When you've been searching into a kraus t bar road glide setup, you've probably realized that the share ergonomics on the Harley touring bicycle can feel the bit like you're reaching for a fridge door while sitting on a couch. It's not exactly the most "active" riding position. For yrs, the move was to just throw several massive ape hangers on there and contact it per day, but things have changed. The performance bagger scene has totally flipped the software, and Kraus Motor Co. is pretty very much at the center of that motion.
I keep in mind the first period I sat on a Road Glide with a full Kraus front end. It didn't also feel as if the same bike. Rather than experiencing like I had been guiding a boat through the back seat, I felt such as I used to be actually on best associated with the front wheel. That's the magic of switching in order to T-bars, specifically when you use high-quality components that are usually actually engineered intended for the weight of a 800-pound machine.
Why Many people are Making the Switch
The key reason individuals go for the kraus t bar road glide combo isn't simply because it looks "cool" (though, let's be honest, it looks incredibly aggressive). It's about control. If you have your hands situated higher and closer to your body, you have way even more leverage over the particular front end.
On the stock Road Glide, those pulled-back pubs can feel a bit vague when you're pushing through a tight part. With a T-bar setup, especially with Kraus's isolated risers, that vagueness simply disappears. You're erect, the back is straight, and your arms are in an all natural height. This stops that annoying mid-back ache that kicks in right after about an hour on the highway.
Plus, there's the vibration factor. Harley engines shake—that's area of the charm—but you don't necessarily want that buzzing in your own palms for three hundred miles. Kraus uses a particular bushing design in their risers that kills the high-frequency hype without making the particular bars feel "mushy. " It's a fine line to walk, and they nailed it.
The particular "Secret Sauce" Elements
You can't purchase any unique group of bars and expect them to work perfectly upon a Road Glide. There's a bit of a problem to solve due to the fact of how the fairing and the ignition are designed.
The Kickback Riser
This is usually the particular centerpiece of the particular kraus t bar road glide conversion. Most guys choose the Kickback Isolated Riser. Precisely why? Because the mounting stage on the Road Glide is actually quite considerably forward. If you ran straight risers, you'd be inclined way within the tank. The "kickback" brings the bars back again toward the rider by an inches or two, which usually makes a planet of difference intended for your posture. This puts the grips exactly where both hands naturally want to go.
The Raptor Plate
Here's where this gets technical. You can't just bolt risers to the particular stock triple forest on a Road Glide without a few help. The Kraus Raptor Plate is really a heavy-duty adapter that will lets you mount those risers while providing you the clearance you require for the particular nacelle. It's strong, it's machined superbly, and it's fundamentally the foundation of the whole setup. Without having it, you're taking a look at a much more complicated custom work.
Handling and the Performance Bagger Vibe
In case you've spent whenever on Instagram or even at bike shows lately, you know the "Performance Bagger" look is everywhere. It's all about taking these large touring bikes and making them handle like sportbikes (or as close as you can get).
The kraus t bar road glide setup could be the definitive "look" for this style, but it's backed up simply by actual physics. When you raise your own hand position, you're changing your center of gravity and exactly how you input force into the steering. I noticed immediately that low-speed maneuvers—like U-turns inside a parking lot or filtering through traffic—became ten periods easier. The bike feels lighter than it really is because you aren't fighting the particular geometry of the stock bars.
It's worth noting that will if you're coming from low drag bars or stock mini-apes, the height could be a bit intimidating at first. But after about twenty minutes, you'll wonder why a person waited so long to change them.
The Set up Reality Check
I'm not going to sugarcoat it: installing a kraus t bar road glide set up isn't a five-minute job. It's the bit of the project, due to the fact associated with the wiring. Harley-Davidson loves their inner wiring, and tugging those throttle-by-wire looms and switch housing wires through a group of T-bars can test out your patience.
After that there's the gauge relocation. On a Road Glide, your own gauges are usually tucked down in the fairing. Once you put tall T-bars on, the bars end up obstructing your view associated with the speedo plus tach. Kraus provides a really advanced solution for this particular to mount the gauge cluster directly to the risers.
Does it appear cool? Absolutely. Does it create the gauges easier to read? Yes, as they are now directly in your line of sight. Is definitely it a problem in order to wire up? Yeah, a little bit. You'll likely need cable extensions, and you have to become careful not to pinch anything. Yet once it's carried out, the cockpit appears like something out of a fighter aircraft. It's super clear.
Choosing the Right Height
One of the particular most common questions is, "How great should I proceed? "
With the kraus t bar road glide set up, you've got choices. Most riders find the sweet spot with a 10-inch or 12-inch riser paired with a relatively low-profile bar (like the FM Co. bars or Kraus's own offerings).
In case you're a higher rider, 12 ins is normally perfect. If you're a little bit shorter or prefer a more compact look, 10 inches could be the way in order to go. You want your arms in order to be roughly seite an seite to the surface or just slightly below shoulder elevation. If your hands are usually way above your shoulders, you may reduce some of that "performance" feel and start getting that tingling sensation in your fingers from lack of blood circulation.
Is It Worth the High quality Price?
Kraus stuff isn't cheap. You will discover "knock-off" T-bar setups for half the cost on certain sites, but I've seen those setups fail. When you're hauling ass lower the highway upon a heavy bike, the last factor you want is a riser snapping or maybe the bushings failing.
The engineering within the kraus t bar road glide parts is top-tier. Everything is precision machined from high-grade light weight aluminum. The finishes—whether you go with the uncooked machine look or even the black anodized—are durable and don't fade after a single season in the sunshine. You're paying for the peace of mind that your steerage assembly is over-engineered for the task available.
Also, the resale value on Kraus parts is crazy. If you ever decide in order to sell the bicycle or swap setups, you can generally get a good chunk of your cash back because bikers know the title means quality.
Final Thoughts on the Setup
Changing to a kraus t bar road glide setup is probably the single biggest enhancement you can create to a Harley visiting bike if you actually enjoy riding and not simply cruising to the local coffee shop. This turns the Road Glide from the "lazy" cruiser in to a bike that will wants to become ridden hard.
You get better ergonomics, better looks, plus a much more connected feeling towards the road. It's a bit of an investment, and the install requires some "garage time" (or a good mechanic), but the first-time you low fat in to a long sweeper and feel how much control you have, you'll understand exactly where that money went.
There's a reason you observe this specific setup upon almost every high end custom build lately. It's not simply a trend; it's a massive upgrade in functionality. If you're tired associated with the "slouch" plus want to wake up up your Road Glide's handling, this particular is the method to do it. Just be prepared—once you go Kraus, you'll probably start looking at their triple trees and shrubs and brake kits next. It's the slippery slope, yet a fun one.