When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Ah, one of my favorite aspects of riding.........APES!
I'm 5'8" and have 2 full riding seasons under my chaps (hee hee ). Last summer, CNC Wheel Guy and I put apes on our 05 Deluxe's. He had them first on his and I took it for a ride. I was very nervous at first and they did feel uncomfortable...for about a minute! I love them and so does my physical therapist. I never have a knot in my neck and the have helped me with physical therapy for my lower back. I have 14" Wild One Chubby's with a 2" riser. CNC has 18" Nash Gimp hangers with a 2" riser. I am now getting ideas for my 06 Street Glide. I'm thinking of Monkey Bagger Bars (Yaffee) or Cyclesmiths. Anyone have any experience with either of them?
LOVE MT 18" GANGSTER APES, WOULDNT TRADE EM FOR ANYTHING. BIKE HAD BEACH BARS WHEN I GOT IT, THEY HAD TO GO. BIKE IS WAY MORE STABLE WITH THESE. I HAVE WAY MORE CONTROL CAUSE THE BEACH BARS HIT ME BEFORE FULL LOCK
Although my one pet peeve, if they arent 16's or bigger, they arent apes. There is no such thinga as a 13.5 oe 14inch ape, if its not shoulder height or higher, they are just hadnlebars
I have had apes on my last two bikes...and every bike I buy will have them...they are so comfortable...you wont know till you try them ...oh and they look sweet to
I think mine, which are factory 12" apes, are very comfortable. It's probably a mental thing you just couldn't get shake or maybe your height and arm length didn't fit the bars.
I have a 2007 roadking with 18" ape hangers and I absolutely love them. My last harley was a softail, it had 20" ape hangers and I loved them also. My hands never go numb and they are extremely comfortable on long rides. They are a little tricky at parking lot speeds until you get used to them, I'm 5'9". I plan on getting a second harley as soon as my finances get a little better. I'll probably get a nighttrain or a nightster and i'll put apes on that also.
I've got a 99 RK and stock bars - my hands go numb on those things - I'm not sure it really is a matter of height as much as it is a matter of corporal tunnel syndrome or circulation issues. I've been looking at adding at least 14" apes but I'd like to try them before putting 'em on my bike.. They DO look remarkable!!
I've got a question for you guys who ride without the windshield. I use a half helmet (one of those beenie helmets with a little front visor) when I ride. I tried riding without my windshield and that helmet turned into a PARACHUTE!! Over 40MPH and I was strangling myself LOL!! I was also having trouble even HEARING my motor and forget about hearing anything else other than wind noise!!
How do you guys do it??
Last edited by rk99; Oct 16, 2008 at 10:34 PM.
Reason: add a related question..
Ah, one of my favorite aspects of riding.........APES!
I'm 5'8" and have 2 full riding seasons under my chaps (hee hee ). Last summer, CNC Wheel Guy and I put apes on our 05 Deluxe's. He had them first on his and I took it for a ride. I was very nervous at first and they did feel uncomfortable...for about a minute! I love them and so does my physical therapist. I never have a knot in my neck and the have helped me with physical therapy for my lower back. I have 14" Wild One Chubby's with a 2" riser. CNC has 18" Nash Gimp hangers with a 2" riser. I am now getting ideas for my 06 Street Glide. I'm thinking of Monkey Bagger Bars (Yaffee) or Cyclesmiths. Anyone have any experience with either of them?
I had 16" apes on my road king put nearly 60,000 miles with them on no problems very comfortable. Traded it for an 07 SG, wanted apes for the SG. Sat on an SG with yaffe bars and they felt pretty good, ended up getting a set of Paoucho Z bars because they were 15" high with a 40" width, worst bars I have ever had. they are 15" high but drop down 8" and put my wrist in an uncomfortable position plus I had to modify them a bit to fit properly on the bike. I am 5' 9"
I paid $240.00 for them if you would like to have them PM me and I will give them to you for the price of what it costs to ship. had them on the SG for a month they are black.
To each his own, as said it's a thing you won't understand if you have to ask. I can't imagine riding with them, but more power to those who do. Enjoy your ride is all that matters.
Slideshow: Jason Momoa's latest restoration project blends 1920s Harley-Davidsons with modern electric technology, creating some of the most unusual hybrid motorcycles ever built.
Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom
Slideshow: Killer Custom's latest build relies on styling changes rather than performance upgrades, giving the cruiser an entirely different personality.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.