SuzukiSavage.com - Shopping for Bars

EJID

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Pocatello, ID
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Shopping for Bars
09/29/11 at 12:27:25

I sit on my bike and close my eyes...put my hands out in front of me where I think the bars would feel best and realize that I should get a new set of bars. Basically my 05 has stock pullback risers and drag bars, but I feel that I need something that would put the grips in almost the exact same spot they are now, but about 2" higher.

Been shopping around (mostly ebay) and know that on the older Savages with buckhorns you can get away with stock cables/hoses, but not sure how far I can go with my particular setup.

What I'm thinking I want to do is get a set of 8"-10" mini-apes or z-bars and pull my risers apart and mount them down right next to the triple tree like the older Savages.

According to many of my searches on our forum, I think I'm going to be OK with the stock cables, but need some help with some of the other details before I order a set.

1" Diameter
Dimpled or Non-Dimpled? (If dimpled will they still work?)
Knurled or Non-Knurled?
Amount of Pull-Back?
Width?
Rise?

One pair I am looking at is Mini-Apes (Non-Dimpled)(Knurled)(10" Pullback)(32.5" Wide)(8"Rise)
Another pair is Mini-Apes (Non-Dimpled)(Non-Knurled)(7" Pullback)(32.5" Wide)(10"Rise)
Last pair is Z-Bars (Dimpled)(Non-Knurled)(4"Pullback)(28.5"Wide)(10"Rise)

Thanks in advance, especially if anyone else has done this and has some additional advice.

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05 S40 15" Memphis Slim, FXDWG Bars, Moved Rear Signals, Saddlebags, Fork Bag, Mini-Tach, Raptor, Cone Filter, Fishtail Muffler, Mix Screw Out 2.5 Turns, 4" Fwd Controls, 147.5 Main/55 Pilot @ 4500

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verslagen1

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Re: Shopping for Bars
Reply #1 - 09/29/11 at 12:52:27

For me pullback is a big issue.
If drag bars are comfortable to you then get the same pullback.
don't need dimples, those are for HD's so they can route their cables external (their controls can be used for internal wiring if you get undimpled bars and drill them for the wiring to run thru)
don't really need knurling, except for tall ape hangers.

Z bars have the same pullback as drag bars. Cool

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EJID Serious Thumper Offline Work to ride and ride to work. Posts: 1536 Pocatello, ID Gender:	Re: Shopping for Bars Reply #2 - 09/29/11 at 13:13:52 Here's the pics of the 3 bars mentioned. 1 (This is actually the 15" rise, because they don't have a pic of the 8" Rise bar) 2 3
Back to top	05 S40 15" Memphis Slim, FXDWG Bars, Moved Rear Signals, Saddlebags, Fork Bag, Mini-Tach, Raptor, Cone Filter, Fishtail Muffler, Mix Screw Out 2.5 Turns, 4" Fwd Controls, 147.5 Main/55 Pilot @ 4500 IP Logged

babyhog Serious Thumper Offline Find a Cure for Breast Cancer! NOW!! Posts: 3802 WV Gender:	Re: Shopping for Bars Reply #3 - 09/29/11 at 13:19:49 Think I read a suggestion somewhere to take some wire (like coat hanger wire or something firm, but bendable) and bend it to what you think you would like, adjust and play with it till you get it to where you think its comfortable, then take measurements, then go find ones that match your measurements! Easy as pie.
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EJID

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ride to work.

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Pocatello, ID
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Re: Shopping for Bars
Reply #4 - 09/29/11 at 13:20:11

verslagen1 wrote on 09/29/11 at 12:52:27:

For me pullback is a big issue.
If drag bars are comfortable to you then get the same pullback.
don't need dimples, those are for HD's so they can route their cables external (their controls can be used for internal wiring if you get undimpled bars and drill them for the wiring to run thru)
don't really need knurling, except for tall ape hangers.

Z bars have the same pullback as drag bars. Cool

I agree comfort is KING so I've got to find something that will FEEL good Cheesy

I think these would mimic the stock drag bar angles pretty well and might sit a bit taller:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HARLEY-DAVIDSON-1-Z-BAR-HANDLEBARS-8-Rise-FL-F...

Rise To Grip Tip: 8"
Rise To Center: 7"
Pull Back: 4"
Width Tip To Tip: 29"
Bar Diameter: 1"
Knurl: 2"
Center Width: 7"

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05 S40 15" Memphis Slim, FXDWG Bars, Moved Rear Signals, Saddlebags, Fork Bag, Mini-Tach, Raptor, Cone Filter, Fishtail Muffler, Mix Screw Out 2.5 Turns, 4" Fwd Controls, 147.5 Main/55 Pilot @ 4500

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Shopping for Bars Reply #5 - 09/29/11 at 14:29:50 If I didn't likem low... I'd steal'm from ya.
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arteacher Serious Thumper Offline Ride as if your naked and invisable! Posts: 2581 London ontario Gender:	Re: Shopping for Bars Reply #6 - 09/29/11 at 15:12:05 With the stock drag bars I was leaning back a bit too far. I bought a Flanders broomstick,which had me leaning a bit too far forward. Then I bought Rox adjustable risers, and now I am just right.
Back to top	white '07, Raask exh, Corbin seat, slipstreamer shie, Raptor, Routy's fwd controls, Baron tach, Frisco bars, Isogrips, Headlight and taillight modulators, Dial-a- jet, AME 9 deg chop kit, K&N air flt IP Logged

greenmonster Senior Member Offline Hellooooo Nurse! Posts: 420 Vancouver BC Gender:	Re: Shopping for Bars Reply #7 - 09/29/11 at 15:29:38 And arteacher changes his screen name to Goldilocks+3handlebars.
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Mario Verasso Full Member Offline Ride it like you stole it! Posts: 112 Gibsonton, Fl Gender:	Re: Shopping for Bars Reply #8 - 09/29/11 at 20:05:27 Like those Z-bars...
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EJID

Serious Thumper

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Work to ride and
ride to work.

Posts: 1536
Pocatello, ID
Gender: male

Re: Shopping for Bars
Reply #9 - 09/30/11 at 13:20:33

verslagen1 wrote on 09/29/11 at 12:52:27:

For me pullback is a big issue.
If drag bars are comfortable to you then get the same pullback.
don't need dimples, those are for HD's so they can route their cables external (their controls can be used for internal wiring if you get undimpled bars and drill them for the wiring to run thru)don't really need knurling, except for tall ape hangers.

Z bars have the same pullback as drag bars. Cool

Dimples - My understanding is, our stock bars don't have them and we don't need them, but if we buy bars with them they will still work. Are I correct? Undecided

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05 S40 15" Memphis Slim, FXDWG Bars, Moved Rear Signals, Saddlebags, Fork Bag, Mini-Tach, Raptor, Cone Filter, Fishtail Muffler, Mix Screw Out 2.5 Turns, 4" Fwd Controls, 147.5 Main/55 Pilot @ 4500

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Shopping for Bars Reply #10 - 09/30/11 at 13:46:35 EJID wrote on 09/30/11 at 13:20:33: Dimples - My understanding is, our stock bars don't have them and we don't need them, but if we buy bars with them they will still work. Are I correct? What are dimples?
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arteacher Serious Thumper Offline Ride as if your naked and invisable! Posts: 2581 London ontario Gender:	Re: Shopping for Bars Reply #11 - 09/30/11 at 13:51:27 Dimples are the holes for the switch modules. I think the only reason they are there is so that the switch modules can be located quickly on the assembly line?
Back to top	white '07, Raask exh, Corbin seat, slipstreamer shie, Raptor, Routy's fwd controls, Baron tach, Frisco bars, Isogrips, Headlight and taillight modulators, Dial-a- jet, AME 9 deg chop kit, K&N air flt IP Logged

EJID Serious Thumper Offline Work to ride and ride to work. Posts: 1536 Pocatello, ID Gender:	Re: Shopping for Bars Reply #12 - 09/30/11 at 14:32:58 This set of bars are both Knurled and Dimpled - The Dimples are the indentations on the underside by where the controls are. I know post 1982 HD controls use dimpled bars, but need to know if using dimpled bars with our controls is an issue.
Back to top	05 S40 15" Memphis Slim, FXDWG Bars, Moved Rear Signals, Saddlebags, Fork Bag, Mini-Tach, Raptor, Cone Filter, Fishtail Muffler, Mix Screw Out 2.5 Turns, 4" Fwd Controls, 147.5 Main/55 Pilot @ 4500 IP Logged

MrBrownTX Full Member Offline Posts: 242 Caddo Mills TX Gender:	Re: Shopping for Bars Reply #13 - 09/30/11 at 18:42:57 My vote is the Zbars! Biltwell Friscos are similar and awesome too just a little less rise. http://www.biltwellinc.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=44 Those are what I plan to get. On top of my stock 6" risers they'll be 13" up and should be right out off my shoulders.
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spacepirates

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Igni Ferroque

Posts: 515
Pittsburgh, PA
Gender: male

Re: Shopping for Bars
Reply #14 - 10/01/11 at 23:36:17

I just took my stock buckhorn bars off tonight (2002 savage), and the bars are dimpled and the controls have pegs that fit into them. So i'd either have to drill holes in non-dimpled bars or cut off the little pegs for the controls to work.

As a side note, i took them off to try and fit a 30" piece of iron pipe, but it was a 30 thousandths too wide. I figured paying $5 for it at lowe's was worth the risk. I'll be back there tomorrow to see if i can't find anything else with an outer diameter closer to 1". I just can't justify paying $50 or so for a straight piece of metal tubing (since I'm going broomsticks).

Also, those f***ing plastic caps on the allen bolts suck. Busted on off such that the peg part of it was still stuck in the bolt. I learned I had a much larger vocabulary than I previously thought....

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