A couple of days ago, I swapped out my stock drag bars for some '29" HD Drag Bars' and some new grips. The bars are a little wider and a little straighter than my stock bars.

The rotator cuff in both my shoulders is a little dodgy and I had a feeling they were putting pressure on the ol' shoulders ... and I always felt they were a bit narrow anyway.

I found these bars at a bike accessories shop, with a HD section down the back. I think they're a generic type of thing. Man, they make a big difference. My shoulders open up and they pull me forward on the seat a bit too ... that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned. The difference for slow riding and slow cornering is just terrific ... more leverage.

I didn't have to adjust any cables or wiring. The straighter style probably offset the extra length. Also, my mirrors are now further apart which makes a big improvement too!

I've only had 'em on for a couple of days so still getting used to them but so far, so good  

Here's a comparison shot:

Looks good.

I rotated my bar up a little more yesterday and readjusted mirrors.
Looking forward to trying it out today

I ran very similar bars for many years and really liked them.
The riding position felt very comfortable and natural after just a few rides.
I found the slight forward lean to be pretty comfortable in slow trafffic and very comfortable at 50+.

IslandRoad

I put stock Sportster Bars on my S-40 , they are wider also and WoW ! the handling got way easier !   It was going from 27" to 31" --- only 4" but what a difference !  

I've only had a couple of small rides but I reckon the different riding position will help the pain I've had in my tailbone, from the seat.

I'm heading off on a 4 hour trip tomorrow, to a retro bike show (non-competitive track day for pre-70s, pre-80s, and pre-90s bikes) So I'll certainly know by the end of the day.

My next move might be to some lower risers to drop the HD  bar a bit. Sounds like it'll create a similar position to what you describe.

I may even get a set of forward controls down the track  

Riding today. Can't wait to give them a good run through the hills!

ohiomoto wrote on 04/13/17 at 07:28:50:

emgo makes a superbar, chrome or black... between $20 and 25.

Well, I've ridden about 12 hours over the last three days; twisties through the forest and open highway. And, these new bars are the "duck's guts". They've changed the ergonomics completely, for the better.

My shoulders are so much better and my tailbone is getting much needed relief. And the handling is awesome. The 'work' has shifted from my shoulders (deltoid muscles) to my upper back (trapezoid muscles), which is where it should be, to me.

I found myself resting my heels on the pegs, which got the weight distribution just right, at last.

So, my next move is to move the foot controls forward a tad, and then maybe make up some risers which are a couple of inches lower. That riding position works well against the wind on the freeway, and is very comfortable for winding roads. Also, bumps in the road no longer make me grunt. I just bounce on the seat a little bit.

I was going to do the bars and risers at the same time but the guy at the bike shop advised me to do one step at a time ... probably some sage advice!

I got to just enjoy the ride (with the carb tuning behind me). The bike was purring on the freeway, and gliding through the forest roads like it was on rails. My girlfriend was following on her Ninja, doing her own thing. And we saw a great retro-bike exhibition while we were away.

"No-one ever says 'are we there yet' on a bike".

I've loved the S40/Savage since I first sat on it. But always had the sense something wasn't quite right ... But I believed in the bike. The change in ergonomics over the last couple days has been a revelation, and sealed the deal!

I bought it as a learner bike, but now, I'd rather put money into mods over time, instead of 'upgrading'.

Aaaand, I had one of those thoroughly enjoyable moments when a stranger asks "So, is she a 400?"

A fun weekend so far