Got a new set of Vortex clipons and now I'm interested in machining a top plate to replace the standard one.

I was wondering if anyone has the dimensions for the plate produced on a program such as Pro-E or something.  I'm at school and my bike is an hour away at the moment.
Also wondering how thick I should make the aluminum plate.

If anyone has any input it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

JP

If you're machining one, but a stock one from ebay and  machine off the bar holder. Or get a European top plate - it is flat since it had the clip-ons. Might save yourself a lot of work unless you're doing it as an exercise in machining.

My idea is to machine one from a 1/8 or 3/16 inch aluminum plate.  This will allow me to only have to lower the front end a minimal amount.

JP

There's easier ways of killing yourself! 
Seriously, have a look at the thickness of the standard one, then ask yourself would Suzuki have built it like that if it wasn't needed? It does a lot more than just carry the handlebars. 

Quote from: JPFL8 on March 10, 2011, 10:11:57 PM
My idea is to machine one from a 1/8 or 3/16 inch aluminum plate.  This will allow me to only have to lower the front end a minimal amount.

JP

That's WAY too thin. I'd be weary of something under an inch honestly. You're talking about a major support member.

The standard top plate only holds the handle bars. It is held to the top tripple by 2 bolts. If you are fastening bars to the fork tubes, you don't need the top plate.

Quote from: adidasguy on March 11, 2011, 01:18:22 AM
The standard top plate only holds the handle bars. It is held to the top tripple by 2 bolts. If you are fastening bars to the fork tubes, you don't need the top plate.

I'm with him on this.

Its also used to support the top ends of the forks. Not as important as the front fender bracing the bottoms of the forks, but still important. Think about how much pressure would be on the lower clamp without the top clamp.......

That being said, I say mill the excess material off the original.

Isn't the guy talking about just replacing the topmost bar holder piece? That would still leave the top triple in place.

The top tripple clamp is a separate thing from the top plate that holds the bars. Check a Suzuki parts diagram.
The black top tripple has the ignition and bolts to the fork tubes. The top most silver plate is only for the handle bars. (That's why it is so easy to put on the European style bars  )

Oops. That though did have me scared a little bit though.

OK, sorry, I thought he was talking about a new top triple. I still think you'd need something heavier to support the instruments. They're only supported on that plate, so it would be easy to develop a fatigue crack in a 1/8 plate.

I did the same on my bike when I had clipons. Took a normal top clamp and just cut off the handlebar mounts. I would've gotten rid of it all together but you do need something to hold the gauges. They've got a little weight to them and you've gotta take into account the force they'll deal with from potholes and everything else when the gauges are trying to shake up and down. Aside from that just take your best guess as to how strong it needs to be just to support the gauges and you'll be fine. Also, you don't have to cover the whole top triple. You could make a piece just big enough to bolt to the top triple and then hold the instruments without actually being wide enough to go by the fork tubes. You could then have the clipons right on top of the top triple clamp and may not even have to slide the forks up at all.

Quote from: tt_four on March 11, 2011, 09:00:33 AM
I did the same on my bike when I had clipons. Took a normal top clamp and just cut off the handlebar mounts. I would've gotten rid of it all together but you do need something to hold the gauges. They've got a little weight to them and you've gotta take into account the force they'll deal with from popholes and everything else when the gauges are trying to shake up and down. Aside from that just take your best guess as to how strong it needs to be just to support the gauges and you'll be fine. Also, you don't have to cover the whole top triple. You could make a piece just big enough to bolt to the top triple and then hold the instruments without actually being wide enough to go by the fork tubes. You could then have the clipons right on top of the top triple clamp and may not even have to slide the forks up at all.

Hmm interesting idea, I'll look into it.

This is what I had done to mine so I could mount the gauges...



and here's what I was saying you could do if you wanted to mount clipons without moving the forks in the triple. Just cut away where I colored red and slide your handlebars on top...



I did try to cut one in that shape before, but it was when I was younger and didn't really have my metal skills down yet and I ended up breaking it. Never tried again.