Handle Bar Risers - Pro and Con

[Divot]

I see discussion about raising the handlebars on a Valkyrie.  If I understand correctly you can raise them a couple inches without requiring longer cables.  Is it correct to assume that raising the handlebars creates a more comfortable riding position for taller riders.  I'm 6'5" and wondering if this might be worth doing.  If so, what are the best parts to do it with?  If anyone has risers they want to get rid of I may be interested.  TIA

Larry

[ricoman]

I would think that raising them would be a matter of comfort preference.
Adding additional pull back is often done to accomodate the vertically challenged. I have about a 1 1/2" rise with 1 1/2" pull back as I do not have simian arms.
Riding comfort is actually more than just comfort-it gives you better control and can help with fatigue on longer rides. Seating position is equally important for the same reason.
At 6' 5" you would benefit from a higher rise as you would not feel like you are slumped over the bike.
Doubt if you need any additional pull back unless you will be steering from the passenger seat.
There will be lots of info coming on what risers will suit you.

[BF]

Lots of recommendations for the Harley Deuce risers...or clones of Deuce risers.  I've bought a set, but as yet, I haven't had the time to install them.  I'm 6'2" and they appear to be exactly what I was looking for.  If I ever get a chance to install them, I'll give a ride report on 'em. 

[Ken Tarver]

being 6-5 maybe you don't need pullback risers....try loosening the handlebar clamp and rotate the bar up a bit

[John U.]

I'm 6'2" with a normal sleeve length for my height. I installed longer risers mostly to put the handlebars in a more comfortable position for my wrists. The pullback and handlebar
position are very individual choices but I can say that often a small change can make a big diference.

[Imohtep]

Lots of recommendations for the Harley Deuce risers...or clones of Deuce risers.  I've bought a set, but as yet, I haven't had the time to install them.  I'm 6'2" and they appear to be exactly what I was looking for.  If I ever get a chance to install them, I'll give a ride report on 'em.  

So, HD Deuce risers fit to Valk (...too simple...)?

edit: Meaning that those Deuce riser screws are same and fit straight?

[Alaskamike]

I put 4" Monster Risers (I think they were called that) on my 97.   I'm 6', and love the more laid back position it gives me.

It really depends on how you like to ride, I don't like to lean forward much, but ride in a mucvh more upright position;  personal pref really.

[Tundra]

I put these on from HDL. It really helped for me. I would get severe upper back pain, between my shoulder blades after about 1-2 hours. These eliminated that for me. My pain was aggravated while riding. It was from a previous injury. That slight differance in riding position was the ticket for me. I probably wouldn't have looked into this, if it wasn't for my pain. Now, I think it would be more comfortable for any Valk rider.
http://www.directlineparts.com/product.asp?pid=468&str=2

[MP]

I have 2 Valks, both with the HD deuce risers.  Really like them. Just need to drill the bolt holes out slightly to take the bigger bolt.  But, will be OK if you want to go back to OEM. May need to reroute the cables.

MP

[Disco]

I agree with others that rise, pullback, and bar shape are very much personal preference.  At your height, I can imagine addressing rise and/or shape before pullback, unless, you are like one of my buddies who likes to ride with his elbows very close to his ribs.  I changed my bars to stock VTX1800C to address wrist and elbow fatigue.  However, that change cost several inches of pullback.  So, I had to change risers to make up for it. 

I wound up with HD-compatible risers that, like the Deuce / copy risers, use a 1/2" thread.  The hole in the Valkyrie Top Bridge is slightly smaller at 12mm.  Some have successfully drilled the Top Bridge to accommodate the HD risers.  I've never heard of anyone screwing that up, but why would someone broadcast their failure/mistake???  I chose not to make that permanent modification.  Baron Custom Accessories makes an adapter with 1/2" threads on the top for the risers and 12mm on bottom for the Top Bridge. 

About $20.00 to leave your Top Bridge unmolested.  IMO, Priceless.   

http://www.baronscustom.com/catalog/display/1182/index.html

[Baloo]

Sit on you bike and take the time to pay attention to where your hands fall naturally, so that you don't feel any tension between your shoulders. If you have to reach front for the handles, then you need risers with pull back. Like others said, sometime, just loosening the bars and rotating them will be enough.

I used to own an old Goldwing and tried rotating the bars down a little. Man! it made a whole world of difference in the way the bike handled and in riding comfort!

[OP2]

If I understand this right, the handlebar risers from directlineparts, the ones with the 4 1/2 " rise and 1" pull back, will fit on a 99 I/S without extending the brake lines or cables? The reason I'm asking is because I'm thinking of doing this mod this spring.

[RLD]

It's very subjective, sit on as many as possible with different risers. Sounds like a good excuse to join a local ride-in. Personaly, I cut 7/8" out of my bars on the rise, rotated them as far forward as the fairing would allow and cut another 7/8" off each end. Now it sits like a sport touring bike (st1300 / fjr 1300) and the bars align with my hands. Like I said, very subjective. My last I/S had 2" pullbacks , a backrest and highway pegs; I prefer this setup.

[BIG COUNTRY 23321]

I am 6'6" Tall and I have a set of 4 inch Handlebar risers from XF6 Customs and they look great too. I have never been more comfortable on my Death Horse and I had to re-route just one cable. Daryl at XF6 is also a Trusted Vendor that supports the VRCC and does great work.

XF6 Customs
http://www.xf6-custom.com/valkpartspage.html

[RP#62]

For what its worth, I put Deuce risers on my wife's '98 Tourer and didn't have to drill the triple tree.  I ordered them from J&P.  When I called the order in, the girl on the phone asked if they were for metric or standard.  I said metric and the ones that came were the same thread as the stock risers.  I've relayed this before and it was reported that on other orders, the person at J&P had never heard of metric Deuce risers, so, I guess it depends on who you talk to.
-RP

[Daniel Meyer]

Don't use these:


If you have those....don't use 'em. Buy something else.

http://lifeisaroad.com/blog/2009/05/05/wellthats-not-good/
http://lifeisaroad.com/blog/2009/05/19/annnd-nobody-died/

[Garfield]

These are the risers I put on mine



I got them at http://www.cruisercustomizing.com/detail.cfm?model_id=12&Category_ID=10&manufacturer_ID=66&product_ID=11431

[Master Blaster]

7 inch pullbacks are the max you can go without changing the cables.  You will have to reroute them behind the trees, and reverse the clips under the bar.  The Deuces are the way to go, they look good and really make a difference on a long trip.  Drilling the top holes is nothing, you just have a slight amount of material removal, and it wont keep you from going back to stock if you want.  Rerouting the cables is easy and there is no ill effects if you keep the kinks out.

[SPOFF]

I put the Lamont's Lamonster risers on my bike 11 years ago. Aeromach still makes these, but I don't know if they're still available for the Valk. I put them on because my Mustang seat placed me an inch or more further back compared with the terrible stock seat. With the risers I can settle back against the backrest. Along with the Rattlebars foot peg lowering plates, this makes my riding position more roomy (I'm 6-2 with a 34 inch inseam).

[bigdog99]

i am thinking i have the stock risers, dows anyone know the dimensions of those? if you use the duece, is it 4" total rise, or 4" more?
my handle bars are tipped all the way forward, but with chimp arms i would like them up a bit more.

[bigfish_Oh]

I would also like to confirm if I have a aftermarket riser, what is the stock height?

[Jess from VA]

Because for Valk they all go up and back, then sit on an angled triple tree, realize that HOW risers are measured is not standard.  That said:

Stock riser height is in the area of 3 1/8"

Most aftermarkets are around 4" (BBP/Show Chrome)

HDL sells in-house risers called 'Cycle-House' which are 4 1/4"

LaMonster/ Aeromachs are advertised as  4" pullback risers which raise the bars up 2"  and 1-1/2" closer to you from the stock location ,

Deuce (Harley knockoffs) are around 5.5"

There are a couple of mistakes in this info:
http://www.timskelton.com/valkyrie/how_to/risers.htm

http://www.xf6-custom.com/partpages/risers.html
http://www.hondadirectlineofshadyside.com/stores/byProduct.asp?prd=Handlebars%2FRisers&str=2&ID=165036701
http://www.scootworks.com/shop.cgi/page=partshonhandle.htm/SID=PUT_SID_HERE
http://motors.shop.ebay.com/__?_from=R40&_trksid=p3841.m39.l1313&_nkw=deuce%20risers&_sacat=&rvr_id=206909426114&MT_ID=335&crlp=3426921106_9887&tt_encode=raw&geo_id=491&keyword=deuce+risers&adgroup_id=754602916
http://www.cruisercustomizing.com/detail.cfm?Category_ID=62&manufacturer_ID=549&product_ID=28293&sblid_name=Biker_s_Choice_Deuce_Pullback_Risers_for_______Harley_Deuce_Models_for_Harley_Davidson_Softail&utm_source=MAS&utm_campaign=MAS&utm_term=BC-21-5547&utm_medium=na

[BIG--T]

I put these on from HDL. It really helped for me. I would get severe upper back pain, between my shoulder blades after about 1-2 hours. These eliminated that for me. My pain was aggravated while riding. It was from a previous injury. That slight differance in riding position was the ticket for me. I probably wouldn't have looked into this, if it wasn't for my pain. Now, I think it would be more comfortable for any Valk rider.
http://www.directlineparts.com/product.asp?pid=468&str=2
[/quote

Tundra I'm having the same problem(pain) and had to put risers on my VTX and man what a difference! I see yours are 4 1/4". How far can I go without changing out the cables? I went 4" on my X and just had to undo the cable fasteners from my bars and adjust the banjo bolts. I hope I'll luck up with the Valk. Just by looking, the front looks very similar. BTW, Was that $65 each?

Thanks

[Varmintmist]

http://www.scootworks.com/shop.cgi/page=partshonhandle.htm/SID=PUT_SID_HERE
I put the scootworks risers, 4in, on mine. I was good with the OEM seat, then i went to a Mustang with a backrest and my arms shrunk.

6' with problems finding a dress shirt that the sleves ride where the should.

[BIG--T]

http://www.scootworks.com/shop.cgi/page=partshonhandle.htm/SID=PUT_SID_HERE
I put the scootworks risers, 4in, on mine. I was good with the OEM seat, then i went to a Mustang with a backrest and my arms shrunk.

6' with problems finding a dress shirt that the sleves ride where the should.
[/quot

Man thanks for posting!!!!!  I didn't think about that part and I ordered a set of Ultimates so I won't know what I'll need til I put them on. Come to think of it, I had to put risers on my VTX after I put Ultimates on her.   

[BIG--T]

I agree with others that rise, pullback, and bar shape are very much personal preference.  At your height, I can imagine addressing rise and/or shape before pullback, unless, you are like one of my buddies who likes to ride with his elbows very close to his ribs.  I changed my bars to stock VTX1800C to address wrist and elbow fatigue.  However, that change cost several inches of pullback.  So, I had to change risers to make up for it. 

I wound up with HD-compatible risers that, like the Deuce / copy risers, use a 1/2" thread.  The hole in the Valkyrie Top Bridge is slightly smaller at 12mm.  Some have successfully drilled the Top Bridge to accommodate the HD risers.  I've never heard of anyone screwing that up, but why would someone broadcast their failure/mistake???  I chose not to make that permanent modification.  Baron Custom Accessories makes an adapter with 1/2" threads on the top for the risers and 12mm on bottom for the Top Bridge. 

About $20.00 to leave your Top Bridge unmolested.  IMO, Priceless.   

http://www.baronscustom.com/catalog/display/1182/index.html

Hey Disco, I haven't  even looked  but do you think risers from a 1800 C  would work? Just curious

[Old Geezer Richard]

Hey Divot , I had problems with my shoulders getting tired and I'm only 6' ft. , so I swapped out the OEM's with the La Monster risers and I kept the OEM handle bars .... I found these on Direct Line for about $125.00 and my shoulder aches went away and I'm COMFORTABLE ....I don't have that roll-over syndrome that Valks have anymore either and I did not have to extend the controls ...  so look up the risers on D/L and on J & P Catalogue and read up on the spec's , its something to think about ... I'm pleased with the La Monster Risers .... Thanks the Geezer

[PhredValk]

My I/S is stock, and the bar position is pretty much perfect for me...But on my trip east last summer I found I had to stretch a bit using the hi way pegs and leaning back on the backrest. The beast really is a comfy old lazy-boy on 9-15 hour days. I bought the Lamonster risers, but haven't installed them yet. I'll let you know when I do.
Fred.