XS special Bars

[jimbyjimb]

I suppose the only reason I like the bars could be I've never ridden the bike with anything but the buckhorns. Still, I have no problems, to my knowledge, with handling the bike. I really think it could be a height/weight thing too. I'm a large, tall, muscular guy and I don't have any problem with fatigue or discomfort (now that I have crash-bar pegs) or throwing the bike around. But you can't miss what you never had. In any case, I don't think I want to experiment because that's just an excuse to spend more money. But if I have a problem with them in the future this conversation has supplied ample information to rectify the problem.

You people and your XS candy stores. This website only gets me more into the bike financially because I see all the cool stuff you guys make and do to the bike and I end up upgrading things or changing things. I'm sure most of the stuff is a benefit in the end, but it's just so fun to tinker with it here and there. Next thing you know, new grips. Next thing you know, new coils. Next thing you know, stainless brake hoses...

[fredintoon]

Start small

- - - You people and your XS candy stores. This website only gets me more into the bike financially because I see all the cool stuff you guys make and do to the bike and I end up upgrading things or changing things. I'm sure most of the stuff is a benefit in the end, but it's just so fun to tinker with it here and there. Next thing you know, new grips. Next thing you know, new coils. Next thing you know, stainless brake hoses...

Hi Jim,
you don't have to spend the big bucks, like ~$150 for stainless brake lines.
You can build up to that level of expenditure in smaller increments.
For instance, every motorcycle swapmeet I've ever been at had a guy selling used handlebars at $20 for good chrome ones.
If you don't know what bars you'd feel good on, a swapmeet is a good place to look because you can pick them up to try.
It's easy to not buy the 1" Harley bars but watch for the 22mm BMW bars.
Those stubborn Bavarians insist on making bars that are 0.008" smaller than the 7/8" bars everyone else uses so the bastards don't like to be gripped in a normal bike's bar clamps.

[airborneXS]

i used cafe bars, turned up upside down, and got a bar riser that is 2" up and back...i love the feel of it....kinda sporty but closer to me and fully upright...

[airborneXS]

random question but does anybody know what the stock bar diameter is?

[crazy steve]

random question but does anybody know what the stock bar diameter is?

7/8".....

[jayel]

7/8".....

22.2 millemeters....

[WSL91]

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.

Do your Zuki bars look like these?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-OEM-Hand...aa5bca&vxp=mtr

[Cuda 69]

thanks for the imput guys,So I put the 750 bars on with rox 2" risers and they feel good,upright riding position,only disapointment was,they are 750 special bars,which have a downward bend at the end of the bars kinda like the buckhorns but not so drastic.SOOOO,all in all I like them with the vetter. I'm keeping the Euro's just in case I want a change.

[jjz28]

I really like the way the bars are on the special. I have what they call buckhorns on my 750 and they arent the same as whats on my special. I do notice after i have ridden for 2 days that my wrist feels like its sprained.

[BA80]

I guess I'm one of those wierd people that likes the buckhorns too. When I first got my special it had standard bars on it and I hated leaning forward all the time. I like to sit up straight. I got a set of buckhorns off of an XS850 and put on there.

It took a bit to get used to but have always seemed more comfortable to me.

As an experiment I put some CB750 bars on the 79 I'm puting together just to see how they feel. I have a set of buckhorns standing by just in case.

[Eveready1100]

hey Cuda,
maybe you should've gotten some Euro pegs etc to go with the bars. They complement each other and it's a very comfortable riding position when you've got the complete package,