I have a life times experiance in bikes but I dont know if its possable to bend handlebars and if it is which is best for un-chromed bars, hot or cold? The Problem is that my present handlebars are perfect exept for needing a little tweak to the angle of the last section each side, I need to pull the ends back and down by about an inch or so. This is to relieve a slight torsion effect on my left elbow which has a touch of artharitis. I have looked at about a dozen different sets of bars but none achieved the angle I require so modding my existing bars seems to be my best bet but I dont obviously want to do anything to weaken them in any way.

You need a plumber or better still a motorcycling plumber!!

The bars can be bent but you will need the correct tool to do the job or you will get creases in them and it will weaken them. It is possible to bend pipe with a bending spring of the correct diameter for your bars, its inserted to the section that is to be bent and and then slightly over bent then tweeked back which releases the spring. Good luck in your quest!

Hiya, what are the bars made of?

If you do not want to bend/tweak them too much you could use the "old electricians" trick of a length of wood with a hole through it, it can also help to pack the bars (tube) with dry sand to (help) stop the tube from kinking.

I wouldn't! The last thing you want is a bar to fracture whilst you're riding. If you don't get it just right (needs a metalwork expert) then you could have serious problems. It will break when you are putting strain on it!
Be warned. Buy some adjustable bars or do what I did and find a bike that's just right.

If they are Aluminium then i wouldnt bother, it will weaken them and cause fractures. Though as you have said they are chromed i would say that they are steel.

I have straightend bars loads of times if they are only slightly out of line, if they are kinked by the risers or swich gear then i wouldnt bother as the structure will be quite badly compromised.

If i read you right, you just want to adjust them slightly so they are a better fit, if it were me i would get a short length of Scafolding pole and gently tweek the bars till they feel right, but make sure you dont have the scaff pole to close to the risers or you will kink the bars at that point.

To clarify: The bars are steel but not chromed they actually are a pair off of a Pan European as they where closer to my ideal than any others.What I want to do is to bend just the "grip" sections backwards and down by about an inch or so to take the very slight torsion effect of off my left elbow as after a couple of hundred miles the very slight twist becomes an unbearable pain. As they came off a Pan and are currently fitted to my 250 Honda I would think they should be well strong enough to stand a gentle bend, my main question was is it better to heat them up to faciltate the bend or would it be better to bend cold in order not to unduly weaken any temper the bars might have.

Being ex motor trade i would have said applying heat was better if you know any one with an oxy/acetylene kit and a knowledge of what they are doing

Ahhh,.......you`ve obviously seen me working on bikes before then?

The bars are nothing special. Cold drawn seamless tubing, mandrel bent. I would have no qualms about applying a bit of heat if you aren't worried about aesthetics. Careful heating will ensure that they bend where you want them to. Just have to be careful they don't kink.

Kinks on bikes- not a good thing! Unless you want "A lazy Sunday afternoon"! (If you don't get this, you're not over 50!)

Hmm, bending... (Sniigger)

As me and 3 equily stupid people are trying to build a trike, we have bought from fleebay a pipe bender. 2 1/2 tonne with all the gubbins like rollers and the such sh!te to go with it.

If we could be of any help???

Ps. not used them yet....

Job done! I used a plumbers spring inside the bars and heated the outside with a small gas blowtorch then with a piece of piping I just pulled the bars to the angle I wanted. all I have to do now is wait until the roads clear from this snow and then ride a couple of hundred miles to see if its done the job. Thanks for all the advice.




Ps Mr Teapot, if it all goes wrong and the bars snap I guess my pants will look like a "Waterloo sunset"

Well done 835.

"You Really Got Me" there!

if it does go wrong it could be a case of catch me now im falling

Watch out "All day and all of the night!"

Mr Teapot, I know you are a "well respected man" but I would like to point out that I am not "a dedicated follower of fasion" and I am "tired of waiting for you" to come up with a good idea how to bend my bars WHITHOUT kinks. Now my friend Su has done her bars and "Susannah`s still alive" As you must realise "I`m not like everyone else" it effects you living here in "dead end street" so if you could just "set me free" from this trying to use Kinks song titles in such a serious question

Ok! I'll "Give the people what they want" "Around the dial" before they get "Killers Eyes" and become "Predictable" and end up giving me "A Little Bit of Abuse" and being "Destroyer"'s I'm "Crying". "It's Over" Oh No! I'm onto Roy Orbison now!