I guess it comes down to geometry. Your individual physical dimensions and proportions will have a great impact on what fits and doesn't fit, what is comfortable or uncomfortable wjen accessorizing a motorcycle.
My current GTS is my second one. Both were fitted with Heli's almost from day one. With almost a combined 100,000 miles between both Heli equipped bikes, I've never suffered any discomfort even fater numerous multi-day, all day rides. It is obviously a matter of what fits your body best but considering the difference in cost and amount of modification necessary to fit those ape hangers, you're probably better off at least giving the Helis the first shot. The GTS is a sport tourer after all, if you want a rolling La-Z-Boy, buy a Gold Wing. On 3 Feb 2002, at 12:23, John Laurenson wrote: > The Heli-bar design for the GTS sucks....worse than sucks, they are > potentially debilitating. The first mod I made to my GTS was to add > Helibars. They worked very well for me on my FJ's. The design used > for the GTS is horrible. They simply pivot the bars and increase the > angle to move the hand grip back a little. It can cause me a similar > negative effect to my hands and wrists as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. > Your hands do not sit in a relaxed position when you grip the bars. > To get the feel of what I am talking about pretend your are gripping a > parallel bar in front of your and twist your hands like you are > bending the bar ends down. Now imagine is you are putting part of your > body weight on your arms in that position for hours. Riding for a few > hours you might not feel the effects, but ride all day and you will. > > Right after I installed mine I did a rally in Canada, riding from > Florida, and by the time I got home I was practically in tears from > the pain in my fingers and wrists. Several of finger lost all sense > of touch which didn't subside for nearly six months. I contacted > Helibar management and explained the problem, suggesting a fix. They > said they wouldn't correct the problem because the GTS was such a low > volume sale and they didn't want to send the money. They were > initially reluctant to take mine back and give me a refund until I > started talking law suit. As I said, I'm not against Helibars ...just > the GTS approach to design they used. > > The Superbike bars I now have are great. My hands and wrist set on the > bars in the normal position as if I reached out and let them rest on > the bars, without any contortion. > > hawke > > > > From: Hugh Hamilton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Reply-To: GTS-1000 Owners List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Date: Sun, 3 Feb 2002 01:52:26 -0500 > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subject: Re: Superbike handlebar vs. Helibar > > > > The Heli-bars should be more than adequate. > > The "Superbike" kit makes the GTS look like a 3 speed bicycle. > > Why its called "Superbike" I'll never know. > > > > On 2 Feb 2002, at 15:25, R Huggins wrote: > > > >> Hello, > >> > >> I need to change the handlebars on the GTS for a more "upright" > >> riding position. I know of two different products available for > >> this: the super-bike handlebar and helibars. > >> > >> Can anyone recommend one of these over the other? Regards, R > >> Huggins > >
