Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I see these guys all over with handlebars that are so high it's flat comical. Certainly there can be no handling advantage to such a set up. Correct me quick if I'm off base here but it seems these guys are just desperate for people to look at them. "Look over here at me everyone-look, my handlebars are ridiculously high - look - please look at me-please!!!
Nothing wrong with wanting people to look at you I guess but wouldn't it be better for people to look at you on your motorcycle for reasons other than you look like a hard up for attention, hands-in-the-air idiot? I mean, I don't want them made illegal or anything, I kinda like laughing at guys with them. -dayll

LOL it's especially comical when they are wearing wife beaters and exposing their hairy armpits to anyone unfortunate enough to be in their way.

Same thing with any custom choppers. No human being actually looks good riding it as they all look like super dorks.

dayll wrote:... I don't want them made illegal or anything, I kinda like laughing at guys with them. -dayll

Oh but they are illegal, most jurisdictions have on their books a maximum height the bars can rise above the seat when depressed by the weight of the operator. In Ontario I believe it is 38cm (15")

Here in NY I believe that handlebars cannot be higher than your shoulder when seated yet so many biker bars here are full of Harleys with apehangers. I don't know why apehangers are illegal but I do feel they can ruin the look of a perfectly good cruiser.

I know Harley made the Street Bob with a not so high ape hanger design.

JC Viper wrote:Here in NY I believe that handlebars cannot be higher than your shoulder when seated yet so many biker bars here are full of Harleys with apehangers. I don't know why apehangers are illegal but I do feel they can ruin the look of a perfectly good cruiser.

I know Harley made the Street Bob with a not so high ape hanger design.

They are illegal because they are almost impossible to turn quickly and are downright dangerous. Lower the bar the better control. That's why race bikes and RR's have clip ons below the triple clamp.

People ride with ape-hangers for a very good reason. Cagers can smell them before they see them. It gives these bikers that extra margin of safety.

HYPERR wrote:

JC Viper wrote:Here in NY I believe that handlebars cannot be higher than your shoulder when seated yet so many biker bars here are full of Harleys with apehangers. I don't know why apehangers are illegal but I do feel they can ruin the look of a perfectly good cruiser.

I know Harley made the Street Bob with a not so high ape hanger design.

They are illegal because they are almost impossible to turn quickly and are downright dangerous. Lower the bar the better control. That's why race bikes and RR's have clip ons below the triple clamp.

I thought something along those lines but I figured if we can have ill handling SUVs (not a generalization some out there are bad at maneuvering) and choppers then there shouldn't be too much of a problem with ape hangers.

Like most things these days, ape hangers are a style component from the 60's that have been overdone. The original "choppers", like the ones seen in the movie "Easy Rider", had them... interesting note is that the first sets were made by cutting up a grocery cart and using the rear part of the frame... and they were all about style and nothing about comfort or handling.

They faded away for awhile but are now making a "style" comeback on just about every make and model of cruiser you can think of; I've even seen them on Road Glides and Electra-Glides. I agree that on most bikes they look ridiculous, but then again so do people with baggy pants and hats on backwards. As do those cars with the wagon wheel sized chrome rims. And people with spiky hair and shrapnel embedded all over their faces. And so on.

To each his own I guess. I have never been a big fan of the apehangers, but hey, if we were all the same who the heck could you laugh/complain about?

R.I.P Easy Rider (Dennis Hopper)

HYPERR wrote:LOL it's especially comical when they are wearing wife beaters and exposing their hairy armpits to anyone unfortunate enough to be in their way.

Same thing with any custom choppers. No human being actually looks good riding it as they all look like super dorks.

I concur 110%.