The HeliBars allow riders to shift ergos slightly on their sportbikes, taking a little of the strain off your wrists and situating the rider more upright.
How often do you get something for nothing? Never! Well, maybe not never, but for me it comes few and far in between! This time was different.
I contacted
HeliBars, maker of replacement handlebars and risers, through a women's group website. They quickly responded by sending me a set of HeliBars handlebars to test out on my 2006 Suzuki Hayabusa LE.
Much as I hate to admit it, I'm getting to that age where I occasionally have a pain here and there, especially since many of my adventures off pavement have been, well, "mis-adventures." In the aggressive riding position of a sportbike, my hands and wrists often suffer after bearing weight for any length of time. This makes me a prime candidate for Helibars, who claim that its bars and risers can help put riders in a more comfortable riding position and reduce fatigue while improving control. I was eager to test these claims.
Installation was fairly easy and straightforward. The instructions suggest that you change one side first and then the other. Once you loosen up the controls on the stock handlebars, the controls slide right off your stock bar and the HeliBars slide right back in. Tighten the bolts to the specified torque settings and you're done. Applications may vary depending on the make of your motorcycle, so be sure to check the instructions before starting. For example, on my '06 Hayabusa, the choke cable had to be re-routed, but the instructions included that information as well as a suggested route for the cable.
The HeliBars for Melody's 2006 Hayabusa LE did as prescribed, bringing the bars in closer and higher and allowing her to sit slightly more upright in the saddle.
The bars are CNC machined from 6061 billet aluminum and stamped left and right, so there is very little guess work. They each have a machined groove for the correct placement of the bars in relation to the clip-on mount, and are threaded on the end so you can still utilize your bar ends or weights.
The HeliBars have been installed for the past month and I've noticed an overwhelming desire to ride my sportbike everywhere again. The set I'm testing provide a more "upright" seating position by being 1 5/8" taller, 1/2" wider and a 1/2" rearward over stock. As I sit more upright now in the saddle, there is little to no numbness or pain in my hands and wrists. And since they bring the handlebars back a half inch, I feel more in control of the motorcycle as well. The HeliBars have lived up to their billing.
GSX1300R Hayabusa Handlebar and Riser - $208
For more info visit: www.helibars.com
(*Prices range from $179.00 on up, depending on the motorcycle.)
