Handlebar suggestions?

[cmyoch]

Hey guys,
I've seen many pictures of different handlebar styles and I want to make a change from the stock handlebars that are on my 78 Special. I think I have ram horns? I'm not sure. I'll have to take a picture and post it. They are comfortable bars but I want something that is a little sportier. I was looking at clubmans at first but then I'll have more of a cafe style. Drag bars look too straight. Can you guys post pics of your setup? I like the idea of bar end mirrors too. They look pretty cool but are they functional?

Thanks,

Craig

 

[oldbiker]

i,ve got daytona bars from mikes... but i,ll shortly be getting a set of gs bars from mikes they are 5/8" lower and the pull back is not as much as daytona ,,and the gs bars will put my weight slightly more over the front end... and at mikes his bars are cheap instead of buying old rusty items regards oldbiker

 

[Ironhead]

Craig;
Don't have any pics of them, but Clubmans mounted upside down are pretty cool looking. They angle back so they are not so straight, and have a rise of about 4 1/2"...it's whats going on my build.

Heres a You tube link of a guy that has them mounted upside down.

You might run into some 'purists' that say they are all WRONG, but it's your bike and run what you want, right. My buddy did this on a BSA and posted pictures on his F.B. page and the owners wife of a chopper Co. (which shall remain nameless) that we both did business with, called him a 'dumb ass' because he didn't know how to mount them. Needless to say we both no longer do any business with that Co., he built crap anyway!!!

 

[CDNTX650]

thats what clubmans were for, run em comfy upside down style for street, flip em for the track.

 

[MacMcMacmac]

Check out Z1 Enterprises. They have a selection of bars there at very good prices. Shipping charges to Canada are more than the price of the bars though, so I'll probably go Mike's route for a set of lower ones.

 

[working class choppers]

just popped these onto my project chop last week
maybe not quite what you are looking for

 

[Tech7]

just popped these onto my project chop last week
maybe not quite what you are looking for

No shameless plug there!

 

[angus67]

here's mine with flipped up clubmans.

 

[mrriggs]

Ditto the upside down clubmans. I have a set on my XS400 and they put the grips at a really comfortable angle and height, but are still low enough to feel kind of sporty.

 

[cmyoch]

This is the first time I've seen clubmans mounted upside down. I wonder how they would look on an all black stock XS? Do you think the stock mirrors would look goofy or should I invest in a set of bar ends?

 

[gentlemanjim]

REnthal superbike high (not really high, jus thename) They look great adn quell vibration. Thcik aluminum wall.

 

[XSLeo]

Do you have a bike/atv salvage yard nearby? I had a set of maybe daytona or super bike bars on the 75 when I got it. They were the same as the bars on the 82 Seca. Any way they were too low, to narrow and too far forward. I went to a local salvage yard and picked up an atv handle bar. it was a couple inches higher, wider and more pull back. They work very good.
Take your bike, walk around the yard looking at different bars. Set on the bikes and see if the bars fit you. The guy might let you take a few out to your bike and see if they are better. If you ask nice you can buy a set or two, take them home try them on the bike ride it around a bit, try the others. Keep the set you like best take the others back. Just ask nice if you can return the ones you don't like.

 

[DLD1]

This is the first time I've seen clubmans mounted upside down. I wonder how they would look on an all black stock XS? Do you think the stock mirrors would look goofy or should I invest in a set of bar ends?

Here's mine, I really like them, they look good and feel good, and I think the mirrors look fine. I guess it just depends on what you like.

 

[oldbiker]

luv... the tank ....do you make them? regards oldbiker

 

[cmyoch]

That answers my question. Clubman it is! Thanks guys and thanks DLD for the pics. I'm going to hold off on bars though until I get my motor running right. One thing at a time! LOL!

 

[ReycleBill]

I recently added a Dirt track/Street track Bar - Bright Chrome.
Width - 34 1/2", Rise - 3 3/8", Pullback - 8 1/4" x 7/8"Dia. Part #25-1088 from http://www.mikesxs.net/products-58.html#products

It's wide, giving me more control and let's me lean ever so slightly to the front to brace the wind without back pain. If you're only going to ride short distances then pick any bar you like but if you want to cover hundreds of miles per day then wide bars that keep your hands below your elbows and elbows slightly bent are the only way to go.

 

[jayel]

hey Angus that bike will run better if you put a chain on it

 

[Dogger]

Hey Bill, did you trim the ends of your street tracker bars at all? I have a set of Mikes but I thought they would be a little higher and I find them really wide.

 

[ReycleBill]

Hey Bill, did you trim the ends of your street tracker bars at all? I have a set of Mikes but I thought they would be a little higher and I find them really wide.

No, I just started riding a little farther towards the front of the seat.

Another great bar is the stock buckhorns off the mid 70s Sporsters and Superglides but they would require that mounting be modified.

The best handlebars I ever used were the 2 piece bars on a '69 Electraglide.

 

[rude]

End bar mirrors are the way to go if you are using clip ons or clubmans (the right way around) as a quck fix, but, lane splitters beware, I have been caught forgeting they are out there!!
using standard type mirrors means I have to cock my elbow in and head out to see whats behind me, cause I wanted to run end bar weights I came across these from MOTOLANNA http://www.motolanna.com/ourshop/prod_1035263-Mirrors-Italian-Design-Alloy.html.

Due to the mounting I can push them out wider giving me a view past my elbows
Also I ordered these clubmans shown from india just this morning, they have a small drop compared to the other clubmans I've seen which put me way tooo low
Hopefully these will be a good compromise for the clip ons which hit the tank when comfortable, I can also fit the MikesXS bling over the handlebar mounts again instead of those two black holes
Hope this helps
cheers