taste.
Here's a shot of the stock bars , look at the fuel cap and handlebar grip ends.
Here's the new bars , look at the fuel cap and grips again.
Here you can see the difference between the bars , stock vs roadster
More natural feel and wider width , steers more easily and sets me more upright in the seat.
These roadster bars are Harley # 56085-83A which are stock on XL1200N , XL883R , and XR1200 models.
I think they were about $79.00 at the dealer.
With mid controls , they will feel even closer to you.
Doesn't look like much , but they feel much better to me.
I figured they were stock on bikes that were actually made to be ridden , not salivated over.
Here's a link with some measurements , it's how I made my selection. http://www.sideroadcycles.com/Import...ckBarsOne.html
Good luck and Semper Paratus
Mick
Someone on the forum said to sit on your bike in your riding position, close your eyes, and grab the imaginary handlebars where you would feel most comfortable. Then open your eyes and make a mental note where it is (as compared to your existing) and search for bars that will get your hands there.
You should probably know the dimensions of your existing bars so you know how low/high you need to go and the width and pullback of the bars.
Bars are a pretty personal decision, two huge factors come into play, the look you are going for and what suits your riding style comfort level. That being said make sure you go with something that suits the bike and its narrow glide front end, there is nothing worse and seeing a narrow glide front end with bars that are way wider at the bottom than the triple trees. I have 12 inch Roland Sands Vintage Apes on my 72, they are actually taller than 12 inches but they have a significant drop and they are nice and narrow and look great on a sporty, at least in my opinion.
Last edited by partlowr; Apr 13, 2015 at 08:39 PM.
Apart from the natural passion for riding, the buckhorns and seating position were another major reasons why the riders of the yore were able to ride hundreds of miles on a rigid mount evo.
I changed my stock bars with 8.5" high buckhorns. The cheapest comfort mod (air shocks were more expensive ) I did to the bike. I have set up my bike for long distance touring and can tell you from experience, the buckhorns rule! However a note of caution is the mounting angle. You will have to rotate the bars at the most optimal position where there is no pressure or crimping on the wrists. Just a few minutes of testing .... no big deal.
I've done 500+ mile days with these bars with absolutely no pain or discomfort to the hands. Hope this helps coming from first-hand experience.
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Recommend some bars...
) I did to the bike. I have set up my bike for long distance touring and can tell you from experience, the buckhorns rule! However a note of caution is the mounting angle. You will have to rotate the bars at the most optimal position where there is no pressure or crimping on the wrists. Just a few minutes of testing .... no big deal.
