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| Ape Hanger Handlebars for Harley Davidson Motorcycle |
You’ve had your Harley Davidson for
years and you love it, you wouldn’t change a thing. It doesn't matter if you own a softail, dyna or bagger, you are happy with what you have. You take it out on
weekends, if the weather looks good you take it to work, every summer you plan
a long trip to take, the destination is irrelevant because the fun is riding
your Harley there and back. But did you notice a problem on your last trip? Do
those weekends not feel like they used to? Did you have to get off your bike
and walk around for a few minutes to stretch? The problem isn’t your bike, the
problem is the way you are sitting on your Harley and it may be time to make a
change.
But do you have to go out and
buy a brand new Harley Davidson? Of course not, you can completely alter the
feel of your bike with a new set of Harley ape hanger handlebars. It really is
that simple, if you have T-bars or the standard bars most bikes have you may
notice that your back stiffens more than usual when you go out for a ride.
Rather than having to lean forward you can actually sit more upright, in a
comfortable position with a set of ape hanger handlebars. This is not only a
great way to get a more comfortable ride but it actually gives your bike a
completely different look without having to make big changes.
A lot of riders prefer ape
hangers to other types of handlebars on their motorcycle not only because it
allows them to sit upright when riding but because they feel that it gives them
more of a peripheral view. Comfort and better vision are pretty good benefits
to making the switch but how do you know which size to get?
How to measure for Harley Ape Hangers
If you have never had ape hanger
handlebars on your motorcycle before it can be a little tricky ordering them.
It doesn’t matter if you have ridden a bike that has them because that bike
will be different than yours. People make the mistake of riding a bike with ape
hangers, like the feel and order the same exact size bars only to install them
and realize they do not feel the same way.
The best thing to do is to sit
on your bike in the position you would be with apes and then hold your arms out
to a comfortable position. Hold your arms for at least ten seconds and if they
get tired or feel uncomfortable you know that is not the right location for
them. Once you find a spot you like have someone take measurements and that
will give you the most accurate way of getting measurements for ape hangers for
your own bike.
Can I still
get them custom?
One of the things motorcycle owners love is that they can
customize their bikes to be different. You can get custom Harley Davidson handlebars at low prices so don’t worry about that.
Do I have to change
other parts?
Depending on the type of bike you have you may need to
change a couple of additional parts but nothing crazy. It won’t require any
major changes so costs should remain around what you were expecting. Be sure to
check with the manufacturer, your mechanic or the distributor before you make
any changes but for the most part you should be good to go.
Other than that don’t concern yourself with drastically
altering your motorcycle. It’s not like you have to buy new wheels just because
you are changing the handlebars. You may need new hand controls but any store
will have those as a selection with the bars you are looking to purchase. You
may even find a better deal on new bars with hand controls that you don’t have
to spend the time doing the wiring yourself.
Should I Buy Local?
The problem with shopping at local stores, especially if you
want custom parts, is that local shops are going to have a smaller selection
and the prices are usually much higher. If you can afford to wait a couple of
extra days for shipping and take the time to look online you will not only find
a better selection but you can save a lot of money.
What should I do with
my old set?
EBay, Craigslist, Amazon or anywhere else you can think of.
There are plenty of places you can sell your used bars and make a little bit of
money. Other Harley owners will be looking for used bars for their sportster, dyna, softail or bagger so you have a chance to make a quick sale. Most of the time when people need to make repairs to their Harley they
are looking for used parts. If you can afford it however, you really do want to
go with new ones.
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