Ok. So im safe? At least regarding this issue?

 

harley handle are stainless steel and are a very good quality. i have seen some after market bars of less quality for sure.

 

Same thing I was thinking!!

 

From a guy with 18" bars on a touring bike that haven't moved a single millimeter, I would first suspect this is an installation error.

The one piece clamp is pretty much essential for apes on a touring bike, or any bike for that matter. It's also not expensive if your bike didn't come with it.

I will also add, having done more ape installs than I care to recount, that there is a proper torque sequence for the top clamp. It's not just a matter of tightening the bolts to a specific tightness. Failure to follow such procedure will undoubtedly allow your bars to move.

Additionally, the bolts in your case didn't stretch. They're not torqued high enough for that to be a possibility.

Either way, it's good you and your BSR weren't hurt and the bike wasn't hurt either.

 

And here I always thought that was the German word for virgin (gutentite)!!

 

I have a '12 SG and had the dealership put 12.5" on my bike. wasn't long and my bars did the same thing. a buddies brakes went out on him pulling out of a HD parking lot and he ran into the back of me (good thing too, big truck going by on the highway and he would have most likely been right out in front of it had I not stopped him). anyway, in all the mess, my bars were down by the tank. got on, pushed them right back up. The dealer we were at, pulled out bikes into their service area and gave them the once over. they pulled my fairing and tightened my bars. His bike needed new rotors and they were going to fix it, but he had dislocated his shoulder and wasn't going to be able to ride home anyway. the dealer didn't charge us a thing either. can't remember the name of it, but it is in Nacogdoches, Tx. Well, it wasn't long and my bars moved again. I took it back to the dealership that installed them and they worked on them again. Haven't had any more problems since.

 

Shim stock is often necessary with aftermarket bars. The soft aluminum of a beer or soda can is ideal.

 

Always torqued mine and have never had a problem. Even yanking the bike up after tipping over a few times back in my drinking days.