Where do I go from here?

[daffyduck1962]

I need to hear your views on what you would do if in my situation?

My bike is a 2001 VFR800. Since owning this bike I have raised the bars by raising them by 19mm, and lowered the foot pegs by 25mm. This meant having the rear brake pedal lowered by the same amount. No alterations or reroute get of cables, hydraulic lines or electrics required to raise the bars.
For several years this has been enough to asking riding the bike comfortable for all day riding.

Over the last few weeks, it appears that this is no longer enough, as I am experiencing a pain between my should blades after riding for less than an hour.
A couple of years ago I had purchased a handlebar conversion kit (ABM) which is claimed to be straightforward.

The reality is after 2 days, the master cylinders hit the screen on the fairing when the bars are on full lock, the front brake does not secure to the bars as the external diameter of the bars are smaller than the internal diameter of the clamp.
The throttle cables are not long enough, and the brake line from the master cylinder is pulled tight when on full lock.

In other words, it is not fit for purpose without spending more money and time on it, hoping it will come right.

As I see it, my options are as follows:-
1- Keep spending money on the existing kit, and assume all will come right in the end.
2- Spend even more money on a different kit (Helibars -  £275 - might need extended cables and lines as well - but could be easier to install)
3- Repeat option 2 as above with an LSL conversion kit approx. £260
4 - Put the bike back to the spec it is currently in and put up for sale, or return the bike back to the original factory spec, and put the bike up for sale.
5 - The only other bikes which might be suitable are:-
Suzuki  GSF600S (2002-2007)
Suzuki GSX650F (2008-2013)
Both can be bought for under £3000 with less than 25000 miles on the clock and in good condition.
I would expect to get between £2500-3000 for my bike.

There is no guarantee that any of the above options would alleviate my aches and pains, at which point I might have to consider from riding bikes altogether. 

That's almost as bad as loosing my wife, not good.
I can't decide which is the best route to pursue as money is not in great supply for now.

[Woodie]

You don't say if the kit had longer cables for the throttle included in it. I made my own high bar conversion using some bars of another bike and after a bit of research I found the cables off an ST1100/1300 are the same cable but with slightly longer inners. Mine were £15 from ebay.

 

As for the Hydraulic lines, I found re-routing them through the forks helped the tension and also rotating the banjo's after removing the tabs that position have helped.

 

Both master cylinders clipped the inside of the fairing and at first I filed down the reservoir covers. A little fettling later and I removed approx. 12mm from the end of the handlebars, this allowed me to slide the controls further inboard which gave them clearance.

 

As for your front brake clamp, there would be two things you can do.

    1) remove some metal from where the clamp faces meet. this gives the clamp part chance to grip the slightly narrower bars.

     2) Use some old bicycle inner tube rubber round the bars. that should be enough to take up the slack and will compress nicely.

 

 

Hope this Helps

 

 

P.S. I guess from your site name you are the same age as I am and chose the higher bars for a similar reason.   Can I ask what you used to drop the pegs by 25mm. it might be of interest to me too.