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Help I need better bars

Gen 5: 2016-20 
10K views 28 replies 20 participants last post by  Lord-Blueberry 
#1 ·
Soo.. I love this Gen 5 zx10r but damn those bars are uncomfortable as fuck and I wish I could ride for longer do you guys know of any confortable handle bars I could buy for my zx10r 2016? Or something like bar risers if so do I have to like cut the fairings or something that'd suck..
 
#4 ·
you can move the clip ons above the triple tree mount if you want, it will give you a little more height, have not done it but have seen it on another bike so not sure how much effort it will take. aside from that there are bar risers but that will mess with the overall feel of the bike. stomp grips and change of seating position help a ton
 
#5 ·
If you move the clip ons above the triple, it is a substantial drop and it will dramatically change your fork rake and handling - not for the better. You will run the risk of putting your front tire into the radiator under hard braking if there isn’t enough clearance.
Unfortunately, the gen 5 zx10r won’t accept normal riser clip ons, due to the electronic steering damper being in the way.
Check out Helibars if you must have more rise. They make bars for this bike that will provide a 1.5” rise and pull the sweep back by 7degrees - they are your most viable option.
Hope that helps.
 
#7 ·
Unfortunately, the gen 5 zx10r won’t accept normal riser clip ons, due to the electronic steering damper being in the way.
while i agree that for the OP the solution is not to lower his bike just for a bar raise, but wanted to point out that the stock steering damper is not an issue for guys who lower their bike due to this kit (or you can DIY like i did, just need a coupl eof the right size bolts and some steel pipe cut to the right lengths).

https://brocksperformance.com/steering-damper-riser-kit-ninja-h2-15-19-zx-10r-11-15/






the other alternative is to switch to GPR steering damper which doesnt interfere with the fork tubes at all, and supposedly a superior damper compared to the stocker

https://www.gprstabilizer.com/products/gpr-v4s-street-bike-stabilizer-kits/



 
#20 ·
You know, I wish I had seen this reply right after it was posted but if people would take the time to read what I wrote, I never advised anyone to do anything at all, I gave options as that was what was asked for, I also said I have never done it and only seen it done, didn't know what all would be involved and the. Moved on to other options. Still, it was not advice but simply an single option for the op, I would hope that he would have read it through prior to trying it out and at the same time want him to be aware that if all else fails and he doesn't get a bike more suited to his desired riding posture that he was at least aware of it. Never once did I say hey this is what you should do. Or can you see something I cant
 
#9 ·
You might want to get a Ninja Z1000 if you want a comfortable motorcycle. The ZX10R is one of the most comfortable Sports Bikes available. Remember it's a Liter Race Bike, they are not made for comfort. But I've ridden my 5th Gen from Michigan to Pittsburgh back to Michigan in one day about 600 miles
(8-9 hours). I adjusted my handle bars out slightly when I first took delivery to relieve stress on my wrist. And I adjust the suspension softer for better riding when going longer distances. The fuel tank grip tape works great too.
 
#10 ·
I've got these: https://www.apexmfg.com/all-products/product/view/11/172

With the standoff/clamp/vertical post you can set the bars as if they were mounted above the triple clamps without actually changing the location of the triple clamps. Only gripe is there is almost too much adjustment available and they can take quite a while to get just right, but with all that adjustability you can really customize it to exactly what you want and when it's there it sure feels good.
 
#12 ·
advise? not sure what part of the actual advise which consisted only of stomp grips and seating position would be terrible. The part about moving the clip ons above the triple tree clamp deal isn't advice just an option, like I stated, I have never done it so have no clue how easy or feasible it is but the 3 people I have seen rocking it had zero issues with it. the bar risers are a legit product but not something I would ever use. If I couldn't stand the way my weight was resting on my wrists one of which I shattered last December I would do exactly what I did, buy a good adjustable rear set so that the way my weight is positioned on the bike is different and maybe get wrist braces which I used for all of a week. more a pain in the ass than they are worth. what ended up helping for me is my seating position ie...where I kept my ass on the seat and how I use the tank to rest my upper body. I regularly ride my gen 5 for more than 4 hours a day and at least 1.5 hours 2 times a day without even thinking about a break. have ridden it over 700 miles in a day on a road trip. the only thing killing me was my ass. Have since purchased a saddelmans seat and problem solved. Still instead of interjecting terrible advise how about at least saying why you feel that way or hey, giving your own advice.
 
#15 ·
Two possible solutions..... handlebar kit, or zero offset clip ons.
I have the zero offset clipons that relocate the bars about and inch closer to the rider. The ones where the bars thread into the clipon mount.

Much more comfortable. You can also get them in risers.
 
#17 ·
Agree with the zero offset clip ons suggestion. I use Attack Performance zero offset clip ons on my GEN 5 and they are bomb. They move the bars back slightly, but also raise the angle to 7 degrees. I found the handling to be much better, and helped to put me into a better seating position (also have Vortex rear sets).
The Heli bars are a viable option for the street, etc. I am 56 years old and have a bad back and have used them on my street bike. Noticeably more comfortable than stock, but I would not prefer them on the track.
The other issue is that the Helibars are shorter than clip ons (as are stock) and you have to use 15mm grips vs 125mm and there is no room to play to add a remote adjuster, etc. I used the Renthal dual compounds in this case and they rock.
The AP zero offsets were perfect for me and gave the best combination of comfort and handling. Highly recommend for handling, regardless of comfort issues.
 
#19 ·
To be fair, the clip ons which he has been calling bars are tubular aluminum stock albeit straight, and normal handle bars are also tubular aluminum and are called bars, the grips are just the part of the clip ons that you put your hands. Not arguing with you just trying to keep it real and not get on people for something as dumb as mislabeled components when even when mislabeled everyone here knows exactly what is being talked about.
 
#21 ·
Anyone have opinions on the Vortex 0 degree clip ons? They push the bar itself in front of the fork and so they're further away from the rider. I've been considering Helibars Tracstars but they are much more expensive. From the pictures that I've seen of the Helibars, aren't they basically just 0 degree and 0 offset clip ons?

I'm leaning more towards a set of 0 degree clip ons if they are even slightly more comfortable than stock, but has anyone had any clearance issues with the front fairing or other experiences?

For reference, I'm 6', 90kgs, mostly ride to commute but still hit the twisties every now and then. I do want to go to the track but haven't yet and don't have any near plans to do so.
 
#22 ·
If you want clip ons that are perpendicular to the triple clamp @ 7 Deg rise, look at Attack Performance Zero Degree Clip ons.
If you want the same (perpendicular to triples) and zero degree rise / adjustable rise, look at Apex GP Clip ons. I use the Apex's and love the front end feel and the body position that they facilitate - along with a tank extension.
 
#23 ·
Thanks for getting back to me mate, what does the angle of the clip on even mean? I'm getting super confused between 0 and 7 degree rises - I thought it meant the angle that the bar declines relative to the cuff part that goes around the forks and thus a 0 degree would be perfectly flat and doesn't decline at all.

For the apex gps, any issues with the front fairing clearance? Did you need to cut anything? And how did you end up mounting the brake reservoir?

Thanks again!
 
#24 ·
Yes, you get it. Rise is the vertical angle of the bar vs. 90 deg / perpendicular to fork tube. I should have accurately stated -7 deg for the Attacks. The Apex's have 3 rise angle adjustments - the top being zero degree.
No issues whatsoever with fairing or stabilizer clearance. I use a ladybird reservoint mount (kurveygirl.com).
The other option that the clip on's offer is to use longer (wider) bars. This will enable you to use an after market master cyiinder if you choose, and/or wider grips, etc.
 
#27 ·
I totally agree with the Stompgrip idea but would direct you towards TechSpec tank pads instead. Techspec won't wreck your pants or leathers like the pointy bits on Stompgrips. They're said to relieve weight off your wrists by shifting them to your upper legs and it really works. It's not going to transform your riding experience, but I certainly don't have as much upper body, wrist and hand pain as I used to experience after my longer (2+ hour) rides.

Another free thing to try out is to remove the bolts that tie the stock clip ons into the bottom side of the upper triple tree. Once you do that, rotate the clips ons a tiny bit forward. Just enough to make a change in their angle but not enough to cause interference with the controls and the fairings. I found that increasing the width of my grip made me far more comfortable on the bike. I don't mean comfort in the conventional sense because spreading my grips out actually brings your upper body forward on the bike. I mean it in the sense that the wider bar placement gives more leverage on the bars and you get more control and feel more comfortable on it overall.
 
#28 ·
I'll warn you about Stompgrips. I had them on my 10r for the first year when it was the factory titanium color. I removed them one day and the clearcoat totally peeled off the tank with them. That's what motivated me to paint my bike Kawi green. As for more comfortable bars, absolutely get the Helibars. No one but you will know they are there unless they stop and inspect your bike with their reading glasses on. And they make a huge difference. While you are at it also consider MFW pegs and lowering brackets. I did both. And I did many trackdays at Willow since then. They don't limit my lean angle at all. And it made my 05 a super comfortable bike (at least compared to a stock 10r). You don't need a racer tuck when riding on the street so don't listen to the wannabees. Make the bike comfortable for you. I just added the Fast by Ferracci bars on my 1198S. They aren't as effective as the Helibars on my 10r but still a nice improvement. I have the MFW pegs on order for it also.
 
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