Seat and Handle bar question! Need advice

[BigRed1990]

Below is what I have now! I got this bike 2 years ago and the carbs leaked gas and needed all new brakes. Anyway $500 later i had a great bike rode it for the last 2 years no trouble. Now I want to make it a little more sporty. I think am curious which handlebars look good on these monsters and where to get them. Also, the second thing i'm wondering about is where to get a nicer looking seat. There is a little tear i have black tape on, on my current seat. I would like one thats a little lower profile and know nothing of the compatibility of these things or if i will need a fender too? Plus you guys know it best and know what looks good ! I would like to keep the possibility of having a passenger though. Thanks for the help!

[jetmechmarty]

Here you go!


Truth is, that's a decision you have to make on your own.

As far as the seat goes, you're likely going to have to have your seat custom upholstered. SARGENT is one of the places that can do that for you.

[BigRed1990]

Yea i looked at a bunch of pictures of handlebars on bikes but i can never tell what the name or the angle is so if anyone has a suggestion id appreciate a pic of it on the bike and maybe a link to where i can get one or just the name of it! Thanks

Edit: For the seat and that website what would i say I wanted them to do their talking about foam, bench, plate, loaf and dish sizes. I just dont know what that means I am A-OK with the material ha i would just like the foam cut to look sleeker? maybe thats all i would need to tell them?

[donebysunday]

Hi ! Try the LTD bars from JC Whitney, love them on my bike. As far as the seat, I'm still looking for a 79 style seat that will work on my 81 but seems I'll have to the have one made up, find another pan as I don't want to carve up the fresh re-cover on my 81 seat.

Luck To You ! Don };~)

[BigRed1990]

Yea now the handlebars seem easy and the seat sounds like a lot of work ha i thought it would be the other way around honestly... maybe grab a cafe seat for $100 but i literally knew nothing of the situation so any more info or opinions would be great!

[DGXSER]

Handlebar choices are vast and varied. I did have a set of LTD bars on my first SH and I liked them. The SG I just finished up has a set of mini-apes on it. At first I hated them, felt VERY out of control. After riding it a couple hundred miles I find I like them just fine. Its the small stock grips I am hating now. Much like the seat, it all depends what floats your boat.

For bars, i strongly suggest taking your bike to a swap meat or local dealership and trying out what they have on the bike, maybe not bolted in place, but held up while sitting on the bike.

[mmaddix]

I have clubman bars. I like them. Here is an pic its not a current one its from about a year ago. I have chrome clubman bars on it now.

I can take more if you want to see them.

The seat in the pic is a stock 80G seat that I had reupholstered. If I do take new pic's You will see my stock 79F seat that I have on the bike now.

[WMarshy]

I was going to direct you to the guy on ebay because he has some nice looking cafe style seats starting at about $145+ for the foam and cover and $200 for seat pan, foam and cover... but then I started looking at all the negative feedback he has and it made me think there's probably a reason... Anyways, you can give him a try if you ahve the cash and want to risk it. Otherwise, you are left with taking it to somewhere or modifying it yourself.

Regarding the bars, any 7/8" diameter bars will bolt on but not all will clear the tank. Depending how aggressive you are looking for you can go with straight drag bars or clubman bars.

[BigRed1990]

Yea thats what im scared of ha but i might have to go with those LTD bars for now and leave the seat alone ... i like the cafe seats but i dont think they would fit me and my girl

[WMarshy]

Yea thats what im scared of ha but i might have to go with those LTD bars for now and leave the seat alone ... i like the cafe seats but i dont think they would fit me and my girl

I dont think those cafe seats he's offering would be very comfortable compared to the one you have, especially 2 up. If you wanted something more sleek, just go with a stock seat, the one you have is more for touring. Stock would probably be the best medium between the one you have and the ones on ebay. My wife complained that the stock seat was uncomfortable so when I had it covered I asked for an added layer of 1" foam in the passenger part...

[skids]

The rise on your bars is pretty high. I suspect the brake line is not stock length. If you shorten the rise with other bars, you might need to deal with the extra length (maybe not).

[jwhughes3]

I have clubman bars. I like them. Here is an pic its not a current one its from about a year ago. I have chrome clubman bars on it now.
I can take more if you want to see them.

The seat in the pic is a stock 80G seat that I had reupholstered. If I do take new pic's You will see my stock 79F seat that I have on the bike now.

Hey! What happened to the like new macho maroon side covers you bought last year! I thought you were restoring to stock and it was a 78?

John

[mmaddix]

Hey! What happened to the like new macho maroon side covers you bought last year! I thought you were restoring to stock and it was a 78?

John

I had a 78 that I bought like a year after i had this one. I restored the 78 and sold it I wish I would of kept it, it was so clean. The only thing wrong was the seat was from a 79 so the color didn't match. Here are some pic's of it just before i sold it.


I miss it.

The side covers were great tho. Thanks. I'm glad we were able to meet up.

[fredintoon]

[QUOTE=BigRed1990;408445]Anyway $500 later i had a great bike rode it for the last 2 years no trouble. Now I want to make it a little more sporty. I think am curious which handlebars look good on these monsters and where to get them. Also, the second thing i'm wondering about is where to get a nicer looking seat.

Hi Big Red,
'bars is like shoes, it's not what looks good on the bike, it's what fits the rider.
You have already seen Marty's little joke, those bars only fit Marty because he's scarily tall.
Try some with a lower stance to see how they fit you.
Be prepared to build up a small stash of near misses as you get it right.
The Seat. You are more or less stuck with keeping the stock seat pan.
Remove the seat's cover, use an electric carving knife to re-shape the foam and buy a normal seat cover from Saddlemans.

[WMarshy]

...You are more or less stuck with keeping the stock seat pan.
Remove the seat's cover, use an electric carving knife to re-shape the foam and buy a normal seat cover from Saddlemans.

No dont cut that seat up, it looks too nice. Ive been trying to save some money to buy one for long rides but other priorities keep getting in the way. Besides, I dont think you would end up with what you are looking for anyways (not that Im doubting your skills). I've seen that seat sell for about $100 plus shipping on ebay. You can find stock seats for $60-200 depending the conditiin. You might have luck getting a good stock seat from Andreas in the parts section...