Flat bars (2016)

Is anyone with experience of flat bars on a Commando able to tell me if I will be able to use the master cylinder on flat bars 29" long?
I know that Vincent flats are too short, I believe 27"

Many thanks in anticipation.

Hi Peter,

The short answer is no ....... but by shifting the bars half an inch to the right and having the brake lever slightly high than I would want it just works with a Roadster tank. It would not work with any other tank.

Graham

Ok, got an Interstate tank at the moment, can get 31" bars I think but suspect they would be too wide for comfort.
Many thanks.

Comfort is not the major issue with wide bars. If you have the big lock to lock tank slapper with wide bars , you get launched.

I had run flat bars on my Commando for many years, I cut them down each side so the M/C fitted just right and they weren't to wide and was very comfrotable, I also ran them after I converted to the Featherbed frame, not sure how long they were after I cut them down, was long time ago now and have been through a few handle bars now .

Ashley

Thanks Ashley, might get a long bar and see how much i need to cut back to see if its possible and practical.

Mine never fit . The MC never had acceptable clearance or angle. Somebody gave me 4" risers that worked.

I recall trying to fit flat bars and couldn't get the master cylinder rotated into the correct position: the front brake lever sat way too high, and my wrist was bent back in an uncomfortable angle.

I think if you swapped to a 1973 era Triumph master cylinder, you can use the banjo to position the master cylinder correctly.

Or, make the modification seen in this link: drop-bar-brake-line-routing-t5751.html

Anybody know if the CNW Brembo master cylinder will fit flat bars?? It would save mutilating the stock MC and give you better stopping power.

Stephen Hill

peter12 said:

Is anyone with experience of flat bars on a Commando

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I recall my experience with flat bars was quite unpleasent. Unless you are at a constant high speed, the fashion qiuckly disapates.
They were promptly removed and sold.

I have 24" bars on my commando with a front disc brake, The brake lever mounted in the only position it can be with the brake line draped over the head of the fork tube dropping down behind the headlight shell. I took a few pictures.

Here's a picture of my 24" bars from the back of the bike. You can see that the brake couldn't be located anywhere but exactly where it is because of the fork tube.



Here's a better look at where the brake line descends from the master cylinder. As you can see, a slightly wider handle bar would move the throttle grip further away from the brake lever and the switch cluster and brake cant move outward without the fork tube interfering with the mount. (hopefully that's clearly stated)



I like these bars. They aren't dead flat. They have a tiny bit of rise. I don't know if they are stock, from some other bike, or are cut down to fit but they work well for me. Maybe someone here will know what they are... Anyway 24" bars work really nicely with the exception that I am kind of tall, so they don't put my upper body out of the wind unless I really lay down on the tank. I was actually thinking of making a form and thermofitting a taller custom made windscreen for my bikini faring to give me a little more coverage from the wind.

Food for thought, got thrown off in the early 80's at about 90, don't fancy a repeat of that!
Will have a think, have a Triumph master cylinder, will look at that, change of cylinder may be the way forward, need to look at upgrading the front brake that barely works at the moment.
Some good input.
Thanks

Ok, the reason I was considering changing the bars is that as I have got older, I am finding the riding position uncomfortable and every time I open the throttle I slide back on the seat, never remember this on my last Commando, late 70's up to early 90's when I sold it.

I have a Mk11a with Interstate tank, Roadster panels, euro bars and standard footpegs.

My thought was flat parts with rear sets. I intend at some stage to change the tank to Roadster but don't want to preclude the possibility of putting the interstate tank back on.

I appreciate that a Corbin type seat may well help, new question has anyone tried this set up with rear sets and the standard euro bars?

peter12 said:

Ok, the reason I was considering changing the bars is that as I have got older, I am finding the riding position uncomfortable and every time I open the throttle I slide back on the seat, never remember this on my last Commando, late 70's up to early 90's when I sold it.

I have a Mk11a with Interstate tank, Roadster panels, euro bars and standard footpegs.

My thought was flat parts with rear sets. I intend at some stage to change the tank to Roadster but don't want to preclude the possibility of putting the interstate tank back on.

I appreciate that a Corbin type seat may well help, new question has anyone tried this set up with rear sets and the standard euro bars?

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Rear sets, yes! You won't be sorry. Screw the drag/flat bars. (62 with bad back.)

Thanks Pete, might be the starting point for me.

peter12 said:

Thanks Pete, might be the starting point for me.

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Quite right there, Peter. The position truly promotes more comfortable acceleration and long range riding. The difference is profound. Although a bit pricey, rear sets are a BIG bang for the buck.
You can get the feeling by riding for awhile with your feet on the passenger pegs. No exactly the same but you'll get the idea.

Have had rear sets many years ago but with clip ons. Definitely not going to go down that route this time, 58, bad back, hips............

I am 6'1" (mostly legs and arms) and have had rear sets w/ UK bars on my '74 for 25 years. I still find it sits a bit upright for me compared to my Duc ST4s. So, have just ordered the 31" Flanders flat bar to go on it.

Can you please let me know how you get on with the 31" bars.
Cheers
Peter

Will do. Have relatives bringing them down from the states in a week and a half, then we go on holiday for a week or so, so it wont be quick feedback.

Over the 44 years of riding Nortons I have tried many different handle bars. For the last 6 years I've been running the UK or Euro bars that I got from Old Britts. 31" wide, 2" rise and about 6" pullback. I cut a bit off of each end, maybe 3/4 inch and they work great. Master cylinder fits and they don't impact the tank when doing lock to lock parking lot maneuvers. After about the second year with these bars I traded away my clip-ons, clubman. and flat drag style bars. They feel good to this 63 year old. Longest non stop ride with them was returning home from the 2014 rally, about 700 miles, stopping only for gas and lunch. My back did fine but I felt like I'd cashed in all 5 punches on my proctologist's frequent visitor rewards card. In 1977 I bought an 850 that had Hi-rider bars on it. They looked dorky as all get out but were really comfortable for under 100 mile rides. Of course my idea of what was stylish won out and off they came. I switched over to clip-ons and rear sets. A couple of years with this set up then I gravitated back to a more stock set up.