1989 GS500 handlebars

[89Decepticon]

I've searched through the threads but haven't found what I'm looking for, so I will start a new one.

I've recently purchased a 89 GS500E. First bike, and lovin' it. I've got the factory type clip ons and I am just wondering
if there is anyway, without replacing the top of the bar set up....noobie...I don't know what its called. I'm considering a
more square stance then the angle provided by the stock clip ons. Maybe aftermarket clips ons would be better as the
could be rotate out.  Suggestions??


thanks in advance.

[scottpA_GS]

 For the most part you need the top plate and regular bars of a 1990+ ... The 89 bars  are popular so there would be many people interested in trading you + some $$$ I would imagine 

[ohgood]

you must provide pictures of your 'new' ride

welcome !

[The Buddha]

There is that set of chrome allen headed bolts in the middle of the top triple. You can replace those with some thing I will cook up if you sent me the right amount of $$$ ...
Then just run tube type bars on the triple. Or dirt bike bars or drag bars or whatever. They will be 1-1.5 inches higher than the stock GS 90+ triple BTW.
What is the right amount of $$ you ask ...

How's $25 and $5 shipping.
Cool.
Buddha.

[89Decepticon]

What would be cooked up? The bolts you mentioned they are chrome, but no allen head. but that is neither here nor there.
How long do you think it would take to get them??


side note: how do you post pics in here??

[The Buddha]

I have a plan ... pay up and see ... and if I dont find it ... I'll refund ya ...
I am yet to stiff anyone ...













on this site ...














this month ...


Pay up sucka ...

Seriously I'll get you parts that work, if I can do that to some dummy with an SV, I can do it to a GS.
I carry a whole GS in parts in the back and inside of my truck @ all times, so matching it up will be easy ....

Cool.
Buddha.

[The Buddha]

Oh, not allen head = remove the plastic cap.
Cool.
Buddha.

[gsJack]

Why can't you just drill and tap 4 holes in the existing handlebar holder plate and mount standard type bars using two sets of caps similar to the cheapo handlebar riser method shown in the Wiki?  I could do that with a hand drill.  When I took the GenMar risers off my 97 GS and put them on my 02 GS I used the cheapo 2 cap riser method to raise bars on the 97 with long bolts found at a local hardware.

http://fiche.ronayers.com/Index.cfm/Module/Main/TypeID/26/Type/Motorcycle/MakeID/2/Make/Suzuki/YearID/30/Year/1989/ModelID/6312/Model/GS500E/GroupID/259250/Group/HANDLEBAR_1989

http://fiche.ronayers.com/Index.cfm/Module/Main/TypeID/26/Type/Motorcycle/MakeID/2/Make/Suzuki/YearID/30/Year/1989/ModelID/6312/Model/GS500E/GroupID/259251/Group/HANDLEBAR_1990-1996

That way you could always bolt the clip ons back on if you wanted to try them again sometime later on.

[O.C.D.]

Or just buy the bars and top plate from someone who did the opposite of what you are doing?  I swapped mine to clip-ons and have the stock bars and top plate sitting in my garage?  Why all the bolt changing issues?!

[Trwhouse]

Hey there,
If you want to sell your stock 1989 GS500 clipons, I'm interested in buying them from you.
Let me know.
Thanks,
Trwhouse

[89Decepticon]

Ok so what I am getting ronayers.com is that those bolts that are doing nothing on my 89 could be used for risers. I could go to my local bike shop, and check out there box of goodies that they have and see what what I can find. failing that....Buddha your the man with the hook up.  Taking apart the top tripple and swapping with someone I'm not a fan of, cause if I decide to go back to the clip ons I'll have to buy new ones. This is what I'm thinking right now. If I change my mind I'll contact you Trwhouse. Thanks everyone for the insight, suggestions and help on this. This place is a great resource.

[The Buddha]

Gaaaa ... OK fine.
However those bolts are not doing nothing. Look closely, they are holding the silver plate to the black plate ... GS dont have pinch bolts on the top plates ... mu hahahahaha .... you remove em, and your nice GS triple sandwich will fall away like someone slapped too much mayo on a cheeseburger.
Cool.
Buddha.

[tt_four]

Haha, I think what Buddha is trying to say.... is that those bolts hold the two top plates together, but they don't specifically hold the bar clamps on. The gs triples that are made for risers have the bottom have of the bar clamp built in, and the top part bolts right to that. If you look around, you MIGHT get lucky enough to find the right kind of riser that just takes a bolt down the middle, and some really long bolts just to bolt straight through the 3, but that'll be your own creation as that's not how normal GS bars are set up. I'd just ask around on here, I'm sure someone has an extra top peice they'd just sell you for cheap, and then all you'd have to do is track down some cheap riser/dirtbike bars and you'd be in business.

[89Decepticon]

Anything falling apart is a bad thing in my books
Your still the go to guy Buddha, but I am going to check into this locally.

[89Decepticon]

Buddha,

what would your solution look like? You said you did it to a SV....got pics??

[sledge]

Bear in mind if you swap to clipons the original clutch, choke and throttle cables and the front brake line might be too short and may foul on full lock, but then again they might be long enough to cope. The 1989 models have different part numbers from the `90 on so something changed somewhere......guess its a 50/50, they are either too short or they are not ...BTW make sure the front brake reservoir lid-seal is in good nick too, cos the it wont be sitting horizontally if you loose the clipons and you dont want DOT 3 leaking all over your paintwork.

[89Decepticon]

Thanks Sledge, but I'm going the other way, i have 89 with the factory clip ons and want to switch to a bar. I find the clip ons too turned in for my liking. I would like to go to a moto x type bar. little wider stance width.

[The Buddha]

Buddha,

what would your solution look like? You said you did it to a SV....got pics??

I dont have pics, and the SV I did well, it was different.And no pics of it either.
It will have to be a 1 off dude, no one has done this before.
Also sledge is right, the cables and stuff can be too short if your bars are wider.
You can actually route some stuff so it fits but not sure about everything.
Cool.
Buddha.