Forged vs billet triple clamps for vets & wrecked wrists???

I am definitely no expert, but I sincerely doubt that the flex characteristics between cast and billet aluminum are enough that you'll be able to tell in your wrists. (Maybe via vibration at the very most, but rubber mounts would probably do 100X better than the type of Al used.)

This is a question for Billy at Luxon. 

Forged/cast has nothing to do with it.  Its the risers and how they fasten to the top clamp.

I’m guessing the difference is incremental.

My wrists are on the verge of stopping me riding MTBs.
I’ve been looking at options:

Potentially more “sweep back” - stock feels natural to me, but more might help relieve the pain. But only expensive brands offer a choice.
Ti bars are more “complient”, but expensive - and the compliance is in all directions.
I have some oval Carbon bars on one bike - more complient up/down, stiff in the steering axis. I’d rate the improvement as “small, but noticeable”.
Fast Co flex bars are probably the ultimate. But $$$$, but I’d buy them in a second if they helped.

Only the flex bars, or the SFS triple clamps (with the little shocks built in), which seem to have fallen out of favour, or as others have mentioned: rubber bar mounts, are the best options for moto. If taking the vibes/shocks out is what you need.

An MRI indicates most of my issue is “no cartilage left”. Not sure how much a little extra flex is going to help - extremely upsetting to be honest. 

I've been riding and racing on 2022 gas gas cast clamps for the last few years and I think I can feel i small amount of unwanted flex making steering a little less precise. Again, it's a SMALL effect. For that reason, I've considered switching to KTM clamps and might still do that as the clamps can almost be had for the price of new steering bearings. The 2022 cast clamps I've been using have solid bar mounts. I can't say I've every thought of them as more comfortable than KTM clamps. 

I have also raced a 2024 Gas Gas MC300 and KTM 350xcf at times (not on the same day) and can't say I've noticed a big difference in comfort or precision from model to model. 

Flexx bars seem to be the best thing for sore wrists. 

The manufacturing process (cast vs forged vs machined) doesn't have anything to do with stiffness. Stiffness is dependent on material and geometry. 

Cast and forged clamps are often thought of as less stiff than machined clamps, and that's a carry over from old comparisons between cast/forged and poorly designed machined clamps (some current machined clamps are still poorly designed). The machined clamps often have larger rib cross sections than the forged/cast clamps have, and are therefore stiffer because of that, but not because of the manufacturing process. So, don't think that just because a clamp is machined from billet that it's automatically stiffer, as that's not always the case.

The difference between a machined KTM clamp and a forged GasGas clamp will be pretty minimal from a shock absorption perspective. The stock machined KTM clamp is actually super flexy. A good rubber mounted bar mount system will make A LOT more difference in isolating shock and vibration from your hands/wrists than swapping triple clamps. We're working on something just like that now, actually, that makes a massive difference (and I'm a vet 350 guy with bad wrists). Should be out in a month or so...

My son and I absolutely love our Flexx bars!

You wont notice a difference, buy a Mako 360 if you want a noticeable amount of bump and vibration absorbing. 

In my opinion function better than the Flexx bars and allow for much more freedom also ive never seen a Mako break. 

FlyingPorco : "Fast Co flex bars are probably the ultimate. But $$$$, but I’d buy them in a second if they helped."

I've a mate that stumped up for those for his MTB use ( he has them on his MCs, too), and I can tell you, they are a marked improvement over , what I assume, are your OneUp bars - I use those too, by the way, though, for some reason I'm always wary of CF bars....... I've seen some frightening failures with a few CF bars - but Not OneUps. 

The OPs questions about TC compliance for bad wrists - well, all answers, I think,  have given him the answer on that.

I've got close to getting FastCo Flex Bars, for my MC, but, the all up costs , with a Bark Buster set up to them, have held me back. 

My use of PHDS mounts, on my own base / mounts that I machined up to go with my 1988 UNIC/Scotts SD, have served me well for years now, but I'd say things like the aforementioned MAKOs, and others, like BRPs etc, would be even better than the PHDS. 

One thing I Have to hoick, are the twin walls that have been on my 500 for too long now.  I think I only put them on after killing  my last  set of my much more favoured, 'out of style' 7/8"s. It might finally be time for this old man, to go to non braced bars, after all, I don't have braced bars on my DHers. 

I have a variety of bikes, some with rubber mounted bars and some without.  I broke my right wrist a six years ago.

TLDR:  Rubber mounts help with comfort.

2023 MC350F has the forged clamps with rigid mounted Neken bars. 100% OE GasGas stuff including the ODI lock-on 1/3 waffle grips.
2024 KX450 has forged clamps with the OE rubber mounted Renthal bars and the same ODI grips as all my other bikes.
2019 YZ250 - Forged 2008 YZ250F clamps with rigid mounts, Pro Taper SX Race bars, and ODI grips.
2011 YZ125 - Forged OE clamps with rigid mounts, Pro Taper SX Race bars, and ODI grips.

I do long motos fairly often on the setups listed above in a variety of conditions from sandy tracks with big steep jumps to more traditional tracks on hard pack clay with square edged stuff similar to and including Washougal.

Recently I did a 30+2 on the 2023 MC350F for the first time. I noticed that I have a bit more hand fatigue than I do on my other bikes.
The KX450 is probably the most comfortable in that department. The KX has softer suspension and rubber mounted bars.

Tonight I did a 30 on my sand track at home on the GasGas. I didn't specifically think about the harshness in my hands, but it is there and I feel it more than I do on my rigid mounted Pro Tapers on either of my Yamaha two strokes.

I do not think it is within the triple clamps or the forks on the GasGas, but most likely within the rigid bar mounts and Neken bar.
I run KYB forks on everything except the KX450 and I have a decent amount of comfort in my MC350F valving spec.

For the past few weeks I've been thinking about options for rubber mounts like the one @Luxon MX manufactures. That seems like the easy choice and I may combine that with a Pro Taper handlebar like the OE Husqvarna bend, or similar.

Another data point is my 1990 KX500.  I machined triple clamps from 7075-T6 aluminum billet. Those incorporate the four rubber cones from a 2013 KX450F, but they are located on the 2020 YZ450F pattern with better cups to fully capture the top of the rubber cones.  The KX500 is a pleasure to ride and it rivals my 24 KX450 in comfort at the grips.

Thoughts on bar bends...

I have this thought process that the lower handlebars on the KTM are likely at least a little responsible for some increase in rigidity felt at the hands. The lower / straighter bars (without a crossbar) may be more rigid than a bar that has a little more rise like most of the Japanese bikes. You end up with more bar material to flex on a taller bar of the same width, hypothetically. It would be fun to do a handlebar deflection test with Neken, Pro Taper and Renthal bars off of some of my different bikes. I may have a couple sets of OG Pro-Tapers up on the shelf from the years when they were made by Easton.

Obviously the different bar manufacturers can use a different mix of alloy, heat treatment, wall thickness and diameter on a no-crossbar tapered handlebar.  Those things probably have a far greater influence on what we feel than the bend.

I’ve ordered a set of Fexx bars - Carbon XC bars in 12 deg backsweep.
If they help me ride more/longer they will be worth it to me!

Neken sfs top clamp with ktm machined split lower clamp with Protaper evo Carmichael bend bars with odi grips and Kyb forks is the cats meow.  I’ve pretty much been swapping this setup bike to bike for a probably over 5 years now.

AviatingPiggletto :

Please let me / us know how it goes with the Flex Bars.

To know they have helped your issues, would sway my 'moth freeing' from my Wallet.

Even though you are a dreaded  Queenslander, I'd trust your verdict on them........... well, I think I will 😁

I've just torn off my UCL on my Right Thumb, for the f' ken umpteenth time, and my shoulders are getting ever worse, so, I'm going ever closer towards Flex Bars for both MC and DH use - anything that Does Help, to keep riding, I'll consider forking out for, at this stage.

Love my flex bars!!

I ran something very similar and thought it was special, Neken SFS air upper, power parts split lower with RC evo bars. Bought my gasgas and wanted stupid red clamps and sold that Neken upper and have been sad since.

Flex bars work great, ran them on some quads just $$$

One ride so far. 
First impression: Both the cushioning and the 12 degree v 8 of my other bars seems to reduce the pain a bit. 
The extra sweep means my hands a bit further back. 

Again: first impressions are I might put a slightly longer stem on to compensate. 
Secondly, there is almost no 31.8 diameter spare with my clamp. So I can’t mount my light. And my computer is on the sweeper back/flexible section. I’ll come up with something. 

The service from FASST including shipping to Australia was great. Thank you!

Happy so far. Need a few more rides.