What do Bar Risers do to the ergonomics of riding?

[corndog67]

I've got some risers and 1 1/8 Pro Taper Hawkins Woods bend, dirt bike style, the bars are a fairly low bend, and it's a pretty comfortable ride.   More upright than my old 900RR, a little bit too sit up on the freeway, but around town and on the backroads, lots of leverage, pretty good steering input with the wider bars.  I like them.   You can kind of see them in the avatar.  Now that I look, you really can't see them. 

[MostroS2R]

*NOTE My bars are 1-1/8th " I do believe yours are 7/8" so you might want higher bars, like from the Monster City, But I typed the rest of this before I saw what bike you had

Bar Risers help you sit up straighter, I couldn't find any I liked so I put a Renthal FatBar on, and weeks later the Speedymoto risers came out...   These are my favorite, (+ the most expensive) and use the stock bars etc

http://www.speedymoto.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=03-0220BLK&Category_Code=MTC

These are the Cheapest and fit under the stock clamps

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DUCATI-MONSTER-S2R-BAR-800-1000-S4RS-HANDLEBAR-RISERS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a570Q7c66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem350183575431QQitemZ350183575431QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories


Almost everyone who rides my bike, says they find it more comfortable, you do need to know that with most kits, you can use the stock lines etc, If you change bars like I did the stock lines were very tight, and I replaced them with Spieglers, the wiring was ok...

Find someone close to you, meet for coffee, check out their risers, if it's for you you'll know right away.

I just bought a set of the cheap ones to try out, do the stock cables work or do they need to be changed as well?

[seevtsaab]

For me, the discomfort had to do with the stock bars, being too straight with very little sweep or pull back.  But I found that out the expensive way by first buying the SpeedyMoto risers (they are beautiful), and then getting Rizoma bars with more sweep.  Now it sits a little too high for me.  So I think just the new bars with the stock bar clamps would feel right, but the SpeedyMoto risers are just to nice to take off, vanity, I know.   

+1 on the 'bars too straight' - gets my thumbs under the grips more than ideal methinks.
I don't find severe discomfort and more upright wouldn't suit me but it seems I might be slightly happier with more swept back. Of course the the tank comes into play. Don't think I'd want to drop down to clipons either.
I'd go slow with changes tho - really be sure you're heading in the right direction, imo.

[Goat_Herder]

I just bought a set of the cheap ones to try out, do the stock cables work or do they need to be changed as well?

The cables will be a tight fit after installing the risers.  But they will fit.  I had to rotate the bar back to slide it in the new position.  I also had to rotate the connectors on the brake and clutch cylinders to gain that little bit of length for the brake lines. 

["One-K-Duc"]

I wish I'd read this post sooner - as Ive had both the genmar risers with stock bars, and now the Rizoma bars back on stock mounts on my s2r.

While the genmar helped me out with comfort the Rizomas are WAY more comfortable based on their rise and sweep.  Just more natural than the stock bars I replaced (maguras).

I would've recommended skipping the risers and just got the better, more ergonomic bars. 

Regarding the handing/feel - I "felt" better and in more control on the raised bars than stock height.  I have yet to get a good canyon day in with the new rizomas, but my first couple short rides seemed the position was really good.

Good luck with your experiment.