1. Here is a shot of HOT...
1. Here is a shot of HOT BIKE Associate Publisher, Dave Roe, trying out the Horizon Bar on the Helibars Road King.
Who says that there aren't options in life? There are plenty of options out there, and for Harley riders, your handlebar options just increased.
Helibars, located in Cornish, Maine, manufactures adjustable handlebars for multiple motorcycle manufacturers, including Harley-Davidson models. The patent pending Horizon Bar is a unique product meant for people that like to ride, especially on long-distance trips. The bar is made of both steel and aluminum for structural integrity and features three planes of adjustability. This is specifically ideal for riders with extended floorboards or aftermarket seats because the stock riding position has been altered. When adjusting your stock bar you're only given one plane of adjustment: forward and backward. With the Horizon bar, you can adjust pullback, hand positioning, and also grip and lever positioning.
Helibars Horizon bar is available in three different sizes, the HZ700 (7-inch rise), HZ825 (8 1/4-inch rise), and HZ900 (9-inch rise) bars fit Dyna, Softail, and Road King models for $849, but the company also manufactures a bar specifically for Electra Glide and Street Glide models called the Horizon ES (HZ10011) for $799. Depending on the model, a braided front brake line is usually all that's needed for installation. HOT BIKE was interested in how the bars worked and was given a little demonstration at the Helibars booth in Sturgis.
2. Here are the adjustment...
2. Here are the adjustment points. Starting at the bottom, just like a stock handlebar, the pullback is adjusted and then the riser clamp is tightened (A). Next, the top portion of the bar itself can be rotated up or down to fit your comfort level (B). The grips and controls are mounted to a 1-inch sleeve on each side(not shown) and can be pulled in or pushed out (C). Finally, the sleeve/grip and control assemblies can also be rotated forward or backward for desired lever positioning (D). Once you've found your sweet spot, tighten all bolts.
3. Referring to the image...
3. Referring to the image and caption above; Dave adjusted the pullback of the bar for his ideal arm length (A). The top portion of the bar was moved up and down to find the appropriate height to position his hands (B). Next, he pushed the sleeves in and out to find the correct hand postion so his wrists weren't bending too far in or out (C).
4. Once Dave found his comfort...
4. Once Dave found his comfort zone, he was impressed by the adjustability options the bar provided. One of the benefits we noticed about the bar is that if you change seats, you can easily make adjustments to fit your new riding position instead of spending money on new bars. It also makes it easier to adjust the comfort level if you let other people ride your bike. For a full video demonstration visit Helibars' website.