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Cheap Helibar Option (free)


Guest BenSegrest

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Guest BenSegrest

I ran a quick search, but nothing came up so I figured I'd just throw this out there. When I was installing my Helibars (sixth gen) I noticed that if you swap the stock bars left to right it would move the controls back probably 3/4". Now, there are the locating tabs that would be in the wrong place, and the cutout for the brake wires would be wrong, but it wouldn't cost anything. If I didn't already have the heli's I'd probably try it myself. If anybody does try or has tried this, please let me know how it works.

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Guest BenSegrest
I think it would be quite obvious that the bars would smack the tank

slide the bars up the forks. I know they would hit at the bottom.

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Guest BenSegrest

If this link works, I did a quick test for tank clearance. I'm not gonna switch all my stuff over cause like I said, I've already got heli's. Take this info as you will.

pics on pirate

Edited by BenSegrest
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  • 1 year later...
  • Member Contributer

Has anyone actually done this? Does it work? Safe and reliable?

Yes, there was a whole thread on it. Do a search if it's still there.

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Sorry guys, I'm not following where this post is going. Everytime I look at the pictures, I think I am seeing Heli-Bars. What is the "swapping the stock bars" about? Anyone got some insight? I tried search and didn't find anything. :comp13:

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  • Member Contributer

Sorry guys, I'm not following where this post is going. Everytime I look at the pictures, I think I am seeing Heli-Bars. What is the "swapping the stock bars" about? Anyone got some insight? I tried search and didn't find anything. :rolleyes:

You take both bars off, take everything off of them, then put the left bar on the right side and the right bar on the left side. This relocates them slightly towards the rear. It is for if your hands are too far forward. It doesn't help with height, but is slightly less of a reach. Heli-bars look similar to stock bars, they are just higher and farther back.

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Guest danmurphymn

Sorry guys, I'm not following where this post is going. Everytime I look at the pictures, I think I am seeing Heli-Bars. What is the "swapping the stock bars" about? Anyone got some insight? I tried search and didn't find anything. :comp13:

You take both bars off, take everything off of them, then put the left bar on the right side and the right bar on the left side. This relocates them slightly towards the rear. It is for if your hands are too far forward. It doesn't help with height, but is slightly less of a reach. Heli-bars look similar to stock bars, they are just higher and farther back.

That's it? It's that simple? Just switch the bars and they're further back huh... I may have to try it.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Guest danmurphymn

Ok, this seems like an obvious question but I'll ask it anyway. I just went out and looked at my bike. As the bars are currently, (stock) at full lock my hand doesn't have much room. If you turn the bars around, and they kick back an inch of so and you have to adjust them a little forward so your hands don't hit, don't you end up right where you stared anyway? Or is it just a little better while cruising by being a little further back but sacrificing low speed full lock turning?

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  • Member Contributer

And sacrificing your tank if you ever go down as the turn to turn lock won't keep the bars from driving into your tank, not to mention your thumbs. I'd definitely watch for that. The seating position of the VFR is so relaxed anyway I don't see why people constantly want to take it further. Seems like some would be more suited to a ST1300 instead, just like the people that complain that the VFR isn't sporty enough might be happier with a CBR.

Edited by rufrydrsc2
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  • Member Contributer

And sacrificing your tank if you ever go down as the turn to turn lock won't keep the bars from driving into your tank, not to mention your thumbs. I'd definitely watch for that. The seating position of the VFR is so relaxed anyway I don't see why people constantly want to take it further. Seems like some would be more suited to a ST1300 instead, just like the people that complain that the VFR isn't sporty enough might be happier with a CBR.

What's more, only tall people should be allowed to wear long overcoats, medium people get dinner jackets, and short people get vests.

Gives me an idea for condoms. But then I wouldn't be allowed to wear the really big ones because I'm not................tall enough.

Whaaaaaaat?

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Guest Goosechef

I had discovered the difference in left and right bars some time back and made the switch. The difference is enough to notice. II had the bars as high as they would go on the fork, and set to where they would not hit the tank. The configuration helped a cramp problem I was getting in the wrists. I rode it like that until I had a chance to throw a leg over a VFR that had the real McCoy. I had a set of Heli-Bars on order that day. With those, the cramping is gone and I sit in a better position. My butt gets into the Corbin better as well. The swap does require rigging around the pins. One is plastic I had to grind off, the other is metel and pulls out.

At the end of the experiment, I would recommend trying it if you want to save some coin, but the Heli-Bars are better

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Guest danmurphymn

I'm 5' 10". So in the end it sounds like it's worth it to do it. I can't afford the helibars for a quite a while. I'm a one income household with three little girlies runnin around and both my wife and I go to school full time. The cash for helibars is pretty expensive. It was amazing enough that I could afford the bike but with this life, I need something for my sanity... I'll make the swap then. How long does it take?

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Guest Goosechef

I'm 5' 10". So in the end it sounds like it's worth it to do it. I can't afford the helibars for a quite a while. I'm a one income household with three little girlies runnin around and both my wife and I go to school full time. The cash for helibars is pretty expensive. It was amazing enough that I could afford the bike but with this life, I need something for my sanity... I'll make the swap then. How long does it take?

It might take you an hour. When you get ready to take off the throttle, you want to loose the cable inder the tank on the left side. This will relax the tension on teh bar and let it come off. When you are putting them back on, make sure you are clear of the tank. You will like the difference.

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I read Gooschef's post about swapping the bars and did it with an added twist. I got a pair of 5th GEN bars for my 4th GEN because the 5th GENs are about 3/4 of an inch higher. I hadn't put them on yet when Goosechef posted about his swap and I thought "No way, this is too easy." But sure enough, swapping the 5th bars (L2R and vice versa) on my 4th brings them up AND back with NO clearance problems with the tank. I'm only 5'6" with short little T-Rex arms so it made a big difference for me. I looked for over a year for some 4th GEN HELIBARS (would still like to try a set) but for now this is a great fix. :fing02:

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What's more, only tall people should be allowed to wear long overcoats, medium people get dinner jackets, and short people get vests.

Gives me an idea for condoms. But then I wouldn't be allowed to wear the really big ones because I'm not................tall enough.

Whaaaaaaat?

OK.........but you wouldn't stick a 3mm thick condom on your dick if you wanted skin like sensation. You wouldn't put on a vest and expect it to warm you like an overcoat, not would you expect it to be as formal as a dinner jacket. That's a more realistic comparison since none of what you said made any sense. I was saying that they should've bought the bike that fit what they wanted, not saying that they couldn't buy it because of size. Comeon, why spew off at the mouth just because you don't agree with what I say. I just posed a question, not a condemnation.

On, and I'm sorry if you can't wear the really big ones.

I'm not trying to hijack the thread, so continue on everyone. I had merely posed an opinion and question, to which I never got an intelligent answer so I'll leave it be.

Edited by rufrydrsc2
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  • Member Contributer

I'm 5' 10". So in the end it sounds like it's worth it to do it. I can't afford the helibars for a quite a while. I'm a one income household with three little girlies runnin around and both my wife and I go to school full time. The cash for helibars is pretty expensive. It was amazing enough that I could afford the bike but with this life, I need something for my sanity... I'll make the swap then. How long does it take?

I'm about the same size, I think I'll try it.

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What's more, only tall people should be allowed to wear long overcoats, medium people get dinner jackets, and short people get vests.

Gives me an idea for condoms. But then I wouldn't be allowed to wear the really big ones because I'm not................tall enough.

Whaaaaaaat?

OK.........but you wouldn't stick a 3mm thick condom on your dick if you wanted skin like sensation. You wouldn't put on a vest and expect it to warm you like an overcoat, not would you expect it to be as formal as a dinner jacket. That's a more realistic comparison since none of what you said made any sense. I was saying that they should've bought the bike that fit what they wanted, not saying that they couldn't buy it because of size. Comeon, why spew off at the mouth just because you don't agree with what I say. I just posed a question, not a condemnation.

On, and I'm sorry if you can't wear the really big ones.

I'm not trying to hijack the thread, so continue on everyone. I had merely posed an opinion and question, to which I never got an intelligent answer so I'll leave it be.

+1

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Guest danmurphymn

Do I Need the snapring on the top of the forks or is it safe to move my handlebars up flush to the top of the fork and just tighten the bolt really tight?

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  • Member Contributer

Do I Need the snapring on the top of the forks or is it safe to move my handlebars up flush to the top of the fork and just tighten the bolt really tight?

I would be very thoughtful about not using the snaprings as they prevent a clip-on from slipping up and off the fork should the clamping bolt loosen. If you have ground off the locating pins the clip-on could loosen and rotate, causing hair raising control issues, but with snaprings in place at least the brakes would still work should it be the right one. Clamp bolts become the only line of defense with ground off pins. I just think everyone contemplating this maneuver ought to be aware of the degraded safety of flight issue, FYI. My track bike clip ons have no pins and checking the clamping bolts is an absolute must that I do before every track day as one of the "kill you straight off" items on the check list.

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