Answer Protarer Handlebar
ANSWER PROTARER HANDLEBAR
CW EVALUATION
Balancing flex and strength
HANDLEBARS ARE HANDLEBARS. ASIDE from differences in bend, color and material, they’re all the same, right?
Not necessarily, as evidenced by the ProTaper handlebar from Answer Products (27460 Avenue Scott, Valencia. CA 91355; 805/257-4411). Developed in conjunction with Eastonknown for its aluminum baseball bats, arrow and golf club shafts-the ProTaper is made from ex trusi on-formed, taper-walled aluminum tubing. The traditional crossbar has been eliminated. reducing weight and allowing the bar to flex under heavy loads.
As the name implies, the handlebar is tapered, both externally and internally. The external differences-thicker in the middle, slender at the tips-necessitate the use of Answer’s ProTaper mounting kit, which consists of pinch bolts, clamps and, if needed, a machined aluminum top triple clamp.
We tested the ProTaper, complete with triple clamp, on a 1994 Honda CR250 and on a 1994 Kawasaki KDX200. (The bars are available for most late-model enduro and motocross bikes.) In both cases, installation was simple and straightforward, requiring about 30 minutes for a complete swap. At 1-pound. 7-ounces, the ProTaper weighs less than most stock handlebars. It is also lighter than many aftermarket replacement bars, aluminum or otherwise. In use, though, the bar’s greatest asset is its strength, not light weight. (Answer claims the ProTaper is 30 percent lighter and 45 percent stronger than conventional aluminum bars.) In an ordinary tipover, where a standard steel handlebar might have crumpled, the ProTaper did not bend. And in crashes that would surely tweak an aluminum bar, the ProTaper remained properly aligned. What's more, the ProTaper reduced impacts to the rider, particularly over square-edged, hard-packed bumps. Testers also reported less shoulder and elbow fatigue.
With a suggested retail price of $100. the ProTaper handlebar costs about 30 percent more than most topline, aluminum replacement bars. That doesn’t include the mounting kit, which retails for $70-149. depending on the application. Nonetheless, the ProTaper’s durable construction and designed-in flexibility offers considerable value over the long run.
