Back in the late 90s and early double oughts, you couldn't buy 1" clubmans, trackers, motocross, etc. So it is entirely possible (but highly unlikely) that his bike was converted by a previous owner. And there are still several very aesthetically pleasing handlebar bends that are only available in 7/8 inch. Think old British stuff and ancient Harley Davidson 45 sidevalves...

For that matter, think older Shadows and Viragoes... both shipped with 7/8 bars while Suzuki cruisers had gone to 1 inch bars. Shadow risers were very popular from about 96-2006, and the controls are virtually plug and play.