JonnyApeHanger wrote:
APES-If you have to ask, you would not understand

True! Most people that talk negatively about them have never tried them. The first time I rode a bike with them I was HOOKED!!!! Comfortable and cool - style and function - plus the chicks dig them!

slothy wrote:
Thinking of going to something a little taller



Hahaha.

I put some long horns one a bike I had and man, was it comfortable. They are like mini apes. I've seen some guys have them 16" apes and they ride spred eagle to the wind and down hear in Love bug season, it sure is fun watching them!

Hell, june bugs are bad enough without being too spread out. Few years back I hit a flock of birds when a semi in another lane caused them to take off from the ditch. I can't imagine the guy in slothys pic.

I just had 10" mini Apes on mine and was SO nice.

12" apes on 4" risers are still too low for me @ 6'3". And I also have the floorboards extended 3" and up 15 degrees. But, the drivers backrest completes the comfort zone.



edit: Also have the dog bone flipped and a Dragger seat that, combined, lower me about 3-4 inches, too.

However comfortable they may be.

I had the misfortune of sitting behind an old dude with cut off sleeves and apes at a stop light. The flab under his arm still haunts me to this day. I threw up in my mouth.

So in the interest of common decency please wear sleeves with your apes.

So, how are they for long road trips? Do your hands go numb or do you fatigue faster when you ride long distance? I've always thought I would like to try them out, but I worry about long trips, which I do quite a bit.

For me, no more back pain and looks cool IMO. Handles much better too.

Mine are somewhere around 24 inches and pretty dam wide. Everyone I speak to tries to tell me how uncomfortable they are, how bad they make the bike handle, how tired you get trying to 'hold' your arms up there. The funny thing when I ask them what size apes did they have - lo and behold they have never ridden with them!

So yes don't knock it until you try it.
Also you do not 'hold' your arms up there they just hang normally. And if you are too weak in the hands to grip a throttle perhaps you shouldn't be riding in the first place.

They give a far more comfortable seating position as far as I am concerned rather then needing to reach forward to the bars.

The one drawback I will admit is that you cop a fair bit of bashing from the wind and tend to create a bit more resistance when you are spread out like a parachute and this is what can tire you out on a longer ride - your arms do not get tired from holding on but rather your core from bracing against the wind buffeting.

Originally I put them on my first bike for the looks. Those were 16inch on the yamaha xvs650, these bars I actually had custom made for myself making a mock set out of wire to where i felt they would be the most comfortable.

Since I am thinking of converting the roadstar to a bobber and putting on a springer seat that will be set much lower in the frame (will be de-horning it) the bars are going to be too high and i will need a shorter set so my only advice is to make sure you have the seat on that you will be sticking with before you put some money into the bars.

rphazen wrote:
However comfortable they may be.

I had the misfortune of sitting behind an old dude with cut off sleeves and apes at a stop light. The flab under his arm still haunts me to this day. I threw up in my mouth.

So in the interest of common decency please wear sleeves with your apes.