I Put Some 16' Ape Hangers On! Feels Nice!

[BigBishop]

My Uncle on My Bike.

It's feels more confortable for me vs the stock handle bars....

[fstsix]

Cool!!! i like it... So i am not the only one that starts my bike and just sits on it in the garage....hoping nobody is watching 

[therapist]

Ok...I clicked on the link to see 16 foot ape hangers...false advertisement!   

[shortleg]

  Picky, picky,picky !
     Shortleg[Dave]

[scoot]

I wanted to see someone standing on a ladder sitting on the seat to reach the grips on the 16' bars

[FLAVALK]

seems that every person who sits on a Valk has that same silly grin 

[Willow]

Sixteen foot?  Wow!

Psst.  I think you used an f where you needed a t in contortable.     

[R J]

Several states have laws on how high the bar can be above the seat...

So, I'd check with any state you plan on riding in.

Other than that, doesn't that make your shoulders ache?

Mine hurt just looking at it.    But I'm an old fart and every bones hurts anyway.  LOL.       

[solo1]

You're a long ways from Indiana and probably have no reason to come here but Indiana code 9-19-7-2(1) says that handlebars must not rise more than 15 inches above the motorcycle seat when the seat is occupied.  How do I know?  I have a thick book on Indiana code left over when I was a councilman.   Do I care, He** no!

I'm with RJ.  I have enough trouble keeping the circulation going  in my arms and wrists as it is.  I don't know how riders can get along with ape hangers when they have no windshield.  Probably good for bar hopping and that's all     On a good note, they probably have abs like Ahnold.

[Chrisj CMA]

might as well get a car tire as well, I mean youre already gonna go up in a firey ball of flames for those unsafe bars, no use being afraid of the darkside now 

[RLD]

I'm with RJ, my bones are getting older and they hurt just looking at them things. How on earth do you countersteer properly?? To each his own I guess, people probably think I'm nuts for slamming mine forward and down to mimic a sport tourer seating position. I cut them on the down tube area, cut 7/8 off, rotated them as far as possible into the fairing, and then cut an additional 7/8 off the ends. It gets my tailbone off the seat, my back curved correctly, and I can now ride all day for hundreds of mails with no problems. My last I/S had the 2" risers and a backrest, this is, for me, is much better.

[Lyn-Del]

I'm told that the guys who ride with illegal ape hangers sometimes leave them "loose" so they can drop them down when they see a cop. 

I think about the number of times I've braced against my handlebars during panic stops.  Then I wonder whether those loose ape hangars go forward over the front of the bike or down past the gas tank during a hard stop.  Either way, OUCH!

Having recently damaged my right rotator cuff (now that the left is almost completely healed), I cannot imagine riding with ape hangars.  Just lifting my right arm that high hurts, no way I could hold it that high for hundreds of miles.

[John Schmidt]

Yes, 16 ft. would be a bit difficult to reach.    Friend of mine bought an I/S that had a set of apes that size mounted on it. Last time over I had a chance to sit on it....no dice. First thing you notice is no leverage to lift it off the sidestand. In the past I've had a chance to ride a bike with apes that size, unless you're Shaq's size/height you don't have the control, again mostly due to the lack of leverage. On my friend's Valk(which he plans to sell as is), I couldn't go 50 miles with those bars and expect to scratch my nose the next day. He lives about 40 miles away and by the time he gets here, he's aching all over the upper body. I'm with RJ and Solo1, it's an unnatural and uncomfortable position for riding, especially for me.

[Willow]

Putting aside all the comments from those of us who wouldn't choose those bars, 

Congrats, BigBishop on your new look and feel.  It looks like there was a good amount of work involved in getting the girl into the configuration of your choice.

You're going to definitely look cool cruising the streets on that beast!   

[Scott in Ok]

Putting aside all the comments from those of us who wouldn't choose those bars, 

Congrats, BigBishop on your new look and feel.  It looks like there was a good amount of work involved in getting the girl into the configuration of your choice.

You're going to definitely look cool cruising the streets on that beast!   

Yeah, what he said!  Wouldn't be my choice, but heck, I'm not the one riding it!

-Scott

[BigBishop]

Thanks Willow and Scott.... It looks like most of the guys on here ride their bike on long trips, but I'm mostly a weekend rider. I Don't do any long trips. These bars are not nearly as bad as people make them out to be.... I'm a big guy so I put these bars on mainly for Comfort. It made a huge differance for me.

To each his own brotha!
God Bless Drive Safe!

[Lyn-Del]

You guys are Halarious! LOL....

Chrisj - telling me that, "youre already gonna go up in a firey ball of flames", is wishing death on me. That's like me saying, 'I hope your children get in a car accident and burn!' What an Stupid thing to Say! You're An ASS!
If you have some good advice then give it but don't get on here and speak death to someone DUMBASS!

You must be new here .... "flaming death" has been a reaction by so many to the car tire and other "extreme" mods (like ape hangars) that it's pretty much become the "break a leg" of show business.  No ill will is being wished upon you or any of us darksiders, either. 

Sorry you missed the intent. 

[Chrisj CMA]

You guys are Halarious! LOL....

Chrisj - telling me that, "youre already gonna go up in a firey ball of flames", is wishing death on me. That's like me saying, 'I hope your children get in a car accident and burn!' What an Stupid thing to Say! You're An ASS!
If you have some good advice then give it but don't get on here and speak death to someone DUMBASS!

It was a joke......Just like we joke with the darksiders....sheesh...Im sorry it didnt appear to be such...congrats on the mod, as others have said, it would not be my choice, but if it works for you...


But, you asked for good advise.......ok here it is......they make most laws concerning mods to vehicles for safety reasons.  Very High Apes are unsafe. Yours dont appear to be the VERY high ones, but they are close........My advise would be to stay within the law

[RLD]

An example of reactions to mods and why the emoticon from ChrisJ was "2funny"

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,16523.0.html

Here in MN, I believe the law states that the hands cannot be above the shoulders.

Not much flaming goes on here. To each his own, enjoy your ride!!!

[vanagon40]

Was this the original "flaming death" reference?

http://lifeisaroad.com/stories/2004/10/27/theDarkSide.html

BigBishop, there was no insult intended.

[BigBishop]

That's cool Chris...I understand. It just hit a little to close to home. Had a bad experience riding on Sunday when some "Little Gangsta Kids" almost side swiped me because they were swinging side to side in their car. Right when they passed me about 50 ft a head of me, they lost control and ended up in the other lane going against traffic.  

Anyways....No harm no fowl. I apologize for my temper tantrum.

Ride Safe...

[CISE]

I think we need more rules and regulations regarding temper tantrums on the forums.

I propose we strictly limit temper tantrums to only those people whose handles contain letters, numbers or other characters.

[Chrisj CMA]

That's cool Chris...I understand. It just hit a little to close to home. Had a bad experience riding on Sunday when some "Little Gangsta Kids" almost side swiped me because they were swinging side to side in their car. Right when they passed me about 50 ft a head of me, they lost control and ended up in the other lane going against traffic.  

Anyways....No harm no fowl. I apologize for my temper tantrum.

Ride Safe...

Cool here too Bro

[Mildew]

I wish I had monkey bars on my bike. I just don't want to spend the money.

[czuch]

I had apes on a 56 pan once for about 2 weeks. Hard to control for me and as I  rode all the time, I had to lettem go. ( I dropped it while kicking it over) Thats real hard to live down when its at a rally.
If youre confident and comfortable, you win. They do look good by the way.

[Jabba]

I had apes on a 56 pan once for about 2 weeks. Hard to control for me and as I  rode all the time, I had to lettem go. ( I dropped it while kicking it over) Thats real hard to live down when its at a rally.
If youre confident and comfortable, you win. They do look good by the way.

Not for me either... but I am the biggest Libertarian in the whole bunch.  You like... you ride it man.   I am happy that you're happy.  If we ever get together let me straddle that thing... .

Jabba

[BF]

I'm glad you posted your video.  That gives a really good idea for those that might be contemplating putting a higher bar on their bike what a sixteen inch bar looks (and might feel) like. 

For me though, the sixteens might be too tall.  I'm confortable with the stock bars, but I've often thought that I'd like something taller.....maybe more along the lines of a Softail Heritage-ish set up.  Those are about the right height for me I think.  Maybe fourteens might work?

Thanks again for posting your video. 

[Valkflyer]

Ah come on.....where your sense of adventure, get some real ape hangers..


And who said Harley Owners aren't smart!   

[Big IV]

Can you make them glow blue?

[G-Man]

Right now, I'm running "smallish" apes at only 9 inches in height.  They also have much less pull back, so they are kind of like high "T" bars.  (pic below)



This set-up is great when my feet are on the stock pegs, but when I move my feet forward on the highway pegs, I have to reach a little too far for them.  I'm gonna swap the 9 inchers out for 11 inchers.  With my height, I don't believe the additional 2 inches will affect handling ( since one of those inches will be used pulling the bars back a bit.

I was getting terrible fatigue in my neck and shoulders with the stock bars.  Since going with higher bars, I've alleviated 90%.