What handlebar is everyone running?

[Great_White_Buffs]

Just got back from a ride with a fair bit of snow and, therefore, a few spills. I ended up bending the right side of the bar but was able to get it back to a somewhat normal angle.

What have people found to be a good replacement?

 

[petespace1]

Royal Enfield has an aluminium (aus spelling) handlebar that is supposed to have thick walls and a brace.
Sold BY Re dealers worldwide.

Hitchcocks in UK deal with a lot of RE gear and they have details about this handlebar
https://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/accessory-shop/handlebars/40487

Just a FYI If you have hand guards and bar end weights -these may not fit, so best check.

I am on stock bars so no personal preferences.

 

[Roy Gavin]

Stock bar height is close to most mid rise bars, if you are happy with the OEM bend.
Seen a few folk who like the CR bend, but haven't tried them myself.
I have used the low cost X-Ceed steel bars on other bikes without any problems , and they have a good range of bends.
OEM bars are quite long at the grip area, which makes fitting handguards a bit easier, some aftermarket bends are considerably shorter here.

 

[Morgan60]

I like the stock bars. I did get a top handlebar clamp and flip it, using it as a spacer to get the handlebars up just where I wanted them to be. Making it perfect for riding standing up in off road riding condition.

 

[Great_White_Buffs]

Thanks for the feedback all! I was tempted to go with the RE aluminum bars but the price + import fees + shipping would have had them way higher than some other good brands. I ended up getting a pair of 7/8" Pro Taper SE bars with the CR High bend.

Two feet of snow just fell this weekend so I won't get around to installing them for a few weeks but I'll update once I do.

 

[oldphart]

If two feet of snow just fell, isn't that the ideal time to fit them? So they're ready to use once you're game enough to venture out?

Good choice not going for the RE bars, they've got a dreadful reputation for being too soft for the purpose (falling off)

 

[Great_White_Buffs]

Unfortunately the 2 feet is surrounding my bikes - no garage makes for some difficult motorcycle ownership.

 

[oldphart]

Unfortunately the 2 feet is surrounding my bikes - no garage makes for some difficult motorcycle ownership.

Ahh, that's tough.
I too have only a car port (a communal one at that), but we don't get snow. Cripes, it doesn't even rain all that much.
Best of luck with it. Bring it into the lounge? (if you can get to it)

 

[cwadej]

Thanks for the feedback all! I was tempted to go with the RE aluminum bars but the price + import fees + shipping would have had them way higher than some other good brands. I ended up getting a pair of 7/8" Pro Taper SE bars with the CR High bend.

Two feet of snow just fell this weekend so I won't get around to installing them for a few weeks but I'll update once I do.

Import fees???? I've ordered tons of stuff straight from India and not heard of this import fee. $84 shipped isnt bad

 

[Great_White_Buffs]

Most things shipped from outside the US have an import tax with them. I'm guessing the things you have bought have been covered by the shipper.

$84 shipped was still more expensive then the pro taper bars - we'll see how they install tomorrow. My guess is it's going to take a bit of work getting the controls swapped over due to the need for redrilling the locating holes.

 

[Roy Gavin]

If your pro taper bars are Aluminium most suppliers forbid drilling holes.
Others report a bit of double sided tape round the bars works OK , on other bikes I have used a cable tie over to the lever perch.

 

[Great_White_Buffs]

If your pro taper bars are Aluminium most suppliers forbid drilling holes.
Others report a bit of double sided tape round the bars works OK , on other bikes I have used a cable tie over to the lever perch.

That's really good advice, never knew that! So should I just break off the little locating nubs on the underside of the controls?

 

[cwadej]

That's really good advise, never knew that! So should I just break off the little locating nubs on the underside of the controls?

I sand them down leaving just a tiny nub sticking up to provide a pressure point.

 

[Roy Gavin]

Never seen the Hima ones but others I have seen had a steel pin which pulled out, with a little heat.

 

[grymsr]

Stock bar height is close to most mid rise bars, if you are happy with the OEM bend.
Seen a few folk who like the CR bend, but haven't tried them myself.
I have used the low cost X-Ceed steel bars on other bikes without any problems , and they have a good range of bends.
OEM bars are quite long at the grip area, which makes fitting handguards a bit easier, some aftermarket bends are considerably shorter here.

I searched for X-ceed bars but nothing came up. More info?

 

[Roy Gavin]

Looks like they are no longer around - it was a few years ago when I last fitted them.
X-ceed or Xceed does not appear to be a good name choice, as it appears it is not protected and is in general use, so who ever pays Google the most gets the earliest listing, and if you don't pay you may be hundreds of pages in.
Or perhaps folk just like paying a couple of hundred dollars for twenty bucks worth of tube, and cheap bars made out of the wrong material may have given steel bars a bad name!

 

[Leyprest]

Why not just put some Renthals on? They are the most popular aftermarket choice of handlebars by a running mile for most motorcyclists.

 

[oldphart]

Why not just put some Renthals on? They are the most popular aftermarket choice of handlebars by a running mile for most motorcyclists.

Popular choice here in Australia.

 

[Roy Gavin]

At one time most dealers in Adelaide had a rack off XCEED's in the showroom, as they had just about every bend bend covered from cruiser classic, for around $30- a go.
Then they probably realized these was more to be made selling Renthals for nearer two hundred, and XCEEDS's were history.
But I probably haven't been in a dealer much in the last ten years, except the Garage in Strath before they closed and Mt Barker MC 's for tires.

 

[Great_White_Buffs]

Went with some 7/8 CR high Pro tapers and they fit pretty well, just a bit different bend from stock but pretty close. The only issue I had was getting the clutch assembly clamp over the knurled left end. I tried to reverse the bolt through the clutch handle clamp to bend it open just a hair and it ended up snapping the clamp in half - $30 later and I got a new part from my local dealer and everything is bolted up and fits great with no need to extend lines.