Originally Posted by maddog34

best thing to do is STRETCHING EXERCISES... your body is old and stiff (Mine too)... limber it up.

as to getting your bars out of the stock stem... if it's rolled steel, just BEND it open!a big flat blade screwdriver works for this... start by placeing the driver in the clamp slot and TWIST,, then work the blade up between the bar and stem and pry...
i've done this more than once.