XS special Bars

[Cuda 69]

I replaced my bars on the special because IMHO they suck.I put european bars on it,and I have to lean alittle to far forward,even with bar extentions.So,the question is....What's every body using for bars to sit upright in a comfortable position? I read somewhere on here,the honda 750 bars from Mikes XS are good. I'm gonna be putting a vetter on soon,if that makes a difference. Thanks for any replies.

[TopCatGr58]

I don't know about the Honda 750, but their early model GoldWing bars are also nicer, similar spread and reach, but the wrist angles are more ergonomic, that's what I have on mine. They probably are similar to the 750s, just haven't looked to see. You can view my profile, photos to see them on my special.

T.C.

[fredintoon]

I replaced my bars on the special because IMHO they suck.I put european bars on it,and I have to lean alittle to far forward,even with bar extentions.So,the question is....What's every body using for bars to sit upright in a comfortable position? I read somewhere on here,the honda 750 bars from Mikes XS are good. I'm gonna be putting a vetter on soon,if that makes a difference. Thanks for any replies.

Hi Cuda,
A PO had swapped my SG's rototillers for Standard bars before I got the bike.
They weren't quite right for sidecar work so swapped them with the Honda CB750 bars that were on my BSA 250.
The CB750 bars were too tall for my BSA but they are perfect on the XS11.
And the XS11 Standard bars are perfect on the BSA.
But CB750 bars may not suit you on your bike. Bars is like shoes, you gotta try them on before you know that they'll fit.

[DGXSER]

I had a set of the GW dimension bars on my first SH. IIRC the dimensions were 32" wide, 13" rise, and 8" pullback. I took a tape measure to my local bikeshop and they had a set of LTD bars in those dimensions for about $30.

[ddragon63]

Still not sure why everyone hates on the buckhorns off the specials... I love em. But being an ex-rocket rider I'm use to the down and away position. I also have long arms so I've got em tilted so on the open hwy and can just tuck my elbows onto my ribs and go.

The GL1100 bars are pretty nice. Buddy of mine has one and the tilt to them is very comfy... and I'm sure they are easy to find on the inter-web

[Danny Crawdad]

Because they're horrible!

I gave them about a year, and couldn't get used to them. The wrist angle just killed me. Superbike bars from MikesXS fixed them up.

[Titans]

I replaced my bars on the special because IMHO they suck.I put european bars on it,and I have to lean alittle to far forward,even with bar extentions.So,the question is....What's every body using for bars to sit upright in a comfortable position? I read somewhere on here,the honda 750 bars from Mikes XS are good. I'm gonna be putting a vetter on soon,if that makes a difference. Thanks for any replies.

Interested in selling the European bars? Perhaps you could take some pics for me?

-Adam

[jimbyjimb]

I don't get the hate for the buckhorns either. I was on my bike for 13 hours stopping only to fuel a short while back and even throughout that whole trip my riding position never seemed to bother anything but my knees. My dad rode the bike last weekend and he mentioned he thought the bars were odd.

Is it a hieght thing? My dad is 5'11" and I'm 6'3". Do most of the people that hate them happen to be under 6' or something? They sure are pretty bars.

[DGXSER]

I always thought I liked the buckhorns, until I swapped them out for the GW style. With my current SH I still have the buckhorns on there. But i do find my wrist are a little unhappy after several hours of riding. And I notice they feel better once I un twist them from the bar position.

So I am planning to replace them before XSEast.

[CatatonicBug]

I have absolutely no problems with the rototiller bars on my MNS. They actually seem more natural than some of the other setups I've seen. Slightly turned, right where my hands naturally sit when I reach my arms out to that distance. My wrists never complain at all. I can't imagine being comfortable with the bars that stick straight out to the sides.

I wonder if the problem for some isn't the bars, but how they are adjusted.

[ddragon63]

I don't get the hate for the buckhorns either. I was on my bike for 13 hours stopping only to fuel a short while back and even throughout that whole trip my riding position never seemed to bother anything but my knees. My dad rode the bike last weekend and he mentioned he thought the bars were odd.

Is it a hieght thing? My dad is 5'11" and I'm 6'3". Do most of the people that hate them happen to be under 6' or something? They sure are pretty bars.

could be... I let a buddy of mine take Old Man for a spin. he's 5' 8" and came back bitching about the bars... I'm 6' and long torso'd and armed they seem to fit me right. maybe they are for knuckle draggers only

I have absolutely no problems with the rototiller bars on my MNS. They actually seem more natural than some of the other setups I've seen. Slightly turned, right where my hands naturally sit when I reach my arms out to that distance. My wrists never complain at all. I can't imagine being comfortable with the bars that stick straight out to the sides.

I wonder if the problem for some isn't the bars, but how they are adjusted.

+1 it took me a lil fiddling to get mine adjusted right. I would imagine if you had the bars anywhere near parallel the could be very uncomfortable. I run mine @ a good down angle. only problem I've ever had is a lil shoulder fatigue on the right side. but thats nothing a couple minutes with the throttle lock on going down the freeway can't fix

[EricHa]

Turning the bars downward helps, but they were known to be uncomfortable since they debuted (read the Cycle Jan. 1979 test in the Info/Articles section). The bars do fit the lines of the bike, but aren't designed for performance or comfort. Image, man, image! I think that they wouldn't be as bad if you ran a fairing, as you don't have to hang on much fighting the wind blast.

If you hold your fist out in front of you, there is generally a 5° to 10° rearward slant of your grip. That is why most bars are bent this way. FWIW I run Superbike bars and love 'em.

[fredintoon]

The hate (or at anyrate, the appalling ergonomics) is here

I bought my '84 XS650 Heritage Special NOS in '86 and it came stock with rototiller bars.
After the first ride I thought :- These bars have gotta go!
Went from Eurobars (too low) to CB750 bars (too high for the XS650 but are now working good on the XS11SG) and finally, bars from a '72 Suzuki GT750 (effin' perfect)
Some years later I bought a super low mileage '80 XS650 for my son. It still had it's original 19 year old Yokohama tires on it and (of course) the stock rototillers.
I rode it home in the rain, thinking, these tires are a deathtrap and yeah These bars have gotta go!
My son insisted the tires looked OK but after his first ride he agreed that new rubber could well save his life. And then he said (and I swear I never mentioned the subject) These bars have gotta go!
So, my son and I agree that we find the rototiller bars to be an ergonomic failure.
If you ride with rototillers while ignoring the discomfort for style's sake, that's foolish.
But if you find them comfortable, ride on in good health.

[Poprock]

Got some nice buckhorns hangin in the shed, good chrome too, anybody wants 'em. Traded them out for Standard-style bars. Improved comfort, handling became more intuitive and cornering ability seemed much more natural. My riding buddy noticed the improvement in my handling of the bike on our first ride with the change. If it works for you, fine. I'd actually like something a little straighter, taller and wider than what I have.

[ddragon63]

Turning the bars downward helps, but they were known to be uncomfortable since they debuted (read the Cycle Jan. 1979 test in the Info/Articles section). The bars do fit the lines of the bike, but aren't designed for performance or comfort. Image, man, image! I think that they wouldn't be as bad if you ran a fairing, as you don't have to hang on much fighting the wind blast.

If you hold your fist out in front of you, there is generally a 5° to 10° rearward slant of your grip. That is why most bars are bent this way. FWIW I run Superbike bars and love 'em.

Ya i could see that i guess having a vetter in front of me there is no holding on involved on mine. Could imagine it could be tiresome if your eating the wind with your chest.