Handlebars and Grips

[capnkirk]

Anyone know of a good source for handlebars and grips for our bikes? Mine has the buck horns with the original grips of that era (very thin), and I hate all of it. My wrist hurts most of the time from the bars and my right hand cramps from the thin grip. Ugh.

Anyway, I need to know where to look for replacements all the way around.

Thanks!

K

[webbcraft2150]

Flanders would have the widest selection but can be real pricy. The handlebars on our rigs are really "old school" and its tough to find a dealer that is stocking much of a selection anymore. Chaparral Motorsport has a good selection but the problem with buying out of a catalog is it can be tough to really know if what you are buying will work for you. If you have a motorcycle graveyard close, that would be the place to look cause most of the time you can actually try them on your bike first (bring tools). I would hit the bone yards, pull my old bars off and just lay em on the tank with wires and cables still attached and "test fit" the new ones. Personally, I can't handle buckhorn bars and have always swapped them out to something with less "tiller" action to them. Watch out, if you go to different bars, you may find your cables and brake line too long and some painstaking rerouting will be order or even purchasing shorter cables and brake hoses. Throttle cable is the most important, nuthin like making a lock to lock turn and the engine revs up to 7k without your input.

[lakecountrydave]

Capnkirk,

I just got my XS last month and have not removed the bar. Hence, you might want to get confirmation on this information. However, I believe that all Jap bikes from this era that have conventional bars are 7/8". It also appears on my Special that the mount is high enough that even a flat bar will clear the tank (not so on a Honda V45 ) This would leave you open to pick out whatever style bar tickles your fancy. Any motorcycle catalog should have a nice selection ex: http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/tpl/cm...eafCatId=41012

Heck, I might even have a set or two in the garage?

Dave

[DeanR]

Goldwing bars of that era work real well. I use Oury grips on them. All hand/wrist/arm problems just went away...

[JWSanders]

I'm using '81 GL1100 Goldwing bars. They work well. Pretty much the same height as the buckhorns but with a straighter stance. Got 'em on Ebay on the cheap, too. something like 18 bucks, even after shipping. Like was said, any 7/8" bars will fit.

Those buckhorns are death on the wrists....

I put some fat foam grims on it that I got from Mike'sXS, but I'm finding they cause me a little more hand strain than the thin ones did. Seems I hold on with the deathrgip when riding. I'm probably going to get a set somewhere in between fat foam and the really thin rubber. I'd like to stay with the gel though...it really works for reducing vibration to the hands.

There's several dealers on Ebay that have a massive selection of grips. Prices are pretty reasonable, too.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey CapnKirk,

I, too, run the older GW bars, I think I was the one who had suggested them to JW, or at least to Laxdad. They are quite comfortable, and have just as much pull back as the Buckhorns, but are wider and better angled for the wrists!

Another place to look for bars is at MikesXS.com, they actually have photos of them mounted on 650's, so you can sort of get an idea of how they will be on a bike! They also have nice thick grips, I've also got the thick foam/chromed end ones, but I have longer fingers, so it's not a big deal for me to be able to grab the grips! But they do look nice as well, and while you're at it, you can also order the nice 1 piece chromed bar clamp cover for a nice dress up touch, also from MikesXS!
T.C.

[JWSanders]

Yep, I got them on your suggestion, TC. Sage advice indeed!

[Dsxs11]

I'm running a drag bar and let me tell you they do not clear the tank the switch gear on the right plows right into the tank. I put risers on it a few days ago and it's made quite a difference and I kept the drags. As for grips I'm using some old school GT grips fat in the middle and thinner on the ends and they are great. And the bars are 7/8 and ebay may be your best bet.

[mason79]

http://store.azmusa.com/knclubhanbla.html

cheap bikemaster bars i think if you like these demensions you can't loose on the price, maybe cheaper than ebay, who knows they may bend when you brake hard

i use kawasaki kz1000p police on my standard
they go back fine but the wrist is kinda wheelbarrel like, i got used to of it and the palm can rest on the end of the grip ends, like cramp busters

[TADracer]

The high-rise special bars just killed my back so I changed to a sport bar type with a lower rise. My bike is naked so I did not have to contend with a fairing or such. I am running Flanders 7/8" sport bar with 29" width, 3" rise and 4" pullback. I shot filled them before I put them on (only because it was easy to do) and then installed Progrip billet aluminum grips. I also installed a shorter brake line but you could probably still keep the stock line. I did run Honda ST1100 bars several years ago with great success also.