Nozz Posted March 5, 2023 Share Posted March 5, 2023 Obi-VFR’ers… I bought this 1997 VFR750 bike with bar risers, but the fork caps look non-OEM, or non-stock? And they’re starting to rust. What the what? Questions… Anyone know what these are? Are they stock? can someone upload a non-riser stock fork cap photo please? Thanks y’all! Nozz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Bren Posted March 5, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted March 5, 2023 Someone put Genmar risers on, fit under the handlebar clamps, and this is just a top cap which is pushed in from the top of the clamp. The idea is, is to increase the clamping area of the handlebar clamp. Loosen clamp bolts and you can pull out that cover, you'll see your normal fork tops then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nozz Posted March 6, 2023 Author Share Posted March 6, 2023 19 hours ago, Bren said: Someone put Genmar risers on, fit under the handlebar clamps, and this is just a top cap which is pushed in from the top of the clamp. The idea is, is to increase the clamping area of the handlebar clamp. Loosen clamp bolts and you can pull out that cover, you'll see your normal fork tops then. Ahhh, thank you sir! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fabio222 Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 On 3/5/2023 at 9:45 AM, Bren said: Someone put Genmar risers on, fit under the handlebar clamps, and this is just a top cap which is pushed in from the top of the clamp. The idea is, is to increase the clamping area of the handlebar clamp. Loosen clamp bolts and you can pull out that cover, you'll see your normal fork tops then. I have these on my VFR 800 but the rust spots on my caps are really annoying. I just don't know if it's safe enough to remove because it reduces that clamping force... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Bren Posted March 6, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted March 6, 2023 Don't know either, seems they're necessary. Could always take them out, clean them up and spray them to stop the rust? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer bmart Posted March 6, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted March 6, 2023 Do you really think that they add structural integrity? Isn't the threaded fork cap 1" or so below that? Handlebar bolt torque is 26 Nm...which is nearly nothing. I think that they're there to keep grime out. Get something rubber that fits and wrap it up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer DannoXYZ Posted March 6, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted March 6, 2023 load on bar-clamps is really low, since it only transmit force needed to turn forks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fabio222 Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 On 3/6/2023 at 4:57 PM, Bren said: Don't know either, seems they're necessary. Could always take them out, clean them up and spray them to stop the rust? They're fairly light actually now that I think of them...they probably don't take much, if any torque, they're basically a step up from aluminium foil. They do keep the rain from lodging though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer JZH Posted March 8, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted March 8, 2023 Some bar spacers do not replicate the locating pin feature of the OEM handlebars--the original GenMars I once had did do this, however. Low torque should still be fine if the bars are still prevented from rotating by a pin, but if that is not there I would be wary about compromising the clamping force any more than it already is. Steering is one thing; heavy braking to avoid impact is quite another! The steel end cap is just cosmetic, but the short length of steel tubing it sits in is probably there to keep the clamping force evenly distributed around what remains of the clamping circumference of the fork top. I wouldn't remove it. IIRC, the original GenMars did not include the tube (or the end cap), so this may have been added to the kits later to address a problem (just speculation)? Ciao, JZH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer bmart Posted March 8, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted March 8, 2023 The pin is a safety. Race/track bikes have no pin. They seem to do fine riding under agression...and crashing and still working fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted March 9, 2023 Member Contributer Share Posted March 9, 2023 Sand down and add some "gypsy chrome" on top Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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