New Handlebars

Took a snowy nap the other day. Helmet trashed, ribs broken, handlebars tweaked, rear fender is toast.

Should have just sat around and watched the 'bowl like a normal person.

Anyhow, I've found the rear fender parts I need for like $40-ish dollars (not final, still need to call them) at Husqvarna Outlet. Has anyone used this website for ordering parts? very easy to find parts once you've gotten the part number from the parts manual.

On to the real reason for the post: Handlebars! I've found Renthal 7/8'' bars for like half the OEM price, and they're aluminum - not the cheap steel the OEM stuff is made of. I tried searching the forum but couldn't find much. Maybe I suck at searching.

Questions: does anyone know if there's a specific set of decent 7/8'' bars or a cost-effective (as in less than OEM) way to accquire upsized bars that fit the TR650? Does anyone know what the dimensions of the OEM bars are so I can find ones at least the correct width? Looking for the closest approximation to OEM without paying OEM price...

Thanks guys.

Renthal bars are extremely good. Some models even have antivibration polymer in them ( not that the tr needs it). My preference is for the ultralow model on most bikes but won't fit on the Husky with the Safari tank. I was using a wide set of Renthals and I am changing to 22mm(7/8) as they are slightly narrower. I have used renthals on ALL racing motorcycles that I didn't have clip-ons on. Lighter stronger and antivibratory what else do you want. BTW their chainrings are also superlight and very smooth though I don't know about how long these last as all the renthals chainrings have been on race bikes

I have been looking at the Renthal 7/8 mediums, and the measurements all seem to check out except the width is like 50mm less than what I'm measuring on my (albeit bent) OEM bars. How big of a difference do you think this will be? I'm also going to be sad if I can't use my brush guards on the new bars.

Bent my bars yesterday as well. Hit a patch of black ice and went down swiftly. The left side now has about an inch more sweep than the right. Annoying but still ride able. Be interesting to see what you come up with. I know that others have replaced their bars. What hand guards do you have?

Some have gone with the Pro Taper Contour KX High bend, which are really close to the stock bars (thanks SnackinAZ), they are 1 1/8" though.
Pro Taper's "Seven Eights" bar KX High bend has identical numbers to the Contour, only in 7/8" diam. Which you are after.

Don't get the stock "butter bars" junk. I had a get off with the stockers and bent them back somewhat to shape with help of a tree. Replaced with a set of Rental 7/8 bars and have had a few more get offs at a higher rate of speed with no damage.

How do the Renthal 7/8 bars work for you width wise? Is the shorter width (like 730mm, vs 790ish OEM, I think) work on the TR? All components fit, etc? Also, did you have to replace grips to do this?

Awesome. Do you know if i'll have to replace the grips? The stock grips have this ridiculous screw-on method that I don't think will be compatible with any new bars.

I fitted Renthal Fatbars high bend. I used the stock grips, just drilled an undersized hole for the stock screw to go in. The screw is a self taper type with it's own thread cutter from memory.

Didn't have any problem with them fitting up. The ones I bought where about 30mm wider and 20mm higher than stock. Like quirky said used the same grips and drilled a hole.

Awesome, I'll do that.

After my wreck of course stock bars are bent. Went with a set of Pro-Taper SE KX Hi bars. The only problem was the left grip. Dont have to worry about it ever coming off because it took me 15 minutes to hammer that sucker on. I think it was a combination of the powder coating and the knurling of the bars that the stock grip is a slightly smaller diameter. I figure if I bend these bars then an after market grip would work just fine. Everything else works just fine. Even with the cross bar my hand guards work great.

I just put the same bars on mine a bit ago. had the same problem with the left grip. It's not coming off unless I cut it off.

Unless you are anal about the looks of your handlebars the best left grip is to buy a set of mountain bike lock on grips ( available in various colours and lock on colours). They take seconds to put on and take off, and won't come off til you want them to. Unfortunately the motorcycle manufacturing community hasn't caught up with these yet and the is no lockons available for the throttle side. I live in hope.

Like these:
http://www.odigrips.com/lock-on.aspx

I'd imagine the lack of lock-on grips in motorcycling is specifically because of the throttle side. Those would lock on with tension to what is often a plastic tube.

Did you use an air compressor to blow air under the grip during install? They pop on in a second with that method.

Actually, if you checked the other section of the ODI site, they've been making MX lock ons for a few years. There are also some other companies that are licensing the ODI grips, or have their own design available.

http://www.odigrips.com/lock-on-2.aspx

Thanks for that MSith345. I asked at the motorcycle shops and they had never heard of them so I stopped looking. I am off to get a pair. Once you have used lockons the stick ons are a pain

I don't think there have been very many people that have actually switched to an aftermarket grip, most that have changed out bars, stuck with the stock grips. I bought two sets of 5$ Tusk grips, to use the bigger diamter grip on the both the throttle tube, and the clutch side tube. I tried to fit them on the throttle tube, I really dont think they are going to fit, especially on top of grip heater tape.
The ID of the stock is at least 2mm larger than the Tusk ones i got.