StromTrooper banner

ProTaper Adventure High Handlebar

12K views 17 replies 7 participants last post by  slapshot 
#1 · (Edited)
Bike: 2011 DL650A
Old setup: stock bars with 1 1/4" risers
New setup: ProTaper Adventure High with 1 1/8" adapter and new longer brake line

After reading lots of specs and reviews I chose the bar type I wanted (ProTaper 1 1/8") and then narrowed that down to three patterns. I wanted wider bars, higher bars, less pull back, and no cross bar. I went to my local shop who stocks these to really see what they feel like. They only had two of the patterns in stock and they let me borrow them to take home and see how they fit on my bike. One of the bars was the new EVO Adventure Low. Pics 1-4 below show some OEM comparison. My wife rides a F700GS and this bar matched her stock bends almost perfectly. I found this handle bar to fit me real well except is was too low. I called the shop and had them order the EVO Adventure High bars for me.
I stripped down the old bars and removed them. Drilled a couple new holes on the bottom of the new bars to receive the left and right control housings then started to put everything back together. ProTaper sells a 7/8" to 1 1/8" bar adapter for these. I did not put my bar end weights back on and don't plan too. I had to release the wiring right and left from the little spiral holders on the tank side of the bars (I don't think this is a big deal). I did position my new grips 1/4" in from the end of the new bars and will cut off the extra.
The one thing that did not reach was the brake line. I ordered a new 22" brake line (OEM plus 4") from SV Racing. Blair is great to buy from and work with. Since it was custom it took about 6 business days to get to me. I installed it and found that 4" was maybe one inch too many. It has a little extra line that isn't necessary, 21" would be perfect.
In the end, these bars are amazing. Even without the weights there is less vibration than stock. For me the pull back is perfect (no more numb hands) and the rise is amazing for when I'm up on the pegs. I am 6'-0" tall. I know that the bars plus adapter plus brake line is a little pricey and more than some want to spend but for me it is totally worth the cost. Plus one for ProTaper and SV Racing
 

Attachments

See less See more
4
#7 ·
No, that was pretty easy. I measured the holes in the stock bars from the end and transferred that measurement plus how much I wanted to move them in. That gave one line, then I did a quick fitment to see where I wanted the controls as they roll around the bar. I made another mark then connected those lines after taking parts back off. I actually drilled the left side with the bars mounted on the bike but took them off to drill the right side.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jrnyer
#9 ·
Toshbar is obviously correct about taking a file to the plastic nub so you don't have to deal with it and I almost did that but here is why I didn't.
1. Suzuki was not confident in only clamping the plastic control.
2. I am not confident in only clamping the throttle side because the parts are plastic and you can't over tighten the screw or the plastic will crack. Clutch side where it's just a couple buttons, maybe.
3. Who knows what tolerances handlebars are made to so a 7/8" bar is really +\- ?..... So I was nervous if a new bar was made a little smaller and the housing not tightening.
4. Plastic gets brittle over time and the ability to really tighten the clamping screws gets worse.
5. If filing off the nub didn't work like I wanted it to I didn't know what to do next. It's one of those non reversible and non repairable things.

That's all.
 
#13 ·
If a throttle housing is strong enough not to break or slip when I toss my WR250 down a rocky cliff, I think the DL will be fine.

If the bars are undersized, a few layers of electrical tape (one wrap, really) would bring them back big enough for the plastic control boxes to grip to.

Water under the bridge; Glad you got some new bars that work better for you. I put 7/8" Raptor bend Pro Tapers on my bike a few weeks ago and decided to keep my Rox risers, except that they are mostly laying flat to bring the base bars towards the seat.
 
#14 ·
The Raptor bend was on my short list and if my local shop had those in stock I probably would have ended up with those since they are very similar to the one I got.
So ready for another Colorado summer and back country riding.
 
#15 ·
Slapshot

You mentioned numbing of hands with OEM bar awhile back. I had to remove my right bar end weight when installing Bark Buster Hand Guard and a Koako Throttle lock (installed due to numbing of right hand with the bar end weight installed). Do you think there is something about the 7/8 Pro Taper bar that changes its resonant frequency enough to stop the numbness? I thought about a new bar but it's a lot to pay and do without knowing it will prevent numbing. As it is I pretty much use the throttle lock all the time to keep it under control. Thanks for nice write up and images.
 
#16 ·
The OEM bars are steel and most/all Pro Taper bars are alloy and will therefore flex and resonate differently. I always change to alloy as when I rode dirt bikes I suffered blistered hands with steel bars but not with alloy. They must flex more. Or something.
 
#17 ·
Also, Slapshot has the ProTaper EVO Adventure bars which are 1 1/8" instead of the 7/8" bars like the OEM and ProTaper SE line at the clamp area. And one would think that should cause them resonate differently than either the OEM or SE bars. Though I am not sure I feel any with the SEs, Progrip 714 grips, and Grip Puppies.

With the OEM I was getting sore wrists and some numbness in the hands. Some due to gripping too hard and the rest, I think, due to the sweep of the OEM bars. Switched to the ProTaper SE ATV High bars and tried to relax my grip some and the issues have gone away.

There is also another brand, MSR, I think, that some folks have used and been happy with. It has very similar specs to the SE ATV bars and is a whole lot cheaper.


YMMV
 
#18 ·
For me, finding the right bar shape was by far, the most important part of helping my wrist and hands. the construction of the bars was my second consideration. I bet there is a decent shop near you that carries a rack full of handlebars for you to go play with. this will help you find the right pattern and then you can decide how much money you want to spend on different construction styles. I have broad shoulders so for me, a wider bar with less sweep (or pull back) has been great. some riders go with nearly flat bars like a dirt bike. I found the sweep on the pattern I got to be right in the middle between oem and flat.
On my previous v-strom I had the MSR ATV low-bend with risers and I liked them fine. I put 50k all terrain miles on them so I obviously didn't hate them and if you compare patterns they are in the same world but not exact as my new ones. I chose to spend more money on the ProTaper this time and am very happy with them.
Do not take my word for anything except one guy who found a bar he likes (I actually like any bar that has good cold beer).
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top