Heli Bars Vs. Stock Bars

i am thinking of buying a set of helibars for my o2 vfr,does anybody have any reviews on this or sugguestions!

Do the stock bars bother you? I have helibars on mine and like them but they came with the bike so I can't compare them to stock. If you do a search I would think you would come up with some reviews.

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Go for it. It is all subjective, so we really need to know what bothers you about your stockers, prior to any pertinent, viable advice.

If you do alot of long riding, they're pretty nice. If you do alot of sport riding, they kinda suck. I'm very glad I have them when I'm doing 300 mile days; I'm somewhat indifferent to them on my 60 mile roundtrip commute; and I curse them when I'm at the track. It basically comes down to if you're willing to trade having to exert more effort on the bars to get the bike over in order to have a slightly more comfortable body position on long trips.

[image: View Post]Rivcyko, on Jul 22 2008, 10:51 PM, said:

Go for it. It is all subjective, so we really need to know what bothers you about your stockers, prior to any pertinent, viable advice.
thottle hand was cramping up after a couple hours on hwy. i am 5"8 tall, short arms

[image: View Post]champ, on Jul 22 2008, 08:03 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Rivcyko, on Jul 22 2008, 10:51 PM, said:

Go for it. It is all subjective, so we really need to know what bothers you about your stockers, prior to any pertinent, viable advice.
thottle hand was cramping up after a couple hours on hwy. i am 5"8 tall, short arms
I put Gen Mar risers on my 02, made it easier for the longer rides. Not as much rise as the Heli's, easier to install. I am 6'2". Also did the Gen Mars on my 92 VFR.

[image: View Post]champ, on Jul 22 2008, 11:03 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Rivcyko, on Jul 22 2008, 10:51 PM, said:

Go for it. It is all subjective, so we really need to know what bothers you about your stockers, prior to any pertinent, viable advice.
thottle hand was cramping up after a couple hours on hwy. i am 5"8 tall, short arms
Are you keeping a loose grip on the throttle, with your arms relaxed?

How many miles and in what time frame do you have on the bike? What have you had previously? Age and previous injuries, arthritis?

I do 500 mile days every week with the stock bars, pegs, seat with no issues from my right hand. The left hand with titanium and nerve damage hurts every day, so I don't count that :rolleyes:

I had stock bars for 27,000 miles before switching to Helibars. I prefer them to stock. They bring the grips up and back just enough to add comfort without taking away any of the bikes sporting charactaristics. With the Heli's you also have more room to rotate the bars forward and back to find a position that you like best. Great product and install was pretty simple. Really makes a difference when you are spending a few days on the bike.

Plus Blackbird owners love the VFR stock bars which makes them easy to sell. I got 110 dollars for mine, which helps pay for the Heli's. :fing02:

I think the heli's are a huge improvement. I rode 1500 miles in three days last year with them and I would highly recommend them.

As a friend says: "It can't hurt, but it might help!"

I don't know if it would work, but I have a set of gen-mar risers for a 5th gen. If they'll work and you want them, you can have them cheap.

I just put them on and really like them. I sit up a bit more and I find myself a little further back on the seat not having to reach as far. Totally worth it for me.

thanks for all the reveiws ,it sounds to me like a great investment !

I've got 2 6th gens, one with Heli's, one with stock. My choice is stock as I feel more confident with feeling in the front end. If you're not riding agressively then Heli's might work good but I think height is the issue. I'm only 5'-8" and sportbike ergos are always fine with me.

[image: View Post]sckego, on Jul 22 2008, 07:54 PM, said:

If you do alot of long riding, they're pretty nice. If you do alot of sport riding, they kinda suck. I'm very glad I have them when I'm doing 300 mile days; I'm somewhat indifferent to them on my 60 mile roundtrip commute; and I curse them when I'm at the track. It basically comes down to if you're willing to trade having to exert more effort on the bars to get the bike over in order to have a slightly more comfortable body position on long trips.

Turn-in requires less input with a wider bar. I don't know what the issue is at the track.

Since I'm short and have stumpy arms, helibars take a lot of weight off my back and arms. Much more comfortable for me. YMMV.

[image: View Post]champ, on Jul 23 2008, 08:07 PM, said:

thanks for all the reveiws ,it sounds to me like a great investment !

I don't know where you live but if your riding involves more straights than curves or low speeds where air flow isn't helping the upper body, then a great "investment" is a throttle lock. $20 for an NEP model. On long highway stints, I rate it a more effective tool than higher bars.

i like on my 1st gen that i can sit upright or sit straightforwardly lol all i can compare to is dirt bikes lol

I get wrist pain from computer use so I had to seek a change to stay able to ride the VFR. On my 02 I added the Helis and raised the forks a few millimeters in the triple clamps. The compromise is nice, the bike is responsive and flickable (for a VFR), but on highway rides I don't fall numb as fast.

The best thing about the Helis is that you can rotate the bars to a different orientation (within the clearance limits of the tank and windscreen) which can make a big difference with my wrist pain. A few degrees in one direction or another and my wrists hurt *instantly* upon riding. But the Helis allowed me to play around and find the right orientation in terms of height and rotation.

BTW, I'm 38 and about 6' 1".

You didn't say how old you are. At my old as dust 56 years I love them. I am six foot tall like the ability to sit up a little more on the slab and let the wind take a little weight off my wrists.
I have and recommend some kind of throttle lock too but I think we are addressing two different issues here.

Riding comfort relating to handlebars is also about where the hand controls are. I wish that I could rotate the brake and clutch lever several degrees down. (Clockwise for the throttle, when viewed from the seat). As you all likely know the clutch and brake master cylinders contact the riser portion of the handlebars. The position kinks my wrists a bit. Perhaps I'm too long in the torso.

If you have numbness, tingling or cramping, despite being well hydrated,(?) you may need to consider the angle at which your wrist contacts the grip. There are also soft grips, gel grips and gloves with gel padding that may help. B~