Whats up guys,
i was wondering if anyone knows about any smaller replacement handlebars for an 82 vision ? i noticed something lucky mentioned about 83 handlebars being shorter. Traffic over here is horrible and lane sharing is very crucial to getting to work on time and i feel like I am going to start a personal collection of car side mirrors pretty soon. ;D
EP
Hey LVR,
Someone on the old fourm told me there was a V in a junkyard near me with the shorter handle bars. I took them off the bike and the cost me $15 for the pair. I thought that was a good deal until I mounted them and the right one was bent. So I just bent it back and wa-la :D sweet low profile handle bars.
The taller ones are about 8" in height (or total length). The short ones are about 6" in length (height?). I like the short ones much better. Go to the "swap shop" and see if anyone wants to sell theirs. Or try other online resources, like moto-directory. If you want real comfort, get grab-on grips and black anti-vibe handlebar ends, they really help!
Party on! 8)
Note that the crucial issue is that the '83 bars are shorter than '82's in terms of height, not necessarily narrower for better lane splitting.
Though I guess with SUVs a lower bar height might get you under the mirrors.
The european spec ones were fitted with lower rise handlebars than the US versions. My '82 RJ has the lower rise bars and so does my '83 RK although that was a Japanese version.
Malcolm
Thanx guys, i ll check out my local salvage yards and try the swap shop ! 8)
I just have a suggestion before you go to the trouble of changing your bars. If your having trouble lane splitting practice more. I've lane splitted plenty with a fully loaded bagger. You just need to bring up your skill level. Also One big suggestion. Take the baffles out of your mufflers. Loud pipes save lives. Bikes can be hard to spot in heavy traffic. So it helps other drivers to know your there when they don't see you if they can hear you.
To Rob,
Forget the load pipes, they just piss off the people behind you!
Last year when I was coming back for the Mid Ohio Bike Show, I got stuck behind a bike with straight pipes. I couldn't hear my own bike so I had to look down at the tach to know when to shift. As soon as I pulled up even with the bike, with the strength pipe, the noise level dropped. The sound does not project forward, where it could do you some good.
Load pipes have also cost me $. The parking garage, next to the office that I work at, use to let bike part up front, in spaces that are too small for car, for half price. Now those spots are marked no parting! The reason that the manager gave me was the noise! The same thing happened at our office in the suburb! Full price, for parking, is costing me an additional $4.25 per day! That has added up to a couple of hundred a year.
Load pipes do get a lot of attention and most if it is negative.
Thanks
Dale
Suit your self Dale, I have a set of Macs on mine and more than one they have allerted some dunderhead to my presence. I just can't love a bike that sounds like a hover with a head cold!
;) Gents - The only proper method is to remove the stock triple clamp and cast handlebar risers, and toss them in the bin.
The only correct method would to machine new triple clamps that would mount conventional 7/8" handlebars. I spent about six hours in the machine shop, and now I can use any bend bar I want, and am not handcuffed by the stock cast risers.
I can E-mail you a picture, my address is in the member listing. Or, watch the gallery section, Ron was to post my photo's in the near future.
I swapped my 82 bars for 83's. ;) They are much narrower, further forward and lower. I like them better ....but it puts the weight on you wrists. After riding it for a year my wrists look like Popeye's. ;D
You can also drill the triple clamp and use bar mounts off of a xs 400 (or any bike that has suitable mounts) Burke Storti's bike in the gallery has this mod. i'm going to do my spare bike this way, for longer distance rides, as my arthritic sholders limit me to 150 miles, befor I have to rest for a few hours.