A handle assembly for a door of a vehicle includes a housing, and a grab bar moveably supported by the housing. The grab bar is linearly moveable along a linear path between a retracted position and an extended position. The linear path is disposed on a plane. A motor is attached to the housing, and includes an output rotatable about a rotation axis. The rotation axis is perpendicular to the plane. A scotch yoke mechanism interconnects the output of the motor and the grab bar. The scotch yoke mechanism translates rotational movement of the output into the linear movement of the grab bar to move the grab bar between the extended position and the retracted position.