Which 7/8 handlebar?
 

I took a minor spill today while doing a u-turn. The left side handle bar appears bent. To be honest, I thought they'd be tougher than that. Its a TT600R with Tomaselli bars (OEM).

I looked at after market handlebars, Renthal, Protaper, etc. and the choices are mind boggling...sweep, bends, height, etc.

I'd like to stick with 7/8 as I can't be hassled changing the bar clamps, controls etc. just to mount some 1 1/8 bars. I've already got some 7/8 Rox Risers too.

Any pointers from you experienced lot? Any brands or models that stand out either in a good or bad way?

I've never tried any other bars, so I don't know what to look for.

They are all very similar in build quality, go into a shop and hold a few different brands with different bends and go with what feels comfortable. If you are tall, depending on how you like the ergonomics set up, you may need risers and a 'high bend' bar.

I have ProTaper 1 1/8 bars on the DR and the stock Neken 1 1/8 bars on the KTM, the fat bars are very strong compared to 7/8 and can take a real beating (just ask anyone I ride with :) )

My friend.

There be'eth no other option but the Renthal Enduro High bars... They're a 22mm bar.

Renthal make a bar for everyone.


If you like your bars SUPER high then their ATV bars fit this criteria although the sweep is a little narrower than most bike bars.

You were surprised they bent so easily? That could be BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT!
I've dealt with dozens of riders who after a minor spill thought their handlebars were bent. Much cursing usually follows the noob's fall, so upset the "cheap, crap OEM bars bent"

But what the Noobs miss is PAGE ONE in crash recovery check list:
In most falls the fork tubes will twist a bit within the triple clamps. Guess what that makes the bars feel like? Like their bent ... but they ain't.

Some bikes (like my DR650 ... and possible your TTR) have something else built in that fools noobs ... they have rubber bushes in the bar mound bolts. (helps with vibration) These rubber bush will be moved in a fall ... and they will stay moved .... once again fooling the Noob in think bars are bent ... once again ...they ain't.

Repair to "Bent" bars:
Sometimes you will have both twisted tubes and tweaked rubber bushes. OR ... you may only have one or the other.

If handlebar bushes are tweaked ... simply PUSH bar when on the stop in Opposite direction of so called bent bar. Fiddle with this. Do test rides to see how things change. Can't make progress?

Step 2.
Loosen all upper and lower triple clamp bolts. (first raise front of bike off the ground) Do not loosen so much that fork tubes fall out ... just a bit loose.
Now Jiggle bars back and forth a few times. This allow fork tubes to sort of "self center". Spin wheel, hit brake. Jiggle.

Now ... tight first lower clamp in stages ... left right in two tightening stages.
Now same on upper triple clamps. NOTE: DO NOT over tighten triple clamp bolts as fork tubes are easy to CRUSH!
follow factory toque spec on this.

test ride. No joy? Go back to pushing on bar at stop. More test rides to check.

When trial riding I simply find a convenient tree or rock ...and use it to tap front tire on to straighten fork tubes ... most times ... no need to loosen triple clamps ... but above method is preferred mechanics method.

It's actually pretty damn hard to bend a handle bar ... especially one with a Bark Buster mounted up to it. (makes it STIFFER)

Hope this helps. Tomaseli is good bar ... hope it can be saved.

It's very deceptive to try and "sight" the bar to check for straightness ... best to ride bike to get it perfectly straight. Amazing how many guys ride around with
"bent" bars ... and just live with it, when a 5 minute fix is right out there.

Thanks. Both Pro Taper and Renthal makes some good looking bars. I'd like some that are a tad higher than my stock ones. The Pro Taper Windham Bend looks like the one.

Thanks for the instructional. I've "sighted" the bars, but as you say, its quite difficult to be sure.

As a matter of fact, I've got some beefy Acerbis bark buster guards mounted. They're not so bent, as to make the bike unridable. If I was off on a trip, I'd just had kept on riding.

I'll definitely try what you said asap before I invest in a new bar. I'll let you know how it goes.

Well Mollydog, you were right.

The bars were not bent, but everything was knocked out of alignment given the impression that the bar was bent.

I loosened the clamps, guards, risers, etc. lined everything up and re-tightened it. Everything is good to go now.