1978 R80/7 Handlebars

[jackonz]

Am hoping someone can help here, the handlebars on my bike are really wrong as in way too high for a naked bike, they are a genuine BMW item as they are stamped and have part number 32.71-1455457, they also have another stamp as in "Magura" and are drilled for heater wiring and are 22mm in diameter, I have searched the net and can only find one person with a comment on Adventure Rider who some years ago was looking for that very bar for an R100 RT.

I don't want the flat bars but something a little higher but lower than the current bars, I have looked for the original high option bar but these are no longer available, so if anyone has a suggestion as to who to purchase from as I don't want to get it wrong.

[Kurt in S.A.]

BMW rarely put part numbers on bike parts...putting that in any of the parts fiche comes up empty. Those numbers are probably a mold or batch number. I think the stock bars for the R80/7 used part number 32712303043. Not sure this would apply, but for people who rode R100RSs and didn't like the hunched over ergonomics could switch to K75S or K75C bars. I'm not sure if they would still fit inside the fairing on the RS. Again, this might be off track but is a thought. Of course, you'll need to look at getting new cables, etc., along with fitting the clutch switch.

Kurt in S.A.

[barryh]

On standard naked bikes BMW put different bars on for different markets. Europe got low bars with 2" or 3" rise, while US and perhaps other markets got higher rise bars.

[Rob Frankham]

I believe from older posts that you're in New Zealand so I can't be sure of the spec of your bike. Traditionally, US spec bikes have a higher rise handlebar, in fact the number quoted by Kurt above is annotated 'High handlebar F Heater Handle' in BMW parts lists. Euro spec machines have a much lower handlebar set. Of course, if your bike is Euro spec, that's not much help... in any case, we can't be completely sure which bars are fitted, it is about 50 years old after all. FWIW, the lower bar set number as 32712303042.

The MotoBins website give the rise of the standard bars at 8 cm and that of the high bars as 13cm so it should be possible to assess what you have.

Apologies to Barry, I was typing at the same time and I can't be bothered to retype it...

Rob

[Seth]

I have heated grips on my 94 Mystic, which are fairly low bars, but wider than the K75S bars. Part number 32 71 2 330 330. I’m sure you can find pictures online

[jackonz]

OK thank you all but I suppose I should have put more info in my post, the bike was originally first sold in the UK and shipped out to NZ by the previous owner.

So I have been looking at how to measure bars correctly so here goes.

Width is 680mm (measured from tip to tip at bare ends)
Bars are knurled at 110 wide and each Knurl 40mm.
Rise this is an issue as some measure to the first bend from the bottom some to the tip so I have taken both, bottom to first bend 170mm, bottom to tip of bars 265mm.

I am sure but cannot confirm that these bars are from an RT, I do know that the previous owner changed them but when and where he cannot recall and where the old original bare are is anyone's guess.

I don't want the flat bars just some that are a bit lower than these as the have me sitting bolt upright.

[Zombie Master]

You might like S bars.

[Rob Frankham]

OK thank you all but I suppose I should have put more info in my post, the bike was originally first sold in the UK and shipped out to NZ by the previous owner.

So I have been looking at how to measure bars correctly so here goes.

Width is 680mm (measured from tip to tip at bare ends)
Bars are knurled at 110 wide and each Knurl 40mm.
Rise this is an issue as some measure to the first bend from the bottom some to the tip so I have taken both, bottom to first bend 170mm, bottom to tip of bars 265mm.

I am sure but cannot confirm that these bars are from an RT, I do know that the previous owner changed them but when and where he cannot recall and where the old original bare are is anyone's guess.

I don't want the flat bars just some that are a bit lower than these as the have me sitting bolt upright.

At 170mm, they're ceratainly much higher than stock euro bars so I would consider returning the bike to standard.

The only thing, of course, is that if high bars were fitted, then at is probable that longer cables were also fitted. This could leave you with an excess of cable to 'lose'.

Rob

[jackonz]

Hi Rob,

With my bad back (50 years working under the bonnets of cars) I don't want the lowest bar just something in between what I have and the original bars, am looking at some from 2 suppliers in the UK but it seems some measure the rise in different ways but am sure I will get there in the end.

I can wait as at the moment am working on cleaning all the electrical connections and so on.

Phil