Handle bars

Are the end bars/weights important for stability or handling or can they be removed without any problems. Can after market handle bars be used without these on and be OK, just asking.Thanks

Mainly vibration reduction. Numb hand after 10 minutes riding is not pleasant AND you tend not to perform up to standard - hard to get feel on you front brake when you can't feel your fingers/hand!

Another set of bars will tend to/not tend to vibrate at different revs. Experimentation is the key here. A bar end mirror, for instance, may or may not have some weights that can be changed in and out to get satisfactory vibes. Again, look to what others have done, here on this forum, so you can make an informed decision.

Simply take them off and ride around a largish block, to see what happens!

Are you on an 1100 with the wider bars or the 1200 with the shorter ones?

I`m on an 1100 and it`s in bits at the mo so I`m looking to give her a makeover that`s why I asked before I brought another set of bars.Plus another thing iv just moved house and the side gate/enterance to my shed is too narrow on the bars iv got.Thanks.

you could try the 1200 bars they are shorter, if you have some already then you Tony has the right idea :-)

I have solved the gate problem, i have made a small door in the adjoining fence that opens to let the bike out :-)

Tuono bars, I believe are a tad shorter, and may work. Later Sport bars (2008 on) are also shorter and have a higher rise. Plug and Pray time!

Mana bars were a popular swap out. I've got a set of Rizomas on mine with Stelvio bar end weights. The bars are narrower and the weights are longer so the width remains about the same as a stock 1200 but the controls and grips are in narrower. Combined with Onur's risers, lowered pegs and the Corbin seat it's close to perfect for me but I'm enormously fat and have tiny little legs so it's not likely to work for *Normal* shaped people.

Pete

I thought about changing the 1100 bars but to keep the OE end weights you need bars that a have a M6 insert inside them to screw the weights to. Or buy hollow bars and make inserts, which I did on my old 1200 Sport.
It may be possible with a longer M6 bolts to use expanding raw bolts to hold the end weights in place in hollow bars, but I haven't got that far yet. If this is possible the OE 1100 bars could be shortened and painted black for a makeover.

I've drilled & tapped my last two sets of bars to accept the standard Aprilia threaded inserts.

That sounds good Mark, what size drill, tap and insert part numbers?

Drill bit: 16.5mm
Tap: 18mm x 1.5
Insert part # AP8121520

I think the 1200 bars are a great width to retain that feeling of being able to manhandle the bike around and better for me at least than the OE 1100 bars previously fitted, which together with the huge bar end weights meant I acted like a sail. Also impacted on filtering which we appear to do a lot of in the UK.

I fitted slim end weights which are lighter but combined with softer and shaped grips seem to iron out the buzzy end of the vibes, at least for me. A lot slimmer overall than the OE 1100 set up.

Peter