Topic: Shaving handle bar mounts off of triple tree? Possible? How?

[eosmontana]

So I've had clip-ons for a couple of years and I love them.... but i don't love the ugliness of the handlebarless triple tree.... I have a spare and I'm wondering if its possible, and safe, to shave off the old handle bar mounts. Also if anyone has done it, how?
Thanks

[Alan F.]

It's possible to mill off the handlebar clamps, but the casting is, for lack of a better word...hollow.  Concave on the underside.  Have a look at your spare and you'll see just what I mean, if you mill the clamps off, you'll cut right through leaving an open hole.

The upside is that there's a simple and inexpensive solution if it fits your tastes.
Mount the upper tree upside down.
Then paint or polish it.
-Alan

[jon®2004]

I first cut the tabs off, then had the holes filled with weld. After some grinding (lot of it) and sanding they are smooth. Looks real good. It's possible but it takes some work.
jon®

[BlindJoe]

if you do it right you can make the holes look good.

[Industrial Rat400f Killer]

Here's how my 400f triple looks now that I've shaved the clamps off and buffed it out.

[BlindJoe]

like i was saying 

[eosmontana]

Here's how my 400f triple looks now that I've shaved the clamps off and buffed it out.

WOW!!! That looks spectacular!!!! Even with the holes left in it.....
That is exactly what I'm talking about.... So I'm convinced.... and even though I'm not the best at metal work I'm going for it. Thanks for all your thoughts on this.... This site is the BEES KNEES!

[plastikjock]

Had mine welded from the rear 1st before chopping and smoothing. If you look closely there are two minor voids in one side, at some stage I will grind these out and fill with weld.

 

[Laminar]

These pictures are taken from cornandp's 550 cafe build.

[Sporkfly]

These pictures are taken from cornandp's 550 cafe build.

Now that's freaking cool, intelligent use of the holes even. Maybe I'll grab a spare tree and have the option to do something similar.

[paulages]

i used a 1/2" end mill to cut mine off. it's tricky getting a bandsaw very far down the post, so you end up have to remove some material otherwise, even if you start there.

[ttr400]

This is for my CR750 build.
Machined down, welded up and smoothed before painting with 2K gloss black.

Kevin

[mlinder]

I just cut them off with a cutting wheel, then ground down what was left.

[jakecb420]

my wife thinks that pauls triple tree is a freakin cool idea. so do i

[eosmontana]

Thanks for all the picks and posts... I'm really liking the polished look with the wholes.... gonna get started this weekend and I'll try to post some picks when I'm done.

[eosmontana]

well... here are some process picks and the final results... i used and angle grinder with cutting and flap disks for smoothing it out... I'm gonna re-drill a mount for the choke cable so i left the flat part that sticks out... sand blasted it and did some polishing.... keep in mind this is my first attempt at anything like this... but i think it turned out alright.

[Kong]

I cut mine off with a cutoff wheel and then took them down a bit farther with a grinding disk, then I took it to a machinist who milled the top flat for a grand total of $15.  Mine will differ from those above in that I'm going to powder coat it black when the bike goes back together.

[MoMo]

well... here are some process picks and the final results... i used and angle grinder with cutting and flap disks for smoothing it out... I'm gonna re-drill a mount for the choke cable so i left the flat part that sticks out... sand blasted it and did some polishing.... keep in mind this is my first attempt at anything like this... but i think it turned out alright.

It did turn out very well, good work...Larry