Handlebar advice

[mak595]

Just bought a 04 1200, loving the bike after years of sport bikes but got a problem, the riding position is too upright, aggravating a old back injury, basically too much weight is on the base of my spine.
So looking to move the bars forward to (hopefully) help, gonna try rotating the bar forward but has anyone else had a similar problem or tried different bars?
Open to ideas...
Really don't want to sell but need to sort something out....

 

[fenj66]

i have a similar problem, all i could do was rotate bars forward slightly, but too much and then they start hitting the screen on full lock. maybe a different screen might allow more bar travel.

 

[IrishGaucho]

While I don't have any back issues, I did move my handlebars a bit forward. You'll have to re-position the controls as well... but for me, yeah.. it definitely worked.

I'll recommend doing small changes, 1mm will make a big difference.

 

[mak595]

Just rotated the bars forward but there getting higher as well so not ideal, wanting forward and lower, the rise of the bars is about 150mm so thinking if I can get some renthals with 100mm rise, that might work...

 

[Bobbin-Man]

Try the front adjuster of your rider seat in the raised position, the rear adjuster in the lowered position ... you may be surprised by the difference it makes to comfort!

 

[Bendy toy]

The bars long sweep angle (supposedly ok for sitting upright) gets even more uncomfortable if you push the bars forwards. I have Rental McGrath bend bars on Rox anti vibe risers with custom mounting blocks. These moved the grips forwards and the blocks avoid the bars getting too high.

A similar idea should work with solid risers. so the bars can be moved forwards or back to find the best riding position.

Some links to check through
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/353451-Renthal-Bars-fitted-to-GSA
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/407331-Alternative-handlebars
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showth...I-will-mostly-be-fitting-Renthal-Twinwalls?s=
http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/renthal-or-taper-bars-for-gs-adv.227764/

 

[mak595]

Brilliant thanks, thinking of just trying renthals first, any pointers for some suitable?

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

Try the front adjuster of your rider seat in the raised position, the rear adjuster in the lowered position ... you may be surprised by the difference it makes to comfort!

Sorted me out!
That does move you further back though. Looking for some bar backs myself.

 

[mak595]

something like these maybe?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tech-7-Fat-Bar-Motorcycle-MuscleHandlebar-Black-Light-Alloy-W795xH95xR70mm/131053719643?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D39219%26meid%3Dbed5432839234c82bf52d0cafa08046a%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D301752862745

For risers?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/28mm-1-1-8-Pivoting-Handlebar-Riser-Fits-Suzuki-V-Stroms-Tiger-Triumph-800XC-/301967003977?hash=item464ea2d149:g:kskAAOSwa81XR0xm

 

[Bobbin-Man]

Try the seat mod first ... it's free!

 

[mak595]

Altered the seat this aft, start my shifts tomorrow so knackered for a few days now, booked into BMW Preston next Thursday for recalls so probably be the first chance to try it...

 

[Pukmeister]

Thats the thing with ergonomics, one mans comfort is anothers torture.

It takes most GS/GSA owners a while to adjust and fettle, change seats/bars/pegs/screens etc to get a bike that fits perfectly.

You might find that borrowing another seat such as a Sargent/Kahedo/Corbin might transform things and make a purchase worthwhile. Renthal bars are probably an educated guess but you will soon know during a long ride what works and what doesn't. Lowered or raised pegs may also help.

Time in the saddle plus getting 'bike fit' will reveal all.

 

[mak595]

If it wasn't for my old back injury, sure I would adapt but need the weight off my base of my spine, just ordered some cheap low rise bars so I can try them first, then maybe look for some rox risers to move em forward if needed

 

[mak595]

The odd thing is, I find the bike really comfortable as it is, if it wasn't for my bollox back killing me afterwards

 

[Pukmeister]

I find my GSA is a bike that encourages slouching and bad posture. On a long tour I have to remind myself to change posture often to prevent the onset of pain and discomfort in my lower back lumbar and coccyx plus a dull ache between my shoulder blades. I have bar risers and a Sargent seat, I am thinking about fitting lowered pegs in the seemingly endless search for touring nirvana.

I sometimes wear a Velcro sports training support for my lower back to provide compression and warmth. Perhaps you would benefit from something similar ?

 

[cheap'n'cheerful]

you can move the bars forward by rotating the handle bar clamps round 180 deg look in the owners handbook it describes how to do it

 

[Greenman14]

Renthals worked for me, but the seat position: high front low back, didn't. I agree with Bendy on the backward sweep of the standard bars, the Renthals are straighter but not lower so you do lean forward more, I don't have risers and they suit me at 5'10", average build.

 

[Bendy toy]

Renthals worked for me, but the seat position: high front low back, didn't. I agree with Bendy on the backward sweep of the standard bars, the Renthals are straighter but not lower so you do lean forward more, I don't have risers and they suit me at 5'10", average build.

I wanted to reduce the vibration so fitted low rise bars with Rox anti vibe risers. I also fitted custom mounts but TBH these only made about 15mm height difference. The Rox into vibes were pretty useless when lying back (as pull back risers). But they do the job when either side of vertical.

 

[mak595]

you can move the bars forward by rotating the handle bar clamps round 180 deg look in the owners handbook it describes how to do it

Doesn't work on a 2004, the clamps are cast into the top yoke

 

[Greenman14]

I wanted to reduce the vibration so fitted low rise bars with Rox anti vibe risers. I also fitted custom mounts but TBH these only made about 15mm height difference. The Rox into vibes were pretty useless when lying back (as pull back risers). But they do the job when either side of vertical.

Vibration seems to be different for different bikes and some riders feel it more than others. My mate says his totally standard GSA TC is quite uncomfortable at around 70mph, my bike is fine so I ride at 70 to annoy him. On a good day I get virtually no vibes through the bars, on other days, luckily rare, the bike feels like a bag of spanners for no apparent reason and the vibes are uncomfortable. I do think the Renthals are slightly less good at damping out the vibes and that's with the standard bar ends refitted.