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superbike handlebar conversion.


Guest aolsona

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Guest aolsona

Hello all, I am a new member to vfrd. I have read a couple forums on this subject and was wondering if I could get a bit more information. I have seen the conversion done on a 6th gen with success. I own a 5th gen and was wondering if it can also be done without having to lengthen any of the cables or lines?? Any information would be much appreciated.

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I've done it on my '98 and you should be able to find a post or two from me w/pics responding to previous seekers. You'll need a longer throttle cable to use the bikemaster superbike bar that I used. I believe I bought my cable from the helibars folks who sell them separately for use with their bars. Another inch should do it. Motion pro also builds custom-length cables.

The conversion gives you more comfort because you are more upright, and you get to rotate the rightside controls forward/downward to reduce the angle on the front brake lever. The upright position does put you up more in the wind with the stock w/s, but I don't do much long high-speed riding. If you do, consider the larger Givi or another touring-type shield. Otherwise, it might get old to sit upright on longer trips. If you do a lot of longer speedier trips, consider the helibars, instead, as they'll give you quick-change options of up/down, front/back bar placement.

The handlebar relieved the weight/angle-induced problem with my right arm starting to buzz (fall asleep), and more leverage is nice at lower speeds. I'd do it again, given my needs. Easy enough to put back to stock. The bars will hit the tank at full lock, so I adhezed rubber blocks onto the steering stops and they've not moved. If I had more energy, time, and talent, I'd drill the stops and thread the holes for use with bolt stops (bolts held in place w/nuts). I also had to do some shifting of the clutch/brake/fast-idle controls and their banjo bolt angles to make it all work easily and look good. Just trial and error to work it out. Tried to stick with the stock throttle cable, but it would pull open slightly when making righthand turns off of intersections from a stop (too exciting).

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Guest aolsona

Thank you for all the information, this is something that I have been considering for a while now, and think I'm finally going to make it happen. The most hwy riding I do is 50 miles or so up to the twistys! I think I can grit out the wind knowing all the fun to fallow. I was looking into the renthal 755's but the bikemasters are about a third of the cost. Thanks again for all your help.

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The wind isn't bad at all, just more noticeable than the stock position. 50 miles won't be a factor, as there's still way more wind protection than you'd get on a naked, or smaller-faired bike. I should mention the rubber blocks I glued to the stops do slightly limit the lock-to-lock distance, which could impact turning radius, but I've not noticed any issues. Maybe if I participated in Japanese gymkhana antics . . . . I chose the bikemasters for cost, because they're black, and I don't really care about the handlebar so long as it's shaped to my liking. That said, assuming no fairing clearance issues (the bikemasters don't hit the fairing), you can use any handlebar, which is nice.

The only time I get a knee down is if I'm having an accident, so for riding comfort I've also added BLS's footpeg brackets. My VFR is seriously comfortable with this set up, though peg-scrapers might touch down.

While I'm on a VFR roll, I cured the sensitive throttle and made the VFR really dreamy with a G2 Throttle Tamer (the one for 6th gen VFR works fine), and syncing the TBs flat (all the same) using a Twinmax at 1200 rpm. Very smooth, now.

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