Hi All,

I recently bought a 2006 KLX 250 as a step up from my learner bike (A 1974 Suzuki ts185) and promptly bent the handlebars. All the posts and suggestions I've seen are by larger riders. I'm 5'8" 135 and still feeling very insecure about buying parts. Besides buying the OEM bars, is there a suggestion you could offer? I thought I had landed on the Renthal 7/8 but then I see that there are different bends, and that's where I get totally confused. Any input would be a huge help. Thanks everyone!

 

Grab a hold of the bars and see if they feel right in your hands, holding them like they'd be mounted on the bike. It's how your wrists are. Wrists should be somewhat straight normal. Also realize you can cut up to about 3/4" off of each end, so keep that in mind. I'm 5'6" and a shade heavier (a real big dark shade!) and I've got Renthals, I think maybe CR or KX bend. I like them a bit low and I sit forward on the bike closer to the gas tank. Realize too, Renthals and others make bends that are popular - aka comfortable - with riders. Thus the CR type and KX type bends.

You could go with a set of low cost steel bars in a given bend and if you don't like them you don't have a bunch of money in them. That's the nice part about bars - they are replaceable not permanent.

Lots of riders like high bars for more upright position when standing. Personally I don't, but that's my style. When I'm off road I'm not always standing like some. Over a lot of years I find I like lower rise MX bars. If you want to try higher bars you can go to ATV bars, same bars just higher rise and again in steel you aren't spending a fortune.

After you put on a set of bars ride for a while and see how you like them. Don't go with my or anyone else's preferences and think they're right for you. Find out what you like using low buck bars, then when you want to blow the big bucks on bars or other set ups you know what you really like.

 

Good advice above.

By the way, I would recommend you post in the KLX specific section. It has a lot more traffic and most people only read there.

Welcome to the board

 

Welcome to the forums. I'm still running the stock bars, I've dropped the bike slightly a couple of times, but never bent them, but I hear good things about after market ones.