Do weights in handlebars help?

[Paul57]

So I managed to drop my bike in the lawn the other day. I slipped on the grass as I was testing the new master cylinder. No serious damage but I'm in the market for new handlebars, as I bent them a bit.

Looking at Mike's site, he carries some bars which are more or less OEM with the weights welded into the grip area. It doesn't look like most handlebars have these (unless they just don't specify), so I'm curious. Do the weights do much? Reduce vibration? Do you prefer bars with weights?

 

[Yamaguy55]

Just about all new bikes have bar end weights. They help with vibration reduction if they are specifically designed for the application. It has to counteract a specific frequency to be effective. A 180 degree twin will have different frequency than a four or single.

An outfit called Vibranator makes bar ends with weights mounted in a specific polymer that does work. Look at their website for info.

There's also an outfit that just released polymer bars that are said to greatly reduce vibration.i'm not sure they offer 7/8" bars. I think the fat bar mounts for the WR250R would fit the XS400.

 

[Hishman]

I just changed out my grandpa ape hangers on my 80 special for some clubman bars(no weights and were like 35$ from ebay). Not only that but i put a couple washers on the rubber grommets that the handle bar braces mount to and tightened THE CRAP OUT OF THEM! The handle bars or pretty much mounted solid now. I didn't really notice a change in vibration in my hands/arms.

 

[Sesty]

Hishman any pics of your bar set up? i need to decide if i want drag, clubmans or superbike bars.... or clip-ons

 

[Recreateme]

I swapped in new Euro bars from Mikes, and didn't notice much if any change...

Sesty - as for bars, you don't drag bars, clip ons leave behind all the mount brackets and stuff unused so you might as well go clubman, but if you look at Mikes superbike and euro bars the euro bars actually are lower then superbike, and tilted forward give it a semi clubman... almost like an M bar.

 

[Sesty]

meant Drag as in Drag bars lol but yea im leaning towards clubmans

if i went the clip on route i would use the method weeza mentioned in his 2-1 carb thread flipping the top tree brace.

 

[Lou Ranger]

meant Drag as in Drag bars lol ...

And, if you say you need tranny work or a new tranny you are NOT having special surgery or responding to the personals?
Just so we're clear ..

 

[Sesty]

insert foot-in-mouth smilie here: LOL

 

[Hishman]

Here sesty. I found the clubmans to be extremely comfortable and easy to install. I just rerouted my cables and made them work and i had the really long cables for the special handlebars. I recommended the clubmans 100%. I am 6' and they put me in the perfect position. Clip-ons were my first choice but a more expensive and you have to cut the headlight bracket and remove the bar brackets or move the forks up which people say causes there bike to wobble. I don't really know what drag bars are so i cant talk about them.

I might add i feel the clubmans are a bit too wide and will soon be cutting an inch or two off the ends to make it a bit more racey.

 

[Sesty]

thanks for the pics. we put clubmans on my roommates cb550 and looks sick

i may save for a few paychecks and buy a few sets of bars to see which i like best and return the others.

 

[Scorpio1963]

Today while changing my stock bars to euros I found a handle bar weight on the left side.So I put in the left side of new bars is that ok?

 

[xschris]

If your new bars did not have them don't put them in