Bar Ends - Original HEAVY or new light Aluminium ones?

Tempest · Post by **Tempest** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:54 am

Just fitted the original Clipons back onto my Firestorm but I only have one original Bar End.

It's one of the proper HEAVY black Honda ones.

Now, on a different forum (talking about a different bike) there was a lot of talk about the benefits of heavy bar ends, making things stable etc etc....

I'm not sure if I should spend some time hunting down another original heavy honda one (which may take some time, as people don't seem to have spare bar ends just lying around)

Or just go onto Ebay and buy some new Honda fit Aluminium ones, which will probably not even weigh 1/4 of the originals.

So, wondering if there is any good reason to stick with the originals.

I mean, I guess they must make them HEAVY for a good reason?

VTRbob · Post by **VTRbob** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 10:11 am

i think they are heavy to suppress the vibrations,go for the stainless ones they look good & keep numb hands away.

Stormin Ben · Post by **Stormin Ben** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 10:23 am

I've got lightweight ones in and don't suffer from vibey hands
Mind you I never have a really tight grip on the bars either which I think help a lot too

Bear in mind the Honda ones screw into bloomin great weights inside the clip on. Is yours just an empty tube coz if its not, the aftermarket ones aren't gonna fit

Tempest · Post by **Tempest** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 10:50 am

Thanks for the replies.

No, mine are not empty tubes, so I don't want any of those aftermarket ones that expand into a hole as you do the screw up (kinda thing)

There is a Ebay'er that's going ones (Honda style) which fit the same as the originals (the half circle cut out thing) to screw into the bars, but again, these are made from lightweight Aluminium.

Funny,as you'd think a BIG supplier would want to offer them in both Ally and Steel.

To be honest, they're not rocket science, and I could (given the time and will) make them at work.

We could on our machine made loads out of Titanium Bar is anyone wanted to place a large enough order

But for me it would be lathe, drills, surface grinder, polishing shop.
and trying to sneek it in between times when I should be working!

If someone has one they don't want for a fiver, it's a hell of a lot easier!

I have also asked on some other bike forums about the weight on bar ends, and the feeling seems to be about 75% heavy are better as they dampen vibration, and 25% have fitted lighter ones and made no noticable difference.

Personally I'd like to stick with an Original end, but it's finding one 2nd hand as they are normally only the things you change when they are damaged.

Stratman · Post by **Stratman** » Sat Aug 19, 2006 4:49 pm

I had lightweight ones but I replaced them with the originals and they are much better - also, when you yake your hand off the bar for a stretch at 30mph or whatever, I used to get a bit of shaking handlebars but not with the heavier bar ends back

Tempest · Post by **Tempest** » Sun Aug 20, 2006 9:52 pm

Stratman wrote:I had lightweight ones but I replaced them with the originals and they are much better - also, when you yake your hand off the bar for a stretch at 30mph or whatever, I used to get a bit of shaking handlebars but not with the heavier bar ends back

Thanks.
I'm going to stick with Genuine ones (one way or another)

Bonart · Post by **Bonart** » Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:56 pm

Why not try the R&G ones. I got some from ebay and didn't notice any difference from the originals.
Got mine from ebay for about Â£25 inc postage. This ad also sells them.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/R-G-Bar-Ends-Hond ... dZViewItem

Not sure what the originals cost from Honda though.