Triumphrat

triumph4ever · 12-28-2008, 02:39 PM

Hey everyone, Happy New Year to you. I am looking for some suggestions for cafe handelbars for my 1998 TBS. Would the Norman Hyde Ace handlebars work for a TBS? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Bill

Greaser · 12-29-2008, 01:09 AM

I tried Ace bars on my TBS and they were awful! The risers are too high. You can get shorter risers but you might not have clearance for the adjusters on the front forks.

What I did was to flip and reverse the stock handlebar. You will have to grind off the little plastic locating "bumps" on the plastic switch housings. The switch housings will then move on your bars. What I did was to wrap some cloth hockey tape onto the bars where the switches sit. This prevented them from moving.

cafetbird · 12-29-2008, 12:10 PM

I had some on my Bird w/ TBS risers, and liked them a lot (always a matter of personal preference in this department, of course). I had the cap off the T-Bird on there with the Triumph logo in it, and it looked real trick. With the stock T-Bird risers, I think you'd have tank clearance issues.

Any 7/8" clubman bar will do - the key is getting them wide enough. Mine had about 9" clearance on center.

Since I am doing more distance on the bike again after selling the Sprint, I swapped these out for the Laverda Jota 4 way adjustable bars, flipped. Raask is making them in reproduction. They look much like clubmans, but you can raise them up for increased comfort on longer trips. Once I get to the twisty bits, I lower them back down....

Nice tip on the hockey tape, Grease. I tried electrical tape, but it didn't work well. I wonder if electrical loom tape might do the trick also?

triumph4ever · 12-29-2008, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cafetbird

I had some on my Bird w/ TBS risers, and liked them a lot (always a matter of personal preference in this department, of course). I had the cap off the T-Bird on there with the Triumph logo in it, and it looked real trick. With the stock T-Bird risers, I think you'd have tank clearance issues.

Any 7/8" clubman bar will do - the key is getting them wide enough. Mine had about 9" clearance on center.

Since I am doing more distance on the bike again after selling the Sprint, I swapped these out for the Laverda Jota 4 way adjustable bars, flipped. Raask is making them in reproduction. They look much like clubmans, but you can raise them up for increased comfort on longer trips. Once I get to the twisty bits, I lower them back down....

Nice tip on the hockey tape, Grease. I tried electrical tape, but it didn't work well. I wonder if electrical loom tape might do the trick also?

Thanks Grease and Cafetbird. I like the look of the clubman bars. Any other opinions from TBS owners who use these bars are greatly appreciated.

Retro-Racer · 12-29-2008, 02:28 PM

Norman Hyde M-Bars in 7/8" fit. Plus you can flip them upside-down for a more aggressive look, similar to the 2009 Thruxtons.

/Mike

Greaser · 12-29-2008, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cafetbird

......Nice tip on the hockey tape, Grease. I tried electrical tape, but it didn't work well. I wonder if electrical loom tape might do the trick also?

I think any tape as long as it is "soft" should work. I don't think any plastic based tape would be soft enough.

triumph4ever · 12-29-2008, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BellaCorse

Norman Hyde M-Bars in 7/8" fit. Plus you can flip them upside-down for a more aggressive look, similar to the 2009 Thruxtons.

/Mike

Thanks, Mike. Wish i could see a picture of them on a TBS. I'll go to the website. Bill

triumph4ever · 12-30-2008, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BellaCorse

Norman Hyde M-Bars in 7/8" fit. Plus you can flip them upside-down for a more aggressive look, similar to the 2009 Thruxtons.

/Mike

Hey Mike,

How are the M bars different from the stock bars? They look great but they look similar to the stock bars on a TBS from my vantage point. Are they lower? Flatter?

Thanks!