Those with Vortex clip ons

mayhem · August 15, 2008, 08:12:08 PM

Waiting for a rainy day to install my vortex clip ons. Wanted to know for those that have done this, what did you do to get the speedo/tach mounted? My buddy has a machine shop and I'm going to have him fab up a stainless plate to go over the top triple tree and mounting for guages. Just wanted to see what others have done and if there is any interest in making more than one. I could have him do mine and then make more if it turns out nice.

mayhem · August 16, 2008, 02:03:38 PM

Bump...I know some of you guys have these.

The Buddha · August 16, 2008, 02:46:24 PM

I have my doubts ...
I dont think anyone here has bought that Over priced and unuseable but really pretty crap.

How would I know ... well, I have this other worthless sheite tomaselli's that is identical to the vortex ... and I have had trouble giving it away.

Then one fine day I broke it trying to put it on for a brave but clueless soul who had high hopes of riding on down the road with that sheite ... and alas ... he had to refit his old bars and ride back out.

So sorry ... you may try non gstwinners somewhere ... where gs twin people congregrate ... like nongstwin.com

Cool.
Buddha.

mayhem · August 16, 2008, 03:43:03 PM

How about I try www.nontrollmoderators.com?

The Buddha · August 16, 2008, 03:59:52 PM

Yea I deserved that ... but sorry ... I dunno what happened, I wasn't even drunk then ... I am now ... but your post was a good comeback ... funny too.

You have had to remove the top plate and dont know where the dash goes ...

The dash has to be mounted in a beefy grommet just like stock ... honda, and yamaha grommets are remarkably similar to GS grommets and the kawi grommets on the KZ I had was identical.

My guess is that you have to somehow transplant the GS grommets to whatever contraption you make, else the vibrations from the hard mounted GS motor will turn the gauges to mush.

Try jay_wolf. He was posting about the katana FE plate thing he made. Dunno if you can just do that ...

On my kat FE conversions - I simply slice a GS top plate open and weld on that on the kat top plate and run the gauges just like the GS has ... grommets and everything. Guess vortex didn't give you that option.

BTW you want to run the clip on's under the triples

then just run the top plate of the GS. The vortex clip on is meant to be run under I believe.

If you're running clip on's on top ... then you should use 89 style clip on's and the guages run off the 89 triple. Fits like a glove.

If you solve the gauge problem without it looking like a hacked up racer special ... you'd be a rich man. Or atleast ... like have a GS with vortex and gauges ...

Cool.
Buddha.

mayhem · August 16, 2008, 04:28:57 PM

I thought i would get a rise out of you. Anyways, I might bail on these, I just adjusted my bars back and they are much lower and more comfortable now.

The Buddha · August 16, 2008, 05:29:09 PM

Oh good ... these tomaselli's I have ... wonderful ... how about $100 ...
Yea, they are the best ...
Anyway, my excessive trolling did serve a purpose.
Sometimes people just sell sheite that simply doesn't work ...
Like I one time copied the damn vortex/tomaselli's with 1 huge difference ... Mine were supposed to fit on top of the top triple ... with 3/4 inch of fork leg pushed through the top of them ... the one and only one that worked ... was the one I fit on this bike I sold. All the rest bombed.
Cool.
Buddha.

TheTazZ · August 17, 2008, 02:40:52 AM

You could mod your top plate.
Im in the process of doing that now to make room for a set of telefix clipons.
All you really need is a grinder and some (a lot - if you want it real pretty) spare time.

GI_JO_NATHAN · August 17, 2008, 07:43:08 AM

This is what I'm running right now. Stock plate modded. Eventually I may fill in the four small holes and paint it, but for now it works great.

The Buddha · August 17, 2008, 09:25:41 AM

Yes, and you give up 1.5 inches+ of suspension travel.
You get the exact same effect, without the loss of suspension travel if you switch to 89 clip on's ... which are actually available cheaper than these.
Cool.
Buddha.

Kurlon · August 17, 2008, 09:50:23 AM

I left my gauges mounted right where they are, and put my clipons below the top clamp set. I replaced the headlight ears with a $10 pair of generic cheapies.

http://picasaweb.google.com/josh.coombs/LRRSGS500EFirstRaceWeekend042608/photo#5196580842600516754

Lever conveniently rotated in to provide a better view... stupid crash.

The Buddha · August 17, 2008, 10:13:41 AM

Yes good. Vortex typically is meant to go under the triples ... they are a racer accessories shop.
Cool.
Buddha.

Kurlon · August 17, 2008, 10:20:50 AM

Now i just need to find a cap to block off the tach output on my motor, remove the extraneous faux upper clamp, mount an electronic tach using the now exposed rubber bushings, and get a spacer machined to replace my speedo drive...

GI_JO_NATHAN · August 17, 2008, 10:54:38 AM

Quote from: The Buddha on August 17, 2008, 09:25:41 AM
Yes, and you give up 1.5 inches+ of suspension travel.
You get the exact same effect, without the loss of suspension travel if you switch to 89 clip on's ... which are actually available cheaper than these.
Cool.
Buddha.

That's actually the other reason I wanted these. I wanted to lower it after almost dropping it in a parking lot.
Technically the suspension still has the same travel, it's not hitting anything when it travels up.

Kurlon · August 17, 2008, 11:03:15 AM

Quote from: GI_JO_NATHAN on August 17, 2008, 10:54:38 AMThat's actually the other reason I wanted these. I wanted to lower it after almost dropping it in a parking lot.

Thats not how I'd have gone about things, all you've done is make the bike MUCH quicker to turn in, aka tip, and reduced your leverage when trying to hold it up by narrowing the bars.

The Buddha · August 17, 2008, 11:36:37 AM

He's lowering it the same way most bling bling brothers who cannot ride lower their Busa's.
The added advantage is that he's fitting clip on's ... I dont think he was talking about dropping it as in, he was trying to hold it up while stopped next to it. I think it was tall for him and the fact that he couldn't stomp his foot down and not let it go down ...
Anyway, yea you lose leverage for turning in. Bike gets twitchier, etc etc, but lower = more likely to be able to flat foot it.
Cool.
Buddha.

GI_JO_NATHAN · August 17, 2008, 11:55:45 AM

Yep, when I first did it the steering was pretty slow. I lowered the rear about the same as the front and it feels perfect now. Definitely not twitchy. I ride it in the twistys as much as I can and it feels perfect. Now that I'm more comfortable with the bike i plan on installing a Vapor and taking out the top plate so I can lift the bike back up some.

News:

Those with Vortex clip ons