Interstate Handelbars

[bigbruce]

I am finding the bars on my Interstate have to much sweep back and in. Has anyone found a bar that allows the front of your hands to face more forward compared to the stock bars that are pointed in towards the gas tank? Thanks for your input!!!!

[Tx Bohemian]

I am finding the bars on my Interstate have to much sweep back and in. Has anyone found a bar that allows the front of your hands to face more forward compared to the stock bars that are pointed in towards the gas tank? Thanks for your input!!!!

I just got through responding on another post about bars.

Know what you mean though.
I changed mine out to a set from a Suzuki C50, which I rode before the Valk, for the same reason you're talking about. My wrists would hurt after a long ride. Eliminated this problem with the different bars that have a better hand position for me.
(another reason is I'm still on that board and a member was selling the C50 bars for $25, didn't think I could go wrong)

I have a Standard Valk and am not sure if the Interstate bars are different.

[forjj]

I have been thinking the same thing.  A few months back, and the classifieds board, someone was selling a black/red I/S with a lot of custom powder coating.  From what I remember from the pics, the handlebars were just like you described, a little higher, and more horizontal, to get your hands more straight.  It got me thinking about swapping mine out next winter.(especially if I can find a handlebar for $25) 

[Fatboyman05]

If that was mine you mention that was for sale, the bars are definately higher and about an inch more horizontal and slightly less pullback than stock bars. I know those last two measurements beacuse last week I bought a stock handlebar with intentions of swapping out the ape bars for stock...

Now that I have the stock bars I am also concerned about the pullback in the stock bars since I really only want to swap them out once...

I had a Road King and used to want to change those bars out for Heritage Bars but I sold that one and bought a Fatboy that had stock bars and did a couple 600 mile days and dont really remember how the bars were. Just wanted to add that for what it's worth.


Honda Model Honda Description Year Bar Diameter Height Width Pullback Center Clamp Area Factory #
GL 1500 C Valkyrie 1997 - 2003 1" 6" 33" 14" 9" 3" x 5" 53100-MZ0-000

FLSTF/I Fat Boy  2002 - 2005 1" 7" 32" 11" 11" 2-1/2" x 4-1/2"

FLHR/I Road King  2002 - 2008 1" 7" 32" 11" 11" 2-1/2" x 4-1/2"

This is a good shot showing the bars...

[forjj]

Thats the one!  Great looking bike!!!  The big question is, are the bars more comfortable than stock?

[Jess from VA]

Comfort running miniapes or full apes is going to depend a great deal on rider height, and also style of riding. 

I would not recommend them for balls-out mountain twisty riding, at any height (unless maybe you're Serk).

[Fatboyman05]

Well Forjj, I really wish I knew how they rode compared to the stock bars. The bars as you see them are exactly how they were when I bought her. I have never ridden another Valk so I have no comparison and until last year I had taken a 5 year break from riding... Not much help, I know.

I can tell you this, they are full apes, not mini apes. I want to change them which is why I bought a set of stock bars but now realize that they have a better height for me but a little more pullback. The seat in the picture was a king bigboy and I have since traded for a first generation lowboy which pushes me 1" closer to the front compared to the current generation lowboy. With the bars tilted back towards me some and the closer seat it is better than it was....

I am 5'8" and the two things I notice is at slow speed in a tighter turning movement my right arm gets extended and my left arm gets scrunched up which makes it difficult to work the controls.
The other thing which was more noticable before I tilted the bars and swapped seats was that there was a point in turning / leaning combination where the bike would want to push much harder into the turn and I had to apply all my steering pressure into the low or inside hand. Keep in mind curves are hard to find down here so the turns I see are nothing like the fun roads closer to the mountains.

If she had mini apes I dont think I would want to change them out nearly as much, but the combination of bar height height and bar width versus my height is just not comfortable to me. Now if I were north of 6 feet tall they might be perfect....

Whats bugging me now is when I look at the pullback on the stock bars (14") they will put more angle on my wrists and if anything I could live with the pullback I have now (11") but would like a little less, not more..