Mika Metals 7075 Pro Series Handlebar

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Tested: Mika Metals 7075 Pro Series Handlebars
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Review and Photos by Bill Weppner

Handlebar setup is critical to the comfort and confidence we all desire from our machines. They bind us to our bikes and when set in just the right position, make the ride as comfortable as our home sofas. Move those bars a few millimeters fore or aft, or change the bend a few degrees and you lose that comfort and just don’t feel at home anymore.

Technical Features

Constructed from aerospace grade aluminum.

Available in nine bends, in both 7/8” and 1-1/8” bar sizes.

Can be ordered with bar pad color of your choice (ten color options).

MSRP $60.95 for 7/8” ($99.95 for 1-1/8”, as tested).

First Impressions

The Mika Metals 7075 Pro Series Handlebar is made from top quality aerospace aluminum that serves to provide engineered “flex” into the bars, to reduce arm fatigue and increase comfort, a solid plus to riders of any level. A close look at these bars reveals a number of tapers in the metal, an obvious indicator to different thicknesses and outer dimensions of the bar that contribute to its ability to dampen impacts. Mika also offers up quite the range of bar pad colors, for you to choose while ordering your bars, although the bars themselves are only available in black.

On the Track

When on the bike it can be quite difficult to perceive the affects of any handlebar initially, unless it’s made of solid butter. Around the midway point of a moto is when flex, or lack of it, can become a factor. As fatigue sets in, every square edge bump can feel like hitting a solid wall. The flex in the Mika Metal Pro Series bars added a level of comfort around this point that it was noticeable and welcomed. The front end seemed to suffer from less deflection, while still feeling precise when my arms began turning to Jello. At the end of the day, fatigue in my arms and shoulders were noticeably reduced, and can be attributed to the improved damping effects of the bars.

Long Term Durability

The only real way to test the durability of a handlebar is simple, but crashing repeatedly isn’t anyone’s idea of fun. Out on the track, the bars have stayed just as straight as the day I received them. On top of that the finish is still in good condition, with some of the usual small roost chips here and there, but nothing excessive.

The Last Word

The one miss I encountered with the Mika Pro Series bars was with the position of the taper (from 1-1/8” to 7/8”) towards the end of the bars. This left me with less control area adjustment than a standard bar, and for my preference I couldn’t quite get the controls moved in as far as I would have liked, due to the interference of the larger taper.  This ultimately led to some further adjustments during the first few laps, for me this wasn’t enough to deter, but the lack of control room could be a problem for riders with more items on their handlebars (handguards, launch control, etc.). Overall they are reasonably priced compared to most 1 1/8” bars on the market.

VitalMX rating: 3.5 stars

About the Test Rider

Bill Weppner resides in Long Beach, CA and has yet to declare his gang affiliation.  He has a deep desire to be the fastest +30 rider at Milestone MX Park on any givenSunday, so long as Jeff “Chicken” Matiasevich isn’t there.  When he’s not railin’ ruts and banging… stuff… he’s working for the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, that likely wants no affiliation with his comments and/or reviews on this website.  Enough said...

For more information on Mika Metal's Pro Series Bars or other Mika Metal products, you can check out Mikametals.com, or your local dealer.

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1 member reviews

Mika: Correct Approach
Rating:
The Good
Good flex, great rider support.
The Bad
Only black bar color option, didnt bother me as black is what i think looks best anyway.
Overall Review:

Used handlebar material to create flex rather than a heavy mechanical piece at the highest point of the motorcycle.

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Specifications

Product
Mika Metals 7075 Pro Series Handlebar
Type
 
Construction
 
Miscellaneous
Available with multiple bar pad colors, 1 1/8 inch bar is $30+
Price
$69.95
More Info
 
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