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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Handlebars old vs. new
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Message started by engineer on 02/10/11 at 10:34:56

Title: Handlebars old vs. new
Post by engineer on 02/10/11 at 10:34:56

Some of you have ridden both older and newer Savage/S40 bikes. I have only sat on the S40 with the new style handle bars. Are the buckhorn style bars any different in terms of the seating position?

Are they closer or more forward, higher or lower, or do they end up being about the same? The angle of the grips on the buckhorns looks like it might be more natural. I would like to hear your opinions and any thoughts on the seating position in general.

Here is a link to a seat mod site if you are interested. Follow the menu left to right and be sure to check out the sub-menus because that is where most of the information is.
http://www.diymotorcycleseat.com/index.php

My bike still hasn't been delivered yet due to weather and road conditions, or maybe the dealer is hibernating.

Title: Re: Handlebars old vs. new
Post by verslagen1 on 02/10/11 at 11:40:19

More or less seating is the same... ouch!

Arm position is different, drag bars allow a straighter arm, while the buckhorns a bent arm. It forces me to hold my elbows in to my body.

I like the drag bars but they are too narrow and I like less pull back. All you see in the mirrors are your elbows.

Ended up with z bars 6" rise, short risers, about half the pull back of the drag bars. You need about 6" rise to clear the tank.

Title: Re: Handlebars old vs. new
Post by JohnBoy on 02/11/11 at 00:13:06

I opted for a late 90's Sportster bar, still a buckhorn, but not so tight in the bends. It gets my elbows out away from my gut, and I feel that I have better control.

Title: Re: Handlebars old vs. new
Post by stinger on 02/11/11 at 00:23:49

Everyone is different. I like the buckhorns. For me, its much more comfortable when riding at higher speeds. When traveling I can lean back on my sleeping bag. I don't like the lean forward position. Plus the buckhorns give it the old style look and feel.

Title: Re: Handlebars old vs. new
Post by PerrydaSavage on 02/11/11 at 03:48:57

I've owned both the Savage with the OEM buckhorn bars and the S40 with the OEM drags on pull back risers ... IMHO the S40's setup gives better steering input and control ... as already pointed out the Savage's buckhorns tucked the elbows in too much which in my experience restricted the amount of steering input you could give (compared to the S40's drag bars) ... I felt I could corner much better with the S40's set up. That said, when I had the Savage, I loosened the bar clamps and rolled the bars ahead about an inch and a half (of course re-tightening the clamps!) ... this effectively raised the grips up and ahead and was MUCH more comfortable! It also measurably improved steering input and cornering ... nearly as good as the OEM drags ...

Title: Re: Handlebars old vs. new
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/11/11 at 04:43:05

I had a Kawa 750 with some mini apes or buckhorns, certainly not flat & low bars. Didnt like the way it felt, couldnt pick it up worth a crap, either. A friend gave me some Ducati bars. Handled corners much easier & easier to pick up.

Title: Re: Handlebars old vs. new
Post by Boule’tard on 02/11/11 at 07:22:45

625740404B5653615344535557320 wrote:

..when I had the Savage, I loosened the bar clamps and rolled the bars ahead about an inch and a half (of course re-tightening the clamps!) ... this effectively raised the grips up and ahead and was MUCH more comfortable! ...

That says it right there. Any bars that use short risers (or no risers) such that the clamp is well below hand level, is going to give you much more fore/aft adjustability.

I liked the drag bars just fine in the stock location. But if I didn't, I would have converted to the low clamp and bought some bars with less sweep (droop?) than the buckhorns.

Title: Re: Handlebars old vs. new
Post by james may on 02/11/11 at 07:52:12

I have a savage that converted to 32" wide drag bars with 4" risers. So it pulls the bars further away from you and keeps alittle bit of the height.. They're still alittle lower than the buckhorns, but I prefer the drag bars. There's a reason sport bikes use clipons they give you better control, makes it easier to steer and lean. Having your hands pointed forward is more natural than having them turned out and having the handlebars a decent amount below your shoulder height makes it easier to lean the bike with your upper body taking strain off your stomach and leg muscles. A higher leaned back handlebar can be better if your doing lots of highway cruising, but savages aren't really built for highway touring anyways.

Title: Re: Handlebars old vs. new
Post by Oldfeller on 02/11/11 at 08:16:47

Where you are sitting, just stick your arms out in front of you and let them hang there, loose in the air with no conscious control.

How are your hands oriented? Get bars that do that.

(how is your body built, in other words. Notice if you will that women's arms work slightly differently in this test than ours as they have slight structural modifications for carrying stuff like a baby for long long periods of time)

Pick the bar style that fits your body the best and you'll be happy.

Title: Re: Handlebars old vs. new
Post by bill67 on 02/11/11 at 08:43:38

My wifes 1980 gn had stock buckhorn bars,She had then turned way up,She said that she rest her hands on top of the bars and didn't have to hold on so tight,I didn't like it that way myself.

Title: Re: Handlebars old vs. new
Post by 04 Savage on 02/11/11 at 08:46:05

That is exactly what I did to my stock buckhorns too. Rolling them forward so your grip last longer and feels much better to have your elbows out of your side.

Title: Re: Handlebars old vs. new
Post by jonnyb021104 on 02/11/11 at 18:09:46

are the handlebars 7/8 or 1"?

Title: Re: Handlebars old vs. new
Post by verslagen1 on 02/11/11 at 18:25:25

Title: Re: Handlebars old vs. new
Post by engineer on 02/11/11 at 18:30:32

Thanks for all the input. For now, I will plan on using the stock S40 handlebars. I saw some buckhorns for sale but will let them pass. My arms are fairly long and I don't want my elbows bent and back by my sides as you guys have described the buckhorns.

Title: Re: Handlebars old vs. new
Post by jonnyb021104 on 02/11/11 at 18:51:51

for all years of savages?

Title: Re: Handlebars old vs. new
Post by PerrydaSavage on 02/12/11 at 02:34:43

62676666716A383A3939383C080 wrote:

for all years of savages?

From the LS650's debut in 1986 and for a number of model years afterwards, it could be had with either the buckhorn bars or drags similar to those on the S40 ... not sure when Suzuki stopped offering either as option, but the bucks became the only stock handlebar available for many years afterwards. Of course, the drags were re-introduced when the Savage became the S40 in 2005.