Finding the right handlebars

J

JimmyR

Street Tracker
I just swapped out my stock Bonneville bars for some Biltwell Tracker bars. I like the basic style and they are very comfortable but I would prefer something a bit narrower and with a bit more angle. Basically I LOVE the Renthal lows I have on my other bike but can't use them on the Bonnie because they don't make them in 1".

I quite like the shape of the stock bars but want something lower. The Biltwells are very close but a bit TOO straight! So something low but with a bit of an angle back at the handle part would be good - like a lower version of the stock bars. Any ideas?

Thanks!
 
J

JimmyR

Street Tracker
I was wondering about M Bars. I already like Mars Bars. I'm just concerned that the M Bars might be a bit wider than I want. The tracker bars I have now are about 29 1/2" wide and feel too wide for the bike.

Thanks guys - I am off to check out your suggestions now.
 
T

Twodogs

Street Tracker
When I put a set of trackers on my T100 I thought they were the ducks nuts but after a while I felt that little bit more pull back wouldn't hurt but eventually I got use to them and I really do love them but I am really wanting to give the new thruxton bars a go, I have only seen them on a T100 and they look really cool and by all accounts they're better than M bars if you read some of the comments on the threads. If you want more pull back compare the specs of the New Bonneville superbars, width is 29" rise is 2" and pullback is 5" were as your Builtwell Trackers are width is 30" rise is 1.75" and pullback is 2"..........big difference on the pullback, just maybe what you are after.
 
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J

JimmyR

Street Tracker
Thanks Twodogs - I will check out the super bars. They sound like what I'm looking for. Tomorrow (monday) I'm going in to the local Trumpy dealer to look at the Thruxton bars. I recently test rode a new Thruxton and was surprised that it wasn't uncomfortable.

Here are the trackers - too wide for me:

newbits0001copy.jpg


newbits0007copy.jpg
 
B06Tang

B06Tang

Cafe Racer
that is the bar I have on both my Bonnies and love them! Mine are in black though and when I was choosing a bar, I made the bar fit my needs and not the other way around. In other words...I did the broom stick thing while sitting on the back and had a buddy take the measurements and then I went hunting for the bar. I'm 6'5" so a wider bar was what the doctor ordered. I love how I can dive my bike into the turns with this bar!
 
J

JimmyR

Street Tracker
Actually I have to say I'm a convert to the lower postion. Apart from it looking cool riding on the freeway is heaps more fun now. I actually went up and down a few exits on our freeway today just because it was fun! When I bought the bike a month or so ago it was all standard and I had to ride over an hour on the freeway to get it home. It wasn't much fun because the stock bars made me feel like I was going to get blown off the bike half the time. Where I live is very windy.

So now with the bike producing a lot more usable power thanks to some airbox removal and new pipes, plus the lower bars, riding at 60-70 mph is great. So easy and solid. However I am just 6' so they really are too wide for me. If they had just a bit more bend in the bends (!) they would be perfect.
 
B06Tang

B06Tang

Cafe Racer
JimmyR said:
Actually I have to say I'm a convert to the lower postion. Apart from it looking cool riding on the freeway is heaps more fun now. I actually went up and down a few exits on our freeway today just because it was fun! When I bought the bike a month or so ago it was all standard and I had to ride over an hour on the freeway to get it home. It wasn't much fun because the stock bars made me feel like I was going to get blown off the bike half the time. Where I live is very windy.

So now with the bike producing a lot more usable power thanks to some airbox removal and new pipes, plus the lower bars, riding at 60-70 mph is great. So easy and solid. However I am just 6' so they really are too wide for me. If they had just a bit more bend in the bends (!) they would be perfect.
Click to expand...

I know exactly what you mean by getting shoved around with the crosswinds on a stock bar. I would get someone that can run measurements for you and sit on your back with a broom stick (center stand up if you have it). Just go the natural position you find comfortable for yourself and then take those measurements....width, rise and pull back. Then take those measurements and go shopping. Also remember that you can buy risers and cut a bar if you need to get what you want.
 
J

JimmyR

Street Tracker
Yeah I did think of cutting them. But as you say, I think it's the pull back I want. I did find the stock bars quite comfy but then the flat bars are comfy too. In fact the flatter bars may even be better for comfort. But a big part of the bike for me is visual and the stock bars are too high for the look I want. Quite handy that I like what lower bars do for riding too! :)

I have done a fair bit of reaching forward while sitting on the bike, and yes I do have a centrestand - first thing I put on the bike. Just too damn handy. Thing is, there is a variety of positions that would be suitable.

So I'm pretty sure that what I want is a lot as Twodogs suggests - I just have to try one now.

BTW did anyone notice the internal wiring? I love doing that because (a) I can and (b) I like the look - less crap to see. One thing I can say about the Biltwell bars - man they are made out of strong stuff! They were quite hard to drill and have some weight to them. Very strong bars.
 
J

JimmyR

Street Tracker
Today I went to the local Trumpy dealer and while they didn't have a huge range of bars they did have some new Thruxton bars. I sat on a Thruxton again and I don't mind the position they put you in. So I bought them, drilled some holes for the wiring, satined them off with some scotchbrite and installed them, possibly upside down! However this was on purpose.

I think they are upside down but that's how I like 'em. It was an idea from someone here and it's a good one. Pretty happy with how they feel and very happy with how they look on the bike too. Thanks for the help guys!
 
Bonafide

Bonafide

NBR founder
I do believe the new stock Thruxton bars are copies of M bars?

Either way .. glad you found something.
 
J

JimmyR

Street Tracker
I think they are but maybe a little smaller. One thing I forgot is that my Halcyon mirrors don't fit because of Triumph's threaded insert thing in the ends of the bars. So back to the horrible stock mirrors while I wait for some adaptors from Halcyon.
 
neuroboy

neuroboy

750cc
J

JimmyR

Street Tracker
Cheers. I might be back at the Triumph dealer tomorrow to see what else they have. I know they deal with British Customs and stock quite a bit of their stuff. I quite like the Halcyon mirrors but who knows what else I might find?
 
mike1161

mike1161

moped
Bonafide said:
I do believe the new stock Thruxton bars are copies of M bars?

Either way .. glad you found something.
Click to expand...
They are close, but not exact. I've have the M bars on my T100 for about 5 months now, but have really been wanting to try the Thruxton bars. Well, also not totally happy with the chrome plating on the M bars, I noticed fairly early that the chrome had kind of a "blackish" look to it, and you can see some strange staining on the whole bar. Probably a bad plating job. It won't come out with polish, wax, etc... So anyway, yesterday at work I guy I work with shows up with a brand new Brooklands green Thrux!! So I was comparing the 2, side-by-side. The thrux bars are about 4" narrower (total), with less of a bend to them. Anyway, I just ordered a set, so will be trying them out soon!
 
J

JimmyR

Street Tracker
Thanks for letting us know. I was wondering exactly how different they were. I think from what I've read that the Thruxton bars suit me better - heard mixed reports about the quality of the M bars. I'm very happy with the Thruxton bars - the finish is excellent and any day now my Halcyon adaptors will be here! Once they are I will take a pic to show you all how they look.

I like the width of the Thruxton bars. They do make the steering a little firmer but you get used to that fast. I like the compactness.
 
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