What are these handle bars? HELP!

[Robert Luland]

Guys, I need some help identifying these handle bars. I compared them to stock early JD bars and there about three inches wider at the tips but the real difference is the center casting. Unlike early JD bars where that casting is straight. These are bowed. The bars are factory drilled for switches on both arms and the end plug measures .8500. Thanks for your help, Bob L

[exeric]

At first I thought they were hammered into that shape based on the way the top is all dented and flat. The more I look at them, it looks like the curve had to be die formed because it looks very symetrical, and well done. The real question is why would someone go to all that trouble. As a side note; J and V series bars are an amazing piece of lost manufacturing expertise. The bars start out as a flat sheet metal stamping and are formed into round tubes and resistance welded (I assume) at the seems. Considering how wide some of the later J and V bars got; they were incredibly strong, and non-flexible.

[rwm]

maybe they are for a fat man. i can't see the whole bar in the photos. do they look like sport solo bars? google jd 1928/29 sport solo.

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Bob, the horn button came out in 1926 and the dip switch in 1929, then Harley went to thicker wall tubing in 1931 with end plugs more like 0.82" diameter. So that would make it a 1929 or 1930 set of handlebars seriously reshaped. Remember the existence of the mighty dealer tool for re-bending handlebars, and that Harley dealers used to offer to customise bars free at weekends in the Depression as a way of getting customers into the shop. I think you have a customised set of 1929/30 bars.

[koanes]

Thanks Eric, for the info on the handlebar construction, been wondering for many years how it was done. I would love to see the process, start to finish, to manufacture these bars from flatstock stampings. I can't imagine what the forming dies would look like.

[exeric]

A set of H-D bars is worth taking a good look at. It's remarkable how sophisticated industry was back at the turn of the century, but also how they strived to make things look good as well. Not only have we lost the skills, but the aesthetic vision too.

[c.o.]

I"ll echo Kyle in wanting to see how the "process" works. Old world craftsmanship intrigues me. Thanks for sharing the info Eric.