Author Topic: which bars to choose from (Read 3469 times)

cafe-starter · « **on:** June 07, 2006, 08:51:04 AM »

should i go with drag bars or clubman bars thank you for the shared wisdom and expirence.

ProTeal55 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 07, 2006, 09:46:35 AM »

Kinda depends on what look you are going after.
I had some low "superbike" bars on my scoot, but with the look I am going after I
made the switch to some Ebay clip-on's. Pics are in my gallery if you wanna check them out...

My 4cents...

Gordon · « **Reply #2 on:** June 07, 2006, 10:52:05 AM »

Drag bars don't really work on anything larger than the 400. They don't leave enough clearance between the master cylinder/brake line connection and the tachometer. To make them work you have to leave the throttle grip hanging about an inch or so over the end of the bar. That's with the standard 28" drag bars, if you can find some longer than that they may work, but that's the only size I've ever found.

Clubmans work fine on the 750, I didn't even have tank clearance issues when I had them on mine, and they looked great. The problem with them ended up being comfort. They were fine for riding to and from work, but after using them on one day-long ride, I took them off. I was sore for a week after that!

I found a good compromise with the supersport bars. Much lower than stock, but just enough rise for the M/C to clear the tach. I'll be putting the clubmans on the 550 once I finish painting the tank and side covers and mounting the fairing. That will be the short-distance bike.

gasguzler · « **Reply #3 on:** June 07, 2006, 12:04:52 PM »

A 28" drag bar fit just swell on my cb650, only mod required were rerouting the cables and bulking up the steering stops.

Gordon · « **Reply #4 on:** June 07, 2006, 12:10:36 PM »

Quote from: gasguzler on June 07, 2006, 12:04:52 PM

A 28" drag bar fit just swell on my cb650, only mod required were rerouting the cables and bulking up the steering stops.

Thank you! I'll amend my statement. Drag bars work fine on the 650.

ElCheapo · « **Reply #5 on:** June 07, 2006, 02:28:08 PM »

I see we have forgotten clearance to the tank. Does not matter which you use, but it does matter that you make sure they do not slap the tank. If you find a set that you like and they hit you can always add just a little to the stops with a welder.

Gordon · « **Reply #6 on:** June 07, 2006, 02:46:22 PM »

Quote from: ElCheapo on June 07, 2006, 02:28:08 PM

I see we have forgotten clearance to the tank.

Quote from: Gordon on June 07, 2006, 10:52:05 AM

Clubmans work fine on the 750, I didn't even have tank clearance issues when I had them on mine, and they looked great.

Nope, didn't forget it.

ElCheapo · « **Reply #7 on:** June 07, 2006, 02:49:02 PM »

Quote from: Gordon on June 07, 2006, 02:46:22 PM

Quote from: ElCheapo on June 07, 2006, 02:28:08 PM
I see we have forgotten clearance to the tank.

Quote from: Gordon on June 07, 2006, 10:52:05 AM

Clubmans work fine on the 750, I didn't even have tank clearance issues when I had them on mine, and they looked great.

Nope, didn't forget it.

Cool

You would be surprised how often this is over looked. Funny my bike appears to be all O.E. and the fork tubes will touch the tank on the limits.

Gordon · « **Reply #8 on:** June 07, 2006, 03:00:52 PM »

I was actually surprised that I didn't have clearance issues when I put the clubmans on the 750. I guess the forward bend is enough to make up for the drop. I did have problems with the drag bars on my 400F, though. Even put a tiny chip in the brand new paint job I had just spent a couple of weeks and a few hundred dollars on!

That's a lesson I only have to learn once.

cafe-starter · « **Reply #9 on:** June 07, 2006, 03:01:55 PM »

well guys im going with a 29 inch super bike bar in black thank you all for the superb info...ps any one have any pictures of what this may look like on a 550... just currious..

ProTeal55 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 08, 2006, 07:30:52 AM »

My "old" bars were kinda a superbike style - look here ---->

http://www.sohc4.us/gallery/v/members/personal/PROTEAL55/1955/1972/CHANGE.jpg.html

Rushoid · « **Reply #11 on:** June 08, 2006, 08:38:49 AM »

I'm also thinking about a bar swap (750F2). I love the look of clip-ons and clubmans but I'm old, overweight, and 6'3". Don't want the "greyhound taking a dump" look and don't really want to be bothered with the rear sets right now. The stockers are comfortable but I'd like something a little lower. Do I understand correctly that some of the smaller bikes (CB400, 500/550) have lower bars? Anyone want to share a pic? Are these hard to come by?

Thanks,
Lee

SteveD CB500F · « **Reply #12 on:** June 08, 2006, 08:40:31 AM »

If you have a US bike, you could fit a set of European bars. They are about 2" lower.

Tim. · « **Reply #13 on:** June 08, 2006, 09:06:16 AM »

Drag bars on my 550F - the banjo bolt is a tight fit against the handlebar clamp. Had to route the brake line through the middle of the gauge bracket. I drilled them for internal wiring as well to avoid grinding my control pods to allow the wires to run externally (and I prefer the neat clean look of internal wiring).

I'm not sure of the width - will measure tomorrow when I'm back in town, but I'm pretty sure they're 27 inch bars.

Tim. · « **Reply #14 on:** June 08, 2006, 09:07:25 AM »

profile

Chris Liston · « **Reply #15 on:** June 08, 2006, 10:06:18 AM »

Here is my evolution of bars on my 550F

Stock bars

Superbike bars - These are really great Not the best pic - but you get the idea...

Clubmans - Look awsome but for long rides forget about it. Wrists screaming all day

Clip-ons - Just put them on last weekend. So far really great - Not as extreme as clubmans. Did have to adjust steering stops though..

Rushoid · « **Reply #16 on:** June 08, 2006, 10:37:07 AM »

Decisions, decisions. Wish I could get an assortment and try them all out. How big of a job is this, anyway? Guess it can't be too bad since it seems fairly common. Unless all you people are sadists!

Chris Liston · « **Reply #17 on:** June 08, 2006, 11:09:10 AM »

From the stock bars to superbike bars no issues with any cables,etc.. or routing.

From the superbike bars to clubmans alittle bit of throttle cable placement to clear tank.

From the clubmans to clip-ons a fair amount of rerouting of pretty much all cables/wires/brake,etc.. Not all that hard just sit back and look at everything for about 10 minutes to figure it all out.

tsflstb · « **Reply #18 on:** June 08, 2006, 11:16:50 AM »

I like the sequence of pictures. Here's mine. It's like watching the caveman evolve in reverse...

Stock -- which I think were taller than the real stock...

Drag bars -- these were probably the most comfortable, but I changed them anyway.

Now -- Clip ons. Not as bad on the back as I thought. Gives you a really good feel for what the front tire is doing.

Trimmed up some wiring, re-routed the cables and used a shorter brake hose with the clip-ons.

Gordon · « **Reply #19 on:** June 08, 2006, 07:57:56 PM »

Quote from: Rushoid on June 08, 2006, 10:37:07 AM

Decisions, decisions. Wish I could get an assortment and try them all out. How big of a job is this, anyway? Guess it can't be too bad since it seems fairly common. Unless all you people are sadists!

The most difficult bar swap is always the first, but not because you get better each time. The stock bars have the switch wires running through the bars, so you have to gently, and then not-so-gently, and then REALLY not so gently pull the wires out (of course after you've disconnected everything from inside the headlight shell).

Most aftermarket bars don't come drilled for wires, so you either have to drill the bars yourself, or cut out a section of each switch housing to run the wires outside the bars. That's the route I always take.

Once that's done, it's just a matter of hooking the wires back up and putting the controls back on. Unless you go with clubmans, and then you may have to do some brake hose and throttle/clutch cable re-routing.

After you've done that initial prep work, though, switching bars becomes a 15 minute job.

Rushoid · « **Reply #20 on:** June 09, 2006, 08:11:57 AM »

Actually, my wires are run externally. I was assuming this was stock ('78 750F).

I think I'll probably go with what Ben Hiles has (cben). Cool look and still looks rather comfortable. Thanks for everyone's input!
Lee

Zeke · « **Reply #21 on:** June 10, 2006, 11:17:38 AM »

Huh, this is actually a thread I was going to start.

My bike has the dog-ugly dork bars that are stock to my 650. Prior to this bike I've always had dirt bikes, and so I like a flatter bar.

A few times I've seen people try upside-down clubmans -- a bit of rise so you don't have to hunch over, and a hand/arm position similar to a superbike bar.

Anyone tried this? Would you recommend it?

Do you usually have to order shorter cables for these bar mods?

Thanks all

Zeke

gaijin · « **Reply #22 on:** June 11, 2006, 01:30:20 AM »

I've seen them on a couple bikes I've worked on, seems to work ok but it's not for me. The amount of pullback on the bars I saw wasn't comfortable with how much rise they had. But then I'm kind of short so I like them lower bars anyways.

Just fit some clubmans on my parts bike while I do some overhauling on the other bike, and man commuting is a lot more fun now. I replaced teh drag bars that someone made room for (master cylinder) with a grinder, on the triple tree and handlebar clamp. That was a tight squeeze.

Jay B · « **Reply #23 on:** June 11, 2006, 05:35:42 AM »

I've got drag bars on my 350f. Also 400f footpeg brackets to move the pegs back about 4". That wasn't an easy swap. Works great for me.

gasguzler · « **Reply #24 on:** June 12, 2006, 01:30:43 PM »

Here are a couple of pics of my '79 650 with new drags. I love em. Took em on a 2 hour ride yesterday and got off feeling good.

News:

Author Topic: which bars to choose from (Read 3469 times)

cafe-starter

gasguzler

ElCheapo

ElCheapo

cafe-starter

gaijin

gasguzler