cookiemonster
Guest
Like a couple of other folk on here, I've found the standard 1200 bars too "swept back". My wrists end up at an uncomfortable angle and I think they give a somewhat flighty feeling to the front of the bike as if there's not enough weight over the front. My theory is that as the bike "straightens up" after a turn, the handle grips, for me, arent coming back to a natural angle. I've a problem with my right wrist (bring on the comments, and yes, its got worse since i got married, etc 
); finding a comfortable position is quite important to me.
So, following Tobers Renthal Thread and Jokers Fatbar Thread I've fitted a set of Renthal Twinwalls.
Now the twinwalls & fatbars come in numerous sizes, I went for 994's which have 34mm of rake (rather than the 57mm of the 998's Tobers fitted). The reason for going with the 994's is that they're "Factory KTM Race" bars. Now, I know its only a matter of time before I get the call from KTM, so I felt its in both my and KTM's interest that I get used to their factory race handlebars prior to doing the business on one of their factory race bikes...
Back to the real world. Fitting is a doddle using the rawplug method (tm) to fit the end weights, and I added a set of nippy norman's "up and back" risers. The only problems I encountered were fitting the left grip back onto the Renthal bar (it really was a tight fit so had to be gentley tapped on with a hammer), generally messing around to get the bars and levers all fitted at the right angles and not all the rawplugs actually fit: the diameter of the M10's seem quite variable so there was a bit of messing around there. The end result has bars at almost exactly the same height, 2 inches further forward, slightly narrower but not noticeably so (by maybe 1/2 inch) and much, much straigher than standard- so the grips are more perpendicular to the bike, rather than swept back.
Unfortunately I havent been able to get any pictures in the daylight (and flash photography always looks terrible), so here's a pic taken in the garage; i'll try and take one outside in daylight (although its so dark at the moment you may have to wait 'til spring...) to give a better impression. IMO they do look pretty cool too (i've left the padding on, but i'm not sure about it to be honest, it may be reviewed...)
Right, onto the good bit. What are they like?
Well, first impressions are that they've turned the GS into a mad 'crosser. I had a day crashing around on a CRF250 on a motocross track a couple of weeks ago and the bar position felt very similar to the CRF - as if you have the front wheel spindle between your hands. From a chuckability and stability point of view these really are the dogs. The difference in handling is tremendous - I'm suprised that just changing a handlebar type could make such a big difference to the feel of the bike, I really cant over emphasis how much of difference there is. The bar position is pretty much spot on for comfort: I'm 6' tall so a couple of inches forward seems to be more comfortable for me. I'm able to tip the bike in harder and faster and generally have far more faith in the front end than I did before.
The only downside is that I've found the grips a bit too flat, my wrists are turned in slightly (rather than turned out as they were with the standard bars). I've wrapped some squash racket tape round the middle of both grips to try and pad out the space that forms in the hollow of my hand. This seems to have done the trick for the moment. I think I may have to swap the 994's for something more like the 998's or 999's, with a little more rake to them, due to my wrist problem as I may not be able to live with the straightness of the 994's on a long ride. The 998/9 however are still far straighter than the standard bars. I'll give it a month and then make a decision (expect to see a set of 994 twinwalls on the for sale section if i go down that route).
Finding the "perfect fit" I think is quite difficult, its dependant upon your height, arm length, seat position (i tend to sit right up at the tank), how much you lean forward, shape of your hand and then to what use you're going to put the bike: the more sporty the straighter & further forward I guess. Different setting will suit different people. My wife, for example, finds the original bars more comfortable than the twinwall set up (which is why she's getting a Hornet )
So, cookiemonsters thought for the day is: if you want your 12 to feel like a supermoto then go buy yourself a set of Renthals
); finding a comfortable position is quite important to me.So, following Tobers Renthal Thread and Jokers Fatbar Thread I've fitted a set of Renthal Twinwalls.
Now the twinwalls & fatbars come in numerous sizes, I went for 994's which have 34mm of rake (rather than the 57mm of the 998's Tobers fitted). The reason for going with the 994's is that they're "Factory KTM Race" bars. Now, I know its only a matter of time before I get the call from KTM, so I felt its in both my and KTM's interest that I get used to their factory race handlebars prior to doing the business on one of their factory race bikes...
Back to the real world. Fitting is a doddle using the rawplug method (tm) to fit the end weights, and I added a set of nippy norman's "up and back" risers. The only problems I encountered were fitting the left grip back onto the Renthal bar (it really was a tight fit so had to be gentley tapped on with a hammer), generally messing around to get the bars and levers all fitted at the right angles and not all the rawplugs actually fit: the diameter of the M10's seem quite variable so there was a bit of messing around there. The end result has bars at almost exactly the same height, 2 inches further forward, slightly narrower but not noticeably so (by maybe 1/2 inch) and much, much straigher than standard- so the grips are more perpendicular to the bike, rather than swept back.
Unfortunately I havent been able to get any pictures in the daylight (and flash photography always looks terrible), so here's a pic taken in the garage; i'll try and take one outside in daylight (although its so dark at the moment you may have to wait 'til spring...) to give a better impression. IMO they do look pretty cool too (i've left the padding on, but i'm not sure about it to be honest, it may be reviewed...)
Right, onto the good bit. What are they like?
Well, first impressions are that they've turned the GS into a mad 'crosser. I had a day crashing around on a CRF250 on a motocross track a couple of weeks ago and the bar position felt very similar to the CRF - as if you have the front wheel spindle between your hands. From a chuckability and stability point of view these really are the dogs. The difference in handling is tremendous - I'm suprised that just changing a handlebar type could make such a big difference to the feel of the bike, I really cant over emphasis how much of difference there is. The bar position is pretty much spot on for comfort: I'm 6' tall so a couple of inches forward seems to be more comfortable for me. I'm able to tip the bike in harder and faster and generally have far more faith in the front end than I did before.
The only downside is that I've found the grips a bit too flat, my wrists are turned in slightly (rather than turned out as they were with the standard bars). I've wrapped some squash racket tape round the middle of both grips to try and pad out the space that forms in the hollow of my hand. This seems to have done the trick for the moment. I think I may have to swap the 994's for something more like the 998's or 999's, with a little more rake to them, due to my wrist problem as I may not be able to live with the straightness of the 994's on a long ride. The 998/9 however are still far straighter than the standard bars. I'll give it a month and then make a decision (expect to see a set of 994 twinwalls on the for sale section if i go down that route).
Finding the "perfect fit" I think is quite difficult, its dependant upon your height, arm length, seat position (i tend to sit right up at the tank), how much you lean forward, shape of your hand and then to what use you're going to put the bike: the more sporty the straighter & further forward I guess. Different setting will suit different people. My wife, for example, finds the original bars more comfortable than the twinwall set up (which is why she's getting a Hornet
)So, cookiemonsters thought for the day is: if you want your 12 to feel like a supermoto then go buy yourself a set of Renthals
they're blue... 
I don't know the model... I guess it says somewhere... 
