Handlebar Pros and Cons

kawi_guy07
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kawi_guy07
Edited Date/Time 3/16/2020 11:40am
I'm in the market for some new bars due to bending the hell out of the ones i currently have. There's tons of options out there and it's been hard for me to find good info on the differences between them all.

What's your preferences when it comes to brand, bend, thickness, etc.? And why?
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IanMac138
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IanMac138 3/12/2020 12:36pm
3/12/2020 12:36pm
Pro Taper Evo bars. I had Neken on my 150sx and were way to rigid and wide for me (I'm 5'8"). Opted for the PT Evo in the SX bend and love them. Definitely noticed a more flex feeling which took some harshness out of square edge bumps and slap down landings.
BAD10
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BAD10 3/12/2020 12:59pm
3/12/2020 12:59pm
Handlebars:
Pros- allows you to steer and control motorcycle

Cons- Adds weight.

am I missing anything....................
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Falcon
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Falcon 3/12/2020 1:45pm
3/12/2020 1:45pm
BAD10 wrote:
Handlebars:
Pros- allows you to steer and control motorcycle

Cons- Adds weight.

am I missing anything....................
You beat me to it. LaughingLaughingLaughingLaughingLaughingLaughing
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BobPA
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BobPA 3/12/2020 1:48pm
3/12/2020 1:48pm
Stock Neken bars on my KTM's is the perfect bend for me. Find a bend and price you like, and run it. If you start worrying about flex and all jazz that you'll just end up wasting time and getting in your own head. There is no data out there on stiffness, so it is all subjective....
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The Shop

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spimx
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spimx 3/12/2020 1:53pm
3/12/2020 1:53pm
Which ones look the coolest!
crowe176
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crowe176 3/12/2020 1:54pm
3/12/2020 1:54pm
BAD10 wrote:
Handlebars:
Pros- allows you to steer and control motorcycle

Cons- Adds weight.

am I missing anything....................
I concur. I'm for em
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duckdog77
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duckdog77 3/12/2020 2:45pm
3/12/2020 2:45pm
Pro taper evo Carmichael bend W/ a little cut off each side. I’m on the short side 5’6” so I like a shorter bar w/ less pull back feel like it helps me stay forward on the bike with a little more weight on the front tire. As for flex I dont know about that. That’s something new to my ears and don’t think I’ll try to venture down that road.
theycallmeebryan 3/12/2020 3:01pm
3/12/2020 3:01pm
Tusk Chub bars are really good and only $40 each. I run the KTM bend on a few of my bikes. At 6'1", this bend suits me well. Its a little wider than normal, and less pullback than normal, but that combination really opens up the cockpit in the arm area for us taller riders. I definitely discourage taller bars or anything like that. It works for some people, but not for me.
JBecker 72
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JBecker 72 3/12/2020 3:04pm
3/12/2020 3:04pm Edited Date/Time 3/12/2020 3:05pm
I just went with Keefer’s recommendation on my 2016 KX450F. Pro Taper Evo SX race. I dig em. I previously was just running a stock Kawi bend Renthal Fatbar. The Pro Taper feels more forgiving and is a little lower and flatter feeling.
sandtrack315
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sandtrack315 3/12/2020 4:02pm
3/12/2020 4:02pm Edited Date/Time 3/12/2020 4:06pm
Stock Yamaha is a bit low (89). I just tired the Renthal Fatbar36 villapoto / Stewart bend, which has less sweep and about 6mm taller. I’m 6 feet tall, and this opens up the cockpit for me and let’s me have better form. It does take some weight off the front, so I moved the forks up in the clamps 1mm. I like this balance now. I have no idea how anyone runs bars taller than this, though.

It’s annoying, but swap bars out at the track so you can ride them back to back.

Also, you really can feel the weight difference while riding with the Fatbar36. But I’m also the type of person for which 1mm of fork tube height makes a world of difference.
DB505
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DB505 3/12/2020 4:10pm
3/12/2020 4:10pm
Flex bars, I’ll never use anything else
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Alex.434
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Alex.434 3/12/2020 5:13pm
3/12/2020 5:13pm
I'm 6'1" with a 'long torso' and I went with CR Highs for the first time with my current bike. Prior to that I always just ran what the bike came with. Oh man, huge different and waaaay better.

For you taller guys, don't discount having a set of bars that works with your height.
AxlBundy
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AxlBundy 3/12/2020 6:54pm
3/12/2020 6:54pm
Renthal RC High for me. Single track guy though and they are a huge improvement for ergonomics standing
Hoseclamp
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Hoseclamp 3/12/2020 7:42pm
3/12/2020 7:42pm
DB505 wrote:
Flex bars, I’ll never use anything else
I just got some of these. Havnt had a chance to try them yet but I have very high hopes.
disbanded
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disbanded 3/12/2020 7:47pm
3/12/2020 7:47pm
I get the RC bend and then turn them suckers down to the gas tank
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theycallmeebryan 3/12/2020 8:55pm
3/12/2020 8:55pm Edited Date/Time 3/12/2020 8:56pm
sandtrack315 wrote:
Stock Yamaha is a bit low (89). I just tired the Renthal Fatbar36 villapoto / Stewart bend, which has less sweep and about 6mm taller. I’m...
Stock Yamaha is a bit low (89). I just tired the Renthal Fatbar36 villapoto / Stewart bend, which has less sweep and about 6mm taller. I’m 6 feet tall, and this opens up the cockpit for me and let’s me have better form. It does take some weight off the front, so I moved the forks up in the clamps 1mm. I like this balance now. I have no idea how anyone runs bars taller than this, though.

It’s annoying, but swap bars out at the track so you can ride them back to back.

Also, you really can feel the weight difference while riding with the Fatbar36. But I’m also the type of person for which 1mm of fork tube height makes a world of difference.
Sorry, but i call bullshit. You're telling me you feel the <0.5lb difference on a 240lb dirtbike? Maybe its the 0.5lb lighter bank account you're feeling.
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langhammx
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langhammx 3/12/2020 10:24pm
3/12/2020 10:24pm
I have a question for you tall guys and long torso guys...

I never really understood running taller bars for tall guys, aren’t your arms longer as well ! Seems like it all kinda balances out in the end, no ?

Change my mind
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PBRvince
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PBRvince 3/12/2020 11:48pm
3/12/2020 11:48pm
I've been very happy with the flexx bars. I know they're a bit pricey but I've had no complaints about them.

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PBRvince
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PBRvince 3/12/2020 11:50pm
3/12/2020 11:50pm
DB505 wrote:
Flex bars, I’ll never use anything else
Hoseclamp wrote:
I just got some of these. Havnt had a chance to try them yet but I have very high hopes.
Try out the different bushings they give you and you should be happy, I use the soft ones for GPs and desert type riding/racing. And their tech department is very helpful
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Berni
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Berni 3/13/2020 12:01am
3/13/2020 12:01am
langhammx wrote:
I have a question for you tall guys and long torso guys... I never really understood running taller bars for tall guys, aren’t your arms longer...
I have a question for you tall guys and long torso guys...

I never really understood running taller bars for tall guys, aren’t your arms longer as well ! Seems like it all kinda balances out in the end, no ?

Change my mind
That's been my reasoning forever... Y am 183cm (6" roughly), and like the lowest and flattest handlebar possible.

Regarding flex... I had a stock broken bar that I crashed and bend.... Bought a protaper contour just because the price and bend, I did no research at all regarding flex.

I am not the most picky rider, and I ride off-road, mx only few times a year..... First thing I noticed when I ride with the contour in the woods was a softer feeling of the front end and could go some clicks stiffer in the forks.


So they deffinetly offer more flex that the said nekens
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#434
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#434 3/13/2020 2:24am
3/13/2020 2:24am
langhammx wrote:
I have a question for you tall guys and long torso guys... I never really understood running taller bars for tall guys, aren’t your arms longer...
I have a question for you tall guys and long torso guys...

I never really understood running taller bars for tall guys, aren’t your arms longer as well ! Seems like it all kinda balances out in the end, no ?

Change my mind
If a tall person and a short person stand side by side whose hands are further away from the ground?
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sandtrack315
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sandtrack315 3/13/2020 7:52am
3/13/2020 7:52am
sandtrack315 wrote:
Stock Yamaha is a bit low (89). I just tired the Renthal Fatbar36 villapoto / Stewart bend, which has less sweep and about 6mm taller. I’m...
Stock Yamaha is a bit low (89). I just tired the Renthal Fatbar36 villapoto / Stewart bend, which has less sweep and about 6mm taller. I’m 6 feet tall, and this opens up the cockpit for me and let’s me have better form. It does take some weight off the front, so I moved the forks up in the clamps 1mm. I like this balance now. I have no idea how anyone runs bars taller than this, though.

It’s annoying, but swap bars out at the track so you can ride them back to back.

Also, you really can feel the weight difference while riding with the Fatbar36. But I’m also the type of person for which 1mm of fork tube height makes a world of difference.
theycallmeebryan wrote:
Sorry, but i call bullshit. You're telling me you feel the <0.5lb difference on a 240lb dirtbike? Maybe its the 0.5lb lighter bank account you're feeling.
It’s the highest part of the bike and the part you move around the most. Again, I’m very sensitive to bike set up; I can tell when the sag is off my a few mm or the fork tubes move a mm. Your mileage my vary.
sandtrack315
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sandtrack315 3/13/2020 7:55am
3/13/2020 7:55am
langhammx wrote:
I have a question for you tall guys and long torso guys... I never really understood running taller bars for tall guys, aren’t your arms longer...
I have a question for you tall guys and long torso guys...

I never really understood running taller bars for tall guys, aren’t your arms longer as well ! Seems like it all kinda balances out in the end, no ?

Change my mind
I like bars with less sweep and a bit more height. It just open up the cockpit. Of course I’m 6 feet and would never run anything over 92mm of rise, so I agree the super high bends are not great for MX unless you are super tall.
arunkxf
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arunkxf 3/13/2020 8:13am
3/13/2020 8:13am
Twinwalls 997 bend all the way. I like the bar bend and width.

I hate Fatbars, I took em straight off the KTM when I got it.
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Alex.434
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Alex.434 3/13/2020 10:08am
3/13/2020 10:08am
langhammx wrote:
I have a question for you tall guys and long torso guys... I never really understood running taller bars for tall guys, aren’t your arms longer...
I have a question for you tall guys and long torso guys...

I never really understood running taller bars for tall guys, aren’t your arms longer as well ! Seems like it all kinda balances out in the end, no ?

Change my mind
Lower bars put a lot more strain on my lower back to be 'bent over' when in the attack position, and the transition from seated to standing is harder. Taller bars 'come up to meet me' if you will, resulting in more comfort, control, and less lower back strain. Remember we don't ride with straight locked arms, we ride with bend elbows and have to push, pull, and maneuver the bike with our arms quite a bit.

Hey trust me mate, I never bought into it either. Literally ever single bike I've ever owned I never changed bars out. I also am fortunate to ride a lot of bikes that aren't mine. Magazine bikes, demo bikes, photoshoot bikes, etc, so am always riding 'stock OEM low bar setups'. I can ride just fine with stock low bars, I just have found it more comfortable (via finally testing it on my personal bike) to have a higher bar.

I also put Fastway pegs on my personal bike, which lower the pegs .5". That was nice too, just opened up the cockpit and that whole 'seat to stand' transition.

Just saying, if you are a taller lad, try it.

nascarnate326 3/13/2020 10:40am
3/13/2020 10:40am
971 7/8th. Stock bar on my Kawi. Ive had it on several bikes and always seem to be happiest with it.
Gworm
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Gworm 3/13/2020 12:08pm
3/13/2020 12:08pm
I like the 971's that were stock on my Honda's, and I think they are 827 Fat Bars on my 250SX (13).

Am I the only one that cuts them down?

I'm a big guy, but I always cut mine down to 31 1/4 " . The biggest thing that bothers me is if they are too wide.
Gworm
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Gworm 3/13/2020 12:13pm
3/13/2020 12:13pm
This is what I'd really like, though.
arunkxf
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arunkxf 3/16/2020 9:10am
3/16/2020 9:10am
Gworm wrote:
I like the 971's that were stock on my Honda's, and I think they are 827 Fat Bars on my 250SX (13). Am I the only...
I like the 971's that were stock on my Honda's, and I think they are 827 Fat Bars on my 250SX (13).

Am I the only one that cuts them down?

I'm a big guy, but I always cut mine down to 31 1/4 " . The biggest thing that bothers me is if they are too wide.
I'm the opposite, I like a wide bar

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