Motorcycle Handlebars & Controls

Every motorcycle should fit its rider perfectly. Sometimes, to make an adjustment, it is enough to rearrange some stock parts. You may try to rotate your handlebar in it clamps or raise it and readjust controls so that the arrangement can suit you better, and if it is not enough, you can try to replace your factory-installed handlebar with its custom counterpart. Our online store offers a wide variety of handlebar styles, including wide touring or dresser bars, tall ape hangers, T-bars, H-bars, Z-bars, beach bars, drag bars, and others. When looking for a new handlebar, you have to take a few measurements into consideration.

Check the diameter of your stock handlebar. The replacement must fit your handlebar clamps and have knurling, if any, in the same places. To choose the right type of the handlebar, we recommend to secure your bike in an upright position, get comfortable on the seat, put your feet on the foot pegs, close your eyes and put your hands to where your handlebar grips should be. Then open your eyes and estimate what style of the handlebar can meet your needs, and what its measurements are. You should know its overall and center width, height, rise, and grip angle.

Some riders decide to swap handlebars to change the appearance of their motorcycle. You can install a significantly wider or higher handlebar on your bike if compared to the stock one, but you have to remember that when you install a super wide handlebar, you may face difficulties when making full-lock low-speed turns. In such a situation, one of the grips becomes out of your reach, and another ends up in your gut. Also, if your motorcycle has no windshield, you may want to lean forward at high speed to reduce air pressure from oncoming wind. It means that you may need to move your handlebar a bit further.

When you fit a longer handlebar to your motorcycle, you have to install longer hydraulic hoses, cables, and wiring for your controls. If you have decided to change the handlebar on your cruiser, it would be a good idea to install billet handlebar risers, fork caps, or a chrome triple clamp cover while the upper fork area is easily accessible. On the digital shelves of our store, you can find a huge assortment of motorcycle handlebars and controls, including clutch and brake lines, cables and brackets, heated and regular grips, throttles, bar ends, handlebar levers, switches, raisers, clamps, triple trees, handguards, and much more.

When routing new wiring for your motorcycle controls, you may want to avoid putting wires inside the handlebars. First, any hole weakens the bar, and second, if the switch starts rotating on the handlebar and wires start rubbing against a hole edge, the resulting short may leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere. Before changing hydraulic brake and clutch hoses, drain the fluid out while making sure it doesn’t get on coated or painted surfaces. Brake fluid is an excellent paint remover. The installation of new handle grips may require the use of grip adhesive. For you to improve handling and thus your safety, we recommend installing a steering stabilizer kit.