Lookin' for experience/opinions on drag bars?

[ric9469]

Hi all, I'm new to this forum but like what I see so far. I recently bought a 1990 VT1100 and am considering swapping the stock bars for drag bars. I found these on Ebay and wanted some opinions.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4550190349&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

I like the look of drag bars but am concerned w/comfort and handling. I will be using the bike for some fairly long hauls (100 - 300 miles). I am pretty tall so I don't thing the grip position will be too far forward w/something like these. They have 8" of rise and 6" of pullback. All opinions welcome.

Regards,
rich f.
Atlantic City, NJ
"Semper Paratus"

[AirportFF]

Let me begin with FUCK OFF NOOB :happy:

Glad you found the site.

I'm not that familiar with the layout of your bike. What is the rise and pullback on the stock bars? Is it comparable to the new ones?

The EBAY bars a probably a bit narrower. I put some on my Magna and love them. It feels like I have a bit more control in slow speed turns. It will make the steering feel heavier, but more stable. (to me anyway) If the rise and pullback are near the same you'll just be moving your hands closer together. That will reduce the "parachute" effect that you get if you don't have a windshield.

Try asking in the 1100 thread also, you might get a faster response in there.

[ric9469]

Thanks Airport, and FU too :) ! I did a quick measurement and it seems like 8" x 6" will put my grips just slight lower and fwd of the stock u-shaped bars. I did a search and found an earlier thread that all praised the handling of their drag bars. If there was a place nearby that catered to anything other than Harleys and crotch rockets I'd try and mock some up. But since there isn't I'm left with the net. Thanks again.

[AirportFF]

Just make sure that if they are lower and narrower that they won't hit the tank when they are turned all the way

[RustyJake]

Kingpin is CP's (http://www.cruiserperformance.com/) Ebay identity for selling stuff, and usually items being sold on there have some sort of blem. Get them to send you a picture of the blem on the bars in question. No sense in getting them home only to find out it's really noticable. They are great at responding to emails.
I'm not familiar with the stock set up on your bike, but I'm sure that the bars will clear the tank. I got a set for my wife's V-star at the same time I got mine, they are close to the tank, but definitely clear. He wouldn't list them for a bike if they don't work. The stock bars on a spirit aren't as wide as the 33" I think they are about 31-1/2", the bars I got were the 6"rise and 33" wide 1.5". I love them.
Now running the wires through the bars.......there's another job. But well worth the effort.

[james]

Ok I have had several chops an others I found that the drag bars worked fine on my narrow bikes but as with haveing them on heavy bikes like my shovel or rat it was harder in tight turns had to slow down more but on my sporty I could speed up hope this helps some James