Need everyone's opinion on bars...please.

[squawk]

OK...I thought that I wanted European bars on my KZ750 LTD. However when I looked at them at the bike shop I wasn't quite sure so I had him order a superbike bar, hasn't come in yet but in the mean time I've wonder to myself should I get a Drag bar.

This is what I'm looking for I am trying to turn my LTD into a mixture of a Standard KZ750 and a Cafe' Racer. I want to have a sporty but comfortable ride. Oh and I will have a Viper Cafe' Racer fairing on it.

So what does everyone think?

[blazer8689]

well as for me I loved the way clubman bars looked on my KZ650..... BUT comfort was not there. My wrists tend to get a cramping pain after riding for too long, again thats my opinion.

So i was also figuring out which to buy euro or super or drag?

I ended up with euro, man what a difference! no pain on my wrists and i could handle turns much better. Comfort for me is first then looks is second. But wish i could find a comfortable set of clubman bars

[zoro]

Originally Posted by blazer8689

well as for me I loved the way clubman bars looked on my KZ650..... BUT comfort was not there. My wrists tend to get a cramping pain after riding for too long, again thats my opinion.

So i was also figuring out which to buy euro or super or drag?

I ended up with euro, man what a difference! no pain on my wrists and i could handle turns much better. Comfort for me is first then looks is second. But wish i could find a comfortable set of clubman bars

The euro and the supers are nearly identical, I opted for the superbike bars for comfort and control of that 500lb bike. They add an authortative look to the bike without giving up control and comfort.

[Polar_Bus]

Originally Posted by squawk

OK...I thought that I wanted European bars on my KZ750 LTD. However when I looked at them at the bike shop I wasn't quite sure so I had him order a superbike bar, hasn't come in yet but in the mean time I've wonder to myself should I get a Drag bar.

This is what I'm looking for I am trying to turn my LTD into a mixture of a Standard KZ750 and a Cafe' Racer. I want to have a sporty but comfortable ride. Oh and I will have a Viper Cafe' Racer fairing on it.

So what does everyone think?

I have Bikemaster "Superbike" bend bars on my GS1100E:

[StarGate]

I did the same change. I hated the mini apehangers that came on the bike new. For me it came down to either the Euro or Superbike style. I finally decided on the Superbike. It's been 2 years since I installed them and I still love them. Very comfortable, I like the looks, and I have good control.

[squawk]

Thank you all looks like I'm gonna go ahead with the Super's!!!

[wdhewson]

With all that is attached to the bars and the importace of these controls, sometimes it is not a simple change to accomodate brake hose and cable routing and lengths.

[StarGate]

Originally Posted by wdhewson

With all that is attached to the bars and the importace of these controls, sometimes it is not a simple change to accomodate brake hose and cable routing and lengths.

Very true. I was installing new SS brake lines at the same time so the new ones were ordered for the different length needed. I also bought a new master cylinder since the original one mounted to a section of the bar that was not parallel to the ground and the new bars mount position was. I know some people have used the same MC. I was concerned about air getting into the line because of the angle and the problems it presented when trying fill it while it's mounted at an angle. I also installed a new, shorter, clutch cable and I had to convert the turn signals from the bar mount to a headlight style mount.

[Polar_Bus]

The "superbike" bend is a perfect compramise of "aggressive" rider foreward position, but without really forcefully adding fatigue on your forearms and upper body. Superbike bars do a great job of getting your weight slightly more foreward over the front end for better cornering behavior of your bike.

[squawk]

Blazer hey do you have any pics of your bike with the Euro's on? I got the superbike bars and the do look great but are a little uncomfortable to me. So I'm thinking about going ahead and getting the Euro's instead but I would really like to see what they look like on a bike.

[skewterdewd]

Originally Posted by squawk

Blazer hey do you have any pics of your bike with the Euro's on? I got the superbike bars and the do look great but are a little uncomfortable to me. So I'm thinking about going ahead and getting the Euro's instead but I would really like to see what they look like on a bike.

You don't say why it's uncomfortable. Euros will be wider and lower with more pullback than the supers. You could also try the Daytona, which is the same shape as the super, but with 2+ inches more rise. Had a set for awhile. really nice.

[squawk]

Good point...I feel like I'm having to stretch to reach them and when turn the throttle back past halfway I have to lean foward and pull my arm down then the my wrist hurts. I really a bar with 5in Center to accomodate my OEM Master Cylinder. I did look at the Daytona's and love the look, your right they look just like the Super's. So what about the G.P. Tourings? Anyone have those on?

[skewterdewd]

compare the numbers here:

Control (Handlebars, Grips, Footpegs)

The Gp is very close to the stock bar from my Bandit. It was all wrong for me, but that's another bike and another story.

You might check out rox risers too..

Rox Risers Handlebar Risers for Snowmobiles, ATVs, and Motorcycles

[klx678]

Originally Posted by squawk

OK...I thought that I wanted European bars on my KZ750 LTD. However when I looked at them at the bike shop I wasn't quite sure so I had him order a superbike bar, hasn't come in yet but in the mean time I've wonder to myself should I get a Drag bar.

This is what I'm looking for I am trying to turn my LTD into a mixture of a Standard KZ750 and a Cafe' Racer. I want to have a sporty but comfortable ride. Oh and I will have a Viper Cafe' Racer fairing on it.

So what does everyone think?

Superbike bend bars and the European bends, giving much more leverage than most narrower bars. The differences relate more to pull back which will be more a preference thing. In my opinion, doing what you are with an LTD which probably has a bit more relaxed geometry than even a standard KZ will warrant the higher leverage capability of the wider bars. It will also look more in place on the bike. On the subject of drag bars, I personally just don't like the esthetics of the flat appearance.

A few years back Motorcyclist and a group calling themselves MOMBA built a middle weight superbike for the vintage weekend at Mid Ohio. See if you can find it on-line and see what they used, they converted an LTD since they couldn't find a standard or GPz.