Picked up a new 2013 Roadglide around a week ago. I previously had a 2010 RGC. On that bike I had tried the factory bars, khromewerks (I think it was) +2 bars and most recently, heritage bars. Although the heritage bars were the best of the three, I was never completely comfortable. I felt like the bars were a hair low and a bit more of a reach than I wanted. In addition, my right wrist would get numb. It wasn't severe enough that it limited my riding, I rode cross country several times, but a bit annoying nonetheless.
Several of the dealers in the Atlanta area now have display racks from a company called 'KST Kustoms'. I was speaking with a parts guy at HD Atlanta and he told me this company not only makes similar styles of bars currently on the market for much less (Yaffe comes to mind) but that they will also custom make bars to the customers specifications.
I looked them up online and found their website. It didn't specify custom bars so I shot them off an email last night. I received a response, they told me where the office was in Bremen, Ga (20 miles from my house) and told me to pay them a visit.
I went in this afternoon and met with Brett Kent. The website specified that they are 'by appointment only' and being that it was in an industrial park and obviously a manufacturing facility and not a storefront, I wondered how 'welcome' I would be. I was more than pleasantly surprised to find Brett very welcoming and extremely helpful. They have a small mock-up bike that you can sit on and try different bars. We also took some of their bars out to my bike to get a rough idea on the positioning. Brett did tell me that they absolutely will custom make bars to customers specs.
Although I like the look of Yaffe-type bars, and they do have these, we both agreed that based on my feedback of different bars i've tried, the apes probably would not give me the pullback i'm looking for. Being that the heritage bars were the most comfortable that I've tried, we came up with custom measurements where I will have a bit more rise and pullback and also the bars will be angled a little more at the ends. The bars are also 1 1/4 inch rather than the standard 1 inch and I went with satin black. It's hard to describe and I can't give measurements, 'cos I don't remember exactly what we came up with. I paid in full for the bars and this also surprised me. In spite of being custom made, the cost was $171.20. In addition, Brett said that they are big on customer satisfaction and said if I end up not being happy with them they will work with me to get a set that are exactly what I need. He also said that HD Atlanta will get paid a 30% commission for bringing them the business. I thought this was great as there would be no way HD Atlanta would even have known that I went there and ordered the bars.
For anybody in the market for new bars these guys might be worth some consideration, particularly if you're in the Atlanta area. I was blown away by how well they worked with me and look forward to getting the bars and giving them a try. Brett said to expect about 3 weeks for the bars to be ready. They don't do the installations so I'll take 'em to a local place where I've had the others installed unless I just decide to suck it up and try it myself.
Their website is kstkustoms.com. For the record I have no affiliation with the company or any employees there. I'll update with information on when I receive the bars and how they work out for me.
Several of the dealers in the Atlanta area now have display racks from a company called 'KST Kustoms'. I was speaking with a parts guy at HD Atlanta and he told me this company not only makes similar styles of bars currently on the market for much less (Yaffe comes to mind) but that they will also custom make bars to the customers specifications.
I looked them up online and found their website. It didn't specify custom bars so I shot them off an email last night. I received a response, they told me where the office was in Bremen, Ga (20 miles from my house) and told me to pay them a visit.
I went in this afternoon and met with Brett Kent. The website specified that they are 'by appointment only' and being that it was in an industrial park and obviously a manufacturing facility and not a storefront, I wondered how 'welcome' I would be. I was more than pleasantly surprised to find Brett very welcoming and extremely helpful. They have a small mock-up bike that you can sit on and try different bars. We also took some of their bars out to my bike to get a rough idea on the positioning. Brett did tell me that they absolutely will custom make bars to customers specs.
Although I like the look of Yaffe-type bars, and they do have these, we both agreed that based on my feedback of different bars i've tried, the apes probably would not give me the pullback i'm looking for. Being that the heritage bars were the most comfortable that I've tried, we came up with custom measurements where I will have a bit more rise and pullback and also the bars will be angled a little more at the ends. The bars are also 1 1/4 inch rather than the standard 1 inch and I went with satin black. It's hard to describe and I can't give measurements, 'cos I don't remember exactly what we came up with. I paid in full for the bars and this also surprised me. In spite of being custom made, the cost was $171.20. In addition, Brett said that they are big on customer satisfaction and said if I end up not being happy with them they will work with me to get a set that are exactly what I need. He also said that HD Atlanta will get paid a 30% commission for bringing them the business. I thought this was great as there would be no way HD Atlanta would even have known that I went there and ordered the bars.
For anybody in the market for new bars these guys might be worth some consideration, particularly if you're in the Atlanta area. I was blown away by how well they worked with me and look forward to getting the bars and giving them a try. Brett said to expect about 3 weeks for the bars to be ready. They don't do the installations so I'll take 'em to a local place where I've had the others installed unless I just decide to suck it up and try it myself.
Their website is kstkustoms.com. For the record I have no affiliation with the company or any employees there. I'll update with information on when I receive the bars and how they work out for me.