Topic: In the market for Bars

[ProTeal55]

Rearsets also aid to the comoft of having low bars.
Their next on my list 

[cmorgan47]

Rearsets also aid to the comoft of having low bars.
Their next on my list 

ditto.  i wanted rearsets last month. 
now that i switched bars, i _need_ rearsets

[StevieMac]

Rearsets also aid to the comoft of having low bars.
Their next on my list 

Absolutely!

[Jeff]

Speaking of drag bars... when I bought my 77 550 the PO threw in a set of drag bars with slight pullback. I tried installing them tonight, and for the most part it was pretty easy. But I'm having a heck of a time getting the brake lever mounted right. The brake line is now long, and the end of the lever, basically the banjo bolt/cover are causing problems. Do I need to get a shorter brake line? Is there something else I need to do?

Thanks,
Jeff

[scout18]

I have had drags and super ports(1 1/2" rise with about he same pull back)  and clubmans. The CM's I had to add a spacer underneath so that they rose up about an inch so that I could rotate them and get comfy. After I did this they were fine until I highsided  on a gravel road at about 10mph  and bent them. Now I am back to my supersports and I feel like I am riding super motard. I do have cut down seat.  Anyone got a line on rearsets we can copy or make or buy outright without breaking the bank?

[cbjunkie]

jeff - sorry i can't post my photo right now, but i had to put the MC dingle and banjo low and in between the clock and the bar riser - its jammed pretty tight and fixes the angle of the brake lever in one place (that you get used to)

scout18 - check the FAQs - there is a how to make your own rearsets in there...i think it's under "where can i find parts..."

[StevieMac]

Speaking of drag bars... when I bought my 77 550 the PO threw in a set of drag bars with slight pullback. I tried installing them tonight, and for the most part it was pretty easy. But I'm having a heck of a time getting the brake lever mounted right. The brake line is now long, and the end of the lever, basically the banjo bolt/cover are causing problems. Do I need to get a shorter brake line? Is there something else I need to do?

Thanks,
Jeff

I could never get my brake lever anywhere near where I wanted it with drag bars on my 500.  Superbike bars or clubmans worked great but not the drag bars.

[cbjunkie]

here'tis...

[Jeff]

Thanks for the pics junkie. I finally got the drag bars installed. What I ended up doing was loosening the banjo bolt and turning it slightly so it would clear the bracket the gauges mount to. It's pretty tight, but it works.

I really like the looks of the bars, and the positioning is really good. But I've noticed more vibration in these bars opposed to the stockers. Plus they're a bit narrower, and coupled with the lower position, the mirrors are now completely worthless, unless I like to look at my arms. I definitely need a bar end mirror now.

Jeff

[mrbreeze]

Yeah....the cafe setup will do that to you...first the cables...oh hell....these suckers are too long!!!!Go get shorter cables.....Go for a ride....oh hell.....no I can't even see behind me.Bar end mirror time.Go for a ride....damn,this would be nice if I could kick my feet back.Off and runnin'for rear sets.Take your first long distance ride...oh man...I have'nt even gone 100 miles yet and my back is killing me.Or the other one is your out partying and setting up a ride.Some little hotty wants to go too but you can't fit her on the bike!!!!!
No thanks!!!! You young bucks make your cafes and enjoy them.(I never said they don't look cool!!!)

[Jeff]

If some little hottie wants to go for a ride with me, it's just as well that I coulldn't fit her on the bike. I don't think my wife would be happy if I was partying with hotties other than her!

Jeff

[cmorgan47]

cafe seats mean no fat chicks. 

but i ground off my passenger pegs, so no chicks in general.
plus, yeah, the wife thing.

[cbjunkie]

exactly. 

[Ginseng]

Can you set it up like the new thruxtons...

Leave the pasanger pegs on and get a fairing to cover the seat... Then on the Hottie occasion you can unbolt and go

G-

[don76]

I'll have to agree with the earlier comment about straight drag bars, broomstick bars.  I have a set on mine, and if it doesn't sell, I'll probably put on drag bars with a slight pullback.  As for the back issues, I put on 6 inch dog bone risers.  I alleviated the brake master cylinder problem by going with a Buell master cylinder and custom length stainless brake line.  The Buell m/c fits 7/8ths inch bars.  Hope this helps someone here.

Don

[dusterdude]

i am in the process of installing clubmans on my bike,except i turned mine up instead of down.with the bike on the centerstand i like the feel of the bars,i guess i will have to wait until i ride it to see if i really like them.

[hymodyne]

i'm looking at clip ons as well, but have a more fundamental question: how do you clip on clip ons?

is it necessary to take off the chrome ears for the headlight mount? what happens to the bank of four idiot lights that sits in the middle of stock bars?

I now run bar-end mirrors and like them. can I still use them on these bars?

many thanks


hym

[ProTeal55]

HYModyne-->
Take a look at my setup below--->


I put my clip-on's above the top triple tree to aid with my bad/aching back.
I would say 98% of people put them below the top tree.
I will admit they would look better below, but the way my bike is setup now is perfect.
I can ride that #$%* for hours and not be sore.

I plan to re-do the setup over the winter - get rid of the "dashboard" - and get it as clean
looking as I can...

[hymodyne]

thanks proteal,

I've got a bid on a set of clipons on ebay now.

hym

[Jeff.Saunders]

When changing bars, you need to look at the following:

- Riding position - both for highway and in traffic - what works at speed can be very tough on the wrists around town.
- Tank clearance - some lower bars / clip-ons will dent the tank - or worse trap your thumb against the tank in tight turns...
- Cable length and cable routing - switching from high bars to low will cause you to swap cables out.  Make sure you can either find the correct length cables, or you'll have to live with as much as 8"-10" too much cable.  With some headlight brackets, it's tough to get the clutch cable to run cleanly through the headlight / steering stem area.
- Same issue with handlebar switchblocks - make sure the wires can route smoothly without kinking the wires or trapping them in the steering head area.
- Make sure the master cylinder will not hit the tach - if it does, DO NOT more the throttle assembly off the end of the bars more than 1/2" - 1" - this is VERY dangerous as the assembly can break under heavy breaking.
- Make sure the new bars will not interfer with turn signals / mounts

[Goldbug]

I bought "euro cafe" style bars from http://crc2onlinecatalog.com for my 1973 CB500 and I'm afraid they will not be much diffirent than the stock bars. Can someone reassure me that I won't be disapointed? If they aren't low enough for my tastes can I simply pull them back a bit to get a lower rise? I'll be running my wires through the bars so I can drill wherever I want to, just don't want to pull them back so far that they could possibly interfere with the tank when the fork is locked in either direction.

[golden_child]

I bought "euro cafe" style bars from http://crc2onlinecatalog.com for my 1973 CB500 and I'm afraid they will not be much diffirent than the stock bars. Can someone reassure me that I won't be disapointed? If they aren't low enough for my tastes can I simply pull them back a bit to get a lower rise? I'll be running my wires through the bars so I can drill wherever I want to, just don't want to pull them back so far that they could possibly interfere with the tank when the fork is locked in either direction.

I would like to know as well.

[Gordon]

I have the "euro cafe" bars on my 750 and they are much lower than stock.  The original bars are more like the ones on that page listed as "classic replica". 

[Goldbug]

Thanks!

[tmht]

I just put a set of Woodcraft clip-ons on my 400. I do have a minor issue with the MC fitting hitting the tach cable. It is tight but works out well. They are nice 2 piece billet units. In the case of the 400 since it takes a 33mm they actually send a set of 38mms with billet inserts. Since I will be "cleaning up" my dash area in a few months I am not so concerned with the cable issue as nothing is binding. One issue I did run into on the 400 is that lowering the bars dramatically shortens the distance between the MC and the pressure switch for the front brakes. When I get my SS lines I will have to have them custom made if I want to retain use of the switch.