Having had zero experience of changing handlebars, or even sitting on a bike with non-standard bars, I'm after some advice about which after-market bars look both good AND are comfortable. I'm 6'3" and currently my XVS1100 is standard, although I'm considering extending the controls 4-6" forward using the kits from America which are currently on ebay, as I can get a little sore along the crease (between thigh and pelvis) of my right leg.

I kinda like the idea of 12" apes but I don't want to modify the cables just yet, so am thinking T-bars or Drag bars. I'm not keen on the look of beach or nostalgia bars. I'm completely open to suggestions though as I don't what other styles are available.

Here are some photos of bikes I've been looking at for inspiration (and not just the bars, I like the whole look)...

 

Ok, try the handlebars before you get the foot control extenders. Reason being, these bars will force you into a much more leaning forward position (tried it on my bike, went back to factory bars within a couple of weeks!), which combined with the stretched footpegs will probably make things uncomfortable. However since you're fairly tall, you probably have long arms so it might work out. 

Having said that I have a pair of 2nd hand t-bars I can sell you cheap!  They are chrome though...

 

 

Do you have any photos of them? If you took photos whilst they were fitted then even better

 

 

There you go...

I've had a few bars on my XVS650 and here's how i thought of them.

Beach bars

These were good and compfyvery easy to install as you can use the stock wireing loom  and cables. The down side to them was that there was no hope in hell of filtering through a traffic jam and the cornering felt un-natural as if you was trying to leave over with your arms to the side.

Drag Bars 

Install again was easy but you will have to change the cables for shorter ones as the throttle tended to snag and stick on (not good) riding possition was more leany over and made my wrists ache after about an hour of riding. You could filter through traffic but the bike was more twitchy in corners and at slow speeds.

12" Apes (mates speedmaster)

Pain in the ass to install due to not being able to get electric cable extentions, had to order custome brake lines, throttle and clutch controls and extend all the electrics myself (took 2 weeks to install the bars this way) very compfy riding possition but high speed say above 70+mph your arms start to hurt. they also suit the bigger bikes in my opinion, but make sure the bars are no higher than your shoulders. cornering is a bit like the beach bars in the sence it fells strange

Z bars

These where the best ones i bought for my draggy, a mash up between mini apes and drag bars, easy to install as you can use the stock cables etc unless like me you hide all the electrics in the bars with custom hand controls, in which case they become a bitch to do. riding position can be either leant forward a bit or sat up right, filtering is piss easy but again handleing is twitchy at low speeds.

Hope this helps at all?

Thanks for the opinions, that's some really useful info there. I had no idea some styles of bars would have such a negative effect on riding.

Toutsuite, how long did it take you to fit the bars and did you need to modify any cabling?

The bars were short enough to not require any cable mods. Any T-bar or drag bar should be ok for cables, unless ridiculously wide.

Doesn't take long to do, but you'll need new grips as the old ones won't come off easily. 

 

Top tip for removing the left hand grip.

Tools needed: flat head screw driver and a can of GT85 with spray nozzle 

Use a flat head screw driver to pri up the grip enough to get the GT85 spray nozzle up between the grip and bar. And spray a good amount in.

Remove nozzle and screw driver, then repeat on all 4 sides of the grip.

Now squeeze and twist the grip and Hey presto the grip comes off.

 

Washing up liquid under the grip also works, and is probably cheaper than GT85

On 21/04/2016 at 6:45 AM, Noise said:

I've had a few bars on my XVS650 and here's how i thought of them.

Beach bars

These were good and compfyvery easy to install as you can use the stock wireing loom  and cables. The down side to them was that there was no hope in hell of filtering through a traffic jam and the cornering felt un-natural as if you was trying to leave over with your arms to the side.

Drag Bars 

Install again was easy but you will have to change the cables for shorter ones as the throttle tended to snag and stick on (not good) riding possition was more leany over and made my wrists ache after about an hour of riding. You could filter through traffic but the bike was more twitchy in corners and at slow speeds.

12" Apes (mates speedmaster)

Pain in the ass to install due to not being able to get electric cable extentions, had to order custome brake lines, throttle and clutch controls and extend all the electrics myself (took 2 weeks to install the bars this way) very compfy riding possition but high speed say above 70+mph your arms start to hurt. they also suit the bigger bikes in my opinion, but make sure the bars are no higher than your shoulders. cornering is a bit like the beach bars in the sence it fells strange

Z bars

These where the best ones i bought for my draggy, a mash up between mini apes and drag bars, easy to install as you can use the stock cables etc unless like me you hide all the electrics in the bars with custom hand controls, in which case they become a bitch to do. riding position can be either leant forward a bit or sat up right, filtering is piss easy but again handleing is twitchy at low speeds.

Hope this helps at all?

I know this thread is a bit old but do you remember where you got your z bars from and what height? I'm looking at putting z bars on my xvs1100. 

Got mine off good old Ebay, mine where only 6" high with a 2-3" pull back (if i rememebr correctly)