Cafe handlebars for 850 commando

Hello. I have a 1974 850 Commando Roadster that I want to put a sleeker style handlebar on. My current handlebars are the stock roadter bars that came with the bike new. I am 56 years old and having neck joint issues so I don't want one too low but I do want a sleeker cafe look. Does anyone have a suggestion what style , Height, and width bar I could order that would look better and still not keep me as low as true cafe bars??? . Also who would carry these so I could order one from them. Thanks for any help

Sleek looks are one thing, comfort is another. I had some drag bars that were not too radical but the comfort went right out door. When I put the stock US bars back on it was an "AHH" moment. Save your money and get a rearset. I am 57 with low back issues (who doesn't) and the rearset really sets the tone for looks and posture. Your neck, back, AND legs will thank you for it. If you do this, the older kickstart is hopefully what you have. Mick Hemmings are the easiest to set up but pricey. Old Britts has them but maybe a better deal directly from Mick. Brake switch is a no brainer and the shift lever is tweakable.
http://www.norvilmotorcycle.co.uk/rearset.htm Look for pre MKIII with or without linkage.


That being said, there are ton of bars out there with many many rise and pullback dimensions. As long as they are 7/8", enough length at the handgrips for switchgear and 4" in the center (i think) anything goes.

Leave the lowdowns for the kids unless you plan on doing 80MPH all day.

Im looking for the same thing. There are Euro bars you know.
But not to forget the problem is also enough room on the bar end
for the disk brake poop. Id be quite happy with a set of R90s
BMW bars but from what Ive seen posted here they arent quite
long enough.
Too bad, I like them a lot.
Other suggestions?

I have a set of flat drag bars that are maybe a bit longer than typical- give me a nice upright but leaned-forward position, and I have the stock footpegs. I'd suggest you go to your local shop that carries such things, or maybe a local vintage riding day, and just try sitting on a few bikes until you find what you like. Looking in a catalog or online really won't help you know if it's comfortable or not, I think you need to sit on a few bikes to find the setup that works for you. Good luck! ejd

57 yr old Norton GreenHorn here. I just got my '74 Commando, took it to a tuner just to give a once over. I don't have it back yet, but the handlebars are on my radar. I have been considering keeping the stock bars but simply rotating them down toward me for a shorter look without becoming humped over. Anyone else tried this?

Hi Mark,

Here is a set of bars I picked up off EBay for about $35. They have a 2 inch rise and 4 inch sweep back. I have some back issues from the military and am 37 but these are pretty comfortable for me. Just make sure whatever you get, if you do, are 7/8 inch diameter.

The one thing I always disliked about Nortons was the stock riding position. It just never worked for me. I am 6'-2" tall. The pegs were just a little too far forward. The stock seat caused me to pearch high. The stock bars placed my hands too far apart. The combination of the wide bars and big cushy seat caused me to have to crane my head up to look straight down the road.

On my 750 I use the narrowest bar I can and still fit the master cylinder and throttle twist grip in it. The current bar has a slight rise and a slight bend rearward. I don't know what type it is or what brand. I just picked it out of a bunch at Bates Cycle #2 over on I35. It, combined with a Corban gunfighter seat, makes my Norton just perfect for me. With my butt lower I am not constantly trying to look at my front fender and the bars are perfect shoulder width giving me a sporting lean without a clip-on spine. The only down side is the Gunfighter seat which has zero padding. Long hours in the saddle are not desirable without many breaks.



I really do like the way my bike is set up. Even the stock pegs feel right.

Am I seeing things or is your righthand switchgear upside down? You have a extra long thumb?

Tommaselli condor sport bars give you the look of classic clubmans but allow a little more adjustment to find your comfort zone - beautiful bars really



I currently have the laverda adjustable bars on my commando - also adjustable and an inch or two raised above the tommaselli bars - , may not seem like much but critical for finding a littler more comfort for additional time in saddle - great bars to but a bit more difficult to find

I'd recommend BMW /5 handlebars..narrow enough for the cafe look w/o breaking your wrists, and you should not need to change any cables or lines. They should be easy & cheap to come by so not much lost if you don't like them. And yes, changing to rear sets is a must!

Daniel

I'm running the Vincent flat bar (old Britts) It's OK. I'd like more drop though. Clubmans in the future. The Brake MS does not fit real well and you have to get creative with mounting your grips.



In these pics I hadn't leveled them out yet so they're tilted up (but the grips fit better that way)

I agree with pvisserii and others about the rearsets, no matter what bars you use I think they improve the ergonomics. If you fit lower bars and leave the stock pegs you will almost certainly experience some back strain.

Here's a couple of shots I took last night, this is a BMW/5 handlebar..on the first shot you can also see the rear sets (I never understood why the gear lever linkage is so complex and heavy on most other bikes I have seen so far :shock: ):





Cheers,

Daniel

Daniel said:

Here's a couple of shots I took last night, this is a BMW/5 handlebar..on the first shot you can also see the rear sets (I never understood why the gear lever linkage is so complex and heavy on most other bikes I have seen so far :shock: ):Cheers,
Daniel

Click to expand...

I like the rearsets. Does the kickstart bother your leg while your riding? Or wear holes on the inside of your pantleg :lol:

Capitano,

no, the kickstarter doesn't bother me at all..but then I have some serious bowlegs so I might have a bit of an advantage here :mrgreen:

Daniel

I have used several low bars over the years. My Fastback has Beemer low bars but a bit more leverage would be nice. The Norton low bar (Often called the "Majorca" bar) is really nice, about an inch higher and about 4 inches longer than the beemer bar. Iget mine from British Cycle Supply.