Both sets of bars seem to be about the same guage material. The Triumph bars bolt onto two frame points, and they go from about the middle of the engine (top of the block; bottom of the cylinder heads) to just beneath the fuel tank. Once they're bolted on they do not move. The aftermarket bars go from the bottom of the frame to beneath the fuel tank. The bottom mounting points are solid, but the top mounts to one bolt -- the one holding the horn. If you grab the bars you can wiggle them about an inch. They don't feel solidly mounted, but they work. I dropped my bike at a gas station last year, and nothing was damaged -- not even a scratch on the bars. The way it landed on the bars also made it easy to upright the bike. I much prefer the aftermarket bars. They are not as solidly mounted as the Triumph guards, but they look better, they provide a place to rest your feet, and they work!
