Well, what's more important how the bike looks when you are looking at it,,,or how it feels when riding it.. in my book feels wins hands down, every time...how it feels how it handles and how it runs, are all that matter,,,
You may be different,,,have a really cool looking bike, that starts really sucking bad while riding it,, but it looks so cool!!! Lol

 

Yeah, I'm with you on comfort, that's always been high on my list of priorities for this bike. Appearance is at the bottom of that list... but still want to do the best I can. Which is the main reason I don't want to give up the buckhorns. They're perfect for me. I've gone thru many sets of bars on other bikes, trying to find a comfortable set. But this is the first bike I've ever had that had stock bars that were perfect for me.

I'm not positive, but I don't think you'd have any issues with the fairing itself. Worst case you might need to notch the windscreen sides a bit for more master cylinder/lever clearance like the FXRP in this old video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR9LA_MXcaI

Thanks Cave, that video is helpful. And I see what you're saying about notching if needed. I don't know how you came across that video but I'm glad you did, thanks!

I think I'll call Joe at Deviant Fabrications tomorrow to see what he might know. He was extremely helpful when questioning him about fitment of an FXRD fairing for a paint customer's Fat Bob.

 

I'm not positive, but I don't think you'd have any issues with the fairing itself. Worst case you might need to notch the windscreen sides a bit for more master cylinder/lever clearance like the FXRP in this old video:

 

Bolt them on and see. The full scale mock up is the only way to go. If I remember correctly the FXRT came with buckhorns and they cleared the fairing. If they don't work then either notch the fairing or try a different style. Handlebars are one of the easiest things to change on a bike if you don't mind resizing your cables and wires.

 

You must have missed post one.

He likes buckhorns. The buckhorns have the air valve in them. He doesnt want to go to the expense and hassle of rewiring/longer cables, etc..

 

Baby Apes

I believe the nomenclature, Baby Apes and Tall Buckhorns was used interchangeably depending on who the manufacturer was. There might have been some minor differences in the heights but to me the geometries looked the same or really close.

 

I believe the nomenclature, Baby Apes and Tall Buckhorns was used interchangeably depending on who the manufacturer was. There might have been some minor differences in the heights but to me the geometries looked the same or really close.

They're not even close....buck horns give you that "pushing a wheelbarrow" hand position....the FXRT & P bars are more perpendicular to the horizon.....I've had both.

 

Buckhorns vs. Baby Apes

I stand corrected!
I don't run the buckhorns on my FXR any more I've got drag bars mounted on curvy Deuce risers.

 

I stand corrected!
I don't run the buckhorns on my FXR any more I've got drag bars mounted on curvy Deuce risers.

I've used that set up...I prefer my hand position to be as level as possible.

 

For reference (and for what it's worth) here's a couple of pictures of my '85 and the amount of control clearance with the stock FXRT bars and an aftermarket Clearview Shields windscreen. As you can see there's not a lot of clearance at full lock, although it should be noted that I don't have the rubber sleeves on my forks to cushion against the front fairing mount. If I did there'd be a bit more clearance:

[/IMG]

 

For reference (and for what it's worth) here's a couple of pictures of my '85 and the amount of control clearance with the stock FXRT bars and an aftermarket Clearview Shields windscreen. As you can see there's not a lot of clearance at full lock, although it should be noted that I don't have the rubber sleeves on my forks to cushion against the front fairing mount. If I did there'd be a bit more clearance:...

With stock 'Baby Apes' I notched my Moco windshield like a stock FXRP windshield for clearance of the bars when at full lock. When I bought the Clearview screen I bought the FXRP style.

I was never quite sure if it was necessary partly because I was mounting a fairing for 35mm forks on a 39mm bike, or if it was just because I had long arms and had the bars pushed a little extra forward.

As far as that goes, I've always wondered why FXRP screens are notched but FXRT screens are not.

joe

 

Joe at Deviant Fabrications advised that I would need a 4.5" rise to get the buck horns to clear the fairing. That much rise would make them feel like completely different handlebars, so there's no point to doing that. There's really no urgency in doing this immediately. I just figured if I could do it simple & cheap enough, I'd do it. Being that it's going to be more work & expense then I had hoped for, I might just go with a Baker OD6-speed trans first.

 

So are his bars stock or not? They look like buckhorns. His bike is a Convertible which comes with plumbed handlebars. Mine is a '89 Convertible and mine has the mini apes like Joe and Clif describe on the FXRT/P. I also thought all Convertibles used the same bars.

Maybe I just have FXRT bars.

~Pete

 

Pete, I'm nowhere near sure that this is a rule but the buckhorns and the baby apes are the only two styles of factory FXR bars I've ever heard of; baby apes with fairings and buckhorns with all others.

I'm wondering now though about FXRPs that came with windshields rather than with fairings. I personally think the baby apes give you more leverage, and might be the better choice in that application.

I just took a quick cruise through my collection of FXRP pictures. I only found 2 with windshields but they both had the baby apes on them.

joe

 

[/QUOTE]

I have a set of these in black, that are sealed up to use on an air ride (anti-dive) front end if anyone needs them.

 

I have a set of these in black, that are sealed up to use on an air ride (anti-dive) front end if anyone needs them.[/QUOTE]

Don't need 'em, but I'll try to retain that info in my database for future reference.