[Guest]

I seen another one today tooling down the highway, and this question has to be asked.

I'll promise not to mention the "H" brand:

What is so "kool" on some cycles about having those handle bars modified so high in the air ?

How does that effect handling?

Don't their arms get tired have them up so high?

Is there a purpose for this besides style?

Inquiring minds need to know.........Thanks

Cheers!

 

[Guest]

It is strictly for that "poser look" (Ape Hangers)
Most states have laws stating that your hands are not to be
above the level of your shoulders, but the law is rarely enforced.

 

[Roy R]

My son has them on his Fatboy and he says they are more comfortable [Bull] and the handling is good [Bull]. I know him and it is all for show.

 

[Guest]

Mike,

You must be a young fella or at least haven't been around bikes much. "Ape Hangers" were the things to have back in the late '60s and '70s. Guys had them on Jap bikes too. The higher the better. That's why the laws on heighth were passed. These high bars are "all show and no go" :!:

 

[Roadking522]

Late 1950's and I'm almost 10 years old. Everybody's riding around town on their 26" Schwinns and Murrays. One day, one of the guys shows up with this fantastic looking new bike called a "stingray". Lime green and Only 20" tall but has this awesome looking banana seat and these out of this world handle bars that are almost two feet high :shock: :shock: Everybody's mouth starts to drewl. Where did this bike come from?? Mars?? OMG !!!! Coolest thing we've ever seen. A few years later and my first bike is a Yamaha 100cc twin jet. Off with the stock handle bars and ON with the ape hangers Man was I KEWL . . .

 

[rhino678]

This summer I was riding the pass between Silveton and Onray(?) and was passed by a Harley with a sucide shifter and ape hangers head top high...that sob certainly was not poser! Not my style but who cares?

 

[laen]

ALL show and no go-you usually have to be an ape to have ape hangers

 

[techrider]

Hi Mike,

I put ape hangers on my 02 HD Softail Deuce, and chimps (wife's name for smaller ape hangers) on my 06 HD Softail Standard. Ran the wires through the Deuce's bars. Ran the wires and the throttle cable through the Standard's bars.

Main reason? Style. Like RoadKing said, it harkens back to the debut of the Stingray for a lot of us. It looks cool (to some of us), and it feels good.

How does it affect handling? It makes the front end much twitchier - you have much more leverage. When I've ridden them hard, I controlled the bike first with body position and only made minor adjustments with the bars. A little went a long way.

The taller apes reduce circulation to your hands, which is why you only see the young guys using them. The ones at shoulder height don't, and are actually quite comfortable.

I removed the taller apes after a few months because I didn't think they were safe in an emergency situation. I was afraid I'd over-correct. Also decided the stock bars looked better on the Deuce.

Are you thinking of putting them on the Wing? You would be adopted by every HD rider on the road. Really, what one of us needs to do is customize our Wing with a loud exhaust, apes, flames, forward controls, and a suicide shifter. Put on a bandana and ride. LMAO.

There is one more reason for putting them on your bike: to irritate the "squares." In the same spirit as what Matt from Ashland does to irritate Harley riders: his bike beeps like a truck when he uses the reverse gear. Hilarious!

Rick

 

[Roadking522]

In the same spirit as what Matt from Ashland does to irritate Harley riders: his bike beeps like a truck when he uses the reverse gear. Hilarious!
Rick

THAT is funny I gotta do it !! Where would you plug a unit like that in to?

 

[k7lvo]

Somebody (maybe more than one somebody ) sells reverse beepers for Wings. Cellset? Electical Connection? CRS is kicking in...

 

[Guest]

his bike beeps like a truck when he uses the reverse gear. Hilarious!

That is r-e-a-l-l-y funny and can't believe no one here hasn't added this.

Believe I seen a beeper for a cage that plugs into your back-up bulb. When the bulb is lit, the beep sounds.

Thanks for the laugh.

 

[J-mac]

In the same spirit as what Matt from Ashland does to irritate Harley riders: his bike beeps like a truck when he uses the reverse gear. Hilarious!
Rick

THAT is funny I gotta do it !! Where would you plug a unit like that in to?

you can get a back-up alarm from Lewis at www.electricalconnections.com

They are great, everytime I use mine I just start laughing, i love the looks people give you when you turn it on. ( lewis has it set up so you can turn the feature on or off ) and of course there are few people left on the planet that don't realize that the 1800 has reverse :roll:

 

[hobo]

Apehangers

MIKEW,
they're old school chopper bars. Wider is better,narrow as has been mentioned make steering "twitchy".
2 kinds of people seem to use 'em posers & harddcore bikers.
On the road @ hiway speed, the force of the wind will give you a sore chest if ridden all day. Riders that ride all day ain't posers.
Take a look @ Peter Fonda's CAPT. AMERICA bobber in EZ RIDER. Good example.

TECHRIDER, chimphangers! :lol: never heard that before. Good 1.
Ride Safe,
the hobo

 

[Flatgate]

I seen another one today tooling down the highway, and this question has to be asked.

I'll promise not to mention the "H" brand:

What is so "kool" on some cycles about having those handle bars modified so high in the air ?

How does that effect handling?

Personally, I would think a rider would lose an appreciable amount of control.

[quote:30sriswc]Don't their arms get tired have them up so high?

Don't know, never had the opportunity to try them out!!

Is there a purpose for this besides style?

[/quote:30sriswc]

Probably not other than wanting to be COOL!!!! That is it, cool, everyone enjoys being cool every now and then.

 

[24 Carat]

I think my little sister's "Stingray" bicycle is in the rafters of my Mom's garage!

It had a candy apple, rainbow paint job and blue metalflake vinyl on the banana seat with a stick shift 3 speed shifter on the top frame tube.

Hell, I'd feel "Cool" riding it today! I could put my sitter all the way back on the seat trailing edge and ride around with the front tire barely touching the ground.

Bradford

 

[Roadking522]

In the same spirit as what Matt from Ashland does to irritate Harley riders: his bike beeps like a truck when he uses the reverse gear. Hilarious!
Rick

THAT is funny I gotta do it !! Where would you plug a unit like that in to?

you can get a back-up alarm from Lewis at www.electricalconnections.com

They are great, everytime I use mine I just start laughing, i love the looks people give you when you turn it on. ( lewis has it set up so you can turn the feature on or off ) and of course there are few people left on the planet that don't realize that the 1800 has reverse :roll:

Hey J-mac, when I hit your link, it automatically forwards me here: http://electricalconnections.techbuyer. ... &referrer=

Is this the right place ?? I can't find anything about "reverse beepers" in their search engine.

Thanks! Charlie

 

[ronbien]

Hey J-mac, when I hit your link, it automatically forwards me here: http://electricalconnections.techbuyer. ... &referrer=

Is this the right place ?? I can't find anything about "reverse beepers" in their search engine.

Thanks! Charlie

Try this one:
http://www.electricalconnection.com/ele ... beeper.htm

 

[zg1286]

Armpit dryers

 

[Rastoff]

If your arms are higher than your shoulders your hand will fall asleep and that can't be good. :shock:

Most put them on because they like them. Weather it's for looks or not doesnt' matter. I like the way they look, but none of my bikes were higher than my shoulders because I like to go on long trips.

Interesting fact:
California has actually repealed the law on handle bar heigth. Now they can be as high as you want.

 

[pronomian]

My son has them on his Fatboy and he says they are more comfortable [Bull] and the handling is good [Bull]. I know him and it is all for show.

So you have ridden with them and know that they are more uncomfortable and handling is not good?

Mike