where are the bar ends?

[poormanracing]

i just got my gs and am a newbie rider as well...i just noticed that there are no bar ends on it...i looked thru the hole looking for something to screw an aftermarket one on and there nothing inside..i saw something in the clutch side and pulled it out with the help of a wd-40...its like a metal rod with rubber on each end..its 6 inches and dunno whats its for..the local shop guy told me its a balancer? :dunno: he added that that both sides should have it... i asked him about the thing where to screw th barends on..he said i can buy a balancer set for $25 each but hes not sure if it includes the rod thing i found in the clutch side..can anyone help me on the things i need?

[xtalman]

What year is your bike?

Mine is a '96, and you use screws to attach the bar ends.  I can't remember when the models changed, but later years have a rubber thing that expands inside the handlebars instead.  That sounds more like what you have.  I have no idea what the rod is.

[cummuterguy]

bars up to 2000 model year have welded "nuts" in them for attaching bar-ends.
2001 and do not, and require bar-ends to be attached with the long bolt/rubber bushing/nut combo.

[John Bates]

........can anyone help me on the things i need?

For a year 2001 and up GS look at BikeBandit.com. Item 10 is the complete assembly of what you need for one handlebar end.