Radius bars

[Dak44312]

So there just aren't a ton of posts about aftermarket handlebars, surprisingly. Has anyone tried a radius bar with 6/6 on a standard? I saw the posts of beach bars and some drag type bars that are 8/6, but they seem awful tall to me. The bike is not uncomfortable for me as it is now, so I don't necessarily need a change; just going for a different look. What's the minimum acceptable rise for bars like this? I'm currently looking at the Milwaukee Twins integral riser design, #zz50493. Don't care about internal/external. Primary concern is interference at full lock and don't really want to mess with cable lengthening.

[Jess from VA]

The majority of us add 4 to 5.5" risers to the stock bars (stock risers are 3 1/8").  That right there uses up most of the available wire/cable/throttle free play.  

I spent a lot of time years ago trying to come up with a different handlebar, not because I don't like the basic hand reach (rise and pullback) of the stock bars (with taller risers), but because I do not like the required flex in my wrists on the stock bars.  I wanted about the same rise and pullback with taller risers, but I wanted more of a straight bar or more straight/level handgrips (instead of handgrips with the thumbs forward and heel of the hand rearward, with full time wrist flex while riding).

I had drag bars on an earlier bike and liked them a lot, so I looked closely at some of the Milwaukee Twins and Fat Chubby drag bars with the handlebar and riser as a welded-up integral unit. They offer a straight wrist handgrip.  Because I could never figure out what exactly would work and was pretty sure I'd have to change some wiring and cables (but with no idea how much longer), and I knew after I bolted them on for mock-up purposes, I'd be stuck with them with no returns allowed.... I eventually just gave up.  

The Sideroad Cycle website has all the stats on stock and aftermarket handlebars (rise, pullback, center width (for the clamp), overall width, etc, and can be helpful in trying to find what will work.  Good luck.

http://www.sideroadcycles.com/ImportedMotorcycles/ImportHandlebars/ImportHandlebarsOne.html

http://www.sideroadcycles.com/HandlebarCatalog1-28-2011.pdf



Just for starting purposes, here are the stock valk handlebar specs (without any riser figured in, and you have to add that to the equation, unless you go for a drag bar) (Note the IS is only 32 3/4" width, 1/8" off each side of the 33" std/tourer bars) (so for instance, the stock risers are 3 1/8" tall and the stock valk handlebar has 6" of height, so overall stock height is 9 1/8") (and taller risers, angled back on the tree add a bit more pullback to the existing 14" pullback of the stock valk bars).  And you also need to keep in mind Harley and Kawasaki have riser spacing of 3.5", but Honda is 4" (actually 100mm); ie, a couple Harley dresser handlebars looked promising, but riser knurling (grooves in the bar where the riser clamps go) and center width was set up for 3.5" riser spacing, not 100mm (they might still work, or they might not).

 Bar Diameter    Height    Width    Pullback     Center     Clamp Area    
 1"                    6"             33"            14"           9"           3" x 5"                                                      

[pago cruiser]

I've never been a fan of the cowhorn type of pullbacks that are stock.  I've been riding for near 50 years, and I could never get used to that style bar.

I fit a pair of Kury 6" risers (2" higher than stock), and Kromewerks Sportster/Nightster bar. Here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Khrome-Werks-Black-1-Diameter-Bad-Boy-Handlebars-Harley-Davidson-Sportster-883/181654117358?_trksid=p2047675.c100012.m1985&_trkparms=aid%3D444000%26algo%3DSOI.DEFAULT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D28774%26meid%3D900dd0b3bae64103b42029d6a9458187%26pid%3D100012%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D181486273199

The bar is black (fine by me), and the knurl spacing is off, so it looks a little odd.  But my GPS mount will cover up the exposed knurls.  But it bolts up solid, needing no hose or cable extensions. 

For me, this improved the handling and comfort considerable.  Let me know if you want a pic.

[Jess from VA]

I like the bars, but even with tall risers, don't you have to reach pretty far forward?

[Dak44312]

Thanks guys. This adds a little clarity. I think it comes down to making as educated of a guess as possible and then just guinea-pigging it...which is what I'm going to do. The number of factors are just too high. I will document once I have them mounted. Someone may be getting a great deal on some barely used radius bars soon on ebay  

..also- what about mounting bars with integral riders? I've seen other bikes that use a "cup" on the top and bottom of the TT That the bars sit in with a hole in the center to allow the bolt to pass through. They are reused with these types of bars, but our bikes don't utilize those cups. Does the bar mount right to the tree just using some G8 bolts? Seems like the bar diameter isn't big enough vs the tree hole diameter to pull this off.

[pago cruiser]

I'd research those bars with integral risers with due diligence.  I've seen more than one pic of them shearing at the weld.  Don't know the details, but that pic is burned into my brain...

"I like the bars, but even with tall risers, don't you have to reach pretty far forward?"
If you're referring to the HD bars, no.  You sit almost bolt upright. About like a typical old-school UJM stance.  Little bend in the elbows, arms/hands forward, wrists straight.

[Jess from VA]

Dak, the holes in the Valk trees are metric for metric bolts, but the bolts in some risers (like the 5.5" Harley Deuce knockoffs many of us use) are SAE.  I do not have in hand (or memory) the exact measurements, but but the difference is only a few thousandths, and the TT holes can be easily drilled out a few thousandths of material to accommodate the 1/2" SAE bolts, and the amount is so small that you can always go back to a metric bolt (riser) with no issue regarding strength.  And there are available metric to SAE conversion riser bolts so you don't have to drill at all.  The std SAE riser bolt is ½” x 13 threads.

http://www.thundermfg.com/store/index.php?l=product_detail&p=163

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Harley-Riser-Handlebar-Bolt-Adapter-Honda-Shadow-ACE-Spirit-Aero-Sabre-Magna-/161613842896

 And I suppose the bolts used to mount integral (welded) riser drag bars made for Harley are also SAE (but it may be that Milwaukee Twin (or other) drag bars made for metric 100mm spaced risers would come with the metric mount bolts, but I do not know this for certain)

I cannot speak to risers with cup or cone mounts.

[Jess from VA]

"I like the bars, but even with tall risers, don't you have to reach pretty far forward?"
If you're referring to the HD bars, no.  You sit almost bolt upright. About like a typical old-school UJM stance.  Little bend in the elbows, arms/hands forward, wrists straight.

Well I made myself crazy years back trying to figure something out, and am sticking with OE for good now (and with what I have added to the existing bars; ram mounts).

It would be nice to see a picture or two of your setup.  I'm assuming its on a std or tourer and not the IS.

[Dak44312]

I've seen pics of some of those broken welds too... Scary. Point taken.

On the triple tree thing, let me rephrase it:

Is the recessed area in the tree (not the actual bolt hole) sized so that the riser will sit squarely in it when being drawn by the bolt? From your info, it sounds like the riser hole itself is only the approx diameter of the bolt, which is ideal. Just wondered if I would have to do anything to keep the bars square on the tree.

[Jess from VA]

Is the recessed area in the tree.....?

Dak, I don't think there is any significant countersink, recess in the top of the valk riser tree holes (been years since I've been in there).  In any event, any other riser with a flat bottom will bolt up tight and square there. If you feel the need to drop a washer in there, then do so. The Harley Deuce knockoffs do come with a dome on bottom that fits Harley triple trees, but which must be ground off flush to mount on Valks.  My square/rectangular Aeromach risers cover the hole/cutout entirely with no washer.



  

[Dak44312]

Got it.  I guess we'll see what happens. Gonna order them tomorrow, along with a new starter switch assembly ( I think mine's been cleaned one too many times). Will report back after the weather cooperates enough to change them. In the meantime, if anyone has any pics of 6-7.5" rise and 6-7.5 pullback bars installed, I'd love to see them.

Thanks,
Dave

[pago cruiser]

Jess - Sorry for the delay.  First day off in awhile, and I was packing to go on a 1200 mile round trip work road trip to TX.  Hope the f'ing cheese grater does not get me on I20...

Anyhow, below is a pic of the bars, on an IS with a modded fairing.  Love em.  Makes the bike more like a big Standard, as opposed to a big Cruiser.  Cables and hoses fit with no changes. The 6" Kury and ??? (somebody else makes a clone) risers had to have a bottom rong ground off - takes about 5 minutes if you have a belt sander upside down locked in a vice - need to be careful though...

As another poster mentioned, the bolt holes in the top triple tree also need drilling out - less than 0.125" IIRC.  Then I used a flat ss washer to fill in the depression in the triple tree.

 

[Jess from VA]

Thanks for the pic. 

I like the straight wrist bars, but I'm afraid I'd still have to reach too far forward, and off my driver's backrest.  They would be fine for awhile (and great for mountain twisties).  I have so many years and miles on the OE's I'm used to them.  But on longer rides my wrists can get to bothering me, so I ride one handed (both sides, using the throttle lock) for awhile.
 
It seems like no matter how you slice it, if you want more pullback (like OE), you end up with flexed wrists.

Those grips remind me of my '70 BSA Lightning.
 

[Joevalk]

[Dak44312]

Those are different! Is that a quarter glued on to your switch housing????  What does it do?

[Joevalk]

Black and Silver Valks are the fastest
I was racing a top fuel dragster, as he was pulling on me slightly he flipped a Texas quarter out the cockpit. It hit my controls and embedded into it. I left it there

[Jess from VA]

I actually spent some time looking at a taller pair of Z-bars, on tall risers.  You tilt the Z back for more pullback, and still have straight wrists.

[Black Dog]

I'm running a set of Cycle House Risers (1" up and 1" back) along with a set of Wild1 Chubby bars.  The bars are a tad wider than stock, a bit more of a pull back, and maybe 1" lower than stock.  Both are mounted on a XF6 'Offset' Triple Tree.  The bars are 1 1/4" in diameter, but necked down where the bar clamp goes, and on the control ends.  Still using stock cables, but they are maxed out (throttle routed behind the TT).

They are Wild1 Chubby RK518's (made for the HD Road King).



Check out their site ( http://www.wild1inc.com/ ), they have lots of other sizes available 

Black Dog

[Joevalk]

Zee bars chrome is sh#t, they are off to the powder coaters along with the 7" risers. Longer cables were not needed cause of the width of the bars.