Hey guys,
I bought my GS about a month ago and it is my first bike(1993 GS500E Red). I want to change the handlebars to give it a more agressive stance(someday I'm gonna get a CBR). Should I go with handlebars or clip-ons? Where should I get them? Any links of exactly what would be best would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
-Mike
I just sat today on a Yamaha R6 and a Honda CBR600RR, they both are really uncomfortable, so if the GS is your 1st bike I'd keep the bar the way it is for a while.
Do a search, there are tons of threads about this.
Basicly, for clip-ons you have to buy an 89's triple and its clip-ons. You can also buy clip-ons that clamp to the 37mm forks. problem is you have the headlight bracket in the way. If your racing it does not matter but for street you will have to mod new brackets.
Handlebar swap is way easier and cheaper. Arizona Motorspotrs sells drag bars for $12, which is what I use. Srinath, sells some simalar to S&M bars but at less than half the cost.
If you wanna stick with bars but get the feel of clip-ons, you could try Clubman handlebars by Bikemaster, with 1 inch bar risers. That's what I've got and I love it.
John L.
(http://img16.photobucket.com/albums/v47/adamr/DSCN9248.jpg)
I have clip-ons mounted under the triple tree. In my opinion handling is vastly improved, although John is right when he says that it requires headlight removal. I bought an Aprilia front fairing and plan to install it when I figure out how to mount it the way I want. I also picked up some auxilary lights (for cars) and plan to mount them under the fairing in order to achieve the track bike with lights look (although that's essentially what it is at this point).
I'll post pics of the completed project when I get it done.
Adam
the closest to clip ons you'll get without the fuss above is to buy the Suburban Machinery bars I (and several others here) have. www.suburban-machinery.com and use the sv650 bars. They're pricy but well worht it in my opinion. These differ from the drag bars in the position it puts your wrist. Drag bars have you turn your hand inward while the s-m bars leave your wrists in a more natural condition. It vastly improves steering response.
Srinath, a member here, is selling home-made s-m bar replicas for significantly less. worth a look.
If you're new to riding leave the bike well enough alone for a bit to get used to the stock condition. Then upgrade the fork springs (see my site for a super easy method). Really all you NEED to do to the bike initially. Then learn and practice...
Check my site for lots of useful info if you decide you *must* mod your bike (I feel your pain).
WELCOME!
Dude, is that bike in your living room?! Sure solves that whole "winterizing" problem if you don't have a garage. Bet your significant other really loves the idea as well. :thumb:
I have an original 1989 GS and I just left it alone. When I had a '93 as well I tried flat drag bars and drop bars and I found that the drag bars are far more comfortable. Is this your first bike ever or? Let me know if you ever need parts, I have a parts bike as well. I'm GS obsessed....
Yeah, it's my first bike baby, I live in Chandler and Tucson AZ. Home and school. I'm in the Phoenix Sportbike Club. I'm gonna start doing rides with them fairily soon and that's all I'm gonna do over the summer when I'm not working(is ride). I'd definitely be interested in parts that would make my bike cooler if they're cost effective. In two years tops I am going to get a CBR600, CBR954, or a GSX-R 750. That's a ways off so, in the meantime, I want to put a little money into my knew baby to make her more sexy than she alread is. Let me know what you've got.
:thumb:
adam must really like his bike when he keeps it close to his couch :mrgreen:
Quote from: GRUadam must really like his bike when he keeps it close to his couch :mrgreen:
And what a couch it is.
If only you knew what I've done on that couch. :)
Actually, that couch is outside in our little patio area, which luckily for me is covered.
That is a man who has his priorities right. Couch goes outside and the bike stays inside. It must be good to be single :cheers:
Quote from: mp_3eb_tool... I live in Chandler and Tucson AZ....
God's holy trousers man, I sure hope you are getting frequent flier miles for that commute. :cheers:
"God's holy trousers man, I sure hope you are getting frequent flier miles for that commute. "
:lol: If that was my commute, I'd really be failing school :mrgreen:
I just got the suburban-machinery sv650 bar for Christmas from my wife. It was a quick and easy install, and is worth every penny. The finish on the bar and the welds are top notch. The riding position is vastly better, and I feel a more direct link to the front wheel. The SM bar, and my new Woodcraft rearsets have taken the already good riding position of the GS to a new level of comfort and control.
There is no substitute for the SM bars IMO.
I like those SM bars. Which one's do we need though, Type 2 or Type 1. Thinking about getting a pair.
Both will fit (granted, rather finically) on the GS. Difference being that the Type 1 bars will sit roughly one inch lower than the Type 2's (for a $20 higher price tag of course).
Quote from: jangofettI like those SM bars. Which one's do we need though, Type 2 or Type 1. Thinking about getting a pair.
From Pablo's page
Suburban-Machinery make two types of bars for the SV650, the Type 1 and Type 2. These are a modern version of the old "clubman" style handlebars that mimick the more aggresive position afforded by clip-on handlebars which were only available stock on '89 US version GS500's. They are a direct bolt in replacement for stock handlebars and can be installed in 1/2 hour. Both Type 1 and Type 2 fit the GS well. The Type 1 set the handlebar ends lower by about 1" than the Type 2's.
The following is what I did to install the Type 2 bars (same for Type 1).
http://www.suburban-machinery.com/sv650.htm
Thanks guys for the info. I just checked Pablo's page and the instructions there will do the trick. (Thanks Pablo)! I guess I will order a set of these. I think they look great. :cheers:
In Europe all pre-2001 models have semi-clipons. They look like clip-ons but are fitted above the triple clamps. It makes the bike very narrow and nimble while the stance is not too aggressive.
The euro clip on's are those high rise types. While they are better than the round tube bar US bikes got, they aren't the ideal. They put you rather high up for being comfortable on the GS. The 89 clip on's are right about 1/2 inch above the triple and feel much better IMHO.
Cool.
Srinath.
Well my bars are ordered. I went with the type 2. Hopefully they will go on without too much fuss. I dread getting the left grip off more than anything. My bike is a 93 and I imagine it has fused to the bar in the last 10 years or so. Also, I looked at Pablo's page on installing these babies and I notice there is a clearance issue with the master cylinder but that they will still go on. If anyone has any other advice that has bars like these, let me know. I figure they will be here in a few days, possibly tomorrow. They shipped yesterday a state away and I plan to tackle them as soon as they get here.
Get the wd40 spray tube stuffed under the grip as far as you can get it. 1/2 way would be ideal. Then connect the WD40 can to it and spray a good 1-2 squirts. Then hold the grip and twist it around... working the wd40 all around. That should let it slide off easy.
Cool.
Srinath.
Thanks! Sounds good. I'll try that.
Hey jango, I'm in the middle of installing the Type-2's myself. My bike's in hibernation for the winter, so i sort of put off the majority of the instal till next month due to laziness. Anyway, here's wishing us both luck on a successful mod! :cheers:
When i was considering the SM bars, i looked at the Honda 919 kit. The 919 tach setup is similar to the GS's so the bars have a slight rise to accomodate the banjo.
see:
http://www.suburban-machinery.com/honda_919.htm
I have a prototype that I made with this shape... makes for some funny handling, makes it harder to turn for some reason.
Cool.
Srinath.
Quote from: WAPHey jango, I'm in the middle of installing the Type-2's myself. My bike's in hibernation for the winter, so i sort of put off the majority of the instal till next month due to laziness. Anyway, here's wishing us both luck on a successful mod! :cheers:
Good luck! My bar got here today. Sure looks nice. I might pull the bike inside and get busy on it. Today is Friday the 13th, maybe I should wait until tomorrow. :thumb:
QuoteI have a prototype that I made with this shape... makes for some funny handling, makes it harder to turn for some reason.
Cool.
Srinath.
what's so cool about it being hard to turn?
Cool-that's just his signature...
Srinath, there must be something about your bars that make it harder to turn. The SM bars make the bike feel much easier to turn, gets your weight farther over the front wheel too. You should look at your fabrication..maybe your bars are flexing or something else isnt kosher...
The new bars are on. I used different aftermarket bar ends for now. How in the hell do the inserts in the stock handlebar come out to put in the new bars for the factory ends to screw back into? They look like they are tacked in? If anyone knows, let me know. Otherwise, the bars look excellent!
Use the aftermarket bar ends. A lot of bars ends nowadays are the expanding rubber stopper type. The screw in ones that can be bought... well the Suzuki insert uses a different bolt size than Lockhart-Phillips bar ends, so that was pretty lame when I replaced my bar ends on the stock bar. :roll: If you get a lot of vibration, you can always look around for heavier ends or use a bar snake :)
By the way... anyone know the rise, pullback, etc. of the stock bars? I think my bars are tweaked and I'll probably get a set that gives a little more aggressive posture for now. Not straight drag bars though. Can't spend the cash for S-M type 2's for a while :(
How does the bar snake work? I have heard of them before but I do not know how they work?
Quote from: pantabloCool-that's just his signature...
Srinath, there must be something about your bars that make it harder to turn. The SM bars make the bike feel much easier to turn, gets your weight farther over the front wheel too. You should look at your fabrication..maybe your bars are flexing or something else isnt kosher...
The SM ones like the 919's that are in that link.... made my GS hard to turn... No flex, and no cable/wire binding for sure. They have a high offset and that I think make it hard to turn. You can check it if you want. I'll send you the thing.
Cool.
Srinath.
Quote from: jangofettHow does the bar snake work? I have heard of them before but I do not know how they work?
http://www.barsnake.com/From what I gather, the bar snake is a piece of rubber type material that is tuned to absorb vibrations through your bars. Vibration dampening that way instead of putting weights on the end of your bars. Bar ends should act both as a weight and for damage protection. Plenty of bar ends are light little things.
It does cost more than your average set of handlebars though! You want the liquid snake cause S-M bars have kinks... umm I just had a bad thought :oops: It doesn't look like you can get the snake into the center section of the handlebars :? Oh well.
Tell me how the bars work out!
So far so good for the bars. I rode it yesterday and at all speeds I could detect no vibrations or at least not anything annoying enough to notice. I am using LP chrome bar ends. Waiting on my dooback bar end mirrors in the mail. I must say that I LOVE the new riding position. It feels better and I feel more a part of the bike. Expensive upgrade but worth it. Now I am going to put in new jets and a K&N filter. I'll get some pictures up on my website of the bike and new bars soon. I'll post a link then. Thanks everyone for all the information and advice.