ConvertiBar Plan

[Hellgate]

The ConvertiBars are on order, and the top clamp is on the way. I'll post install instructions and feedback once I get them on.

The reason I'm doing this is I've been less than thrilled with the stock handle bar. I'm currently using an LSL Street bar, that I feel is better, but not quite what I'm looking for. I'd like the bar just a bit lower and with more pull back than the LSL.

Obviously once I remove the stock bar, there is a big ole' honkin' empty clamp looking at me. So it looks like an R6 top clamp will fit. This will do a couple of things 1) look better, and 2) more the top clamp bolts from the front of the clamp to the rear of the clamp. This will give me more adjustability. Also I think it will look better in black.

So here's the parts, hopefully I'll get them quickly.

Oh yeah, I'll probably end up shortening them as I will not have them up, like in the photo.

 

[DefyInertia]

I just posted in your other thread. How did you confirm the top triple would fit?

 

[Hellgate]

I just posted in your other thread. How did you confirm the top triple would fit?

No, not really....yeah I know...but at this point the stock bar has to go. I got the top clamp for .99 cents. What the hell?

 

[DefyInertia]

How does one get a top triple for $0.99??? Definitly looking forward to hearing more about the convertibars and seeing pics.

 

[Hellgate]

How does one get a top triple for $0.99??? Definitly looking forward to hearing more about the convertibars and seeing pics.

Good 'ole Flea Bay!

Now that said, I ordered a used FZ6 top clamp that I was going to cut the stalks off of, and the thing was bent when it arrived and the dude never replied back. He's the big salvage shop out there. That one is in the trash.

So hopefully this one is better, we'll see.

 

[mglowe]

Hope it works out for you. I too am not overly pleased with the handlebar - I think the turn-in angle of that last bend is too much for my liking. My wrists are not squared up.

I was thinking of getting Rizoma Handlebars but then again they are slightly lower and look to much straight. I dunno... ?

 

[thatguyx]

definately waiting to hear how this goes. Otherwise I'm just gonna have to save up and order some JOTA bars. But this looks promising. The idea of Helibars or Convertibars is great, but the empty triple tree would be all wrong.

 

[fast blue one]

I will look forward to seeing this one :thumbup:

 

[madmanmaigret]

Damn Top! Will it ever end? J/K I'm Glad you are willing to expiriment on your bike for the good of the group. I'm sure you will but.......post up pics!

 

[Hellgate]

Damn Top! Will it ever end? J/K I'm Glad you are willing to expiriment on your bike for the good of the group. I'm sure you will but.......post up pics!

Heck no Doc! I love to tweek things! I better watch what I say or I'll be banned....:Flash:

I think I'm getting towards the end of the mods however. I can see playing with the fork some more, Emulators, or an R6S fork, IF I can find a good price on one. Maybe a shock. Ohlins is about the only real option. DI found a great deal on them, but still pretty pricy. I would say fork over shock, the fork is that bad, really, really, really, really bad.

I'm going to try a pair of the rearset, set backs that oso2K is working on developing.

I plan to write up a summary of all of the mods I've done, what I thought about them, and if they were a good value or not. Not all have been great, the R1 shock is the best example, what disaster! And exhaust is another example of a very low value mod, looks cool (however HavBlue will disagree), sounds cool, but very little in terms of riding enhancement/performance.

There are a few other things I'd like to do, the twin head light mod, I'll ask Fred to help me with that. I suck at electrical.

But that is about it.

I really like the overall layout of the FZ, I just want to make it a bit more edgie, more on the sport side of sport touring if you will.

But that is the beauty of the FZ, you can race it or you can tour on it. Very few motorcycles can do both, what a cool ride!
:Sport:

 

[Hellgate]

Hope it works out for you. I too am not overly pleased with the handlebar - I think the turn-in angle of that last bend is too much for my liking. My wrists are not squared up.

I was thinking of getting Rizoma Handlebars but then again they are slightly lower and look to much straight. I dunno... ?

I like the looks of the Rizoma bar. I think if may be a good solution, however I haven't tried one. It looks to have more pull back than my LSL Street. The LSL has a motocross feel to me.

Heck I was thinking if there was clearance simply flip the stock bar upside down and that would be about right! J/K

If you get a pair let us know what you think.

 

[JAY]

Any word whether the triple clamp fit or not?

 

[Hellgate]

Any word whether the triple clamp fit or not?

Nope not yet. I got the top clamp and I'm waiting on the bars before I take anything apart. I'm hoping they arrive tonight. They shipped last Thursday.

 

[oso2k]

Nope not yet. I got the top clamp and I'm waiting on the bars before I take anything apart. I'm hoping they arrive tonight. They shipped last Thursday.

Firstly, the few things we know for sure about the R6 triple clamp:
1) The triple clamp sets the forks about ~20mm (or is it 10mm, check the R6 Fork Mod thread) closer to each other. Therefore, it will be *INCOMPATIBLE with the FZ6 lower triple clamp.

2) Every person who has installed clip-ons (including me) has run into the *"at normal clip-on mount angles (e.g. not straight bar), loss of the steering stop usage and the banging the clip-on into the gas tank/plastics" issue. Mounting the new top triple will make this more severe unless you modfy the gas tank or modify the plastics or go naked.

I'll tell you what though...I'm working on a plan with wavex to try to do this exact same thing. However, I'm working with a full R6 triple tree (upper triple, lower triple, steering stem). My biggest concern (other than those above) is the steering stem. I'm afraid it might require machining or a new steering stem or both. I won't know until I try fitting the R6 steering stem in the FZ6 frame. I won't get a chance to do that for maybe a month. I'm streeting my FZ6 again (naked style though), I'm buying a house (closing escrow on 3/28), having a track day over AAA-Don't-Call-Me-California Speedway over in Fontana (3/29) and moving into my house (3/30, 3 major things in one weekend!). This last week of March is gonna be a busy one.

 

[Hellgate]

Firstly, the few things we know for sure about the R6 triple clamp:
1) The triple clamp sets the forks about ~20mm (or is it 10mm, check the R6 Fork Mod thread) closer to each other. Therefore, it will be *INCOMPATIBLE with the FZ6 lower triple clamp.

2) Every person who has installed clip-ons (including me) has run into the *"at normal clip-on mount angles (e.g. not straight bar), loss of the steering stop usage and the banging the clip-on into the gas tank/plastics" issue. Mounting the new top triple will make this more severe unless you modfy the gas tank or modify the plastics or go naked.

I'll tell you what though...I'm working on a plan with wavex to try to do this exact same thing. However, I'm working with a full R6 triple tree (upper triple, lower triple, steering stem). My biggest concern (other than those above) is the steering stem. I'm afraid it might require machining or a new steering stem or both. I won't know until I try fitting the R6 steering stem in the FZ6 frame. I won't get a chance to do that for maybe a month. I'm streeting my FZ6 again (naked style though), I'm buying a house (closing escrow on 3/28), having a track day over AAA-Don't-Call-Me-California Speedway over in Fontana (3/29) and moving into my house (3/30, 3 major things in one weekend!). This last week of March is gonna be a busy one.

Yeah I'm not sure what the heck I'm going to do about the triple clamp.

The converti bars are totally different from clip ons, they are pretty much infinitely adjustable. They are not as low a clip ons an I can adjust side to side and up and down, so hopefully I'll find the position I'm looking for.

Louis - I don't think you are busy enough! - So no track days with the FZ?

 

[oso2k]

Yeah I'm not sure what the heck I'm going to do about the triple clamp.

The converti bars are totally different from clip ons, they are pretty much infinitely adjustable. They are not as low a clip ons an I can adjust side to side and up and down, so hopefully I'll find the position I'm looking for.

Louis - I don't think you are busy enough! - So no track days with the FZ?

Hahahaha. It's the FZ6 that's getting tracked but I might have to have to run it naked. Don't know if I'll have time to put the plastics on and give it a quick ride before I hit the track. I'm actually thinking that Convertibars would be really great to have in my situation. I'm needing to have my bike do some street riding/commuting but it can be reconfigured to a track riding position. If you're only gonna ride with the Convertibars in one position, I'm not sure how usefully they'll end up being.

 

[Hellgate]

Hahahaha. It's the FZ6 that's getting tracked but I might have to have to run it naked. Don't know if I'll have time to put the plastics on and give it a quick ride before I hit the track. I'm actually thinking that Convertibars would be really great to have in my situation. I'm needing to have my bike do some street riding/commuting but it can be reconfigured to a track riding position. If you're only gonna ride with the Convertibars in one position, I'm not sure how usefully they'll end up being.

It's not so much running multiple positions, but finding the right position. With a traditional handle bar is can be tough to do. I am hoping that I can find exactly what I'm looking for, a bit more forward, a bit lower and a bit more pull back. The bonus is the multiple positions, for touring, etc.

I'm looking forward to the rearset set backs too. The Fizzer should have a nice sporty feel when I'm done with this.

 

[madmanmaigret]

I'm looking forward to the rearset set backs too. The Fizzer should have a nice sporty feel when I'm done with this.

Does it feel like a big cruiser to you now, Top? :justkidding:
Sounds like a lot of work on a brand new bike but to each his own.

 

[JAY]

Firstly, the few things we know for sure about the R6 triple clamp:
1) The triple clamp sets the forks about ~20mm (or is it 10mm, check the R6 Fork Mod thread) closer to each other. Therefore, it will be *INCOMPATIBLE with the FZ6 lower triple clamp.

2) Every person who has installed clip-ons (including me) has run into the *"at normal clip-on mount angles (e.g. not straight bar), loss of the steering stop usage and the banging the clip-on into the gas tank/plastics" issue. Mounting the new top triple will make this more severe unless you modfy the gas tank or modify the plastics or go naked.

I'll tell you what though...I'm working on a plan with wavex to try to do this exact same thing. However, I'm working with a full R6 triple tree (upper triple, lower triple, steering stem). My biggest concern (other than those above) is the steering stem. I'm afraid it might require machining or a new steering stem or both. I won't know until I try fitting the R6 steering stem in the FZ6 frame. I won't get a chance to do that for maybe a month. I'm streeting my FZ6 again (naked style though), I'm buying a house (closing escrow on 3/28), having a track day over AAA-Don't-Call-Me-California Speedway over in Fontana (3/29) and moving into my house (3/30, 3 major things in one weekend!). This last week of March is gonna be a busy one.

Wouldnt that require a whole new replacement of the tire/rim, brakes , and etc. from the R6 as well?

 

[Hellgate]

Does it feel like a big cruiser to you now, Top? :justkidding:
Sounds like a lot of work on a brand new bike but to each his own.

Good points Doc. With the stock bar it did feel like a cruiser to me! Ha! Ha! The LSL bar has helped a great deal.

You are right, it is a lot of work, and some days I wonder why I didn't buy and R6 and just install risers for the clip ons. Then I look at the seat and no one would want to ride with me more than a block with an R6 seat.

For ME the FZ6 would be prefect if is was just a bit more sporty and with a better suspension. Like VFR quality, but and FZ.

A lot of the mods I've done I would have done on any bike, brake lines, windscreen, fork springs (most are too soft), Pazzos, and probably an exhaust.

I just wish our suspension was adjustable.

So back on topic, it the machined top clamp works out that will be the simplest solution.