Installing the Heli bars was a typically difficult affair but only because of my setup... It's my opinion that changing any handle bars is a tedious task due to the attention to detail and repositioning required. The Heli bars came with great instructions and would have been much easier if I didn't have the Brembo GP master cylinder. It did complicate things, but I found that if I followed the Heli instructions, I was able to run the throttle cable right by the front of the banjo bolt.

I started having great pain in my right hand with the stock bars, along where the ulnar nerve runs (as identified to me by Sport Rider). Here's a link to a page describing what I think is going on. I'll be visiting a physician to try and figure out what's going on.

The Heli bars improved my riding position somewhat because the bars moved up, back, and drop less than the stock ones. Zina test rode the 916 again at the New Streets of Willow Springs and totally fell in love with the 916. She couldn't believe how much of a difference a single mod could make.

Before the Heli bars, I would ride ~60 miles to get to the top of Palomar Mountain... when we got there, I would dread meeting my friends because their handshakes would pinch down on my hand and the pain would kill me. The next weekend with the Heli bars saw only limited soreness! I do believe that the Heli bars will allow me to continue to ride my beloved 916.

All is not bliss, though. The second weekend after getting the bars installed, at the aforementioned track day, my wrists weren't in immediate pain but were very sore and sore the following day as well. This obviously was a set back to my recovery from the injury and motivation for me to take a break from riding until the weekend before our planned trip to Laguna Seca. I plan on a longish ride in the desert to simulate a day of our travel to Laguna to decide whether or not we ride up or puss out and throw the bikes in the transporter and cage up.

Some 3 years later ... it's April 2003. We made the trip to Laguna with no problems. I'm absolutely convinced that without helibars, I could not own a Superbike. With them, I went on to log many thousands of miles and even went racing! The 916 has been long sold, now "replaced" with another instrument of wrist torture and destruction: the mh900e.

I belive that my problem stems from computer usage. I use the computer almost all day every day and my right wrist kills, so I wear a wrist brace that helps a lot. Superbike bar angle just adds to the fire. Normal riding positions are OK.