Handlebars and handling

[The Stranger]

My XT is the motard version. It weighs 170kg dry and has 40hp stock.
POS right.
Well it was bought as a cheap (to run) commuter. Brakes are good, it is economical, it is manouverable the height makes for good vision, it is narrow for lane splitting - the bars fit over most mirrors and with plenty of ground clearance it runs kerbs nicely. So it is wicked for it's intended purpose.
But, as an unexpected sruprise it fooken goes around corners reeeaaal well and with the long suspension travel it loves rough roads which co-incidentally are often twisty.

Following on from this thread (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=91885) I went to Cycletreads and they were very helpful, but in typical fashion I wanted to sort it there and then. I came out with a set of Sunline 1 1/8" clamps and a set of Renthal Fat Bars and some new grips.

Install it all and go for a ride. Well that's different. The new bars were about 35mm taller. I knew they were going to be taller, but I did underestimate a touch by how much, but I'm tall so it wont matter right?

WRONG!

Ok much of the flex had gone, but they *completely* transformed the handling.
The front end which had been awesome thanks to Robert Taylor was now very vague and I really didn't feel comfortable with it at all. On the ATNR I was having a lot of problem getting to my line and holding it. I could see the line, but the bloody thing wouldn't go or stay there.

The bars got replaced today with a set of Pro Taper Yamaha bend bars.
FOOKEN AWESOME. No flex in the bars now (just a small amount in the rubber mounts) and the bike handles like a dream again - only better as the bar flex has gone.

So, maybe the manufacturers know a thing or 2 eh. Who would have thought.

I found it interesting as I guess it is one more thing you can use to tune the handling of your bike that I really had not previously considered would have such a profound impact.

[Motu]

I've always considered handle bars the most important aspect of handling on a bike - they just have to be right...but I am willing to be flexible too.

As far as the XT goes,the standard bend (sometimes called YZ bend) was very good,but I ended up with a slightly flatter bend that felt wrong for a long time (fitted the Renthal YZ bars to the DT230),but came to feel normal.I found I often had to correct the XT mid corner,tipping in too hard and having to widen my line.They need a very light touch to the bars,another reason they have to be right...keep as much body weight off them as you can.

I could hardly ride the R65 with the bars it came with,they were wider than standard,but still too low and narrow for me.I actually measured my hand to bars seating position on the XT to find where they needed to be on the BMW - the bike is transformed and is now perfect for me.But maybe horribly wrong for someone else.

[The Pastor]

Stranger, care to post up some pics if you took any?

I put bars on to my sports bike and the handling is alot differnt, but still very good. Ive found its harder to counter steer tho - or alot less force is needed on the bars.

also when getting the knee down, the postion your body is in (compared to clipons) makes countersteering harder.

but i love it.

[SixPackBack]

I would be tempted to get rid of the rubber mounts for an increase in feel.

[The Stranger]

I would be tempted to get rid of the rubber mounts for an increase in feel.

I'm happy as is mate. Need to remember it is a big thumper, there is a lot of vibration. Also, there is not much flex in the mounts - nowhere near as much as in the original bars had - or the Renthals for that matter.

[AlBundy]

Agreed...

Bars make a huge difference.

When I got the KTM, it had a very flat/straight setup. I just couldn't get used to it.
My previous bike, the DRZ, had a fair amount of sweep, so I got a set of bars with more sweep for the KTM. Much better...
That said, they are a touch wider, which doesn't always make for a comfy ride. They are good in the corners but for straight stuff, my arms feel a bit stretched/splayed open after a while... So, I may yet opt for another set of bars which would be a compromise between the two...