I am not sure how "bars" could make a bike handle better and would guess that would best be addressed between the ears....I get comfort impacting how you feel and therefore ride....but not sure it could really impact the performance of the bike...meaning I can push and pull on Beach Bars, Flat Track Bars, Apes, etc and height of the last would play a role of course but if I went out and practiced it...guessing I could rock it like any other bar

 

I thought the same thing, but put a Biltwell set up on my Dyna. Mostly cause I hated the bars that were on it. It makes a difference. My best guess is because my hands are closer together and it gives you a different feel, makes the bike feel smaller.

 

I prefer T-bars and moto-style bars because of my MX days. I find them to be a lot more comfortable and assured but that's probably because it's just what I know. Like everything, bars are personal preference.

 

Came here to say just this. I put apes on my King because it fit that type bike and it was the trend at the time. Also with it being my first Harley, I didn't know I could put MX bars on a bagger. I've been on MX bikes from a pw50-yz450 and have always felt more comfortable with a set of Renthals or Protapers. So I'm thankful for who ever the first company was that built risers, and for Lance Coury making them even more popular through Thrashin.

I am not sure how "bars" could make a bike handle better and would guess that would best be addressed between the ears....

The 33in wide MX bars absolutely do change the leverage you're able to put on the bike, so while you could push and pull on any bar, you're able to put more shoulder into narrower bars. They absolutely change the bike for the better imo

 

I prefer the feel of t bars, over the apes. I had factory 47s for about a year before I went the t bar route and always felt like I was reaching with the apes.

 

I run the BMC Vindikta bars on my bike to have the best of both worlds. I can assure you, they do make the bike handle much better/easier than apes. The biggest contributing factor IMHO is the narrow width. Smaller inputs produce bigger results. For me narrow bars are more comfortable than the super wide bars that make you feel like you're hanging on a cross.

 

I've personally never used t-bars on a bagger, I had drag bars on an old fatboy which was as close as I ever got to them. The fact is, for my eyeballs, I can't stand the way the look - especially on a road glide when it requires a guage relo or partially blocks them. No offense to anyone that digs them but they just aren't my scene. To each their own!

 

If it weren't for the gauge/radio thing I wouldn't hate them on my Road Glide. But seeing the radio is more important to me on a touring bike.

 

Once again I find the factory RGL bars same as was on RGU to be prefect. But there is a reason so many different ones out there. People want their own style something different.

 

Once again I find the factory RGL bars same as was on RGU to be prefect.

Pin Pulled and rolled fwd...I was down with them...then cam my first tight parking lot, full lock move and that funky ass "Bend In" giving me T-Rex Arms put too much pressure on my wrists....but height and width were good...but that fucking bend....my wrists could not take it

 

I like the T-bars and the “look-alikes”……. but only on a performance bagger. My bike is setup as a touring bike and it looks like it

 

I personally hate the look, but to each their own.

 

never ridden a bike with mx/t bars, but I prefer the look of good old fashioned apes...

 

I think about all the shit that I have swapped out on my bike, so many parts and accessories, how long do you got? But the one thing I have not swapped out on my bike, are the handlebars I like them from the day I test drove the bike, and have never had the need to want to change them. Yeah yeah yeah I know I know, they make a set of meat hooks, that wind up almost in the same position, but my thinking is why would I want to switch something that is similar to something I already have, I am not a fan of ape hangers or anything above your shoulders, function over anything when it comes to me. And my stock handlebars are functioning well, even if I messed up these bars and had a chance to buy a set of meat hooks I'd still go with the original bars...... now the stuff that goes on the bars that's a different story......

 

I don’t get the T-bars. I think they are ugly, and I definitely don’t care what is in style. LOL!

seems the Harley cruisers I’ve liked the most get discontinued. Softail Custom, Wide Glode, Sport Glide, Low Rider 107.

Thinking about a white with red and blue stripe Low Rider with the buckhorn bars, and change to floorboards. If a stock one crosses my path at the right price.

 

What part of the USA are you in because it’s normal here in the west coast for decades to have tbars riser/bars

We here don’t see it as a “fad” that just started just every other state finally caught on

even Harley labeled there low riderst as inspired “by westcoast “ because they use a riser bar
setup in those bikes


And for the guy stating how it can be performance
Your hands are closer and more narrow there not wide like an ape hanger

You get way more control especially slow speed with your hands closer

we can split lanes here and having a tbar
Or a riser / bar helps a ton splitting lanes

Turn your handlebar lock to lock do that with a wide ape hanger your gonna run out of arm room fast lol

it drastically changes the way the bike feels rides having a narrow setup and is super comfortable

your not a parachute riding down the road with your hands/shoulders so far apart , also causing fatigue

my bar setup I run is the narrowest 1 inch bar I could find At 28 wide ! I can ride all day without having fatigue in shoulder from arms being out and my arms shoulders stay in the pocket of the fairing equaling more comfort from the wind

 

What part of the USA are you in because it’s normal here in the west coast for decades to have tbars riser/bars

We here don’t see it as a “fad” that just started just every other state finally caught on

even Harley labeled there low riderst as inspired “by westcoast “ because they use a riser bar
setup in those bikes


And for the guy stating how it can be performance
Your hands are closer and more narrow there not wide like an ape hanger

You get way more control especially slow speed with your hands closer

we can split lanes here and having a tbar
Or a riser / bar helps a ton splitting lanes

Turn your handlebar lock to lock do that with a wide ape hanger your gonna run out of arm room fast lol

it drastically changes the way the bike feels rides having a narrow setup and is super comfortable

your not a parachute riding down the road with your hands/shoulders so far apart , also causing fatigue

my bar setup I run is the narrowest 1 inch bar I could find At 28 wide ! I can ride all day without having fatigue in shoulder from arms being out and my arms shoulders stay in the pocket of the fairing equaling more comfort from the wind

View attachment 466696

What is that in front of your bars? Can you still see the gauges? Any reason you didn't go with the Wolf One?

 

Those of you arguing that having your hands closer together gives you more leverage clearly do not understand physics.

 

You don't need much leverage to turn handlebars. It's not like there's a lot of resistance. It's not difficult. What the narrow bars do is respond quicker to inputs because the bars are narrower and take much less movement to affect the same change at the triple tree that a 42" wide bar would take. So yes, the narrower bars do enhance performace. Whether those guys that love their super wide bars want to believe it or not.

 

My apes I had custom made to only 32" wide, it works for me. The T-Bar fad isn't my thing, I think it looks odd - just as odd as the big wheel fad

 

@Zedbra Got Jokes Ian, eh! 😁
Mike U.

 

Not a fan of the look but most SG riders wasn’t a fan of the look of RG’s either. Now it’s a craze that will never fade. Will the T Bars 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

To Each His Own!
That’s what makes The World 🌎 Go ‘Round!
I’ve had Wild One Chubby Outlaws and Apes, Factory 47 Malo’s, Vindikta Hoopteeze and now am running a Thrashin’ Supply Riser and Bar Setup that I find, for Me, is the most comfortable and I believe it has to do with the width which makes it easier to control My Glide.
Mike U.

 

What is that in front of your bars? Can you still see the gauges? Any reason you didn't go with the Wolf One?

With the raptor plate I use from kraus the gauges are blocked , use the Trex plate as it pulls the bars back more and you can actually see your gauges in the stock Location my friend runs the Trex plate on his roadglide and he can see his gauges fine in the stock location

I use the raptor plate so I can’t see my gauges without a relocation

The mount in front of my bars
It’s my powervision mount I didn’t want to relocate my gauges as it’s another 700-800 from kraus and the wolf one kit is even more expensive

I use my powervision for gauges I put up speed/mph/rpm and battery voltage I can put more up but it was getting too much so I just keep four on

 

My bike came with the power vision. Is it common to have I always hooked up?

 

Only if you have goofy bars and can't read your gauges....lmfao

 

Only if you have goofy bars and can't read your gauges....lmfao

Don't like these kind of bars? Lol.

 

Only if you have goofy bars and can't read your gauges....lmfao

Lol burn 🥲

 

Had a set of 12” T bars on an FXR, great for splitting lanes, however didn’t feel in control in the twisties. And in slow tight turns, the flat bars when in a full lock turn was an uncomfortable reach. I’m still playing with bars on my FXR, for my glide I just pulled the pin and rolled them forward. I’m afraid I’ll pick the wrong bars for my RG, a little more involved to swap than my FXR, takes 30 minutes on the FXR so no big deal. No T bars for me for the long haul.

 

not my jam.... ride it how you like it.

 

Had a set of 12” T bars on an FXR, great for splitting lanes, however didn’t feel in control in the twisties. And in slow tight turns, the flat bars when in a full lock turn was an uncomfortable reach. I’m still playing with bars on my FXR, for my glide I just pulled the pin and rolled them forward. I’m afraid I’ll pick the wrong bars for my RG, a little more involved to swap than my FXR, takes 30 minutes on the FXR so no big deal. No T bars for me for the long haul.

Almost everyone nowadays runs bar riser combo so your not stuck with the same sweep and pull back ,

With risers having pull back and endless amounts of top bar choices it’s rare to see anyone just run straight tbars nowadays

As long as you like the pullback on the risers you can switch out the top bar in 10 min since the connectors on new Harley’s for the hand controls are so small on the new Harley’s they don’t usually require you to de-pin

so you can alwyas go wider or more narrow or more sweep or taller since top bars have a rise in them , with a ape hanger your stuck with one bar

And for ppl saying what’s so performance about them either haven’t rode with a correct bar riser combo for there height or just hate the “look “

I mean if that was the case then the bagger racing league guys would just race with 14 inch ape hangers lol , most of them run a low rise and a aggressive top bar with minimal if any sweep in the bar

lol yeah I know that’s an extreme example and Im not here racing like that lol , but if factory race teams felt there’s no performance in bar setup then it’d be apes all day 🤷‍♂️

The Harley factory racing team uses kraus risers

Like said to each his own

but it’s never been a fad here in California or the west coast all my previous Harley’a run bar riser

I

 

Probably going with the thrashin set up on my limited. I’ve sat on a buddies RG with them and I think they feel good. With the gauge relocation you can see your gauges without looking down.

 

going with theirs since you know it works for you?

 

I like the T-bar setup on the new school blacked out performance bagger setups. But I’d have to be able to easily still see all my gauges and it would drive me insane if I couldn’t….. My bikes what I call old school performance bagger with lots of chrome and lots of flow, so IMO T-bars would look very out of place on my scoot. I dig the look but more importantly the feel of the 12” KST Straight Jackets and they work for me….. On the straight up touring bikes I think they look kinda goofy and don’t blend well with that aesthetic…..

But hey, who gives AF what I think, and to each their own. I don’t hate, so if they work for you then it’s your bike and your money.

 

What part of the USA are you in because it’s normal here in the west coast for decades to have tbars riser/bars

We here don’t see it as a “fad” that just started just every other state finally caught on

even Harley labeled there low riderst as inspired “by westcoast “ because they use a riser bar
setup in those bikes


And for the guy stating how it can be performance
Your hands are closer and more narrow there not wide like an ape hanger

You get way more control especially slow speed with your hands closer

we can split lanes here and having a tbar
Or a riser / bar helps a ton splitting lanes

Turn your handlebar lock to lock do that with a wide ape hanger your gonna run out of arm room fast lol

it drastically changes the way the bike feels rides having a narrow setup and is super comfortable

your not a parachute riding down the road with your hands/shoulders so far apart , also causing fatigue

my bar setup I run is the narrowest 1 inch bar I could find At 28 wide ! I can ride all day without having fatigue in shoulder from arms being out and my arms shoulders stay in the pocket of the fairing equaling more comfort from the wind

View attachment 466696

This all day long... the look and performance is top notch. I have the Arlen Ness Method risers w/Thrashin low bend bars and I love my set up.

Those of you arguing that having your hands closer together gives you more leverage clearly do not understand physics.

I don't know a thing about Physics, but I can say for sure, bar/riser set-up absolutely handles better than that of the ape hangers.

 

Spending a couple summers of my youth wrangling one of these I gotta say the mental scars run to deep to ever find a T-bar attractive in any way, shape or form…..

 

That’s fucking hilarious……. !!