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HeliBars Blog

~ It's all about the comfort!

HeliBars Blog

Category Archives: BMW

New Arrival!!!

26 Tuesday Feb 2019

Posted by cindyeddy in BMW, comfortable handlebars, Goldwing, Harley Davidson, Helibars - Other Handlebars, HeliBars FAQs, Honda, Horizon, Kawasaki, Other Engineering Projects

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We are happy to announce that we have acquired new (for us) equipment which will allow us to expand our product line.
Introducing the SOCO 5-axis CNC Production Tubing Bender with enough tooling to be really creative! We will be introducing vintage style bent handlebars with our own HeliBar ergonomic touch. The first to be introduced will be for the BMW K1600B Bagger…coming soon!

43.804798 -70.801173

Going to Laconia Bike Week?

01 Monday May 2017

Posted by cindyeddy in BMW, Events and Rallies, F6B, FJR1300, GL1800, Goldwing, Harley Davidson, HeliBar Open House, Helibars - Other Handlebars, Honda, Horizon, Kawasaki, Laconia Bike Week, Laconia Motorcycle Week, Motorcycle Expo 2017, Motus, Uncategorized, Yamaha

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Tags

BMw, Comfort, Cornish, handlebars, Harley Davidson, helibars, honda, Kawasaki, Laconia Harley Davidson, moto guzzi, motorcycle, Motus, performance, Suzuki, triumph, Victory

Welcome to HeliBars

Whether you call it Bike Week, Laconia Motorcycle Week or Motorcycle Expo 2017, it happens in a gorgeous area we’re pleased to call home.  If your plans include heading to New Hampshire for some amazing riding, do yourself a favor and check out Cornish, Maine in the foothills of the White Mountains. Cornish is located 50 miles east of Meredith NH (home of Laconia Harley Davidson), and 2 hours north of Boston. And what better excuse for a ride than a visit to our Open House, June 9 through 17th!

We want to show you where HeliBars are made, give you a shop tour, offer raffle prizes and introduce you to the wonders of riding in this beautiful area. We’ll be offering daily specials, free installations of our products (some restrictions apply) and some special surprises! If that’s not enough, we’ll be serving free lunch everyday! Join us for camaraderie, motorcycling, tire kicking and fun.

HeliBars was started out of a passion to produce motorcycle handlebars that provide the highest degree of both performance and comfort.  With an obsession to extract the most enjoyment possible while riding, we believe you should finish your ride because you’re satisfied, not because you’re in pain!

NEW: HeliBars for BMW R1200RT Liquid Cooled

08 Friday Apr 2016

Posted by helibarsblog in BMW, R1200RT

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Tags

BMw, BMW R1200RT, Handlebar Risers, Liquid Cooled, Replacement Handlebars

HeliBars® Replacement Handlebar  for the BMW R1200RT Liquid Cooled years 2014 onwards

Our new RT handlebars are the result of a dedicated understanding of ergonomics, increasing rider comfort while improving performance (and always considering safety). This philosophy has been in place for almost 30 years, and contributes significantly to highly refined products developed with crystal clear engineering.  Consider these features, and not cost, when choosing an ergonomic update for your RT:

#1  HeliBars utilizes low carbon steel components that are meticulously machined and welded together to form a single handlebar tube assembly.  Finish is an ultra UV resistant powder coat, matched to the stock silver to give it a seamless appearance

#2  HeliBars added an anti-rotation device that assures the handlebar will not rotate in it’s mount should the mounting bolt loosen.  While proper torquing and the use of blue medium strength Loctite should assure this never happens, we respect Murphy’s law and have included this safety feature so our customers can ride with peace of mind.

#3  Quick, perfect alignment of the handlebars during installation.  Another benefit of our anti-rotation devices is their ability to position and perfectly mirror both left & right handlebars in the correct position.

#4  We’ve included a stock “handlebar extractor” tool as well as blue Loctite, making it a complete and simple installation.

#5 The numbers (compared to stock handlebar position):

  • 1 3/4″ taller
  • 1 1/4″ closer to the rider
  • 1/2 degree increase in downward angle at the end of the bar for a more natural wrist angle
  • Width increased to 30 1/2 inches (from 28.5 inches), this is GS/GSA spec width

This makes the RT feel 100lbs lighter! The additional width DRAMATICALLY improves your low speed handling and control, increasing your long distance comfort!

We think when you try these HeliBars you will agree that they are the best ergonomic solution for your BMW R1200RT!

If that’s not enough detail, here’s more:

  • All original cables and hydraulic lines are retained
  • Durable silver powdercoat finish
  • Exceptional build quality backed by a 30 day money back satisfaction guarantee
  • P/N: HB05106
  • Retail Price:  $329.00

Now Available: HeliBars for 2015 S1000RR

10 Thursday Sep 2015

Posted by helibarsblog in BMW, Helibars - Other Handlebars

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Tags

BMw, Clip-ons, Comfort, Control

IMG_0030

HeliBars is pleased to announce it’s latest offering:  HeliBars for the 2015 S1000RR.  It took some time to locate a motorcycle for R&D, however, Jaoa of Massachusetts was generous enough to take a drive to Maine and help us with our project.

 TS05099_web-1-2__06503_zoom

HeliBars TracStar™ replacement one piece aluminum bars for the BMW S1000RR.

  • All original cables and hydraulic lines are retained and bar end weights are accepted
  • Exceptional build quality backed by a 30 day money back satisfaction guarantee
  • 1.7″ (42.5mm) taller**
  • 0.8″ (20mm) rearward**
  • 1″ (25mm) wider**

**Please note that these are the true measurements taken at the wrist position, not at the fixing point or fork or triple clamp, the shape and angles of the HeliBars product give the final result required and indicated in the product description.

In stock now and ready to ship!

HeliBars for the K1600GT/GTL in the Press

26 Thursday Dec 2013

Posted by helibarsblog in BMW, Horizon

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Tags

adjustable handlebars, adjustable motorcycle handlebars, BMw, Maine made

IMG_1255

Check out the latest article on HeliBars for the K1600GT/GTL!

Road Runner Feb-2014 K1600

HeliBars for Re-creation/Recreation: It’s all about the fun!

28 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by goddessoftheoffice in BMW, F6B, FJR1300, GL1800, Goldwing, Harley Davidson, HeliBars FAQs, Honda, Horizon, Kawasaki, Yamaha

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A recent article in the Powersports Business Magazine (September 9, 2013 edition, online October 4, 2013) had us all talking here in the office.  Why do we make HeliBars?  We say it’s because we want people to ride for the “long haul” and enjoy “comfort without compromise” because people should be able to follow their passion (for motorcycling) without pain.   It’s because we love the feel of the open road.  It’s how we recharge our batteries from working all day.   And because there is no greater joy than traveling this great country from the back of a motorcycle and seeing all the beautiful sites while riding through the wind.  All of this is echoed in the article we read.

The article is by Hal Ethington entitled, For recreation or play, never forget about ‘The Why’

We hope you enjoy it!

HeliBars Review: TrackDayMag.com

31 Friday May 2013

Posted by helibarsblog in BMW, Helibars - Other Handlebars, HeliBars FAQs, Uncategorized

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Tags

BMw, helibars, Motorcycle Handlebars, performance, S1000RR, track performance, TracStar

Heli-Bars on a Track Bike?

postdateiconThursday, 30 May 2013 20:58 | postauthoriconWritten by Morris “Mo” Maduro | Print

We see if comfortable equals fast

What are they?

Heli-Bars is a well known company which specializes in producing motorcycle handlebars that are more comfortable than stock.  Their emphasis has been primarily on making machines more suitable for long distance riding but now they also feature a line called TracStar, which is aimed at the sportbike crowd.  The big question when testing a product like this is obvious.  Does improving street comfort come at the expense of racetrack efficiency?

Heli_bar_instructionsInstallation

The installation of these bars was very straightforward. In fact, this is listed as a direct stock replacement, which means that no other parts should be necessary to do the install.  We found this to be absolutely true.  A glossy color spread of instructions is included.  There are very accurate photos of each step of the process, along with supporting text.  There were no surprises and the entire job from parking to riding the bike took less than ninety minutes.  We recommend following their instructions to the letter, including the one about placing/stuffing a rag around the work area.  Besides protecting from scratches, this step may help you to avoid having to remove body work to retrieve a screw if you happen to drop one at the wrong spot.  Our installation time does not include a trip to the hardware store, where we bought a 36 mm socket for the triple clamp bolt and a small #8 Torx bit that was thin enough along its stem to fit into a severely recessed hole.

What they do

The normal way of making a sportbike more comfortable involves bar risers, which are essentially lifting blocks for the handlebars.  This has always seemed contradictory, since a lot of engineering gets violated when you move the handlebars to a different location.  The Heli Bars kit for the BMW S1000RR attacks the problem a different way, by setting the downward slope of the clip-ons at a shallower angle.  These bars made the position feel closer to that of a sport touring riding position while maintaining the look and feel of a sport bike.  In fact, experienced riders would not immediately recognize that these are aftermarket bars, especially since the mounting points and manufacturing style are identical to the OEM pieces.  Compared to the very steep angle of the stock bars, the modified slope of the Heli-Bars results in a bar end that is a full two inches higher than stock.  That two inches is enough to make a significant difference.  The results are a more upright riding position and a more natural position of the hand and forearm.

Street testing

To test the bike with the new bars, we conducted before and after riding sessions over the same one hour loop, Heli_bar_vs_stockwhich included surface streets, highway miles and twisties.  The first thing noticed was increased confidence when maneuvering on surface streets around congested traffic.  This was the result of both the added leverage and the slightly more upright position.  The second  obvious improvement was that the bars promoted a proper riding position, putting the forearms closer to parallel with the ground and the elbows at about the same height as the hands.  Once into the curves, flicking the bike into a corner was definitely easier and the bars engendered more confidence going around blind turns.  The result was that Heli-Bars encouraged a faster pace through curves, high speed sweepers and switchback on-ramps.  As you would expect, highway comfort was vastly improved. S1000RR riders regularly complain that their hands and wrists get numb within about 20 minutes of riding.  (Which incidentally, is the length of an average trackday session.)  We too had experienced this with the stock pieces but that numbness did not occur when riding with the Heli-Bars.  The noticed improvement in street comfort alone would have been enough to justify switching to these bars but we still had a track test to perform.

Track Testing

Autobahn Country Club, in Joliet, Illinois, was where we conducted the track portion of this review.  The Full Course at this facility has 23 turns so there was plenty of opportunity to experience the bars in a variety of different cornering situations.  We’d ridden here a few months previously with the stock bars, which provided a frame of reference for comparison.  On the track we noticed that it felt much more natural to drape our outside Heli_bar_vs_stock_2arm over the gas tank. It was also easier to experiment with different entry points, as the added leverage of the Heli-Bars provided extra confidence when flicking the bike into turns.  Switchback transitions were also made with less effort. The pavement was wet for a few of these sessions, giving us the opportunity to see how the bars performed in catching a slide. Even at this extreme, the Heli-Bars were very predictable and showed no tendency to make us overcorrect.  In fact, there was nowhere on the track that we found ourselves wishing we had the original-equipment bars.

For both road and track use, these Heli-Bars proved their worth.  In every environment, the big BMW was a more comfortable and better behaved motorcycle.  This $319.00 improvement quite literally transformed the bike’s ergonomics, making it much nicer to live with no matter what environment it was used in or how aggressively it was ridden.  Here at TrackdayMag.com, we’re used to sacrificing comfort to get better performance.  In this case, much to our surprise, it was upping our comfort level that increased performance!

Recent Posts

  • New Arrival!!!
  • Going to Laconia Bike Week?
  • On the LOOKOUT: Need Bikes for R&D!
  • NEW: HeliBars for BMW R1200RT Liquid Cooled
  • HeliBars’ Harry Top 10 Countdown: Must haves for your Motorcycle enjoyment! Day 10

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