ape hangers on my 1500 classic?

[gonzodog]

I am thinking of installing Baron's Kong Bar (16" ape hangers) on my 1500 classic. Does anyone else have ape hangers on their bike? Is the handling of the motorcycle better or worse? Also- What cables do I need to order for this install? Thanks for any help with this.

[trikebubble]

I have 14" Apes on my V2K and love them! 110%! I'll never go without Apes again, and probably will upgrade to 16" Apes down the road.

The comfort is amazing and unbelievable. I used to be "anti-Ape" before I started really looking into it.

Check with Rich Lockyer, he has the Kong bars on his Vulcan 1600. He is one of the guys who I listened to very closely when I was making my decision to air my pits out.

And yeh, you will need replacement cables with 16" Apes. Again, Rich will be able to better recommend what lengths necassary than I. I would reckon however, you will be looking at appx. 8"+ over stock length cables and lines.

Good luck, hang 'em high!

[jesquire]

I'll be keepin an eye on this thread as I too am going to be going with Apes. I was looking at the Kong bars as well, but I am worried that 16" is a little tall and am looking for 1-1/4" bars with about 12" to 13" of rise. Let me know if I am all wet and need taller ones.

Man is my wife gonna be upset when I forget the deoderant.

[Svetlana]

I've always had a few questions about them myself, just to interject briefly.

For one, how high can they legally be (I assume this varies by state/province)? I ocassionally see some where the bars far exceed the height of the rider's head. This certainly must have an adverse affect on handling and be illegal. What are the exact restrictions?

And where do your 14 inchers fall for you Carlo... just so I get a better idea of how high up we're talking.

Certainly they would seem to be more difficult to control (this seems especially true while riding in congested areas rather than long, straight hauls). But the counter argument to the many anti-ape hanger laws and the view of them as 'dangerous' goes back to history. Simply put, cops learned to associate ape hangers with 'outlaw bikers' and, accordingly, laws have looked down upon them ever since... any truth in that? And do you think any 'profiling' ocurrs to those with them, similar to riding a crotch rocket?

[fretbuzz]

If I had apes over 15" I wouldn't be able to ride my bike to work.

[Dawg_Broke]

When I lived in California, anything that put your hands up higher than your shoulders was illegal. I have a friend still out there who has several Harleys with the ape's on them. We went for a ride up into the San Bernardino mountains, and I was very uncomfortable after about 1/2 hour of riding. I suppose it's something you get used too, but...

[rdnygry]

Originally Posted by trikebubble

The comfort is amazing and unbelievable.

Just installed a set of LA Choppers 16" apes on mine. Trikebubble said it best! You can view more pics of my ride on the post I started titled "out with the old and in with new".

[trikebubble]

Originally Posted by Svetlana

I've always had a few questions about them myself, just to interject briefly.

For one, how high can they legally be (I assume this varies by state/province)? I ocassionally see some where the bars far exceed the height of the rider's head. This certainly must have an adverse affect on handling and be illegal. What are the exact restrictions?

And where do your 14 inchers fall for you Carlo... just so I get a better idea of how high up we're talking.

Certainly they would seem to be more difficult to control (this seems especially true while riding in congested areas rather than long, straight hauls). But the counter argument to the many anti-ape hanger laws and the view of them as 'dangerous' goes back to history. Simply put, cops learned to associate ape hangers with 'outlaw bikers' and, accordingly, laws have looked down upon them ever since... any truth in that? And do you think any 'profiling' ocurrs to those with them, similar to riding a crotch rocket?

Bonnie, Their is a bit of an optical illuasion when looking at a bike with Apes. Well, my bike anyways. My arms don't come close to being parallel at all. They are very comfortable, and give the bike a more nimble attitude.
I just installed a new seat, and now I find myself sitting appx. 1" higher than before.
Thoughts of a new set of 16" Apes are already dancing around in my heed.

I would not recommend anyone purchasing Apes lower than 13" - 14". Any shorter, and the bars will actually be a further reach than if you had taller 14" or 16" apes.
If I replaced my 14"s with 16"s I would actually have my arms closer to me.

[Neous]

Originally Posted by jesquire

I'll be keepin an eye on this thread as I too am going to be going with Apes.

ditto

[SureClassic]

I have 14" apes on my 1500 Vulcan and they are easier to reach than the stock bars, I am sitting more up right and much easier on the back, I feel much more in control of the bike and would never go back to stock bars...... just my opinion.......................... Reg

[Svetlana]

^^Nice ride

[mumbles]

SureClassic,

You have your bike set uped pretty nice. Not to much and not to little.
Can you give us the bar dimensions?

[CycleDude]

In most states, apes can not be higher than the rider's shoulders, although some states like NY measure the height from the tank in their handle bars restrictions.

I'd love to set up my 900 with some apes when I get some more $$$.

[Xlr8n]

This thread brings up a question I've often pondered. Are 14" rise bars really "apes"? Most often 14 inchers are referred to as "mini apes" from what I've seen advertised. Unless the bars bring your hands higher than your shoulders, they don't really fit the term, do they? (not that it matters one way or another, just curious)

[trikebubble]

Originally Posted by Xlr8n

This thread brings up a question I've often pondered. Are 14" rise bars really "apes"? Most often 14 inchers are referred to as "mini apes" from what I've seen advertised. Unless the bars bring your hands higher than your shoulders, they don't really fit the term, do they? (not that it matters one way or another, just curious)

I dunno. I don't have a problem with calling them "Mini-Apes"................but the bike might have an issue with it. And she is a lot bigger than I am.

[CycleDude]

[/quote]

Kachow! That's one bad-a$$ v2k there TB

[trikebubble]

Kachow! That's one bad-a$$ v2k there TB[/quote]


Thank you.

[Xlr8n]

Nah. Nothing 'mini' looking about them on your bike, Trike. My bad.

BTW- What turnsignals you running on it, or are they just bezels? I like.

[trikebubble]

Originally Posted by Xlr8n

Nah. Nothing 'mini' looking about them on your bike, Trike. My bad.

BTW- What turnsignals you running on it, or are they just bezels? I like.

Just the Kury deep dish bezels.

[RichLockyer]

http://personal.linkline.com/rlockye...apes/apes1.jpg
http://personal.linkline.com/rlockye...apes/apes2.jpg
http://personal.linkline.com/rlockye...apes/apes3.jpg
http://personal.linkline.com/rlockye...apes/apes4.jpg
http://personal.linkline.com/rlockye...s/DSC00547.JPG
http://personal.linkline.com/rlockye...s/DSC00548.JPG
http://personal.linkline.com/rlockye...s/DSC00549.JPG
http://personal.linkline.com/rlockye...s/DSC00550.JPG
http://personal.linkline.com/rlockye...s/DSC00551.JPG
http://personal.linkline.com/rlockye...apestretch.jpg

These are Baron Kong 16" on the 1600 Classic.
I'm 6'3", and had lower back pain after 200 miles on the stock bars.
I just got back from 300 miles over about 12 hours through the twisties of both San Bernardino National forest AND Cleveland National Forest....
and I'm ready to go again in the morning

Handling? It's like power steering, but with a good rack unit where you can still feel the road.