Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > Shazaams! Posts > Shazaam! on Chassis and Suspension > Bar raisers. Your experiences?

[fab]

AS the title suggests was wondering if anyone had tried them here?

If so what have you found are the pros and cons of them?
How much difference does it make to the whole comfort aspect?

Also where did you purchase them from, how much and were the worth it overall?

Cheers.

[Shazaam!]

Keep in mind that the position of your body on the bike affects the overall weight distribution. Sportbikes are designed specifically to have a more forward riding position to place the center of your body weight lower and further forward, to better balance the bike and improve handling. But certainly for street riding it isn't the most comfortable position and the heads-down orientation isn’t the safest.

I installed Helibars on a 916 mainly to provide a more comfortable upright sitting position and to take some of the weight off my hands that helped solve a problem with numb fingers. However, after making this change I have mixed feelings about the new riding position. I prefer the factory handlebar position for more aggressive riding, but I like the more comfortable neck position and posture with the Helibars. Further, during certain riding conditions the angle of the bars just don’t feel right to me.

If I was to do it again, I’d buy bar risers with some range of adjustment. The Helibars can be slid down the forks and rotated front-to-back but they always keep their less-extreme tip-down bar angle. I’d recommend instead a riser bar similar to that sold by Cycle Cat that are quite a bit more adjustable (but quite a bit more expensive.)

Also, they allow you to switch back to a better position for track days.

For street riding and touring, bar risers won’t change the handling enough to be concerned about. Most of us would rather have a bike that handles slightly different than stock, but tailored to allow you to ride longer and sharper without physical fatigue (fatigue being a HUGE enemy of handling), rather than a bike that folds you into a full-race position meant for the track.

I know that some riders have moved/modified their stock bars to raise the bar ends but this also sets the handlebars at an arbitrary downward angle that I find to be weird.

[the phantom pieman]

I have the Cycle Cat ones on my 998s ...

I understand where Shazaam is coming from - but for road use the std posoition is just uncomfortable ...

Bar risers make a huge difference. That, and changing to the "race" screen have made the bike a much better fit for me .....

But I accept that at 6' 3" I'm somewhat taller than the average Ducati jockey ...

[Mr Creosote]

This may be of help to anyone thinking of fitting helibars. Firstly, the price. Think UK RRP is £209, yet go to the manufacturer's website (helibars.com) and unless my maths are wrong you can buy them for around £150 (incuding postage!). Alternatively, there is the deaded fleabay (Item number 180064359612 from US is a set for 748/916/998 and has three days to go, postage is around £20). Last, but by no means least, stick a request on here - I did and was offered three sets within a few hours, one of which I bought. Kushty!

[fab]

Thats really informative, guys thanks.

I expected this would be the case but was hoping the compromise of the looks wouldnt be that noticeable. Now i know my series of bike is not the model which is most highly regarded for it's looks however i'm particularly keen on not spoiling the way it looks by adding odd looking appendages.

The difference was highlighted the other day when i was leant a Pegaso Strada for the day whilst mine was in for service, and now quite obviously a different bike for a different purpose but the visibility was so good and hand comfort was great. I would want to change my bike however it got me thinking if i could perhaps just make it a tad comfier for "street" then i would consider it. But again not at the expense of the overall styling.

Would anyone happen to have any pics? Other than those on site above?

[Mr Creosote]

Know it's not your bike but here's some on a 748 (please excuse if nothing here - first time I've tried to upload a pic apart from my avatar - and even then Frank had to fiddle at his end. The pic came from this link:
http://ducatigarage.netfirms.com/comfort.html

[duck]

i got a set of cyclecats from a group buy on this site and think they're great although i did chop them down to the same width as standard, they are a bit wider which makes it easier to turn but not a lot of help for comfort.

in the pic (left grip not on yet) they are as high as you can go and still get a full lock and i think the 05 type fairing is slighty taller so they could go a little more (mines older type fairing).

went touring and was riding pretty much every day for a minimum of 5 hrs and on the last day a 16 hour stint home. i don't remember having sore wrists after that but i do remember having a sore a**e.

[iang]

Like Duck I have the Cycle Cat risers, the quality is very good but they were a bit of a pig to fit and get positioned correctly.
In my opinion they are much more comfortable but at the length supplied they made the bike feel really unstable so I too cut them down to the standard length which makes them much better and my wrists do not ache as much now.
When on their highest setting the only problem is that there is not much room for a gloved hand between the underside of the fairing but this is only really a disadvantage when moving the bike around as when you are riding you do not use full lock.

If I pull my bike to pieces mine will be up for sale soon !

[KeefyB]

Originally Posted by Mr Creosote

Last, but by no means least, stick a request on here - I did and was offered three sets within a few hours, one of which I bought.

Have you won the lottery mate?
All this from the guy that was happy with the bike as it came out of the factory.

[Mr Creosote]

Originally Posted by KeefyB

All this from the guy that was happy with the bike as it came out of the factory.

True, but then I fell in with a bad lot (yes, you know who you are)