Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Rox Risers and Tusk fat bars

In search of better ergonomics, I scoured the Interweb to explore my options. I got rid of the OEM handlebars long ago, and I've been using Renthal CR high bend bars, made a little higher with a 6 fat washers loaded under the bar clamps (and longer bolts). It was an improvement, but I couldn't help but feel the handlebars needed to be moved forward (not just higher). I was also interested in getting rid of the cross-bar. Riding on the road, comfort was fine. Rather, the improvement I was hoping to achieve was for those times I am standing on the pegs wrestling the bike over rocky trails. I especially noticed this on steep uphill climbs.

So, after much research I placed an order from RockyMountainATV for a pair of 2" Rox Risers and a set of YZ bend Tusk Chub Big Bars 1 1/8" fat bars. It was about $125 for both items. I ordered the Rox Risers that clamp into my existing 7/8" bar clamps, but they have 1 1/8" mounts for fat bars. Going to fat bars would achieve my goal of eliminating the cross bar that is standard on 7/8" aluminum bars.



The Rox Risers allow for plenty of adjustability. You can pivot these suckers at any angle you like in the stock bar clamps. Before mounting them, I removed my ghetto risers (the fat washers), and re-installed the original bolts.

I installed the Rox Risers in quite a forward position, then I mounted the new Tusk fat bars. Feels nice. And standing on the pegs, I don't feel like I'm fighting against my own bodyweight when climbing treacherous rocky hills.




In order to fit the Moose Racing Contour aluminum handguards I've been using with the old 7/8" Renthal bars, I had to order Moose clamps to fit fat bars. Reluctantly, I did so from my local dealer. At $50...just for the inner clamps! I think I paid $60 for the handguard set which included the guards, plastic deflectors, and the 7/8" clamps. Oh well. It's done and my handguards are now mounted.

These fat bars are nice and wide at 31.6". The stock bars are about 29.5" and the Renthals I've been using are about 30.5".  The new fat bars feel nice riding around town, and riding off-road the steering feels light. Better control for sure. The YZ bend is pretty flat and low compared to the CR or KX bends. I was afraid of going too high since the Rox Risers add 2", plus the YZ bars don't have too much pull-back,


RockyMountainATV had a good reference guide on their site. Here's the low down:




Easton EXP
BendWidthHeightPull Back
CR High Bend 31.50" 3.70" 2.40"
CR Mid Bend 31.50" 3.20" 2.20"
Carmichael Bend 31.50" 3.00" 2.20"
Henry/Reed Bend 31.50" 3.60" 2.20"
RM Mid Bend 31.50" 3.90" 2.10"




Fly Racing Aluma-Steel
BendWidthHeightPull Back
ATV F Bend 29.76" 5.51" 4.05"
CR High Bend 31.34" 3.50" 2.12"
Kawasaki/Suzuki Bend 31.49" 2.79" 2.16"
Mini Bend 29.13" 3.77" 1.65"
Vintage Bend 33.07" 6.77" 3.54"
Yamaha Bend 31.61" 3.62" 2.24"




MSR Carbon Steel
BendWidthHeightPull Back
ATV High Bend 31.50" 6.00" 3.94"
ATV Low Bend 31.00" 4.00" 3.62"
CR High Bend 31.63" 4.50" 3.80"
CR Low Bend 32.13" 3.63" 3.50"
CR Mid Bend 32.25" 4.25" 3.38"
KX High Bend 31.50" 4.25" 3.07"
KX Low Bend 31.88" 3.25" 3.38"
Mini High Bend 28.50" 4.60" 2.36"
Mini Low Bend 28.13" 3.71" 2.36"
RM High Bend 31.88" 3.75" 4.13"
YZ High Bend 32.25" 3.88" 3.75"
YZ Low Bend 31.50" 2.64" 2.76"




Pro-Taper Contour
BendWidthHeightPull Back
ATV High Bend 31.50" 4.75" 2.17"
ATV Low Bend 31.50" 3.74" 2.37"
ATV Mid Bend 31.50" 4.25" 2.21"
CR High Bend 31.50" 3.74" 2.37"
CR Mid Bend 31.50" 3.23" 2.24"
Carmichael Bend 31.50" 3.00" 2.17"
Factory Suzuki/KTM Bend 31.50" 3.63" 1.85"
Henry/Reed Bend 31.50" 3.62" 2.24"
KX High Bend 31.50" 4.25" 2.21"
Mini High Bend 30.50" 3.74" 2.00"
Mini Low Bend 30.50" 2.80" 1.85"
Pastrana FMX Bend 30.50" 4.75" 2.17"
Pastrana MX/RM Low Bend 31.50" 2.91" 2.17"
Raptor Bend 30.30" 5.64" 3.41"
Universal Low Bend 31.50" 2.80" 2.17"
Windham MX/RM Mid Bend 31.50" 3.90" 2.13"
Woods High Bend 30.50" 3.74" 2.45"
Woods Low Bend 30.50" 2.80" 2.37"
YZ High Bend 31.50" 3.31" 2.05"




Pro-Taper EVO
BendWidthHeightPull Back
Carmichael Bend 31.50" 3.0" 2.17"
CR High Bend 31.50" 3.74" 2.45"
Henry/Reed Bend 31.50" 3.62" 2.24"
RM Low Bend 31.50" 2.91" 2.17"
Windham/RM Mid Bend 31.50" 3.90" 2.13"
Woods High Bend 31.50" 3.74" 2.56"
YZ High Bend 31.50" 3.31" 2.05"




Pro-Taper SE
BendWidthHeightPull Back
ATV Low Bend 32.00" 5.50" 3.30"
ATV Mid Bend 32.00" 5.90" 3.00"
ATV High Bend 32.00" 6.30" 3.94"
Carmichael Bend 31.50" 3.00" 2.17"
CR Low Bend 31.50" 2.80" 2.68"
CR Mid Bend 31.50" 3.23" 2.36"
CR High Bend 31.50" 3.74" 2.45"
Factory Suzuki Bend 32.00" 3.63" 1.85"
Henry/Reed Bend 31.50" 3.70" 2.17"
Honda Mini Bend 28.75" 4.60" 1.97"
KTM 50 Bend 25.50" 3.15" 1.75"
KX Low Bend 31.50" 2.80" 2.36"
KX High Bend 32.00" 4.25" 3.07"
Kawasaki Mini Bend 28.75" 3.71" 1.97"
Raptor Bend 30.30" 5.63" 3.41"
RM Low Bend 32.00" 2.91" 2.17"
RM High Bend 31.50" 3.23" 2.87"
School Boy High Bend 28.10" 3.46" 1.77"
School Boy Low Bend 28.10" 3.07" 1.85"
Suzuki Mini Bend 28.75" 4.00" 1.97"
Windham/RM Mid Bend 32.00" 3.90" 2.13"
XR50 Bend 28.50" 6.75" 1.75"
YZ Low Bend 31.50" 2.64" 2.76"
YZ High Bend 31.50" 3.31" 2.05"
Yamaha Mini Bend 28.75" 3.90" 2.28"




Renthal Bar
BendWidthHeightPull Back
ATV Honda/Suzuki/Kawaszki Bend 31.10" 5.59" 3.54"
ATV Race Bend 30.51" 4.72" 2.68"
Banshee Bend 30.51" 5.90" 3.93"
89-91 CR Bend 31.29" 3.74" 2.44"
CR Bend 31.30" 3.74" 2.44"
CR Mini Bend 29.13" 3.78" 2.68"
CRF 150R Bend 30.7" 5.43" 1.65"
Fourtrax Bend 30.31" 6.30" 3.86"
KTM Mini Racer Bend 25.28" 3.31" 1.73"
KX Bend 31.69" 3.66" 2.17"
KX Mini Bend 26.57" 3.54" 2.68"
KX/RM Mini Bend 28.82" 3.94" 2.48"
LT-R 450 Bend 31.65" 3.50" 3.23"
Mini Carmichael/Allessi Bend 29.13" 4.65" 1.65"
Mini Racer Bend 30.20" 6.06" 2.76"
Raptor 700 Bend 31.10" 5.55" 3.54"
Raptor Bend 30.90" 5.51" 3.94"
RM Bend 32.05" 3.11" 2.32"
RMZ Bend 31.42" 2.91" 2.28"
Suzuki Quadracer Bend 30.31" 4.72" 3.62"
XR250/600 Bend 31.30" 3.27" 2.95"
04-05 YFZ 450 Bend 30.43" 4.33" 3.82"
06 YFZ 450 Bend 30.70" 4.17" 3.46"
YZ Mini Bend 28.74" 4.06" 2.32"
YZ/WR Bend 31.61" 3.62" 2.24"




Renthal Fat Bars
BendWidthHeightPull Back
ATV Bend 31.29" 3.74" 2.44"
CR High 31.29" 3.74" 2.44"
Carmichael High 31.57" 4.49" 2.13"
R. Carmichael 31.57" 3.89" 2.12"
J. McGrath 31.61" 3.62" 2.24"
KFX 450R Bend 30.26" 3.78" 2.83"
Mini Bend 29.13" 4.65" 1.65"
Universal Low 31.41" 3.15" 2.24"




Renthal Rider Bar
BendWidthHeightPull Back
Carmichael/Windham 31.57" 3.90" 2.13"
J. Button-High Bend 31.77" 4.33" 2.63"
McGrath/Lusk/Stewart 31.61" 3.62" 2.24"




Renthal Twinwall
BendWidthHeightPull Back
CR High Bend 31.29" 3.74" 2.44"
Jeff Emig Bend 31.69" 3.66" 2.16"
Jeremy McGrath Bend 31.69" 3.26" 2.16"
Kevin Windham Bend 31.61" 3.62" 2.24"
Ricky Carmichael Bend 31.57" 3.89" 2.12"
YZ Bend 31.92" 3.34" 1.41"




Tag T2
BendWidthHeightPull Back
Cary Hart 31.50" 3.31" 2.05"
Factory 31.50" 3.62" 1.85"
Ricky Carmichael 31.50" 3.03" 2.05"
Stewart 31.50" 3.31" 2.05"




Trail Tech ATV X-Bar
BendWidthHeightPull Back
Low Bend 31.10" 3.27" 2.44"
Mid Bend 31.10" 3.74" 2.44"
High Bend 31.10" 4.21" 2.44"




Tusk Chub Big Bar
BendWidthHeightPull Back
ATV High Bend 31.5" 4.75" 2.41"
CR High Bend 31.5" 3.75" 2.45"
MX Race Bend 31.6" 2.8" 2.25"
YZ Bend 31.6" 3.5" 2.38"


Tusk T-10
BendWidthHeightPull Back
ATV Sport Model Bend 31.75" 6.25" 3.50"
CR High Bend 32.00" 3.75" 3.00"
CR Mid Bend 32.00" 3.50" 2.50"
KX High Bend 32.25" 4.00" 3.00"
Mini High Bend 29.13" 4.50" 2.75"
Raptor Bend 31.50" 6.25" 4.00"
YZ High Bend 32.00" 3.50" 3.00"