T500-III Handlebars

strainer · Post by **strainer** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 3:25 pm

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Post by **Suzsmokeyallan** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:03 pm

The 69 bars crossbars were curved as stock, but only slightly and those bars have the square profile. The later ones in 70 had a slight bend too from the pics ive seen as well, just like yours.
Its possible over the years with previous owners, slight mishaps bend the ends back if the bike falls over with that side turned inwards or a fall of some sort.
You bars where the switches and grips sections are may be bent backwards, a quick removal and checking on glass will confirm the symmetry of the bars.
They can be easily straightened if need be by using a large vise and some soft jaws.
Recently i repaired my 69 bars which were really badly bent on the bike i got and i did the job in a vise with a well padded material to protect it, it came out perfect with not the slightest mark on the tubes..

strainer · Post by **strainer** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 6:25 pm

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GT Tim · Post by **GT Tim** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 6:58 pm

Here is another '70...the bar is straight. .

This is the pic of mine the day I brought it home...excuse the dirt. It just had a 7 hr ride in the back of the truck. Three bikes, three different bars.

Which is correct?

strainer · Post by **strainer** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:40 pm

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Post by **Suzsmokeyallan** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:50 pm

Thanks for posting those two pics Tim, the bars youve shown are totally different from the so called "traditional" bend of the T500 bar.
The first ones got a really wide top bar that meets the bar on the extreme top of the bend, the second one has a rather tight bend that got the grip section looking slightly downwards after the cross bar.
Two things are apparent from the pics....I have never seen a wide crossbar on any Titan in a factory brochure and I've seen the second one shown with that shape of bend, but it was on a 69 T350.
With these bars being shared between a few bikes, t250 t350 and t500, bars can be replaced over the years between models when an accident occurs.

Post by **Suzsmokeyallan** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:56 pm

Yes ive seen that additional material on the cross bar section of another 70 Titan that was in excellent condition so thats a good possibility its the correct bar for a 70 Titan.
The earlier 69 bars had the joint filled and ground smooth for a seamless transition whether it was a square or round bar, yours shows the weld puddles clearly.
In your photo the wires are outside the bar, does it have the holes for internal routing of a harness.

strainer · Post by **strainer** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 8:59 pm

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Post by **Suzsmokeyallan** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:26 pm

Heres how the 69 T500 bars turned out after manipulation, since everything was bent in all directions i had to decide on an angle for the ends and then adapt it to the bars for both sides.
Considering how and where they were bent these came out really well with the angles i wanted from 'feel' for the way i wanted them.
A cleanup and burnish of some past history small nicks and bruises to various parts of the bar now has them ready for a rechrome and they should look new again.