Topic: best handlebars for cafe bike

[slowjo]

I'm thinking about doing a cafe build but I need ideas for the handlebars. I do have a clubman style bar but I would like to know all my options before I commit to it. I would hate to go through all the work to rewire and mount  the bar only to find out that I do not like it. Any pictures will be appreciated. Thanks.

[fuzzybutt]

basically, long story short. whatever bar is the most comfortable for you. dont feel that you have to have clip ons or clubmans to make your motorcycle a "cafe racer" the cafe build i'm planning on my 750f is going to have superbike or "euro" bars on it. dont let the common misconception that you have to have bars that hang too low for any kind of comfort. use what fits YOU not a common idea of a cafe racer.

[Alan F.]

Yup, comfort is key.  I recommend starting with something like 'Daytona' bars, they're a bit higher than euro-bars and may be more comfortable.
Honestly assess what kind of riding you'll be doing, and compare handlebar positions on other bikes you may have access to.  There are lots of bikes with cool bars that don't get lots of miles....

[MCRider]

basically, long story short. whatever bar is the most comfortable for you. dont feel that you have to have clip ons or clubmans to make your motorcycle a "cafe racer" the cafe build i'm planning on my 750f is going to have superbike or "euro" bars on it. dont let the common misconception that you have to have bars that hang too low for any kind of comfort. use what fits YOU not a common idea of a cafe racer.

Try your clubmans rightside up. The whole idea of clubman's (or so I was told) was that they (Euro club racers) would have them rightside up for commuting. Then on the weekend they went to their local club's race (hence the clubman) slide all the controls off, which back then was simple to do, flip the bar over, put the controls back on, and go racing.

 Or some CB400F almost flat bars.

[Duke McDukiedook]

The clubmans I have on my bike work fine for me, not too low, not too high (but mine is not a touring bike, mostly short mileage).
You might want to try and get with some cafe riders (on club rides) in your area to sit on their bikes and get a feel for what might work for you, heck, they might even let you ride it.
Whatever works for you is pretty much the mantra.
And if you don't like your bars, odds are you can unload to someone on this forum.

[noose74]

i went with 2.5 inch low rise street bike renthals..wanted a more super moto look and wanted more upright comfort...i love em...

[egar]

Noose. I continue to lust for your bike. I have go be alone for a few minutes....

[pablo78cb550]

i love the drag bars i have on my XS400. and will be getting another set for my CB550.

[Geeto67]

when you begin to fool with the bars you need to think about overall body position, espically the foot position. If you want to go lower than a drag bar I would think about rearsets.

Personally I think clubmans on a cb750 are a bad idea because they were originally designed in the 1950s for a specific racing class (production racing) when most of the bikes were singles or small twins. Mounting clubmans usually causes interference with the mastercylinder and right side gauge which causes unusual mounting angles (what I call wristbreaker angles because if you lay it down that is almost positivley what it will do). Most of them are cheaply made and non adjustable, if you want a quality clubman get a set of adjustable ones like these:

http://omarsdtr.com/cafenew10.html

http://guzzino.com/tocoadba.html

incidentally, clubmans were designed because production racing classes in england required bikes to use the stock triple tree and clamps, no clip ons.

[Maxacceleration]

Drag bars are tough on the wrists. I ditched mine (on a RD 400).
Superbike, BMW, or Euro bars are much more comfortable.
Of course it depends on how old you are!
Then

Now

[MCRider]

when you begin to fool with the bars you need to think about overall body position, espically the foot position. If you want to go lower than a drag bar I would think about rearsets.

Personally I think clubmans on a cb750 are a bad idea because they were originally designed in the 1950s for a specific racing class (production racing) when most of the bikes were singles or small twins. Mounting clubmans usually causes interference with the mastercylinder and right side gauge which causes unusual mounting angles (what I call wristbreaker angles because if you lay it down that is almost positivley what it will do). Most of them are cheaply made and non adjustable, if you want a quality clubman get a set of adjustable ones like these:

http://omarsdtr.com/cafenew10.html

http://guzzino.com/tocoadba.html

incidentally, clubmans were designed because production racing classes in england required bikes to use the stock triple tree and clamps, no clip ons.

Thanks for the links, good sources. I was right about the racing in England. And I'm sure somebody must have flipped them up and down. I've seen them in the up position to avoid interference with the right side gauge.   

[USN20]

The Euro style bars are a nice choice. Honda used their own (53100-300-610) on CB750's that went to England, Germany, France, Netherlands and the European direct market.

[blacknblue_cafe]

I bought my bike w/ adjustable clubman style bars....if I want to flip them upside down to give a different sitting angle I can also adjust flip the handle ends back more to give a comfortable ride....here is a link to what I think the PO put on the bike...
http://omarsdtr.com/cafenew10.html

[DollarBill]

Just found these...very adjustable. 
http://convertibars.com/Comfort.cfm

[MCRider]

Just found these...very adjustable. 
http://convertibars.com/Comfort.cfm

Wooo Pony. Very nice and very pricey.

[CBGhia]

This is my buddies bike. 



The drag bars are ok,  but he wants clubmans like mine



I love the clubmans

[Maxacceleration]

Awesome gauges!

Where were they done?

[fuzzybutt]

i have several different sets of bars in my garage. i went through quite a few types before i settled on the superbike bars. i wouldnt trade these bars for the world now.

[Ricky_Racer]

You might want to do a search for Norman Hyde's M-bars. They're kind of a modified clubman but more conservative and without the sharp corners.  RR

[Terry in Australia]

I don't like clubman and drag bars at all, they're a pretty cheap looking "compromise" IMHO, but you gets what you pay for.

The best looking handlebars ever made were the Laverda Jota adjustable bars, they are a 5 piece bar with 4 "knuckles", (see link for pic) and can be adjusted for racing, touring, commuting, you name it, they work.

Bullshiit price though, I bought a couple of sets of these (Raask copies, the originals are worth a lot more, as they're apparently made from a product called "Unobtainium") from M&P in Britain a few years ago for a quarter of the price quoted here.

http://www.kz1300.com/techarticles/ppmp-z1300-parts.html

For "practical" riding though, "Superbike" bars are fantastic. Cheers, Terry.

[Retro Rocket]

Yep, superbike bars for me too, easier on the back.....

Mick

[hopterfixer]

I really like the look of Norman Hyde M Bars.  They are low rise with a decent amount of pullback, and you can flop them so they have a mild drop.  They are a milder version of the Clubman that looks a little friendlier on the back.  They come in 7/8" or 1".
http://newbonneville.com/html/hyde_handlebars.html

[Retro Rocket]

Those "M" bars look a lot nicer on the bike than in the pics on the website.

Mick

[fishhead]

The best looking handlebars ever made were the Laverda Jota adjustable bars, they are a 5 piece bar with 4 "knuckles",

 The Raask Jota bars are the best. They can be easily spun and adjusted to have a rise instead of a drop and mimic the Superbike bars.Their drop isnt as much as the typical fixed cluman bars.
 The typical chrome clubman bars (non-adjustable) usually have to be compromised (either mounted up in front of the top tree or behind it) and can be too far foward or too far back. Most "fixed" clubman bars arent wide enough to sit beside the top tree.

 The Raask Jota bars come very wide and need the center section to be trimmed down to size.  The 1st pic shows the original length of the center section.
 You'll need to remove the center section and lay it on a flat edge and scribe a line down the bar.
Get your length and cut what you need to remove out of the center of the bar. Put a plug inside the bar (to line up the cut sections) and line up the scribe line (to get it correctly orientated) and weld it back together (pic 2).
 Put your controls back on (pic 3).

 You can also widen the "fixed" clubman bars by doing the same type of thing, but adding a small section in the center. This would give more adjustability by being able to have them sit next to the top clamp and being able to rotate them with out having them hit the top clamp. Tomaselli makes a Clubman bar with a wider center section, also.

 The 4th pic shows
1) Tomaselli
2) Raask Jota
3) K&N (typical fixed clubman)
 

[JS550]

Well for my experience, I found the clubmans nice on my 550 but not sure about my 750. Feels a little more forward, I pulled them back a little & it made it a bit more comfortable but I haven't put in enough riding time on the 750 to be sure. WINTER IN MICHIGAN SUCKS!!!