Best handling bars for a Roadster

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Old Scratcher

Old Scratcher

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I've just about been convinced to keep my Roadster as original possible. But I'm not keen on the bars, they're too wide. I think they're the US highway style bars, & I don't plan to do much highway cruising on it. So I'd prefer something that lets me exploit the bike's balance, poise & handling. but I'd still like to stay as original as possible, or at the worst, period correct. So what are my options? Were Roadsters ever supplied with clip-ons? & if so, did they improve the handling? (& more importantly at my age, how uncomfortable are they?). What do others here, who like to scratch the pegs, use?
 
You could cut a 1" off each end to shorten them but the best bars i like are the low euro bars very comfortable, not to wide and the bike feels good with them, handle bars won't make much diffrents with the handling, but wider the bars makes it easier to throw around, clip ons are OK if you are a boy racer and have rear set foot pegs and don't like doing very long trips, so many diffrent bars around you just go to fine a set that suite your riding style.

Ashley
 
Don't know what year your bike is. If MK3 you have to be mindful of the right side switch gear/master cylinder and throttle. You'll need at least 8" before the bend for it to fit but because of the way the hydraulic pipe fitting and brake light part of it is integrally cast the brake lever can foul the upper triple clamp depending on how you wish the brake lever to be angled.
 
I found a set of commando low bars. Only set I've ever seen and haven't been able to find another set anywhere. Essentially they are euro bars but with a drop at the handgrip bend if about 10-15 degrees. Pull back is a degree or two more than euro also. They are great but I think I may make some risers or get rear sets as my nuts go numb after about 100 mile due to the angle created with standard pegs. I may even just cut down the original pegs to half their existing length.
 
Beware the clip ons. When I rebuilt my 850, I used clip ons and rear sets. Looked great, felt terrible.
I didn't have the adjustable clip ons, so all I could do was move them up or down the forks a bit and rotate them on the forks. Never got them in the right spot. My hands would start to go numb in 20 minutes. I could shake out my left hand, but my right hand didn't get much of a break.
It was a lot of fun on short trips, but anything over an hour was downright painful. I switched back to US bars and standard pegs for relief, but want to get the Euro bars to try out.
Can't really say if the clip ons and rear sets improved handling. I've done some suspension upgrades that made a much bigger difference than handlebars and foot pegs.

Ben
 
My bike is set up as an Interstate, so your experience my vary. I found the hyde bars had to much pull back and put my wrists at a very uncomfortable angle. Also there was no room for my thumbs between the bars and the tank at full lock.

The combination that has worked best for me is Daytona bend superbike bars and rgm rearsets. Stock footrests with low bars give me back pain after an hour or so. I am 5'10" with 30"inseam. I also have a Norman hyde seat that lowers the front portion a couple inches, but if i am touring i put the stock seat back on because my legs will feel cramped on a long ride otherwise.

As stated above, clipons look sexy, but are wrist killers after a short while. Also, you will need to replace the headlight holders if you still have the stock ones.

Before you go to all the trouble to install clipons get a set of clubman bars and try those. To do it right you will need to change cables and brakehoses, but you could probably reroute them temporarily to see if that's the route you really want to go.
 
I think it depends a lot on your height, your weight and your general posture. It is very much an individual matter. On my 74 Roadster I have home market Triumph bars. These make it just barely possible to get the disc brake master on. Also have clone (Madass) Dunstall rearsets. They work fairly well for me at five foot eight, almost nine stone with longish arms if that helps. Im comfy for several hours
but not much more.
And it also depends on how fast you travel. The legal limit in the northeast is 40-55 on the back roads so the wind blast isnt going to
be helping support you with lean-over bars. If you travel on the Interstate system you can stay at 70 or above then laying down is
a plus.
My R90s was a pretty comfy ride for me. The bars are as I like them, narrow and low but no room for the master of the Norton.
Footrests are about half way between rear sets and forward brit bike style.
 
Get some of the Euro (UK) bars. They have a 50 cm (2") rise as opposed to a 17.5 cm (7") rise on the US bars. I have had them on both my Roadster and Interstate, with and without rear sets, and they are a nice ride. Much more comfy than clip ons, and a way better feel than the US bars.

You may have to change your cabling a bit, as the old ones will be too long.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. Much to digest there. I'm almost glad it's going to be a year before I can ride the Roadster (due to on going probs from an old bike crash). It's going to take me that long to absorb all the possibilities & decide what's best for me. :mrgreen:
 
gortnipper said:
Get some of the Euro (UK) bars. They have a 50 cm (2") rise as opposed to a 17.5 cm (7") rise on the US bars. I have had them on both my Roadster and Interstate, with and without rear sets, and they are a nice ride. Much more comfy than clip ons, and a way better feel than the US bars.

You may have to change your cabling a bit, as the old ones will be too long.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Get the Euro bars. About a 2 inch rise. These are prefect with rearsets.
 
tpeever said:
gortnipper said:
Get some of the Euro (UK) bars. They have a 50 cm (2") rise as opposed to a 17.5 cm (7") rise on the US bars. I have had them on both my Roadster and Interstate, with and without rear sets, and they are a nice ride. Much more comfy than clip ons, and a way better feel than the US bars.

You may have to change your cabling a bit, as the old ones will be too long.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Get the Euro bars. About a 2 inch rise. These are prefect with rearsets.
Click to expand...

Same here. '74 Interstate with stock peg mounts. Rder 6-foot even. It sits a bit heavy on the wrists at speeds under 50, but is great at speed. I was afraid it would ride "funny" with the stock peg position, but that's not been the case.

Nathan
 
Get what are generically known as 'Vincent style flat bars'. When I was a youngster I had a Commando 'S' fitted with these and rearsets. The setup was so good I could often get the back end to slide on tarmac and still feel in perfect control and I used to seek out dirt roads just for the fun of it. Those were the days. Now I have a much faster Norton and haven't even managed to scrape a footrest yet. Pathetic isn't it.
 
Vincent flats.
Always fitted these in the 70's and the 80's.
Brilliant control of bike even with an Interstate tank.
Far more sedate now, use ordinary uk bars.
 
Old Scratcher said:
I've just about been convinced to keep my Roadster as original possible. But I'm not keen on the bars, they're too wide. I think they're the US highway style bars, & I don't plan to do much highway cruising on it. So I'd prefer something that lets me exploit the bike's balance, poise & handling. but I'd still like to stay as original as possible, or at the worst, period correct. So what are my options? Were Roadsters ever supplied with clip-ons? & if so, did they improve the handling? (& more importantly at my age, how uncomfortable are they?). What do others here, who like to scratch the pegs, use?
Click to expand...

I prefer the bars that you don't like.....sooo a personal preference. More leverage and control with the US type bars. US style is sit upright al la Kenny Roberts Grand National flat tracking aka street tracker.
 
This is a totally personal think. People can tell you this and that and it just don't mean a thing. I went through many sets till I got the bars I likes. They are slightly lower, slightly narrower and not quite so swept back and I run rear sets.

Don't confuse comfort with handling. If your bike is handling good you could put a bent stick in there and it would handle good. It just doesn't matter if all the handling ducks are in a row and it is now all about comfort.
 
My preference is for low bars to provide a balance of function and form.
A similar question might be 'What sort of pillow do you prefer?' The answer is also similar i.e. Experiment until you find the optimum and change it as your needs/wants change. Enjoy.
 
If you are looking for stock, just fit the lowish euro bars that would have been fitted to euro bikes back in the day.

Clip ons are for the racetrack or posing and comfort depends on how supple your back is!
 
These are mine, about 2 inch lift. I'm 5'10" and find them very comfortable with rearsets. Most of my riding is around town i.e. not much highway cruising.

Best handling bars for a Roadster


Best handling bars for a Roadster


Best handling bars for a Roadster


The bike came to me with Clubman M bars, which looked great but killed my wrists:

Best handling bars for a Roadster


Best handling bars for a Roadster
 
Good timing.. Was just looking at bars today. I think this is new on AN website. I really like the look of the straight bars. Haven't tried any yet. My bikes still in the "project" stage.
 

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