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What options are available to raise and move back the bars on a 89 RS?

I love riding the bike but the pain in the upper back and forearms is annoying (yes I did ride for 3 hours at a time and didn't want to stop!)

I've just seen the bar backs on Bob's BMW and I have heard mention of fitting K bars, what works best?

Any advise / opinions welcomed.

alpha wrote:
Any advise / opinions welcomed.

That would be an RT, for maximum effect.

alpha wrote:What options are available to raise and move back the bars on a 89 RS?

I love riding the bike but the pain in the upper back and forearms is annoying (yes I did ride for 3 hours at a time and didn't want to stop!)

I've just seen the bar backs on Bob's BMW and I have heard mention of fitting K bars, what works best?

Any advise / opinions welcomed.

If I get my act together tomorrow I will be fitting some K bars to my 1983 R100RS - after I have done the forks seals.

buzz wrote: If I get my act together tomorrow I will be fitting some K bars to my 1983 R100RS - after I have done the forks seals.

I've been on the look out for K75 bars, but I've read R65ls bars do the job too. K1 bars cut to length to fit inside the fairing also comes to mind. I think that was a Fun Holiday aka Supershaft idea?

I don't quite need them yet, but it seems the time will come

Another option would be bar backs. I once saw a pic on the internet where a guy used two sets of bar backs, in tandem for double the reach.

I have yet to modify my RS for Ken compatibility, but I have laid in a set of K75S bars and a set of bar backs. (I'm not built for RS bikes, but they are so damned purty!)


Ken

I have K75S bars on my 83 R100RS and love it!!

I have machined 1" riser extensions on my '89 R100RS. I purchased the bike in 2010 and they were already on the bike from one of the previous owners. I have to take medication for my arthritis and I have several vertebrae fused in my neck, again arthritis. I don't believe I could comfortably ride the R100RS without the 1" extensions. I just did a 360 mile ride last Saturday with NO problems. The Ducati riders (all at least 20 years younger than me) were doing all sorts of stretching contortions from the saddle at around the 150 mile mark!

Every once in a while, there's a UK seller on eBay that offers "tall" R100RS handlebar risers that have the 1" extension built into the riser and the longer mounting bolts. I think they went for about £59 plus shipping.

I have been reading this and other forums for months on this issue. Being zero to 60 after an hour my arse and wrists are sore and detract from the pleasure of riding. I have read about one inch risers and 2 inch pull backs and K75S bars but none would allow the retaining the rubber dash which is an aesthetic deal breaker. I was thinking about it while changing the fork oil and wondering about just rotating them up as far as they can go. It raised them about 4 inches and they feel more like R90S or scrambler bars. The fairing it seems is designed to have them high as required. I have always had them flat to accommodate the dash neatly between the levers, in the highset clipon position perpendicular to the forks. Now they are maybe 20 degrees up off the perpendicular. The rubber dash won't just clip on as it does in the lower position because the lever mounts and now odd angled to it. So the dash is fitted first followed by the levers to make a very snug fit. I showed them to a mate, a rider of an RS amongst others and he said "That looks dicky!" But they feel pretty good with a slightly more upright riding position.

Bought my first RS after riding my 90S since '77...now that I'm 68 yrs young the RS bars are to low and far forward for my size 5'-9".

So I made these bar-backs which moved the stock bars just rear of the dampener knob and about 1-1/2" higher.
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They look good. I have a pair for my R65 that I bought from someone on the R65 forumj but I've never gotten around to installing them, and I'm not sure now I even need them since I started bicycling so much. I have learned to not put too much weight on my hands. But I'll keep them around in case I change my mind. I have so many spare parts for that bike I might as well consider it mine for life.