Handlebar Height for short folks

[Bruce Monighan]

I was pretty stunned with the height off the ground of the handlebars when I first got the bike.  Inches higher than my Super Tenere.  Riding it they seems well laid out but then I started lowering the bike for my shorth height an inseam.  Now that I have the lowering links and a lower seat the bars seem high.  The mounting stems are over 3" in height and shorter ones would seem ideal bit nobody seems to address that in the aftermarket.  The alternative is a lower rise bar but I like the shape of the stock bars.

 

Question: anybody source a lower rise bar they like and how much lower?  Anyone know if bolt-on riser from any other Yamaha (or other brand) would bolt up.  Would like to be an 1" lower in total rise.

[Toei]

I don’t have an answer but the thought occurred to me recently as well.  I like my positioning on the bike in stock form, and I especially like the bars.  I’ll probably end up getting a one piece, lower seat from Seat Concepts when they are available for better off-road confidence.  But given how I feel now the bars will likely feel tall at that point.  Really I wish someone would offer a low seat that isn’t as drastically lower as they’ve been doing.  
 

I tried changing risers on my former XSR and wished I hadn’t as it didn’t work out and I lost money.  So I’m inclined to think you’re on the right track exploring bars first.  

[powder]

I feel exactly the same, short rider here using factory low seat. Standing up the bars are very good, but sitting down with the lower seat, it feels like a chopper. 

I would ideally like to lower and pull back closer. Didn't find any risers so far that will do the job. 

I went to the Renthal site to check handlebars but it appears that the OEM is already very low and almost no bars are lower, at least in Renthal. 

[Wizbang]

I am also a shorter rider 170cm, I have the OEM lower seat and lowering link on order.

I have rolled the bars towards the rider and rolled the controls away from the rider a touch. 

All feels pretty good, sitting and standing but agree the bars feel high while standing next to the bike, walking it one way or another.

Nice to have options to make the bike fit like a glove.

[Toei]

I discovered that Renthal has the stock T7 bar dimensions in their bar comparison tool:  

Renthal® : WorksFit™ Handlebar Comparison Tool

 

 

Hopefully those numbers are accurate.  I didn't see anything promising to the needs of this thread from Renthal, but I did from the ProTaper Contour bar.  The Contour Universal Low looks very close to the stock bar shape but is 17mm lower.  The ratio of rise to overall height is close, and the sweep is exactly the same.  The Woods Low has some more sweep, but a very high rise in relation to height, which will be a very different shape.  

 

Of course these bars won't have threaded ends like the OEM bar.  

 

[CamT]

Has anyone tried the Rox Bar Risers? 

 

I'm running the factory low seat but find that on long rides I want to sit upright in the seat, but I have short arms. So for me I'm not sure lower bars are the issue. It seems I would need bar risers, but the ability to angle the bars towards me. Thus bringing them to closer to me (instead of leaning forward into the bars when sitting now). To sit at a posture that doesn't hurt my back, my arms are dead straight and I think I need some riser height/angle to get a slight bend in my arms.

 

Anyone else have an issue like this?

 

 

 

 

Just a moment...

 

[Mudchute]

I've found exactly the same things as Powder. I've got the RRP 40mm lowering links on and the OEM low seat and yes, the bike does feel like a chopper, the ergo's are now plain wrong. Ideally, I'd like a lower, narrower bar with increased backwards rake (if that's the right term). I've see the Protaper "steering damper low" mentioned elsewhere on the forum - 32mm lower than stock, though may still need to come back a bit... This might be the answer https://www.rally-raidproducts.co.uk/yamaha-t7-bar-riser-low-lower-short

 

Edited October 4, 2022 by Mudchute