Honda selected very narrow bars for the CX500 Turbo. The stock bars are great at speed, but the lack of leverage makes the steering ponderous at parking lot speeds. The handlebar and lever covers make bar substitution a serious challenge. Finding a longer bar with the right bends to accommodate the covers isn't easy. I cover this “Design Flaw” in chapter 12 of my book.
An easy improvement to this situation involves relocating the handlebar switchgear, master cylinder, throttle tube, and grips outboard, so that the grips cover the handlebar end weights, which are retained. This effectively lengthens the bars by about 2 inches. I thought I was the first to try this change. After riding with this improvement for a while and enjoying the improved leverage, I later learned that other people had done the same thing back in the eighties!
The handlebars and lever covers can be retained. The ‘fit' of the lever covers is slightly off, but they are still functional. Depending on the top brake hose currently in service, the top hose will need re-routing or replacement
It doesn’t sound like much of a change, but the increased bar leverage is noticeable at slower speeds. At higher speeds, quick changes of direction are much easier. I made this change on my Turbo and love it!