Raising the Bar

If you’re an eagle-eyed obsessive like we are, you’ve probably seen the letters TüV in motorcycle catalogs, ours included. They stand for Technischer Überwachungsverein, the German laboratory that evaluates fatigue strength, manufacturing quality, and fitment for aftermarket motorcycle parts sold

throughout Europe. In 2019, TüV certified over 100 different Biltwell handlebars, a colossal number compared to other players in the game.

Truth be told, most American bar makers don’t pursue TüV certification. Building a bar that meets German performance standards takes time, and costs money. We saw the challenge as an opportunity to prove our mettle, and invested two years and 50-thousand dollars in the pursuit. When the dust settled, all but two Biltwell models earned TüV certification, a high bar, indeed.

Why do Biltwell bars survive when other bars fail? Every pair is precision crafted with seamless 7/8-inch or 1-inch O.D. 4130 chromoly. The same stuff airplanes are made of, only thicker. Three millimeters, or 0.120-inch wall, to be exact. When 7/8- or 1-inch tubes won’t cut it, we crank the toughness to 11 with oversized 1-1/4- or butted-and-tapered 1-1/8-inch tubing. Don’t look for advanced metallurgical and manufacturing technologies like these on other bars, however. They’re only available on Biltwell bars like our Tyson XL, and we’ve got the paperwork to prove it.