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Message started by Moofed on 02/27/09 at 12:09:03

Title: Handlebar stability & grip position
Post by Moofed on 02/27/09 at 12:09:03

A little background info before my question.

I have a 2002 that had the curvy buckhorn handlebars on it. The curvy sections made adjusting my windshield difficult, so I got some z-bars since they provide tons of straight bar for mounting stuff. The ebay description said they are 6" Rise with a 8-1/2" Center Width. (tip to tip) measures 25". Angle of Pullback is approx. 15°. I couldn't tell from the ebay pictures, but the pullback is somewhat down as well as back.

So I put them on parallel to the fork tubes and took it for a spin. At that angle my wrists are bent inwards and the ligaments on the pinky sides of my hands start to hurt after only a couple miles. :-/

Back home I take a look at how to make my hands point more forward and settle on rotating the handlebars forward. Go for another spin and the wrist discomfort if better, but the bike's handling feels odd. Unstable I guess. Slow speed maneuvers do not feel natural. Point being, I don't feel as in control as I did with the stock bars.

While the z-bars are narrower than the stock bars, it doesn't feel like its the extra effort required is at fault. Looking the geometry of the mounted bars, I notice that the grips are now a little forward of the steering tube's axis. Could this be the cause of the changed handling? Google is not helping out much, is there some unwritten rule about handlebar geometry?

Right now I'm thinking of just going back to the original bars. Anyone have a better idea? :-?

Title: Re: Handlebar stability & grip position
Post by verslagen1 on 02/27/09 at 13:34:40

I would say go to an independant, try on a few bars (sans m/c) and get the one that feels comfortable. I think 26" is too narrow, 30" is my preference. Drag bars are nice, but you need the rise.

Title: Re: Handlebar stability & grip position
Post by diamond jim on 02/28/09 at 08:11:05

26" is pretty narrow. But it would be hard to find a handlebar setup for a 4 wheeler, snowmobile or seadoo that is as wide as 26". They are usually around 24". People don't change them out. They just adapt to them. Most sportbike clip-ons don't span more than 24" either. But that's the nice thing about MC handlebars is you can more readily change them to adapt to you rather than the other way around. The extra width is nice leverage to have when doing slow speed maneuvers.

Title: Re: Handlebar stability & grip position
Post by Big Nix on 03/07/09 at 03:53:31

I rode with the stock buck horn bars for about 4 months but noticed that if i rode for more than 30min it would start to hurt my wrists. And since finding this sight i found that I'm not the only one with that issue. I tried just loosening the risers and rotating the bars forward, it helped some but again after about 30-40 mins my wrists start hurting As far as the control issue you feel might just have to be that you aren't used to the feel, but then again i just went with some harley drag bars for mine, haven't got them yet but i like the look. And just throwing this out there, if you don't end up likeing your z-bars i might be interested, i had some found but the price sky rocketed at the last minute. And maybe you would like the drag bars i got.

Title: Re: Handlebar stability & grip position
Post by PerrydaSavage on 03/07/09 at 04:33:09

One my original '03 Savage, I found that the stock buck-horns in the factory set position kinda tucked my elbows in which didn't seem to give me the control that I wanted in the turns ... after Riding a friends S40 with the factory drags-on-pull back-riser setup, I felt like that Bike had much better steering ... so, I loosened the clamps on my buck-horns and rotated 'em forward, which raised the grips about 2" or so ... this un-tucked my elbows, straightened my arms and gave me MUCH better steering input! :)

Title: Re: Handlebar stability & grip position
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 03/07/09 at 22:25:35

I saw kids with the bars on their bicycles leaned forward & thought it would feel odd. Think about it a sec. The initial "lets turn" move would be the same, say a shove on the right side, drop right, steer into it.A normal set up, with some pullback in it, & the hands will move ever so slightly left as the bars move the left hand away & right hand nearer your body.With hands in front of the steering stem, your hands will move a little to the right & thats not something I would feel at ease with. Maybe after some time it would get okay.

Maybe Im not even close to why it feels Off, but thats what I think..

Title: Re: Handlebar stability & grip position
Post by diamond jim on 03/07/09 at 23:49:34

47585E5944437242724A58541F2D0 wrote:

Did you forget to take your meds again cause reading that confused the heck out of me.

:D

Title: Re: Handlebar stability & grip position
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 03/08/09 at 00:07:16

AAArrrgghh! There they ARE, RIGHT there. Been sittin there all day & I just Fergot to take them,, Im sure sorry..maybe tomorrow Ill be able to straighten this out, After I take them, of course,, yea,, dontholdyerbreath~!

Seriously, I read it before I posted it. I thought it was reasonable,,hands in front of the steering head, its gonna feel weird.
Is it actually unstable? I wouldnt think so.

Title: Re: Handlebar stability & grip position
Post by Moofed on 03/08/09 at 06:21:06

Thanks for the input guys. I understand you justin!

I tilted them a little further back, we'll see if that helps the feel without bringing on pain like when they are in line with the fork.

I measured with my kuryakyn iso grips on, it is 27.5" from tip to tip.