bmccrary
Touring Mod
Ok, so I suppose I should start this by filling you guys/gals in on the story...
This past weekend I decided that I would ride the FZ up to Boone, NC where my girlfriend goes to school which is about 110 miles from my house here in Charlotte. So I left Charlotte late Friday evening and was at her place about an hour and half later
Anyway... when I ride up there I normally park the bike under the stairwell so its out of sight and covered from rain and such, and I did the same this trip.
Sat morning when Alicia heads out for a meeting, she calls me to inform me that my bike had fallen over, she tried to pick it up, but not knowing how to do so she had little luck. (Honestly, Im impressed that she even tried, she was in her dress clothes)
Turns out someone must have tried to get on the bike from the right side (It was on the centerstand) and the stand sunk in the dirt and over she went. When it fell the bar end hit some concrete that was surrounding a post that supports the banisters around the apt. This in turn bent the right side of the bars into the fuel tank. Fortunately, the tank was not harmed nor was the fairings. However the head light did hit the post and scratched the lens (no cracks) and scuffed the front finder lightly.
So being stuck on top of a mountain with a bike that couldnt turn right, wasnt going to get me home... so I called around to local dealerships to see if I could purchase the bars, grips,throttle tube off a new unit so that I could get home. Most shops are willing to do this if a customer is in a pinch and/or stuck on the road. Only one shop in the area was willing to do this, but they were going to charge me 1.5 hours of labor for pulling the bars off and then putting the new one back on the unit later. Thus making my total like 130 bucks.
The cheapest route for me was to buy a set of Protaper 7/8 inch bars and some cheap grips. This set me back 60 bucks and got me going. (Shop did cut me a deal though) Now I am pretty familiar with dirtbike bars as I have been around them all my life. I knew what bend I wanted (CR highs) but unfortunately they didnt have those so I settled with some YZ high's.
I have been wanting some new bars for sometime now. I dont like how bent back the FZ bars are stock, I would like something straighter, but not alot and do not want to sacrifice comfort, I do not want to be pulled forward on the bike.
Well the YZ bend is much straighter than the FZ bars but I kinda like it, what I dont like is how far I am now being pulled forward now. With the straighter bar I now have clearance issues with the brake lever contacting the mirror and my intercom hitting the wind screen. I can no longer make tight turns on the bike, which sucks. I am not able to cut the bars down any like I would on a dirtbike as there is hardly enough room for controls as is...
So now Im turning to you guys/gals...
I need some new bars! What should I go for?
I dont mind the dirtbike bars, even with out bar ends the buzz in the bars is not and issue, I honestly did not notice that they were missing. Im not saying that I want to stay with the dirtbike style bar, but it is an option.
Note: Protaper bars have 200mm of bar length for controls.
I have thought about going with a lower rise bar, with a bit more pull back. (CR bend) then getting some bar risers (1" up and 1" back) thinking that might get me the room I need, but not sure.
I have been trying to look around for other street bike bars, but coming up a bit short. Below are a few pictures of the new bars on the bike to give you an idea of what I am up against now.
Like I said, this works for now. It will get me through, but there are some other issues to take care of first, lol.
-bryan
This past weekend I decided that I would ride the FZ up to Boone, NC where my girlfriend goes to school which is about 110 miles from my house here in Charlotte. So I left Charlotte late Friday evening and was at her place about an hour and half later
Anyway... when I ride up there I normally park the bike under the stairwell so its out of sight and covered from rain and such, and I did the same this trip.Sat morning when Alicia heads out for a meeting, she calls me to inform me that my bike had fallen over, she tried to pick it up, but not knowing how to do so she had little luck. (Honestly, Im impressed that she even tried, she was in her dress clothes)
Turns out someone must have tried to get on the bike from the right side (It was on the centerstand) and the stand sunk in the dirt and over she went. When it fell the bar end hit some concrete that was surrounding a post that supports the banisters around the apt. This in turn bent the right side of the bars into the fuel tank. Fortunately, the tank was not harmed nor was the fairings. However the head light did hit the post and scratched the lens (no cracks) and scuffed the front finder lightly.
So being stuck on top of a mountain with a bike that couldnt turn right, wasnt going to get me home... so I called around to local dealerships to see if I could purchase the bars, grips,throttle tube off a new unit so that I could get home. Most shops are willing to do this if a customer is in a pinch and/or stuck on the road. Only one shop in the area was willing to do this, but they were going to charge me 1.5 hours of labor for pulling the bars off and then putting the new one back on the unit later. Thus making my total like 130 bucks.
The cheapest route for me was to buy a set of Protaper 7/8 inch bars and some cheap grips. This set me back 60 bucks and got me going. (Shop did cut me a deal though) Now I am pretty familiar with dirtbike bars as I have been around them all my life. I knew what bend I wanted (CR highs) but unfortunately they didnt have those so I settled with some YZ high's.
I have been wanting some new bars for sometime now. I dont like how bent back the FZ bars are stock, I would like something straighter, but not alot and do not want to sacrifice comfort, I do not want to be pulled forward on the bike.
Well the YZ bend is much straighter than the FZ bars but I kinda like it, what I dont like is how far I am now being pulled forward now. With the straighter bar I now have clearance issues with the brake lever contacting the mirror and my intercom hitting the wind screen. I can no longer make tight turns on the bike, which sucks. I am not able to cut the bars down any like I would on a dirtbike as there is hardly enough room for controls as is...
So now Im turning to you guys/gals...
I need some new bars! What should I go for?
I dont mind the dirtbike bars, even with out bar ends the buzz in the bars is not and issue, I honestly did not notice that they were missing. Im not saying that I want to stay with the dirtbike style bar, but it is an option.
Note: Protaper bars have 200mm of bar length for controls.
I have thought about going with a lower rise bar, with a bit more pull back. (CR bend) then getting some bar risers (1" up and 1" back) thinking that might get me the room I need, but not sure.
I have been trying to look around for other street bike bars, but coming up a bit short. Below are a few pictures of the new bars on the bike to give you an idea of what I am up against now.
Like I said, this works for now. It will get me through, but there are some other issues to take care of first, lol.
-bryan
