Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Custom Corner Ape Hangers on America

I have seen some pictures on Ape Hangers on Triumph America and am interested in this for my bike; just have some open questions as I research this further:

•Do the ape hangers limit the maneuverability of the bike, especially while turning?
•Are these more comfortable for long rides?
•Does anyone know of a vendor/ bike shop that sells these for Triumphs?
•Is the installation a cumbersome project with complete wiring etc?

Thanks

Bugger the Ape hangers,go for the longhorns,I had to rerout(rerout?) the cables but they are so comfortable,you can see them in my photopost

The apehangers were very comfortable when I rode the harleys on the super slabs, but I tended to stay away from the twistys with them. I also had a jockey shift. I won't put them on my Triumph because it's a blast in the mountains and think they would hamper the handling. As far as the wireing goes I remember spliceing a vacuum cleaner cord to the wires and running them in the bar. The cluch cable and brake line, I suppose you could check local bike shops or dealers.

Britrover,
I have 12" apes and love them. The riding position fits me better than the original bars. I also have no problem turning or cornering.
The only thing to consider is you arm length. If you have short arms, it may not be as comfy.
At higher speeds you really lean instead of turn anyway. At corners I occasionally turn with only one hand. This isn't really an issue, more just preference.
You will however need longer cables and lengthen your wires.
I bought my bars on ebay for pretty cheap and had them powdercoated.
good luck

Hi Britrover,
I installed a Fehling-Ape ,27cm high ,830cm wide.
Very komfortable ,electric is inside ,with "bullseye"
on end . I also length the handlebar-electric(le.a ri.)
Riding upright is better than lay on earth ...
isn't it ???

Ride on safety
Peter

Consider a set of Buckhorn bars. Depending on the amount of rise you choose stock cables work just fine. They give a different look, handle well and are super comfortable on long runs.

I installed the buckhorns from J&P Cycles ($29.99)

Link:
http://www.jpcycles.com/catalog/2005HarleyCatalog/0685.htm

Part #'s:
5000056 (with dimples) and 5000055 (without dimples)

Dimensions:
Width - 28"
Rise - 8.5"
Pullback - 10"
Center Width - 6"

On to your questions:

There is a difference in maneuverability from the stock bars but it is something you get used to. I drove the twisties in GA without a problem and have no issues turning now. There is more countersteering. I also have the bars lined up with the front forks and this makes a difference.

These bars are EXTREMELY comfortable on long runs. You sit more upright and there is more bend at the elbow.

See above info for J&P Cycles. Others have purchased from different vendors and hopefully they will add comments to this thread.

I had/have Jim's Spacers under my stock risers and therefore had to change out my brake line and clutch cable. HOWEVER, with stock risers and these bars, you do NOT have to modify anything. All stock cables, wires, lines will work without further modification. Installation is very easy and would be even easier if you decided to go with aftermarket grips at the same time. I used the dimpled bars as I later buried the wiring in my bars and this gave me a much cleaner look.

btw, thanks to Ranger for the numbers and doing this first (I believe). His bike gave me the inspiration...

Hey Bonny, glad those bars worked out for you. They really are comfortable. I'm getting ready to change my black TBA to burgundy. I saw an '05 at the dealer and it looks good. Later,
Kenny (Ranger)

Raj,
I use the "buckhorn" bars also, from an '81 HD Superglide.
They are PERFECT.
The only advantage to using apehangers is that you will save a fortune on underarm deodorant. They don't let you control your motorcycle and some people think they look cool while everyone laughs at them.
Ride Safe,
Dennis

Hey Phil,
Happy Birthday!!! I am getting to where I hate those things!
Take Care,
Dennis

Hi Case,
I had the apehangers on a '62 panhead when I bought it. On the ride from Nashville to Fresno, I stopped at a chrome shop in Dallas and traded them for stock police bike bars. The apehangers created blind spots due to my arms sticking up in the way. After I got rid of them, I was able to look around and see everyone that was laughing at me and my ugly motorcycle. As far as handling goes, your not gonna do very much turning by leaning alone.
You've got to take that front end off axis at some point during a turn. I really didn't need much time to process. I believe apehangers are the source of HD riders' knuckles dragging the ground. They do look cool on a motorcycle, they just look a little different with a motorcyclist hangin' onto them.
Just Ride Safe,
Dennis

Guys, I'm also looking for an inexpensive pair of mini-apes. I don't care for the slant Buckhorns place my wrists. Will these HD bars fit my bike? (is ours 1" or 1 1/4"?)
Ebay Bars

Dennis,
I don't think a 62 panhead is an ugly motorcycle (ape or not), it's one of my favorites. I've had 12" and 16" apes on my bikes. I've ridden a Road King with 18" apes. Liked them all. Hands at shoulder height or a little below shoulder height is good for me.

Al (ssjones),
You should be able to fit any 1" bars on your America/Speedmaster. Of course you'll need to get new cables made up.

case

Thanks Case. What size do you think will yield shoulder height on our America's? (I'm 5'11")

Hi Case,
Mine wasn't ugly after I finished customizing it (or is it costumizing?). Anyway, it was a retired police bike that I had been familiar with. I was in Fresno and called the owner in Nashville. He was anxious to sell and wanted $600 for it. I borrowed money from the credit union and flew to Nashville to buy it. I was shocked when I saw it. He had sold the front fender, rear half of rear fender, fatbob tank (replaced with a fiberglass sportser tank - 1.7gal).
I bought it anyway and headed west, stopping to refuel every 35-40 minutes. I-40 had blizzard conditions in OK & NM so I took the southern route - where it rained and stayed 32.5 degrees. It was a miserable trip, but I was riding so I was happy. I changed the handlebars in Dallas, and the guy at the chrome shop suggested a 2 gallon gas can attached to my new handlebars and he helped me rig up a tube so I could refuel in-flight. That helped, but it was still miserable and I added a little more danger to the trip with the metal gas can. Of course when I stopped to fill up, I'd only put 1.4 gallons in the gas can. I'd still run it over or spill some.
At least the guy I bought the bike from had added a smooth shifting 4 speed tranny.
Yes, my '62 pan was an ugly motorcycle for a while.
Ride Safe,
Dennis

Grazuh,
Your bike is beautiful. The look is stunning, but I get most impact from the nameplate under the handlebars. I have ridden my own bikes and others with apehangers. I regularly ride a friends wide glide since he lusts after my TBA and I let him ride it sometimes on 30-40 mile trips.
He rides my bike a lot easier than I do, so I really don't mind. But after the short trip, my upper back hurts and my lower arms are almost numb from my elbows being held pointing to far out. My buckhorns let my elbows point downward, taking the stress off the joints. I can ride my bike as it is now for 14 hours (with short refuel breaks) without pain or aching. Maybe you young guys can handle it better.
Speaking of handling, several road track experts have studied the lean factor in steering by adding a stationary set of bars with a throttle attached. They have found that leaning alone will net a turn of about 5 degrees before the gyroscopic effect of the the spinning wheels straightens the bike up. Countersteering will follow through a turn and hold you in your lean. There is a good book called "Total Control" by Lee Parks that explains the science of riding a motorcycle. This is a must read for safety reasons if nothing else. It is geared toward the high speed track rider, but we "laid back cruisers" need to know a lot of this also. Especially if you're replacing your hero nuts every few months.
Ride Safe,
Dennis

My .02..

I have Buckhorns, not apes, and I am happy with the riding position they provide. To me, true "apehanger" bars, where your arms are hanging up in the air, would get really tiring on a ride of any length.
Our bikes use 1" bars, so any 1" bar will work.

For throttle and clutch cables, you can get ss ones from Mike at Bella Corse.com, custom lengths as needed. For the front brake hose, you can get get a Speigel ss line from Brent at newspeedmaster.com. he can also get you a custom length. As for wiring, you gotta do that yourself or pay a good dealer (probably a lot of $$$) to do that. I know of no place to get custom length harnesses for our bikes.

Dennis,
Man... I have to agree with you... it sounds like the 62 pan, and the trip, were very ugly. The best thing about suffering through a trip like that is... you've got a great story to tell for years.
Mark

Case,
I sold that bike after a complete tear down. Repainted all white, engine rebuild, added lots of chrome and brass bolts around the pans, brass inspection covers and lacing a new narrower rim on the front.
The only thing the guy that bought it from me did to it was add a silver "California Highway Patrol" emblem on the side of the new fatbob tank. The emblem was like an eight point star with the "blind justice lady" in the center and "Harley Davidson" encircling the area between the star points and the center picture.
4 months later, in was on the cover of a custom bike magazine. And I was stuck riding a Yamaha 650.
I like parallel twins much better anyway.
The old man that built my motor asked me if I wanted anything special. I told him to build it to last and I didn't want any oil leaks. To which he replied, "Then how the h**l are you gonna know if you got any?".
Ride Safe,
Dennis

I'm thinking a little more along the lines of the bars that come on Heritage Road Kings, about an 8" rise. Guess I'll have to experiment a little and see what works. Thanks for the cable tips. I'm guessing about $200 worth of cables? I can do the wiring myself, I put off doing my in-handlebar wiring because I've been mulling over new, higher bars.