Handlebar Ergonomics

ElmonteRon

ElmonteRon

Joined
Sep 19, 2012
Messages
14
Location
SouthWest, WA
Bike
06 ST1300
Handlebar Ergonomics...or should i say "What ergonomics".
Sorry, but i have to vent a bit...and ask "What was team Honda thinking when they designed the ST1300 handlebar(s)".

For me the handlebar positioning is too aggressive and the angle is all wrong. So...like the other 90% of the ST riders, the installation of risers, helped, but the angle is to tight. A Flat bar would be better on the wrists, but of course with the split handlebar setup, a simple handlebar replacement if rather difficult, if not impossible.

So...just curious if anyone out there has come up with a fix for the angle issue.

thanks in advance
 
I haven't done any research on the issue or a remedy. But I feel the same way, if the bars were just flattened out a little they would be so much more comfortable.
 
ElmonteRon said:
For me...
Click to expand...

That's the problem. There's no such thing as one size fits all. Honda designed the ST as a sport-tourer for sport-touring.

The angle is not as aggressive as my VF-1000 Interceptor (which isn't as aggressive as most modern sport bikes) and more aggressive than my V65 Sabre.

I choose to ride my ST not as a sport-tourer but as a GoldWing Lite or tourer-lite so I added a Helibar riser. Several here have added risers but I doubt that the overall percentage is anywhere near 90%. Some riser users have gone back to the stock configuration.

The split bars do make for limited options but there's always the Heili-Bars setup. At $600 or so it's a little pricey.
 
I ended up getting the Helibars risers first then going to the Helibars handlebars. My issue was reach as well as angle. It was hard to spend 600$ on bars but it saved me from having to sell the bike. So far it's worked out really well.

I love riding with them and don't regret a penny. Of course I took advantage of Helibars $100 installation if I would buy them at their booth at Sturgis last summer. So I got to go on a trip as well as having so time to see if they worked out right away.

You are more than welcome to try mine out to see if it would help, I live in Portland and could meet you somewhere. I also have the gen 3 Helibars riser that you could try as well. They claim a 2.5 degree change in the rearward hand angle. I know it felt much better but just wasn't quite enough for my short arms.
 
I have to agree with the OP, at least on the tight angle. Both my Helix and the ST share that angle, and it is not as comfy as a straight bar, at least to me. It is one of the only things not easily changeable on the bike. I did add a riser to the bars, which improved it considerably. I'll have to take a look at the Helibar handlebars.
 
I installed the MCL riser with powerlet. It was a huge improvement as an all day ride would leave my wrists, elbows and back in pain before. I still think another 1.5 inches would be nice.
 
It is a sport tourer riding position and not a standard and not a cruiser. Lots of happy owners get along with the ergos right out of the box. 90% might be an overstatement but I can understand that it may not feel good to you. I think the 3rd generation of MCL risers opens the angle of the wrist about 4 or 5 degrees. I like the original set up for 10 years but I just recently installed these due to some posture changes as I age. I'm not certain I'm keeping them though, I can't get the same feel for the front tire sitting back some inches.
 
ElmonteRon, I had the same problem . Some old injuries to my left hand and wrist give me limited range of motion on that side. I can ride comfortably IF the angles are just so. I have found the only way to do that is to convert to tubular handlebars.

I found some 3 1/2" tall risers on ebay and my best fit bar-wise are flattrack bends . At least when you go tubular you have a lot of choices most of which are reasonably priced. The risers will mount using the stock vibration dampers in the top triple tree.

Because the bars come back further I had to re-route and make a little slack for hyd. hoses and wiring . The only thing I changed the length of was the throttle cables and that was easily done by using the Police cables which are about an inch and a half longer.

The risers were under $50 , the bars I use are $45 , and the cables were about $40.

I had to do the same thing to my Buell a few years back. It has worked well for me. :)
 
mrmom9r...YES. I was hoping that i could do something like that. will check into that.
rdmsttrav...a butt test would be great and much appreciated. I'll PM you the next time i'm down that way (or of course drop me a line should you be in the Montesano/Olympia area).

And to all others...No offense, I love my bike. It would be safe to say that 'Trigger' is by far my most favorite reincarnation. the combination Power, breaking, handing and all around fun...I love her.

As for the 90% riser statement. Yes, I completely pulled that one out of my ... oil drain plug :) No scientific facts to back it up at all, but with that said, perhaps someone out there will make a 'Poll' out of it and find out.

Again many thanks to all. I appreciated all comments and suggestion.

AND a big praise to all that keep this site alive and running. :clap2:
 
I forgot to mention that the risers need to be curved to move the bars back away from the dash for turning clearance. Sorry for the omission .
 
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