Which Motorcycle Handlebars Are The Best?

Which Motorcycle Handlebars Are The Best? : There is a great debate regarding which motorcycle handlebars are the best; ape hangers or T-Bars. Some Harley Davidson owners prefer ape hangers while others have a preference for the more traditional ones. It really comes down to a personal preference but there are a few things which separate the bars you should know before you make your purchase.

Ape Hangers:

The bars are elevated which allow for you to sit up more when you ride. This is a huge advantage for riders who are taking long trips because it can be easier on your back, provide you with a more comfortable sitting position and some Harley Davidson riders also feel that you get a better view of the road as you are driving. One of the reasons is because they feel that by sitting up straight rather than leaning forward they have more of a peripheral view of the road, especially with cars turning onto the road.

One of the things that riders have said they didn’t like about ape hangers on their Harleys is that they feel it gives the bike more of an old school look. That may not seem like a big deal but for those who are trying to build bikes for speed you may want to stick with the more standard bars.

T-Bars:

These are the more standard handlebars you will see on a Harley or other types of motorcycles. There are advantages to learning with these bars as you have a better feeling of control of your bike. That means you react differently and have more time to make that reaction because of how you are positioned. If you are using ape hangers your reaction may be delayed slightly and for new riders that’s not something you want to deal with yet.

Again it really comes down to what is your personal preference as well as which type of bike you have. Different bars look and work differently depending on the model cycle you have.

Before you order:

This is very important and it is also where a lot of mistakes are made. If you have had T-Bars on your bike since you started riding it and you are thinking about making the switch to apes then you need to make sure that you measure correctly. This is going to be challenging because the bars will sit at a completely different angel than the originals and you also are going to be sitting on the cycle differently. The best thing to do is sit on your bike as you expect you would with the new ape hangers and hold your arms out. Have someone measure where your arms are, how far they are from the front and so forth. Those are the best measurements you will get without having actual handlebars to use and it will make ordering more accurate.

Remember it doesn’t matter if you get on another cycle with the T-bars or others you like to try to get measurements from. If it is a different year and model bike than yours then you will not be able to use the same measurements so don’t make that mistake.

Finding the right handlebars for your Harley may not be simple, especially if you are switching to a new type of handlebar. If you are going from a T-Bar to Ape Hangers you will want to make sure you have the right measurements. Check out the great selection of Ape Hanger handlebars from Demon’s Cycle and find additional tips on how to pick the right bars for you.