Adjust handlebar height

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • GS650E_81
    • Jan 2026

    #1

    Adjust handlebar height

    During riding my right hand goes numb rather quickly. I assume it is due to the height of the handlebars.

    I know the triple tree is as high as it will go on the fork arms, so I assume I cannot raise that anymore...

    Is there a way to add some height so I get a better riding angle? I am not sure which handlebars I have. I think they are stock, but not sure.
  • koolaid_kid

    #2
    If you post a pic I am sure someone on here will recognize them and/or offer suggestions.

    Comment

    • ClarkRU

      #3
      You can get handle bar risers installed. They are installed on the two brackets that hold the bars to the bike.

      Comment

      • Steve
        GS Whisperer
        • Jun 2005
        • 35924
        • southwest oHIo

        #4
        And, there is no way to raise the triple trees on the fork legs.

        The triples are attached to the frame, and the forks are slid through them, not the other way around.

        .
        sigpic
        mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
        hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
        #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
        #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
        Family Portrait
        Siblings and Spouses
        Mom's first ride
        Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
        (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

        Comment

        • GS650E_81

          #5
          These look nice..




          I can get a picture of the bars later.

          Comment

          • GS650E_81

            #6
            Thanks for the replies, I know i'm such a newbie

            Comment

            • Steve
              GS Whisperer
              • Jun 2005
              • 35924
              • southwest oHIo

              #7
              Originally posted by GS650E_81
              Thanks for the replies, I know i'm such a newbie
              But you are asking intelligent questions in an effort to learn.

              .
              sigpic
              mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
              hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
              #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
              #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
              Family Portrait
              Siblings and Spouses
              Mom's first ride
              Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
              (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

              Comment

              • ChicagoBob

                #8
                Search Amazon for "handlebar risers" and look at the ones for 7/8" bars, which are what you have. I've used them on my 550. Some are multi-piece, so you can choose different handlebar heights.

                Comment

                • GS650E_81

                  #9
                  Originally posted by ChicagoBob
                  Search Amazon for "handlebar risers" and look at the ones for 7/8" bars, which are what you have. I've used them on my 550. Some are multi-piece, so you can choose different handlebar heights.
                  Thanks! I will give it a go.

                  Comment

                  • Steve
                    GS Whisperer
                    • Jun 2005
                    • 35924
                    • southwest oHIo

                    #10
                    Be prepared for sticker shock, though.

                    EDIT: last time I looked, I did not see anything less than about $75.
                    This time around, I found THIS.

                    .
                    Last edited by Steve; 07-12-2012, 01:01 PM.
                    sigpic
                    mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
                    hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
                    #1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
                    #2 son: 1980 GS1000G
                    Family Portrait
                    Siblings and Spouses
                    Mom's first ride
                    Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
                    (Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)

                    Comment

                    • MAJikMARCer

                      #11
                      I have the stock bars on my 650E too and they were uncomfortable for me for awhile. I found the bars were rolled down (towards the tank) too much for me. I've pushed them up a couple inches and it's made a world of difference. It not all chopper like (thankfully). No new cables or grips or risers.

                      tl;dr If you haven't already try playing with the bar position and see if that helps.

                      I know for me even with my adjustment I still need to the grips to be straighter for me, which means a new bar, but I have too many other things to fix first.

                      Comment

                      • Darin Jordan

                        #12
                        Originally posted by MAJikMARCer
                        I found the bars were rolled down (towards the tank) too much for me. I've pushed them up a couple inches and it's made a world of difference.

                        tl;dr If you haven't already try playing with the bar position and see if that helps.

                        I know for me even with my adjustment I still need to the grips to be straighter for me, which means a new bar, but I have too many other things to fix first.
                        Good to hear that I'm not crazy in my thinking that I need something straighter as well... Rolling mine up last night did seem to help. I'll know more this afternoon on my ride from Seattle to Redmond and then home to Renton... My right hand is usually pretty sore after that ride... but it seemed much better this morning.

                        Comment

                        • GS650E_81

                          #13
                          Originally posted by MAJikMARCer
                          I have the stock bars on my 650E too and they were uncomfortable for me for awhile. I found the bars were rolled down (towards the tank) too much for me. I've pushed them up a couple inches and it's made a world of difference. It not all chopper like (thankfully). No new cables or grips or risers.

                          tl;dr If you haven't already try playing with the bar position and see if that helps.

                          I know for me even with my adjustment I still need to the grips to be straighter for me, which means a new bar, but I have too many other things to fix first.
                          Please don't smack me in the face....how do you roll the bars up? I see were the risers would go, but am not sure how to adjust the bars

                          Comment

                          • GS650E_81

                            #14
                            As I was removing the front fender tonight, I studied the bike a little and thought it would look really cool to slap on some clip on handle bars and ride this thing low....

                            I am sure clip-ons are hard to handle and would require new forks though.

                            Comment

                            • Darin Jordan

                              #15
                              Originally posted by GS650E_81
                              Please don't smack me in the face....how do you roll the bars up? I see were the risers would go, but am not sure how to adjust the bars
                              Simple... you losen the 4-bolts holding down the bar risers, and rotate the bars in the mount up, or down... then retighten...

                              I rolled mine up last night about 2" or so... helped a little, but I don't care for the position and my "angle" of my wrist to forearm still doesn't feel right. I'm going to look into something with a flatter angle.

                              Clip-ons DO look like fun...

                              Comment

                              Working...