1150GSA handlebar change?

I've decided to keep my 1150 GSA after so much time and effort bringing it back to roadworthy BUT....

after a nasty break to my left arm some years ago I can no longer straighten it out fully. There's a crappy angle between the upper and lower arm, and an equally crappy angle of the wrist when in extension.
This leads to, in effect, my left hand going numb after around half an hour when riding with the relatively straight standard bars. This is in non-technical language fookin annoying at best and potentially lethal at worst because I can't feel the clutch lever or any of the controls so I take the left hand off the bar to get the circulation going again.SO the GSA stays in the garage when it should be ridden a lot more frequently.

My other bike is a K1100LT, and, with the more relaxed angle of the bars, I can ride that all day with no issue.

The question is this:

Has anyone successfully changed the bars on a GS/GSA to a more relaxed-for-the-wrist type bar, a kind of gentle sweep-back thing, without faffing around and changing all the wiring/brake hoses etc and if so, recommendations of what you've done would be gratefully received and faithfully applied There's loads of 'bars available out there, but nowt like a "I did that and it worked for me" recommend.

Cheers

I seem to remember that many years ago a lot of guys here changed to Renthal bars but can't remember which model from their range. A search for Renthal in the 1150 section might bear fruit.

That's all I've got sorry, but hopefully it might give you an idea or two.

I swapped for Rockster bars (not the same as 1150R) as they are slightly straighter/flatter and don’t seem to angle my wrist the same way as the GS bars did. I broke my left scaphoid and it is permanently a little stiffer as a result.

I also played around with some handlebar risers to make sure the bars were high/back far enough and cleared the windscreen at full lock.

Benefits: The standard switchgear from the GS is a straight swap and the hand guards only needed a little persuasion.
Downsides: My brake line needed to go over rather than under the handguard, but it works perfectly and isn’t strained anywhere.
The bars are slightly narrower so technically, less leverage, but as it’s on alloys and SS tyres, raised at the back and shorter wheelbase, you really can’t tell.

Over the years I’ve changed quite a few customers GS bars for 1150R bars - but good luck in trying to find a secondhand pair

I haggled mine down to £60 but you’re right Neil, they seem scarce.

Thanks all so far. Before I go nuts and buy some 1150R bars from wherever I can find them, is the switchgear located on a peg into a hole in the bars? And what about the heated grip on the left? Last time I tried to remove the one on my K1100LT i made a proper town halls of it and broke the wires

alanbmwgs said:

Get Roy Garner near Preston to fit them. Top guy.

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Agreed

Paul Young said:

I swapped for Rockster bars (not the same as 1150R) as they are slightly straighter/flatter and don’t seem to angle my wrist the same way as the GS bars did. I broke my left scaphoid and it is permanently a little stiffer as a result.

I also played around with some handlebar risers to make sure the bars were high/back far enough and cleared the windscreen at full lock.

Benefits: The standard switchgear from the GS is a straight swap and the hand guards only needed a little persuasion.
Downsides: My brake line needed to go over rather than under the handguard, but it works perfectly and isn’t strained anywhere.
The bars are slightly narrower so technically, less leverage, but as it’s on alloys and SS tyres, raised at the back and shorter wheelbase, you really can’t tell.

Click to expand...

The Rockster bars are narrower than GS bars? I didn't know that, I thought the Rockster bars were the same (or very slightly wider) in terms of width - you learn something every day.

BTW - the hand-guards CAN be made to go neatly over the brake-line from the m/c on the Rockster bars - but you may need to slightly adjust the angle of the 90deg banjo relative to the m/c. I have the GS handguards on my Rockster in exactly this manner. (with dual hoses from the m/c too)

Swept back Handle Bar Risers sorted it for me, no weight on wrists and a very comfortable riding position on the GSA.