harmonjt
Junior Member
Hello everyone,
I just finished replacing my factory handle bar, grips, and bar ends with Rizoma parts. I thought I'd make a quick post with the results and the pain points so others can install these parts more quickly. Particularly, I'd like to share my experience installing the Rizoma bar ends as I've read in other threads that people are having difficulties installing them securely.
Removing the old bars:
I began with the left side of the bars by removing the bar end and headlights/turn signal assembly. This gave me enough room to get to the left grip, which is glued onto the stock handle bars. I used a flathead screwdriver to open up a bit of space between the inside of the grip and the bar, then sprayed WD-40 between the grip and bar whilst twisting the grip. When the WD-40 works itself between the grip and bar, the grip will move freely. Repeat this procedure until the grip comes off, working all the way around the grip. I loosened the bolt securing the clutch assembly to the bars, then moved to the right side of the bars.
On the right side, I removed the clamp holding the master cylinder and brake assembly onto the bars. I then removed the two screws holding the throttle/kill switch mechanism together. With the throttle assembly apart, I unhooked the throttle cables from the rotating assembly. I removed the bar end.
Next, I removed the riser clamps holding the bars to the front forks. I slid the throttle mechanism off the bar on the right side, then slid the clutch mechanism off the bar on the left side.
Installing the new bars:
WARNING: the powder-coated Rizoma bars will scratch easily so be *very* careful when maneuvering parts on and around the new bars.
I basically began by reassembling the reverse of disassembly. I slid the clutch assembly on the left side of the bars, slid the throttle assembly on the right side of the bars, and mounted the bars on the risers (be careful with the riser clamps and bar hardware to make sure you don't scratch the bars). I slid the new throttle grip onto the right side of the bars and hooked it up to the throttle assembly.
PAIN POINT #1: the kill switch/throttle assembly needs a hole in the handlebars to secure itself in place (take a look at the underside of the factory bars). You're going to have to drill this hole. The way I did it was to line up the assembly with the end of the bar, where the end of the grip was about 1mm to the left of the end of the bar. I then put masking tape around the bar where the left edge of the throttle assembly was on the bar, to mark my reference location. I rotated the assembly to the orientation I liked, then marked the *top* of the bar over the location of the nub (which should be on the underside of the bar). I then moved the throttle assembly out of the way and drilled from the top of the bar through the bottom of the bar. (Apologize for lack of photos, I wasn't thinking about posting the work until after I finished).
Once the throttle assembly was installed, I clamped on the brake assembly.
I moved to the left side of the bar and performed a similar procedure for the headlights/turn signal assembly. Once the assembly was installed, I secured the clutch assembly.
PAIN POINT #2: The bar ends were a pain to install until I figured out how to install them. The Rizoma bar ends are 'universal' bar ends, which means they are secured to the inside of any handle bar using a rubber sleeve that gets squeezed by a bolt until the rubber sleeve has bulged enough to secure it to the inside of the bars. The problem is, unless the nut on the end of the bolt is tightly against the rubber sleeve, it will just twist with the bolt and won't secure the bar ends to the bars very well. The trick is to pick a sleeve that fits inside your handlebars without force (before it is squeezed). I tried doing this with the largest sleeve because they provided the tightest fit, but they were a little too tight to get into the bars. I moved down a size, to the medium sleeve, added star washers (for grip) on both ends of the sleeve, and tightened the nut on the bolt until the sleeve began bulging. I kept tightening until the sleeve was a tight fit inside the bar and pushed the bar end into the bar at the depth I wanted. I then tightened the bolt more (with the bar end inside the handlebars) and the bar ends held on very securely.
I repeated this procedure for both ends.
I just finished replacing my factory handle bar, grips, and bar ends with Rizoma parts. I thought I'd make a quick post with the results and the pain points so others can install these parts more quickly. Particularly, I'd like to share my experience installing the Rizoma bar ends as I've read in other threads that people are having difficulties installing them securely.
Removing the old bars:
I began with the left side of the bars by removing the bar end and headlights/turn signal assembly. This gave me enough room to get to the left grip, which is glued onto the stock handle bars. I used a flathead screwdriver to open up a bit of space between the inside of the grip and the bar, then sprayed WD-40 between the grip and bar whilst twisting the grip. When the WD-40 works itself between the grip and bar, the grip will move freely. Repeat this procedure until the grip comes off, working all the way around the grip. I loosened the bolt securing the clutch assembly to the bars, then moved to the right side of the bars.
On the right side, I removed the clamp holding the master cylinder and brake assembly onto the bars. I then removed the two screws holding the throttle/kill switch mechanism together. With the throttle assembly apart, I unhooked the throttle cables from the rotating assembly. I removed the bar end.
Next, I removed the riser clamps holding the bars to the front forks. I slid the throttle mechanism off the bar on the right side, then slid the clutch mechanism off the bar on the left side.
Installing the new bars:
WARNING: the powder-coated Rizoma bars will scratch easily so be *very* careful when maneuvering parts on and around the new bars.
I basically began by reassembling the reverse of disassembly. I slid the clutch assembly on the left side of the bars, slid the throttle assembly on the right side of the bars, and mounted the bars on the risers (be careful with the riser clamps and bar hardware to make sure you don't scratch the bars). I slid the new throttle grip onto the right side of the bars and hooked it up to the throttle assembly.
PAIN POINT #1: the kill switch/throttle assembly needs a hole in the handlebars to secure itself in place (take a look at the underside of the factory bars). You're going to have to drill this hole. The way I did it was to line up the assembly with the end of the bar, where the end of the grip was about 1mm to the left of the end of the bar. I then put masking tape around the bar where the left edge of the throttle assembly was on the bar, to mark my reference location. I rotated the assembly to the orientation I liked, then marked the *top* of the bar over the location of the nub (which should be on the underside of the bar). I then moved the throttle assembly out of the way and drilled from the top of the bar through the bottom of the bar. (Apologize for lack of photos, I wasn't thinking about posting the work until after I finished).
Once the throttle assembly was installed, I clamped on the brake assembly.
I moved to the left side of the bar and performed a similar procedure for the headlights/turn signal assembly. Once the assembly was installed, I secured the clutch assembly.
PAIN POINT #2: The bar ends were a pain to install until I figured out how to install them. The Rizoma bar ends are 'universal' bar ends, which means they are secured to the inside of any handle bar using a rubber sleeve that gets squeezed by a bolt until the rubber sleeve has bulged enough to secure it to the inside of the bars. The problem is, unless the nut on the end of the bolt is tightly against the rubber sleeve, it will just twist with the bolt and won't secure the bar ends to the bars very well. The trick is to pick a sleeve that fits inside your handlebars without force (before it is squeezed). I tried doing this with the largest sleeve because they provided the tightest fit, but they were a little too tight to get into the bars. I moved down a size, to the medium sleeve, added star washers (for grip) on both ends of the sleeve, and tightened the nut on the bolt until the sleeve began bulging. I kept tightening until the sleeve was a tight fit inside the bar and pushed the bar end into the bar at the depth I wanted. I then tightened the bolt more (with the bar end inside the handlebars) and the bar ends held on very securely.
I repeated this procedure for both ends.
