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Changed Bars, Improved Handling

By grayracer513,
in YZ400F/426F/450F/450FX

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ForceTen

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Interesting. One question for those who are running this bar setup is that I don't think it's so much your overall body height, but more your torso length. For those running these bars, would you consider yourself tall in the torso?

I have my stock bars still on my '07 450F, but for trail riding and harescrambles, I went with the ProTaper woods. They're very narrow (about 2" narrower than stock), taller and a little swept back. They're very comfortable to ride with, but for MX I'll switch back to normal bars as these also have the ProBends on them. My stock bars are very slightly bent, so I might give the Windham bend a try.

Regarding my height question, I'm 6'1" but have a 31" inseam for comparison.

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grayracer513
grayracer513

I always find it interesting when I teach myself something I already knew. Last week I switched on a set of Pro Taper Contours in the Windham bend, replacing a pair of Henry/Reed bends by the same m

  • 2 months later...
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sacfelix

Posted
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I just switched from the stockers on my 06 YZ450f to the Reed bend pro taper bars and after 1 ride, I'm taking them back and swapping them for the YZ high. I could not get use to them even after a 5 hour ride. My question is, How much different is the YZ high bend compared to the CR high bend? I ride trails 95% of the time and just cant find a comfortable set of bars after I bent the stock ones.

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Windseeker

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A bit off topic, but still the handlebar height issue.

After installing the Scotts dampers (under the handlebar installation) my bars flew up to about 6 cm. For enduro rides that was perfect for me (5'7" or 170 cm) to ride standing.

For my recent little hobby of local mx racing that's way too tall (I am glad I am able to understand it now). The damper is way too cool a gadget for a novice mx racer to dump (saved me from crashing numerous times during recent 2 months).

Is there a way to lower the bars without moving the damper up or to the front fender? I guess not - my maybe there is some mechanic wizardry.... ?

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dirty_jenny

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Interesting. One question for those who are running this bar setup is that I don't think it's so much your overall body height, but more your torso length. For those running these bars, would you consider yourself tall in the torso?

I have my stock bars still on my '07 450F, but for trail riding and harescrambles, I went with the ProTaper woods. They're very narrow (about 2" narrower than stock), taller and a little swept back. They're very comfortable to ride with, but for MX I'll switch back to normal bars as these also have the ProBends on them. My stock bars are very slightly bent, so I might give the Windham bend a try.

Regarding my height question, I'm 6'1" but have a 31" inseam for comparison.

You will LOVE the windham bend! I just put a set of Renthal twin wall with the Windham bend and just love them already. I am 5'9, cornering with them is incredible, I got used to standing by days end with the new bar, but I cant tell if I should put them foward or a notch back. Need to play around with the set up. Just FYI, skip Maxis tires, not to happy with the Maxis I just put on.

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yz007f

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I'm 6'2 and love the Twinwall Renthals windham bend. I also run a RG3 triple clamp and up and forward mounts they work awsome on my 09' 450. I have a set of Pro Taper reed bend bars that are hooked to my work out machine.. They are better than a stock yamaha bend but I wouldn't run them. I'm a really picky rider when it comes to bar postion and bend and I fell i love with the windham bend...

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grayracer513

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Is there a way to lower the bars without moving the damper up or to the front fender? I guess not - my maybe there is some mechanic wizardry.... ?

A Pair od Pro Taper Universal Low bends will take 10-15mm off your bar height if you're using the original '08 YZ bars, maybe more.
You will LOVE the windham bend! I just put a set of Renthal twin wall with the Windham bend and just love them already. I am 5'9, cornering with them is incredible, I got used to standing by days end with the new bar, but I cant tell if I should put them foward or a notch back. Need to play around with the set up.
When you stand and ride hard, do you find yourself fairly comfortable in standing in a well balanced position, or do you lean back and hang on the bars? Do you find yourself resting your weight on the grips instead?

If you "hang back", move the bars forward. If you "stand on your hands", move them back. If the bars are about right, you should be able to feel fairly relaxed and balanced while standing.

I believe that the effect that I and some others have noted from the Windhams on the '06 steering response is because the grips are moved well forward by this bend, changing the arc your hands move through, and the feedback you get from the front wheel, along with letting you comfortably sit farther up on the front.

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dirty_jenny

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A Pair od Pro Taper Universal Low bends will take 10-15mm off your bar height if you're using the original '08 YZ bars, maybe more.

When you stand and ride hard, do you find yourself fairly comfortable in standing in a well balanced position, or do you lean back and hang on the bars? Do you find yourself resting your weight on the grips instead?

If you "hang back", move the bars forward. If you "stand on your hands", move them back. If the bars are about right, you should be able to feel fairly relaxed and balanced while standing.

I believe that the effect that I and some others have noted from the Windhams on the '06 steering response is because the grips are moved well forward by this bend, changing the arc your hands move through, and the feedback you get from the front wheel, along with letting you comfortably sit farther up on the front.

You know, I am not quite sure, I will pay attention to it Saturday when I ride and try to adjust. I have to admit, once I got used to the new bars today, it was the most relaxed I have ever felt riding my machine, so maybe they are about right, I am gonna try to figure out this weekend, I will give you an update!

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  • 2 weeks later...
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gtxkid

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I was just looking thru and seen you guys talking about this.

I am also going back to the Windom bars.

I am 6' tall an have been using Henry/ Reed.

I went to the TGT bar subtank system and do not like there YZ bend of there bars.

It has also been suggested to me by the suspention guys at the track to go with a bar of up to 5mm higher for my height.

Greg

Wondering about the pro taper triple clamp (It is Adjustabe i think)

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