How dramatic of a change is it to go from 16" apes to something like Wild 1 WO500 drag bars?

 

Not knowing what you ride, the carlini bag drag bars have served me well on my breakout. Probably the most comfortable bars I've used.

 

I rode a friends fatboy with similar drag bars. Handling was good but my lower back started hurting. I got back on my bike and and no more back pain. Main reason I went to Apes.

 

It took a little getting used to when I started riding my sport bike (no ape hangers, mid controls) with all the muscle aches. I think that has more to do with the muscles not being stretched properly.

 

Carlini freeway bars, something to thnk about depending on the width you're looking for.
B&R would be another option depending on your budget.
I slapped the 1 1/2 freeways on my Fatboy and was pleased even though they were 35" width. Comfortable bars. This time around thinking B&R apes on this Deluxe.
EDIT: photo of the Fatboy with the Carlini freeways

 

IF I used drag bars, they would be on tall risers. Just saying...

 

I recently swapped my 14" Carlini Gangsters to 7" Carlini Clean Sweeps. I've ridden it a considerable distance and it didn't take much for me to get use to, nor have I experienced any lower back pain.


I'm very happy with my bars.

 

Low bars take a little getting used to, if you haven't used them much before. I wouldn't dream of going back though even to semi-apes. Hint: Most of the long-distance comfort bikes (touring bikes) come stock with rather low bars.

If your back hurts, a few "try to touch your toes" stretches every morning should take care of it.

 

I've had drag bars on my this and my last bike. The thing I hate about my Breakouts bars is they're so wide, like 6" longer on each side, than my Blackline. Yeah, the BO front wheels bigger but if I could, I'd get some that were narrower.

As for ape hangers...I see them on more than half the bikes on the road.

 

Comfort is in the eye of the beholder. My Heritage with mini apes, if you call them that, my back got stiff after about an hour. I found myself "slumping" while riding. I switched to Knuckle bars, and now my back doesn't hurt at all. My shoulder did hurt the first couple of rides but it hasn't since. I lean slightly forward and they are 36.5" wide. Rode 3-4 hours last Friday to Nashville and back and was fine. My *** did hurt alittle but I'm pretty certain its this butt bucket seat I put on it...