Getting some kraus risers low rider st owners swear by is usually the first major move after rolling off the lot. Let's be real for a second: the Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST (the FXLRST for the nerds out there) is an absolute beast of a bike. It's got that West Coast performance bagger vibe right out of the box, the Milwaukee-Eight 117 pulls like a freight train, and those fairings actually do a decent job of keeping the wind off your chest. But there's one thing that almost every rider complains about within the first fifty miles: the stock handlebar position.
Unless you have unusually long arms, the factory reach on the ST feels a bit "clamshell-y." You're hunched over, your lower back starts barking after an hour, and you just don't have that aggressive, upright control you want when you're diving into corners. That's where the Kraus setup comes in. It's basically the gold standard for anyone looking to fix the ergonomics while leaning into that high-performance look.
Why the ST Needs Better Risers
The Low Rider ST is designed for aggressive riding, but the stock setup feels a bit confused. You've got these mid-controls and a seat that puts you in a specific spot, but the bars are just a little too low and a little too far forward for most people. When you swap in a set of kraus risers low rider st specific kits, you're basically correcting the geometry of the bike to fit a human being.
It's not just about comfort, though. When you bring the bars up and back, you gain a massive amount of leverage. If you're trying to flick a 700-pound bagger through a tight canyon road, having that leverage makes the bike feel fifty pounds lighter. You're steering with your shoulders and chest rather than straining your wrists. Plus, let's be honest, the Kraus aesthetic just fits the ST perfectly. It looks like it should have come from the factory that way.
The Magic of the Isolated Riser
If you've spent any time looking at Kraus Moto, you've probably heard about their "Isolated Risers." Most traditional risers are just solid chunks of aluminum bolted to your triple tree. That's fine, but Harleys vibrate—a lot. Even with the counterbalanced M8 engine, you still get that high-frequency buzz through the grips at highway speeds, which leads to numb fingers.
Kraus uses a system where the risers have built-in rubber bushings (or poly, depending on how you set it up) inside the top of the riser rather than just at the base. This "isolates" the handlebars from the vibration of the engine and the road. It sounds like a small detail, but on a four-hour ride, it's the difference between feeling fresh and feeling like you've been holding a weed whacker all day. It gives you a rock-solid feel without the harshness.
Picking the Right Height
This is where everyone gets stuck. Should you go with 8-inch, 10-inch, or 12-inch risers? For the Low Rider ST, the "sweet spot" for most riders seems to be the 10-inch riser paired with a mid-bend bar like the FM Fly Moto bars.
If you're on the taller side (6'0" and up), you might want to look at the 12-inch setup. Just remember that the higher you go, the more you have to worry about cable length. If you go with a 10-inch riser and a 2.5-inch rise bar, you're looking at about 12.5 inches of total height, which puts your hands right around shoulder level for the average guy. It's a great balance of comfort and control without looking like you're reaching for the stars.
Kickback vs. Straight Risers
Kraus offers both straight and kickback (pullback) risers. For the Low Rider ST, I almost always recommend the kickback version. Because the ST fairing sits where it does and the seat is positioned slightly back, a straight riser can still feel like a bit of a reach. The kickback risers bring the bars about 1.5 inches closer to your body. That little bit of pullback allows you to sit more upright, taking the pressure off your lower back and making the bike feel much more "tucked in."
Dealing with the Gauge Relocation
One of the unique "problems" with the Low Rider ST is that Harley mounted the digital gauge directly into the stock riser clamp. It's a clean look, but it makes swapping risers a bit of a headache. You can't just throw any old riser on there and call it a day, or you won't be able to see how fast you're going (which, on a 117, is usually "too fast").
Kraus solved this with their T-Bar Clamp and Gauge Mount. You basically move that little digital screen into a dedicated housing that bolts right onto the Kraus risers. It actually ends up looking better than the stock setup because it puts the gauge right in your line of sight. You don't have to look down as far to check your speed or gear position, which is a nice safety bonus when you're hauling through traffic.
What About the Cables?
Let's talk about the part everyone hates: the install. If you're putting kraus risers low rider st parts on your bike, you need to be prepared for the cable situation. Harley didn't give us a ton of extra slack on the ST.
If you go with a short riser (like 6 or 8 inches), you might be able to reroute the stock cables to make them work. But if you're doing it right and going with a 10 or 12-inch setup, you're going to need a cable extension kit. You'll need a longer clutch cable (or an extension for the upper portion) and a longer brake line. You'll also need wire extensions for the hand controls. It adds to the cost and the time of the install, but don't try to "stretch" your stock cables. It's not worth the risk of a cable binding when you're turning the bars in a parking lot.
The Ride Quality Transformation
Once you finally get everything bolted up and you take that first ride, the difference is immediate. The first thing you'll notice is how much more "planted" the front end feels. Because the Kraus risers are so beefy and well-engineered, there's zero flex in the bars. When you push on the grip to initiate a turn, the bike responds instantly.
The ergonomic shift is the real winner, though. You're sitting up tall, your chest is open, and you've got a commanding view of the road. It changes the whole vibe of the Low Rider ST from a "cruiser that's trying to be fast" to a legitimate performance machine. You can stay in the saddle for hundreds of miles without that nagging ache between your shoulder blades.
Is It Worth the Investment?
I won't sugarcoat it—Kraus gear is expensive. You can find cheap T-bars or knock-off risers for a fraction of the price. But in the world of Harley parts, you really do get what you pay for. The machining on Kraus parts is flawless, the finish is durable, and the engineering behind the isolated mounting system is legit.
When you're riding a high-performance bike like the ST, you don't want to worry about your bars twisting or feeling mushy. If you're looking to truly "dial in" your bike, the kraus risers low rider st setup is one of those modifications that you'll appreciate every single time you thumb the starter. It fixes the bike's biggest flaw and makes an already great machine feel nearly perfect. It's an investment in how the bike handles and how your body feels at the end of the day, and for most of us, that's worth every penny.