| General -> Accessories. | OEM Storm mirrors help - America headlight on T-Bird? | | | | Categories : |
|  | Topic : Handlebar Options |  |
| | | sleepngbear | | Set |  |  | | Reg. Date | : | 12/07/2012 | | Posts | : | 26 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 01 Sep 2012 - 20:21 Post title : Handlebar Options | | | Hey all, noob here ...
Loving my two-month-old Thunderbird, but I'm always looking for that something that will help improve riding comfort. I'm looking to change the handlebar with something that has more of a buckhorn-type grip position (grips angled down more than straight out), preferably without having to swap cables & hoses, and I'm having no luck at all. Someone on another board said they installed an America bar, but I don't know if it as an earlier ('02-'05) or later ('11+). The earlier America doesn't look all that different from the 'Birds; but the later one has significantly more rise and pullback, so I'd find it hard to believe it could be used without replacing cables. The grip positions of the factory bar options are all too similar and not at all what I'm looking for. I've checked Flanders and CruiserCustomizing's extensive assortment, but
Does anyone here have any experience replacing the bars with something like I'm looking for, or perhaps know where else I might look for other options? I'd even consider longer pullback bars with lower risers, if I had any idea what the stock riser specs are!
Thanks for any info ...
| Ed
2012 Marble Red Haze Thunderbird 1600
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| | | Xfarmer | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 05/11/2011 | | Posts | : | 407 | | Location | : | Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States |
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| | Posted : 01 Sep 2012 - 22:38 Post title : Re: Handlebar Options (Re: sleepngbear) | | | Hi,
Welcome aboard.
Since you've already looked at the Flander's site, i won't repost a link, but here is my suggestion;
Sit on the bike and place your hands in the position you want them to be, then have somebody take some approximate measurements. ie... width, height, and pullback. Then go back to the Flanders website, and start looking at all the 1" bars (there's a LOT to choose from).
You should be able to find exactly what you're looking for.
I used this method to find a bar for my Suzuki S83 a couple years ago, and the quality of the Flanders bars is excellent. Good luck.
Also, The Flanders site has a chart that lists the measurements of practically every bike made in the past 10 years.
| John
Suzuki Boulevard S83, 2010 T-Bird 1700
***Love one woman.... many guitars.***
artjohnmayer.com
| | Post edited by Xfarmer on 01 Sep 2012 - 22:41 |
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| | | mjgt | | Thor | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 16/09/2011 | | Posts | : | 2,201 | | Location | : | North Somerset, United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 02 Sep 2012 - 07:11 Post title : Re: Handlebar Options (Re: sleepngbear) | | | Welcome to the forum sleepngbear, if the bars you are after are only slightly different from the standars height/pullback (under 3") you might get away with just the brake line by rerouting the throttle and clutch to behind the top clamps. If you have the ABS model you just need 1 brake line to the ABS unit, if not you will need 2 lines or 3 and a slitter to the front brakes.
| Mick . . .  Keep the rubber side down!!
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| | | sleepngbear | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/07/2012 | | Posts | : | 26 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 02 Sep 2012 - 22:58 Post title : Re: Handlebar Options (Re: Xfarmer) | | | @John, thanks -- I already knew that 'trick', 'cept you forgot the part about closing your eyes while you're holding your hands out, so your natural positioning isn't affected by where you see the existing controls. My problem is it's more than just rise and pullback -- it's primarily the hand position that I'm looking to change, and pics and dimensions on a web page don't capture that clearly. I actually did this approach with my VTX a few years back, and the bars that I ordered had bends that didn't show in the pictures and made them basically unusable for me.
I went out for a toot earlier today and payed close attention to my hands and riding position, and where I have the bars right now actually isn't all that bad. It isn't too far of a stretch, and I'm thinking the little bit I'd want to change the grip position probably isn't worth all the trouble. I'll keep looking around anyway, because you never know when the exact thing I'm looking for will pop up.
Thanks again...
| Ed
2012 Marble Red Haze Thunderbird 1600
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| | | sleepngbear | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/07/2012 | | Posts | : | 26 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 02 Sep 2012 - 23:01 Post title : Re: Handlebar Options (Re: mjgt) | | | @Mick, thanks for that info. As I just responded to John, I'm really not looking for much more rise/pullback than stock, just to lower the angle of the grip position. It isn't a drastic change that's worth losing sleep over, but I'll be keeping an eye out anyway.
| Ed
2012 Marble Red Haze Thunderbird 1600
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| | | TraderVic | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 02/02/2010 | | Posts | : | 274 | | Location | : | Manahawkin, NJ, United States |
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| | Posted : 03 Sep 2012 - 14:11 Post title : Re: Handlebar Options (Re: sleepngbear) | |
| | | sleepngbear | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/07/2012 | | Posts | : | 26 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 04 Sep 2012 - 01:33 Post title : Re: Handlebar Options (Re: TraderVic) | | |
Looks like the right shape -- and a narrower width, which I'm also looking for. But these have less rise and pullback than the stockers, which I'm thinking will end up with a longer reach. But they could be worth checking out. Worst case, I return 'em.
Thanks for the link.
| Ed
2012 Marble Red Haze Thunderbird 1600
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| | | wal | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 19/09/2011 | | Posts | : | 142 | | Location | : | WA, Australia |
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| | Posted : 04 Sep 2012 - 02:39 Post title : Re: Handlebar Options (Re: sleepngbear) | | | Maybe a dumb question and I hope I'am not telling you how to suck eggs, but have you tried loosening the bars in the risers and twisting them back towards you and lower to the tank?. It takes little time to do and if it suits, you can adjust the levers/controls /mirrors by undoing the 2 bolts on the clamps each side and twist them till they suit your new hand position, easy to try, all the cables are ok ,it don't cost any money and if you don't like it put them back to where they were. The only thing to be careful of is the clearance height of the bars off the tank, but I was surprised how far you can get them back and still get the levers in the right position. I did this early in the peace and have tried another set of bars and different risers mainly for the different look, but i went back to what I just described because it was really comfortable for me.
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| | | sleepngbear | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/07/2012 | | Posts | : | 26 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 04 Sep 2012 - 03:00 Post title : Re: Handlebar Options (Re: wal) | | |
wal wrote:
Maybe a dumb question and I hope I'am not telling you how to suck eggs, but have you tried loosening the bars in the risers and twisting them back towards you and lower to the tank?. It takes little time to do and if it suits, you can adjust the levers/controls /mirrors by undoing the 2 bolts on the clamps each side and twist them till they suit your new hand position, easy to try, all the cables are ok ,it don't cost any money and if you don't like it put them back to where they were. The only thing to be careful of is the clearance height of the bars off the tank, but I was surprised how far you can get them back and still get the levers in the right position. I did this early in the peace and have tried another set of bars and different risers mainly for the different look, but i went back to what I just described because it was really comfortable for me. |
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Yup, I did this pretty shortly after getting the bike home. Definitely an improvement, but because of the shape of the bar, that changes the location of the grips some, but doesn't change the grip angle much. It actually isn't that bad ... I just can never leave well enough alone. Always looking for ways to tweak, improve and personalize.
| Ed
2012 Marble Red Haze Thunderbird 1600
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| | | Aussieduck | | Set | | | Reg. Date | : | 09/05/2012 | | Posts | : | 159 | | Location | : | Angaston, Barossa Valley Sth Aust, Australia |
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| | Posted : 05 Sep 2012 - 07:45 Post title : Re: Handlebar Options (Re: sleepngbear) | | | I put the wide Triumph bars on from new but decided I didn,t like them.Put the standards back on with some duece risers from Eddy and great!You might need a longer brake hose.Works for me but maybe not you.Just a suggestion.Cheers.
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| | | Reever | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 07/11/2010 | | Posts | : | 47 | | Location | : | Brisbane, Australia |
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| | Posted : 05 Sep 2012 - 10:46 Post title : Re: Handlebar Options (Re: Aussieduck) | | | I have thought about modding my bars on my storm
I was thinking of taking about 1/2 inch (25 mm) off each end to bring my hands just a tad closer together, might help with lane splitting.
Has any one done this
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| | | intimidator32 | | Chaac | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2012 | | Posts | : | 913 | | Location | : | lexington, ky, United States |
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| | Posted : 05 Sep 2012 - 21:40 Post title : Re: Handlebar Options (Re: sleepngbear) | | |
sleepngbear wrote:
wal wrote:
Maybe a dumb question and I hope I'am not telling you how to suck eggs, but have you tried loosening the bars in the risers and twisting them back towards you and lower to the tank?. It takes little time to do and if it suits, you can adjust the levers/controls /mirrors by undoing the 2 bolts on the clamps each side and twist them till they suit your new hand position, easy to try, all the cables are ok ,it don't cost any money and if you don't like it put them back to where they were. The only thing to be careful of is the clearance height of the bars off the tank, but I was surprised how far you can get them back and still get the levers in the right position. I did this early in the peace and have tried another set of bars and different risers mainly for the different look, but i went back to what I just described because it was really comfortable for me. |
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Yup, I did this pretty shortly after getting the bike home. Definitely an improvement, but because of the shape of the bar, that changes the location of the grips some, but doesn't change the grip angle much. It actually isn't that bad ... I just can never leave well enough alone. Always looking for ways to tweak, improve and personalize.
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sleepingbear, i'll add that i did that also and added the riser inserts from fast eddy and i think its about perfect
just my two cents and the inserts are about $30 i think and stock cables have enough room
| currently on a slow Harley but will have another Triumph eventually 
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| | | edbob | | Chaac | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 04/04/2012 | | Posts | : | 931 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 06 Sep 2012 - 16:36 Post title : Re: Handlebar Options (Re: Reever) | | | I couldn't take the wide bars on my storm either. Felt like it was a garden tiller I was riding around on. I went with 2" joker machine risers, and an aftermarket handlebar that's only 30 inches wide (the stock one is just shy of a meter - ridiculous!). I can't provide specifics on which handlebar, sorry, I"ve lost the paperwork. I will post a photo when I get a chance. Be careful about going too low, though, you will hit the tank if you're not careful (don't ask)
| "You will ride eternal shiny and chrome"
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| | | sleepngbear | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/07/2012 | | Posts | : | 26 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 06 Sep 2012 - 19:02 Post title : Re: Handlebar Options (Re: edbob) | | |
sleepingbear, i'll add that i did that also and added the riser inserts from fast eddy and i think its about perfect
just my two cents and the inserts are about $30 i think and stock cables have enough room |
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Cool ... definitely good to have another option.
edbob wrote:
I couldn't take the wide bars on my storm either. Felt like it was a garden tiller I was riding around on. I went with 2" joker machine risers, and an aftermarket handlebar that's only 30 inches wide (the stock one is just shy of a meter - ridiculous!). I can't provide specifics on which handlebar, sorry, I"ve lost the paperwork. I will post a photo when I get a chance. |
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Actually, the specs I've seen say the stock bar is 34" wide. Oy! 30" would be about perfect. The bars in the link that TraderVic posted are 29.
You wouldn't happen to remember where you got those risers from, would you?
| Be careful about going too low, though, you will hit the tank if you're not careful (don't ask) |
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Yeah, I've usually ended up doing this on every bike I've owned (like I said, I just can't leave anything alone), so of course one time early on I learned that ya can't go too low!
| Ed
2012 Marble Red Haze Thunderbird 1600
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