Topic: Ever have a gap in your handlebar controls?

[Scott S]

 I restored a set of CB500 controls and I'm attempting to install them on a set of 400F bars. The LH control fits fine, but the RH control has a gap on both sides where the two halves meet.

 I'm positive it's not the wiring harness causing it to stand off, not the throttle and I'm tightening the screws evenly. The locating pin is fully seated in the bars.
 It's actually the control itself. Even without the throttle, the top half of the switch housing hits the bar. At first, it was probably 3-4mm on each side, when tightened up.
 I took my dremel tool to it and removed some metal on the end of the housing (the side away from the throttle) and on the inner part on the throttle side.

 It's better, but there's still a 1mm gap on one side, a little smaller but uneven gap on the other.

 Why would the controls not fit properly. These are all genuine Honda parts. Should I keep working on it and try to get the gap to close?

 One of the areas where I had to grind:


 Gaps on the front...


 ...and rear  of the bars.

[MoMo]

Maybe the locating pin is not fully seated in the housing?  I have seen gaps but never anything that pronounced-does not seem to be up to Honda quality...Larry

[Scott S]

 I'm pretty sure the bottom half of the control is seated properly. The pin goes all the way into the hole and the ends hug the bar pretty well. You can see how it fits in the bottom pic.
 When I sit the top half on the bar, the inner ring near the throttle was hitting the bar. I ground on that some and then saw that the rear needed grinding, too.

 I guess I'll whip out the Dremel tool again tomorrow and keep sneaking up on it.

[DarcyCB400F]

I asked the same question and was told this is a standard feature... I will watch this thread for solutions to my "gap" problems...

[Scott S]

 Something else I noticed is the distance from the controls to the end of the grip on the LH side. At first, I thought maybe it was the grips, but I measured the grips on my CB500 (with stock bars) and a set of genuine Honda grips (new in the bag). They're all the same length... 5 1/4".
 While there's a small gap between the grip and LH control on my CB500, nothing nearly as big as this. Is this just the way 400F bars are made? BTW, both controls on the 400F bars have the locating pins, so I know they're in the right place.

[TwoTired]

The gaps are normal, and the controls are tightened front first so the gap goes to the rear.

[Scott S]

 Really? I wonder why the controls on my CB500 fit so much tighter? No gap to speak of on them.

 What about the grip on the LH side of the 400F bars? I can get better pics to compare the two if it helps.

[fastbroshi]

   All I know is EVERY bike I've ever seen, 30 years old or new, has never had a gap like that in controls.   Not even newer questionable brands cough!HYOSUNGcough!

[Scott S]

 I'm very tempted to work on them a little more...see if I can tighten it up some more.

[Skunk Stripe]

My 78 750 has gaps on the back at both sides. That looks a little much maybe but why would you want the halves to meet anyways? If you halves meet, your controls may not be getting tight enough and then you would need to add rubber or something to add a bit of a gap to ensure nothing moves.
tl'dr, a little gap is normal.

[Old Scrambler]

Remove from the bar and mate the two halves to check gap.........should not be any.  Its possible that the pin-dimple in the bar is not correct.

[TwoTired]

I'm very tempted to work on them a little more...see if I can tighten it up some more.

Please yourself.
But, if you don't have the pin, the controls will spin on the bars.  Chrome doesn't have much friction.  Some bars don't have the alignment pin and the controls will still mount without movement.

Did you measure the bar size?  Do the mounts at the triple tree also have large gaps?

Are you tightening the front screws first?

The control is a clamp.  If the clamp runs out of travel range, it doesn't put pressure on the bar, just itself.

The gaps are at the rear so rain entry is minimized while driving.

[Scott S]

But, if you don't have the pin, the controls will spin on the bars.  Chrome doesn't have much friction.  Some bars don't have the alignment pin and the controls will still mount without movement.

Did you measure the bar size?  Do the mounts at the triple tree also have large gaps?

Are you tightening the front screws first?

The control is a clamp.  If the clamp runs out of travel range, it doesn't put pressure on the bar, just itself.

The gaps are at the rear so rain entry is minimized while driving.

 The pin is there and is fully seated in the bars.
 The bars are genuine Honda 400F bars. Controls are genuine Honda.
 I did not measure the bar size before assembling the controls onto the bars.
 Not sure what you mean about the mounts at the triple....the bars aren't on the bike yet.
 Tightening the front screw first gives me the same gaps as in the pics (they were MUCH worse before I removed some material).
 

[TwoTired]

Not sure what you mean about the mounts at the triple....the bars aren't on the bike yet.
 

I the bar size is too big for the controls, the triple tree clamps will have the same "problem".

[fastbroshi]

Just to verify it is the bars and not the controls, have you tried taking them back to the original bars to see if they fit?  Is it possible they didn't drill the hole for the locating pin perpendicular to the bars?

[DarcyCB400F]

I still say that this gap is normal.
You are chasing your tail.

[Hasenkopf]

I still say that this gap is normal.
You are chasing your tail.

    yeah... I  have the same issue with both of mine.

[apex_seeking]

I also have gaps in mine, though neither are as dramatic as that, they are gapped a bit.

[vrenlos]

I recently switched out the stock bars on my 550 to clubmans and had an almost identical gap problem.  It turns out the bars, while 7/8" bars, were not perfect all the way around - the spots where i mounted the controls were slightly larger in diameter for some reason.  So I did the reasonable thing and took a half-moon file to the metal switch housing on both sides and took off enough to make it close snugly.  Of course, if I ever went back to the stock bars I'd probably have to seal it off, but easier to add in a seal than not have the room to close it.

[Scott S]

 I didn't remove the controls, but I measured the bars in several places with my calipers, including the triple tree mounting area. I went around the bar in each place. They're 7/8" no matter where or how I measure.

 I purchased the controls used so I didn't have to take my bike off the road while I got everything together (I plan on doing the 400F bars and rear sets all at once). The 400F bars are the only bars on which I tried the controls.

 The pics make the gap seem huge. It's about 1mm at the biggest part. Maybe I'll just live with it....maybe I'll get bored one day and try to get them tighter.

[nhodges]

I just changed the bar controls over on my '74 750, and there are gaps on both sides.  I wondered if it would be a problem also.  Sounds like a common thing, Glad to hear I didnt screw up some how.

[flybox1]

Same issue here when I switched to euro bars 2 weeks ago.  i kept snugging it until i got within 1mm both sides.  I just greased everything up in there, and make sure I had a good solder on the starter switch just in case i got out in the rain.

[vrenlos]

I didn't remove the controls, but I measured the bars in several places with my calipers, including the triple tree mounting area. I went around the bar in each place. They're 7/8" no matter where or how I measure.

 I purchased the controls used so I didn't have to take my bike off the road while I got everything together (I plan on doing the 400F bars and rear sets all at once). The 400F bars are the only bars on which I tried the controls.

 The pics make the gap seem huge. It's about 1mm at the biggest part. Maybe I'll just live with it....maybe I'll get bored one day and try to get them tighter.

I'm curious - did you use your calipers on the old bars?  Maybe they're not quite 7/8"?