Broken handlebars : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

jim t · 06-01-2009, 02:23 PM

Guy we know had his apes with the wires inside break. My buddy has mini ape chubbys and is now worried. Have any of you heard of these breaking?

TXCHOP · 06-01-2009, 02:25 PM

Where did they break? By the bottom hole where the wire go though? If so, some shop really opens that hole up to get the wires through easily. I leave the hole as small as possible to keep the integrity of the bar.

No, i havent heard of them breaking a lot, as long as you use a 1 piece top clamp and dont strap them down on a trailer super tight.

syco · 06-01-2009, 04:10 PM

Havent heard of them breaking either.What brand? Was he useing a one piece clamp?Most mfgs. state to use one when installing, not a good place to cut corners.I like putting on the urethane bushings to when changeing bars.

jim t · 06-01-2009, 06:36 PM

I don't know what brand they were. I didn't see them after either but the ones on the bike in my shop have more of a slot than a hole. Plus the guy , in the shop, used to live on the ocean and there's some rust by the slot. Just surface rust but it is there. I think he's going to be ok but he's understandibly a little nervous. Thanks for the info.

AzFAL · 06-03-2009, 03:04 PM

A shop I go to in Phx. told me they've had 2 customers with the Wild 1 chubby 16" apes break on them. They say the bars have too much weight to them.

hotrod351 · 07-20-2009, 12:58 PM

might be from the rust or really cheap handle bars. i put a small crack in mine where the wires come out from lifting my bike up from the handle bars, when it tipped over, the crack hasnt gotten any worse in the last 2 years so i guess its good. it had me worried until i figured out how i did it.

route66paul · 07-20-2009, 02:59 PM

If the bars are over your shoulders like on a softail and you really do "hang" on them, they can break, that does stress them. If you use the bars to hold the controls and to "steer" the bike(or as a place to place your hands) you will be ok

Pop's Cycle · 07-20-2009, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AzFAL

A shop I go to in Phx. told me they've had 2 customers with the Wild 1 chubby 16" apes break on them. They say the bars have too much weight to them.

That sounds like BS to me. Maybe they wanted you to buy something with a little more profit margin or maybe their customers bought the knock offs Wild1 warns about.

Based on experience with Wild1's absorbing the impact of the bike falling, I'm quite confident in their strength.