How problematic is a bent bar?

[positivecarry]

So I'm looking  at a used bike that was dropped on it's left side. The bar is bent and the clutch lever is bent. How problematic is this and how expensive/difficult is it to fix?

[Airborne]

You should inspect the bike for other damage that resulted from the drop. If you can't find anything else then thats not a very hard fix. I don't know the current prices of those parts but chances are you can buy new bars from someone here who switched to clip ons for around 100 bucks.

[Raux]

bent bar could mean bent steering stops.

[Ducatl]

+1 to the steering stops, also if the bike is a steel tank model I'd look for poor repair jobs on the tank itself as it's pretty common for the bars to dent the tank.  If it has stock low mounts you might want to check the swingarm where the exhaust would hit it to check for dents.

Also CA-cycleworks (board sponsor) sells stock bend bars from like $70 brand new.

Edit: $49

http://www.ca-cycleworks.com/shop/catalog/ducati/chassis.html

[MonsterDark]

bent bar could mean bent steering stops.

What would be the issue with bent steering stops?  If you adjusted them back out so your bars didnt hit the tank would there be any other sort of issue ?  - i dropped my bike too and just wondering    

[metallimonster]

If the stops are bent or broken you have a problem.  Probably totaled.  


I have the M5 bars from CA Cycleworks and they work awesome.  

[WetDuc]

Yea, I'm wondering the same thing.  Why is bending/breaking the stops such a major issue?

[junior varsity]

If you crack those frame tabs, that's a "totaled" frame. (insurance-wise; Wouldn't affect really anything else though.)

Bent bars likely means tank-ding.

Bent clutch lever might be more than simply bent lever, might also affect the master cylinder.

In the grand scheme of things, replacing the bar, bar end (inevitably scuffed), grip (if scuffed), and even the entire clutch master cylinder (used off of ebay, there are usually lots, or see Gotham Cycles), its not all that expensive to have it in tip-top condition again.

[MikeZ]

I dropped my bike last winter due to cold tires and I managed to bend the bar and break the brake lever at the break away point w/o the bars touching/ denting the tank so just because it was dropped doesn't mean the tank or steering stops were touched.
I bought a $20 bar from someone here on the DMF and now call the break lever "shorty" so this can be a cheap fix. 

[RetroSBK]

The clutch lever is a simple replacemnt away.. $30 bucks at cycle gear

I have been fitting K&N bars or other bends to a lot of bike lately.. little taller, more pullback, $29-39 bucks

Bend the frame back at the steering stop, no big deal...

Reset the alignment of the forks in the triple clamps...

ride the piss out of it!

[Adam in TX]

sometimes a bent bar can be helpful... like if you have two different length arms.

Just Sayin'

[Jarvicious]

Define dropped.

If they're going to tell you that the handlebar was bent in a parking lot or low speed drop, I'd second guess the whole thing (maybe someone can refute that).  Clutch lever in a low speed drop? Sure, but not the bars.  Like everyone else said, check the swing arm/tank/foot pegs for damage that may have come out of a lowside.  And not that you were thinking it, but don't try and rebend hardened aluminum.  Even if you do get it close to the stock angle, you will regret it the next time you put too much force on down on that left hand. 

[junior varsity]

Stock bars could be bent slightly in a drop because the metal used on the stock bars is, well used to be, soft. Took a pretty good crash to bend mine straight down a few years back. Oops.

[somegirl]

I bent my stock bars (and brake lever) the first time I dropped the Duc in a parking lot.

[ghostface]

This cool ass dude has the solution...

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=31064.0