KNOWLEDGE FROM THE FORT - HANDLEBAR RISE HEIGHT

Hi guys,

Rich here! Hope all's well out there in your two-wheel world!

I wanted to talk about choosing the right handlebar rise height when purchasing our custom bars.

There are a few factors involved, some of which you might not immediately think about when working out what height is right for you and your bike.

RIDER HEIGHT

As a general starting point, for riders under 6ft we normally recommend 10" or 12" rise — 10" for comfort and 12" for a bit more pose factor!

For riders around 6ft and above, 12" is again a good starting point for comfort, but 14" or 16" can work really well too.

Of course, because we're building your bars to order, we can also make 13", 15", 17"+ or pretty much whatever rise you want. It all depends on the look and riding position you're trying to achieve.

WHERE ARE YOUR ARMS?

Something that's really important with taller bars is where your arms actually sit when you're riding.

In our experience, taller bars are often most comfortable when your arms are roughly level with your shoulders.

Once your hands start going noticeably above shoulder height, the riding position can take more getting used to and may become less comfortable, particularly on longer rides.

But this is where things get interesting, because rise height isn't the whole story.

The pullback and grip drop height of the bars also determine where your hands actually end up. Two sets of 14" bars, for example, can give you very different riding positions depending on their pullback and drop.

I'll cover pullback and grip drop height properly in the next article.

MIDS OR FORWARD CONTROLS?

Another thing to consider is the type of foot controls you're running.

Mids with 14" bars don't make your groin ache as much as forwards on, say, a Dyna with the same rise!

Joking aside, your leg position changes your whole body position on the bike, so the same height bars can feel very different depending on whether you're running mids, forwards or floorboards.

DON'T FORGET YOUR SEAT

The type of seat you're running can also make a difference.

If you've got a stock seat, then it is what it is. But changing to something with a gel pad and raised rear back support, such as seats from Saddlemen or Mustang, can help support your riding position and may add to the comfort of running higher bars.

The important thing is to think about the bike and rider as a complete setup rather than choosing your handlebars based purely on a rise measurement.

AND FINALLY — THE CABLE KIT!

This one doesn't affect comfort, but it's something that's often forgotten when riders decide to change their bars.

Don't forget the cable kit!

Going higher may mean extending your brake line, clutch line or cable and wiring, depending on your bike and how much higher you're going.

Luckily, we can provide plug-and-play cable kits to suit our handlebars and your bike, taking one more headache out of the conversion.

SO, WHAT RISE SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

There's no single perfect handlebar height for everybody.

Think about:

• Your height

• Where your hands sit in relation to your shoulders

• Your seat

• Mids, forward controls or floorboards

• Pullback

• Grip drop

• The type of riding you do

• And, of course, how you want the bike to look!

If you're unsure, talk to us. Tell us what bike you're riding, your height, your current setup and what you're trying to achieve, and we'll be happy to advise you.

I'll be back with another Knowledge From The Fort article soon, looking at pullback and grip drop height and why they're just as important as rise.

Feel free to share your thoughts or ask me any questions.

Ride safe!

Rich
Fortress Motorcycle