What are you guys runnin for bar width

F

forgiven

New member
Stock bars are about 3" more wide than my current setup. Had often wondered if my bars were too narrow. Before I cut off my new grips and put the new spiders and cut my bars I thought I would ask what everyone else is running for width. I am a single track guy...very little mx work.
 
My son and I don't cut anything off. We run mostly real tight stuff at home and do midwest enduros which can also have very tight sections.

I prefer to wiggle the handlebars in first gear instead of them wiggling me in in 6th!:eek:
 
I cut the width of the handguards I'm running off either side. Overall width remains the same as stock. Be careful about trimming too much as the clutch and brake lines tend to interfere with the bar if you push them too far inboard.
 
Dwight Rudder over on TT suggests doing a push-up and measuring the distance between your palms as a indicator for the most comfortable bar width.

I have been running 29"-30" bars for the last 2 years and noticed a huge difference. I no longer get any arm pump and my cornering speed has increased. It took a while to get used to, but I will never go back. I my buddies bike on Sunday with his stock bars and I felt like I was riding a chopper with ape hangers!

I run a steering stabilizer for higher speeds and never get the wobbles.
 
There are some of us here that just do not have the wingspan of the pros like laferty or knighter.. in fact I thing there arent many humans with a reach as big as knights..
 
I'm a bit of a knuckle dragger, so I like em wide. I've never cut my bar and getting on a buddies bike, it feels like riding a tricycle.
 
Oh,, and I'm about 30-31..31 on my ktm 4 stroker cause too much crap on the bars taking up room.. and 30 on my 97 GG..
 
My 01 is setup ab at 28.5-28.75 and it does get a bit silly at faster paces. Not so much that it scares me into getting new bars. For the riding I do I can't justify a stabilizer to keep the smaller width...I could just buy new bars.

I reckon I will try them like this and if after a week they are too wide I will take an inch from each side. When riding for a week trip Monkey butt gets me before arm pump or anything like that. Just got to remind myself...one cheeck at a time.

Thanks for the input.
 
29" plus bark busters. Coudn't get throught the Tennessee woods at speed with them any wider. I have friends that run them wider on the same trails but they are more Knight-like in stature and don't care to ping pong through a few sections. Doesn't work for me and I ride 3&4th gear grass track stuff with no issues as well.
 
31" + BB, and I'm a mere mortal. This for everything including tight NJ pines. You steer at the base of one tree to clear them both. Anything more narrow on most bars screws up the controls and feels nasty in whoops or at speed.
 
As others have mentioned, big broad chested guys probably feel more comfortable with wider setups. I'm average build and have run all of my bars at 30.5" not including bark busters. We race in tight single track. A lot of guys around here will run around 29", but I just am not comfortable that narrow.
 
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