Handlebar Setup - Get A Grip! | How To Set Up Dirt Bike Handle Bars - Do's and Don'ts of Hand Guards

Getting a firm grip on your dirt bike is mission critical to feeling comfortable on your motorcycle. But finding the best grip on your handlebars is not as simple as it may seem. Underlying factors such as flex, rigidity and vibration can affect how well your hands can hang on to the bars. And if you can't hang on with confidence, well then... you're going nowhere fast.
It's only due to a lot of trial and error through years of riding that I've come to understand this better. As a female rider, I have always struggled with front-end setup and getting a firm grip on my handlebars. My hands have always been my weak point, and through years of trying to get stronger and find ways to be more comfortable at the grips, I finally learned what works best with handlebar setup. The short answer: treat the cause, not the symptoms of the problem.
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
The problem comes from rigidity, vibration and flex (or lack thereof). These issues come from the front-end setup, and from the handlebar itself. When you're trying out different grips, or better gloves, you're already treating the symptom, and not addressing the cause of the problem, which is the physical setup of your bars.
HOW TO UNDERSTAND HANDLEBAR SETUP:
The standard 7/8-inch steel handlebar is my nemesis. This bar is noticeable by the crossbar that goes across the center, in between your hands. What this crossbar is doing is increasing overall rigidity and increasing the amount of vibration that is is transferred to your hands. What it is also doing is bracing the bar so that it flexes less. It is only flexing from the crossbar mounts, rather than to the bar mounts in the center. This results in a more rigid bar that for me, personally, has always been a struggle to hold onto.
The "oversize bar," which is tapered aluminum, has become a more common dirt bike handlebar in recent years, and hallelujah to that! This bar is recognizable by its shape, skinnier on the ends and fatter in the middle - it tapers toward the outsides. The oversized tapered bar is also recognized by the bar pad, and the lack of a crossbar. It looks like a big pillow in the middle instead of a cylinder shape pad.
Even though aluminum is, by its nature, more rigid than steel, it is due to the shape of the tapered aluminum bar, and the lack of a crossbar, that it allows more flex and better vibration absorption. The result is a much easier and more comfortable feel at the grips.
The difference in between the two handlebars cannot be solved by big cushy grips, or through thick gloves, or through taping up your hands. Trust me - I've done the leg work. If you're trying to get comfortable grips when you have the wrong handlebar setup, you're already trying to treat the symptom and not the cause of the problem.
Another problem could be your hand guards. Are you running metal wrap-around hand guards? If so, remove them immediately and replace them with flag-style handguards. You're welcome. Wrap-around hand guards (unless they are the plastic kind which I'm not even sure they sell anymore), will add even more rigidity to your handlebar. Anytime I ride a bike with these, it immediately sends a buzz to my hands and makes it hard to hang on.
HOW TO PROPERLY SET UP YOUR DIRT BIKE HANDLEBARS:
Try running an oversize tapered aluminum handlebar. This might require you to purchase new bar mounts. Make sure you are allowing your handlebar to flex. Anything that is restricting flex is also going to impact vibration and rigidity in a negative way.
PRO TIP:
Do NOT let anyone else (especially a young, strong, more experienced rider) tell you what you're feeling at the handlebars. If you're having trouble hanging on, be proactive and know what you can do to address the issue. For years, my (male) riding buddies told me there was nothing wrong, just keep riding and eventually get stronger. Well, there's a limit when it comes to my body shape: narrower shoulders and small female hands mean geometry is not on my side. It also means I am MORE SENSITIVE to bar setup than they are. I finally stopped listening to them and listened to what my own body was telling me. Finally finding a comfortable bar setup was a game changer for me. When you're able to get a confident grip on the dirt bike, you can hang on, and... you know... STEER! Kind of mission critical, as I was saying.
I've helped out quite a few lady rider friends over the years with their handlebar setups and hopefully this is helpful to you, too. Thanks for watching, hit me up with any questions and keep twisting that throttle!
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[@workingman1791]

Great video,thank you for sharing

[@allservicescleaning7971]

Thank you! As a small woman this has been a huge factor! I’ve been running those hand guards for years. I’m going back to the other bars and will carry levers for a while just in case. I tip over a lot due to my height.

[@davericketts9101]

Brilliant and very interesting. This video just popped into my suggestion list and I am so glad it did. I love videos like this. Short enough to not be boring and yet long enough to get loads of useful information in. I am actually considering putting hand guards on my road bike, Honda CB500x and I had never considered the possibility of wrap around guards trapping your hand / arm. Thanks. Subscribed. 👍

[@CrossRutted]

Well shucks, Dave. Thanks so much for the kind words! Very glad you enjoyed it and got some good info. We'll have more stuff like this coming. Thank you for watching and subscribing!

[@michaelabernathy7013]

Hi Jean, Very informative. Thanks for the video. Unrelated question: Do you or have you worked for Royal Enfield North America? Perhaps in Human Resources?

[@CrossRutted]

Yes, but not in the HR department.

[@michaelabernathy7013]

@@CrossRutted Thank you!

[@gorilla9519]

California sucks....any updates on red sticker/no sticker. I think it's SB894 now but idk what to buy haha

[@CrossRutted]

Update coming soon, thanks.

[@mitchellhoffman2096]

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