Originally Posted by
70sSanO
I use as level. I'll mark the handlebar where I want to put it and then judge if it seems fine. With the bike in a stand, I'll get the bar tops level in the stand and then use the level across the hoods. I'm sure it is not perfect, but as has been mentioned your arms will let you know if the position is not comfortable. That and I really doubt that the right and left arm lengths are the same within standard manufacturing tolerances.
John
My boss used to question my character when I said I just lay a 2-foot broom handle over the hoods and eyeball it to be parallel to the top of the handlebar. I told him that absolute-level didn't matter. It just needed to be level compared to the rest of the bike. He had to think it over a minute or two. As for toe-in, well, most customers were less discerning than we were.