So i just bought clipons (vortex) and i was told to mount them ontop of the tripple. Im pretty sure i can get the gripps and stuff out but im not too sure how to ajust the forks. Do i need a jack for this or isthe center stand good enuff? Is this a difficult job and how long will it take?

Any tips on the whole procedure would be great and appre iated

Thnx!

Put it on main stand,undo all 4 pinchbolts on yokes,slide forks up around an inch and retighten pinchbolts.10 minute job.

thanx for the help!

Understand that in doing so, you're going to loose cornering clearance and some stability.

IMO, it's better to install them under the triples. If you didn't want an aggressive posture, why did you buy clipons?

The 1989 US model and later models in Canada and Europe had factory clip ons. They weren't as aggressive as the aftermarket ones, so they are sort of half way between standard bars and after markets. I have them on my '92 Canadian model. They're pretty nice and give a bit of the crotch rocket posture and ride - like I said it is sort of half way between the two. It is really fun to ride and the bars and clamps are available on ebay from UK dealers. The hard part to find is the top piece of the triple clamp that holds the handle bars. These mount on the ends of the piece, not in the saddles in the middle. This part is hard to find and you may have to ask around at salvage houses. It could be possible to machine the ends of the standard handle bar piece since the vertical bar holders usually come with the bars. You'd just have to flatten the end at the right angle and drill & tap for 2 screws. You could leave the original mount on and put in a short piece of pipe to hold a clock, camera mount or GPS mount.

Quote from: burning1 on August 29, 2010, 02:26:49 AM
Understand that in doing so, you're going to loose cornering clearance and some stability.

IMO, it's better to install them under the triples. If you didn't want an aggressive posture, why did you buy clipons?

I do want an aggresive position but i dont think they will fot under the tripple. Im pretty sure they would hit the fendor. (gs500f). Is it possible for under the triple for a f

Might hit the fairing,not the fender.

Quote from: JAY W on August 29, 2010, 09:34:33 AM
Might hit the fairing,not the fender.

LOL As u can see im not too bike Savvy

If you're installing clip-ons on a GS500F model, I'd recommend removing the part Suzuki labels the 'lower handlebar clamp.' It's the large silver plate that mounts to the upper triple clamp, and mounts the stock handlebars. On the GS500E, this plate also mounts the instrument cluster, however on the F model, it can be safely removed - it doesn't seem to provide any significant bracing to the forks or upper triple on either bike.

By removing this plate, you gain about 20mm of clearance for clip-ons. You can raise the forks up 10-20mm, which may grant you enough space to attach clip-ons above the upper triple clamp, and clear the fairings.

Raising the forks a few mm will point the nose down slightly, and should help the bike turn in a little faster. It shouldn't significantly reduce clearance. There is insufficient travel for the fork brace to hit the front fairing with mild changes in geometry.

To remove the lower handlebar clamp, you need to get under the lower tripple, and remove a pair of cotter pins from the retaining bolts. Hold the retaining nuts with a wrench, and remove the mounting bolts from the top of the handlebar clamp. It should come off relatively easy. Make sure to save the vibration dampers, including the little 2mm * 10mm rubber feet on from the bottom of the handlebar clamp.

BTW: My advise would be to sell the clip-ons, and buy a more aggressive set of handlebars. Bars are cheaper, and easier to install, witch no need to change the suspension geometry. The right bars will be more ergonomic than your typical clip-ons.

Club bars should provide you the aggressive riding posture you're looking for.

Yeah there isn't enough room to install them underneath, you'll hit the fairing. I have mine installed on top with the triple tree's lowered. I love them. Plenty aggressive and I can still commute comfortably. Half of me wanting the clip-ons was so I could lower it because I'm a little on the short side. It does turn-in way better than stock as well.

Quote from: burning1 on August 29, 2010, 08:02:22 PM
If you're installing clip-ons on a GS500F model, I'd recommend removing the part Suzuki labels the 'lower handlebar clamp.' It's the large silver plate that mounts to the upper triple clamp, and mounts the stock handlebars. On the GS500E, this plate also mounts the instrument cluster, however on the F model, it can be safely removed - it doesn't seem to provide any significant bracing to the forks or upper triple on either bike

even on the f models, the gauges are still mounted to the very top plate, remove that, and you will have to find a way to mount the gauges to the fairing

Quote from: burning1 on August 29, 2010, 08:04:52 PM
BTW: My advise would be to sell the clip-ons, and buy a more aggressive set of handlebars. Bars are cheaper, and easier to install, witch no need to change the suspension geometry. The right bars will be more ergonomic than your typical clip-ons.

Club bars should provide you the aggressive riding posture you're looking for.

I agree

Oops! Thanks for the huge correction jermy_nash. You're right.

I thought Suzuki had moved them to the fairing stay, but I was completely mistaken.

Yeah... I wouldn't feel comfortable raising the fork tubes 40mm+ that would be required to install clipons at the top of the handlebar clamp. Others have done it, but I would like to once again emphasize that for race use, I'm only running a 8mm exposed. Racing tends to use more aggressive geometry than you'd run on the street*, and we tend to ride in more controlled conditions -- you aren't going to hit a reflector and go into a tank slapper on the track.

* With that said, I'd be completely comfortable running 8mm of tube showing on a street GS.

Again though... My opinion on the matter doesn't seem to be the popular one around here...

To answer your original question, the centre stand is entirely appropriate for adjusting the fork tubes. It helps to have a wedge or similar under the front wheel so that you can fine tune how much you adjust the forks... They tend to want to fall out of the upper triples if left unbolted.

If you want to put on the factory clip-ons, I have found the top plate and the bars all available on ebay from sellers in the UK.
Take the controls off the handlebar. Change the top plate. Then put the controls onto the clip ons. It seems the factory clip ons were available in Canada and Europe longer than just 1989 as in the USA.
I know its not what you're doing, but the parts are available for those that want to keep their GS with original factory parts.

Totally agree with burning's comments. If you install clip-ons above the triple, you get the same geometry as installing bars with no rise (ie. flat or club bars). The whole point of clip-ons is to get the bars lower than you can using the standard clamp. Using them on top of the triple means a significant reduction in ground clearance and a change in the handling because you have to move the forks. You need to know what you're getting into before making changes like that, and with respect, it sounds like you don't. Check out adidasguy's picture of the factory 'clip-ons'. (BTW they're not clip-ons!). You'll get about exactly the same bar position with club bars and have a lot less hassle fitting them, and no change in steering geometry or clearance.
Good luck!

True - they're not actual clip-ons but they are just about the same and I think they were called clip-ons at the time.
If you figure moving the forks, the factory ones are at just about the same position as clip-ons. I think they're actually about 1" higher than clip-ons but if you look at the photo, it is pretty close. They are comfortable and fun to ride. Not as low and hunched over as riding a GSXR. As I have mentioned, its sort of half way between a GSXR and standard bars. I like them and am thinking of putting them on my 2009 GS500F - or at least trying them out to see how they look. Might make the GS look a little like a GSXR?
I might see if a dealer in the UK will give a deal to ship me a few of them and the bars. One international package then splitting it up and shipping locally would be cheaper than a lot of people doing separate international orders.

FWIW, on my race bike the clip-ons are installed about 10mm below the upper triple clamp, and turned in so that there's  just the minimum legal gap between the tank and the bars. It's a *very* aggressive posture, but works well for the kind of body language used on the track. I would *not* want to ride that way on the street.

Quote from: adidasguy on August 30, 2010, 01:04:19 AM
True - they're not actual clip-ons but they are just about the same and I think they were called clip-ons at the time.
If you figure moving the forks, the factory ones are at just about the same position as clip-ons. I think they're actually about 1" higher than clip-ons but if you look at the photo, it is pretty close. They are comfortable and fun to ride. Not as low and hunched over as riding a GSXR.

Exactly! The factory ones would be perfect for what the OP wants (to fit with standard 'F' fairing) and club bars or similar would achieve the same thing, whereas putting true clip-ons on top of the triple would mean moving the forks=compromise street handling.