The Personal Blog Of
Boston Motorcycle Lawyer

Ride like a Rebel with Ape Hanger Handle Bars
October 21, 2009

By definition, bikers are rebels. Riding on a two wheeled rocket among a highway filled with 4 wheeled boxes requires a different mindset than your average person. Bikers pride themselves on being original, different, defiant, and unique.

Rebel defiance is expressed through the design of the biker’s motorcycle. In the early days of custom choppers, the actual bike owner served as the chief mechanic and designer creating the bike in his own unique vision. Decades ago, bike owners used paint, custom motorcycle accessories, chrome, and other items to make their bikes appear as original as possible.

Today nothing has changed. Although typical motorcycle owner do not design or fabricate custom accessories, today’s biker still wants his bike to have that rebel edge. Aftermarket motorcycle parts and accessories have become a multi-million dollar industry creating parts to make even the most plain machine appear to a custom chopper.

One of the accessories that has stood the test of time are ape hanger handle bars. From the early 1960s to today, these handlebars are the hallmark of rebel bikers and nothing gives a motorcycle a more extreme look.

What are ape hangers handle bars? These are handle bars that extend vertically upward from the bike. Although there are no exact specifications for the length of ape hangers, they tend to be greater than 12 inches tall.  The name “ape hanger’ was given to this new motorcycle accessory because they made bikers’ arms appear exaggeratedly long.

This look was popularized in the early 1960s as bikers tried new and innovative ways to customize their bikes. As the ape hanger look grew in popularity, bikers kept pushing the envelope to make their ape hangers progressively taller. Most commercially produced ape hanger handle bars do not exceed 18 inches.

From the 1960s to today, rebel bikers pushed the ape hanger limits and now custom ape hangers are in excess of 20 inches high. While this look is extreme, it is also illegal. It is illegal to install handlebars on a motorcycle that extend above the shoulders of the rider. That’s why rebel bikers love ape hangers. It is another way they can defy the law.

Ape hanger handlebars are great accessories but not for every rider. While the look is great, controlling a motorcycle with ape hanger handle bars requires advanced motorcycle riding skill. For experienced riders who want an extreme look, ape hangers still make a loud and clear statement.