[Discussion] Technical - Handlebars

[corporatemanthras]

Hi everyone, thinking of starting a new thread to discuss the types of handlebars that'll fit the S4 and their performance with respect to the bike. There are bits and pieces of information scattered throughout the CB400 Forum, but nothing in one location. Hence the initiative to start a new thread.

 

I am riding a VTECII. I have personally used the stock CB400 handlebar and am currently using the Protaper SE.

 

Welcoming any discussion on this topic!

[philomath]

Using stock currently.. have been thinking about getting an aftermarket one but mainly concerned with the ergonomics of riding.. how's yours?

[Cellardoor]

this thread died real quick..haha. I was thinking of getting a Renthal but I'm not sure if the handling will feel different or is it just for the color/brand/glamor?

[corporatemanthras]

this thread died real quick..haha. I was thinking of getting a Renthal but I'm not sure if the handling will feel different or is it just for the color/brand/glamor?

 

haha…sorry! Dunno how i missed your message from Jan. I am using the Protaper wide handlebar now. I am going to get it changed now. The wide handle bar is nice for 'cruising' at about 100? Its makes the bike easy to manuevre at very low speeds (approx 10-20). stable la. BUT what it does suck at is cornering on bends, and straights at speeds of 140kph and above. starts shaking like mad.

 

I have ordered a rizoma standard handle bar at motoworld. But I am actually trying to find out if I can have clip-ons installed on my VTEC II. I have seen a revo OTR with clip ons. A couple guys have done it in the revo thread on sbf as well.

[wywsyy]

Just to share, sometimes handlebar become rusty from the inside

 

got once i stationary drop the bike because the handlebar give way (bent)

[corporatemanthras]

wth?? Thats damn dangerous...is this for real? and if so, could you share what bar you were using? never heard before sia

 

Just to share, sometimes handlebar become rusty from the inside

 

got once i stationary drop the bike because the handlebar give way (bent)

[wywsyy]

wth?? Thats damn dangerous...is this for real? and if so, could you share what bar you were using? never heard before sia

 

i know right! i was thinking damn dangerous also! lucky i was stationary, if it bent while i jam brake how!?

 

no idea what bar i was using, it's a 15 yrs old ver s.

 

i only bought it 1 month then, wanna round malaysia so went pengerang for test run 1st. at the town there the handle bar bent and drop the bike

 

couldn't even lift it up myself but some passerby (i think singaporean also) help me get it back up. i pushed to the motorcycle shop in the town ask them to help me change a handle bar, like 50rm

 

can see rust drop out from inside the bar when they remove it. also notice the bent area there's paint on it (to cover up the rust?)

 

good thing i went somewhere near for a test run 1st

 

but since then the bike very good no problem

[corporatemanthras]

I shudder to think what would have happened if you were travelling on NS HW at >>100kph. Omg! Thank Goodness! Im guessing it was probably stock and 15 years old...wah but still. it must have been a harrowing experience! thanks for sharing. maybe good to share with the riders in VerS/R PB. More likely to encounter something like this...thanks for sharing btw bro

[krusty28]

any ideas if the stock handlebars we can get in colored versions? seen some s4 in my carpark with standard bars but some in blue, yellow and black. need to change mine cos its slightly bent from an accident.

[corporatemanthras]

I don't think so bro, at least not the OEM ones. However I think there are quite a few standard bars with the same diameter (that fit on our clamps) that look similar to our stock handlebars. Maybe you could take a peek and see if there is a brand or logo in the middle of the bar?

 

any ideas if the stock handlebars we can get in colored versions? seen some s4 in my carpark with standard bars but some in blue, yellow and black. need to change mine cos its slightly bent from an accident.

[krusty28]

I don't think so bro, at least not the OEM ones. However I think there are quite a few standard bars with the same diameter (that fit on our clamps) that look similar to our stock handlebars. Maybe you could take a peek and see if there is a brand or logo in the middle of the bar?

 

the ones ive seen at unique, motoworld all are like scram handlebars, wide posture. yes they can fit our clamps but posture different. oh well, shall keep looking around!

[corporatemanthras]

Rizoma offers both standard size and wide handle bars bro. I know cos I have seen them on SuperFours and was also asked to choose my colour when I ordered mine at Motoworld. Must ask the basement counter. hope this helps.

 

the ones ive seen at unique, motoworld all are like scram handlebars, wide posture. yes they can fit our clamps but posture different. oh well, shall keep looking around!

[Cellardoor]

any ideas if the stock handlebars we can get in colored versions? seen some s4 in my carpark with standard bars but some in blue, yellow and black. need to change mine cos its slightly bent from an accident.

 

I was going to ask the same exact question! ups!

[krusty28]

hahaha. well, i went to take a look at motoworld, the guy said that it is not the same as our standard handlebars, its a wider posture. not so extreme like having scram handlebars. saw a girl rider outside too with a red handlebar near planet moto, spoke to her and she got a rizoma one from unique, also not standard, longer measurement compared, so she cut it short to the length of our standard bar.

however, i found a fellow that helps pre-order the handlebar that im looking for. waiting for shipment now in a few weeks. see how it goes ah. ordered a black one. if i not wrong, got black, purple, yellow, red, blue and like standard chrome

[corporatemanthras]

Hi Guys, wanna give an update on my experience. sorry for the delay. been real busy. as mentioned before, id made a decision to switch from the pro taper wide handlebar to the rizoma one. (had to change bar cos mine was bent!) The specs can be found in the rizoma catalogue .

 

Before - Protaper SE

 

 

After - Rizoma (7/8" diameter)

 

 

Review:

 

The protaper handlebar was very comfortable in cruising on expressway. my arms are quite lanky compared to my torso, so this was very comfortable for me. I travel quite a bit so this was a good option for me. However, it was terrible at taking corners, as it was so wide and it was hard to steer the bar and cling on to the curves. The bar would often fight back. So its a trade-off. I didn't find it very difficult squeezing thru cars (as many people have commented on many threads), just takes some getting used to. Have used this bar for >2 two years now.

 

The rizoma handlebar handles like a dream. Its really amazing on corners. I may be a bit biased cos i haven't had a stock handlebar on my VTECII for >2 yrs, but i have ridden other SuperFours with stock handlebars front time to time. And this one is really awesome. I sometimes tend to overestimate the corners, often having to release some camber on the corners, realigning my path. It feels amazingly light. What this means to me (personally) is that it feels so easy going into a corner. I can take corners, scraping my stock foot pegs and on relatively old tyres without breaking a sweat. Compared to the stock handlebar, it feels very light --> it goes into corners really easily on counter steering, but also comes back up very easily. So this may not be a good thing, depending on what you're looking for. The stock one takes slightly more effort in going into a bend, but it does feel a bit 'heavy', and therefore a little more stable. Note, the stock one has a higher rise too.

 

But there is one very bad thing about the rizoma (specifically to my bike) : the vibration i feel from the grips is truly horrible, and I'm not exaggerating! Its not the kind of violent vibration you feel on two strokes, its the high frequency vibration from the engine that you feel on the body of the motorcycle. I think its the kind of performance-calibrated alloy that may potentially be a reason for transmitting the vibration. that and, it probably wasnt designed for our CB400. I may be entirely wrong of course. Its really bad, and i can feel it going into my wrists, and its so uncomfortable that Im considering changing to a stock one despite its amazing handling. I am currently trying to research how i can negate this vibration effect otherwise. I ride quite a bit so this bothers me very much.

 

Just to add, Ive lowered my forks across all the handlebars, from the time i got my machine. Its approx 1.5". Also, the rise on the rizoma is not very high, there is a limit to how much the forks can be lowered with the rizoma (unlike the stock bar).

 

Hope to hear comments from you guys! cheers.

[VAN THOR]

But about rizoma handle bar u mention huge vibration feel. But if fatboy handlebar could counter it right? I have order mine fatboy rizoma. Receive on saturday. Wait then for feedback

[VAN THOR]

Review on rizoma fatbar handlebar.

 

- longer than stock. Traffic jap = die loh

- require a new adapter. Mine a higher adapter than stock

- vibration handlebar superb !

 

Recommanded for relax rider who want a smooth journey. Less fatigue riding.

[tearsofmine]

Hey guys...am riding a revo here. Planning to get a new handlebar either renthal or rizoma. Any recommendations? By the way do I need the change the risers too if I change the handlebar?

 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[VAN THOR]

Hey guys...am riding a revo here. Planning to get a new handlebar either renthal or rizoma. Any recommendations? By the way do I need the change the risers too if I change the handlebar?

 

Only need to change the adapter for fatbar only. It depend on ur budget. Better quality. More expensive.

Edited February 23, 2014 by VAN THOR

[tearsofmine]

Thanks van...

 

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[corporatemanthras]

Review on rizoma fatbar handlebar.

 

- longer than stock. Traffic jap = die loh

- require a new adapter. Mine a higher adapter than stock

- vibration handlebar superb !

 

Recommanded for relax rider who want a smooth journey. Less fatigue riding.

 

thanks for the review bro. what a waste! vibration on mind is pretty bad. reading on things that can fill the handlebar from the inside. looking at this product called barsnake from US...quite interesting.

 

btw, can i check where you got your front head cowl from! Looks nice from the rider's position. I've also been trying to find good cowls to reduce the wind resistance we feel when riding. does it work well?

i expressway all the time...shagg! Thinking of those big-ass winshield for worst-case scenario hahaha

[VAN THOR]

thanks for the review bro. what a waste! vibration on mind is pretty bad. reading on things that can fill the handlebar from the inside. looking at this product called barsnake from US...quite interesting.

 

btw, can i check where you got your front head cowl from! Looks nice from the rider's position. I've also been trying to find good cowls to reduce the wind resistance we feel when riding. does it work well?

i expressway all the time...shagg! Thinking of those big-ass winshield for worst-case scenario hahaha

 

Mine i bought a jb xifu the name.

 

[Jackso11]

Hi all.

 

I am looking for a set of standard handlebars for my 1993 NC31 Project big one and they seem pretty hard to find here in the UK. Does anyone know if the CB1000 Big one handle bars are the same? I have straight streetfighter bars at the moment and want to go standard.

[Cellardoor]

so..anyone found stock handlebars but colored?

 

Or which do you guys feel is the most similar to stock in terms of handling?

[krusty28]

yea, me waiting for it to arrive end of the month.