Short (83) & Tall (82) Handlebar Riser Identification

[h2olawyer]

I have been asked how to tell the difference between 82 & 83 handlebar risers.  I have took photos of the short risers I have on both my Vs.  The black ones are on V1 and the silver ones live on V2 (ex-professor rex bike).  The short risers do not have the slit on the sides of the risers.  They also don't have the cable keepers.  Another difference is how the handlebar pinch bolt is positioned.

Below are a couple photos of the short risers.  Since most of the bikes have the tall 82 risers, you can compare what you have with these photos.  If your risers look like these, they are the short 83 style.

H₂O

[kwells]

Thanks for the info H20!

[h2olawyer]

Glad to help.  Now, when risers come up on eBay, people can identify whether they are 82s or 83s by sight & not rely on the seller's possible misidentification.  Lots of Visionaries haven't seen the shorter risers.  Hopefully, this will help.

H₂O

[Tiger]

:)...and for those wondering about riser height's...

:) '82...Eight inches.

:) '83...five inches

The '83 riser's therefore give you more of a forward stance riding position... ;)

              8).......TIGER....... 8)

[reckon]

as I happily glance at my V with it's 83 shorty risers I got right here,......I realize

it's good to be with V

[kiawrench]

due to my own height, i cant ride with the 83 risers on, i feel as if i am hanging on for dear life,literaly hanging from the grips . with th e82s on, i get a bit more room to work with in an upright position,

  i talked with guy in machine shop here, we are going to use his new cnc machine to see if we can make a set of risers that will work and look like original 82s , but angled back a bit more, and extended 2 inches. this is to change the grip angle just a wee bit more. i just have to find what he asked for in trade,, no luck yet there.

[kiwibum]

Anyone have a good reason for keeping the end bolt in the bar end (end at the clamp)?  I've just ground off the two locating pins and moved my bars round a notch and questioned what job that bolt is actually doing. It looks more like atheistics to me because the large flat surface doesn't mate against the handlebar riser when it's tight, there is still a small gap. I orginally thought it was to stop the bar sliding out of the riser or to help secure it in place but the bolt in the riser clamp does this since the bar has a groove for the bolt to pass.  Even when the riser clamp bolt is loose and the bars wiggles in the riser it can't be pulled out. At the moment I've left it out and looking for a plastic cap to cover the hole to make it look pretty again unless someone can convince me of it's engineering purpose and to put the bolt back in.

[h2olawyer]

Interesting question.  That bolt may be the equivalent of wearing both suspenders & a belt.  Just an added measure of safety.  The bars are kind of a mission critical safety item.  If you feel it is safe enough with just one level of protection, then the plastic cap should work just fine.

just my $0.02

H₂O

[Night Vision]

the end cap bolts are also usefull to "pull" the handlebar into the riser.

[kiwibum]

my bars wiggle very easily into the riser so don't need them for that, could always use them on a tough riser then take out after fitting I guess. Leaving them out saves me some weight, every bit counts on the little 400:-).

[JasonJames]

Makes perfect sense as to why I am riding on my nuggets on the "83"

[zore]

I'm 6" small and found that the upright position of the 82 bars was almost painfull on long rides.  With the 83 bars, I was more comfortable, had felt that I had better feel.  Don't forget the foot pegs.

[kiwibum]

Zore
What shouldn't I forget about the foot pegs? I have the short risers, can't imagine using the long ones.

[h2olawyer]

The US - and maybe all North American - '82 XZs came with footpegs that were lower & farther forward than the Euro & 83s.  I still have the 82s on my bike.  It makes the clearance between the shins & fairing lowers a little close.  After I put the full fairing on, I had a tendency to occasionally knock my shin on the lower when putting my foot down at a stop.  Got used to it but still graze it sometimes.

Anybody got some 83 pegs, brake lever & shift linkage?   :D  They're approaching unobtanium status.  I'd like a set, though.

H₂O

[kiwibum]

any chance of photos of the two to see the differences? I have spare set of 400 ones and I'm assuming they are same as US 83s since the risers are the same but that's not the best assumption to make. If they are the same there will be lots in bike wreckers here in NZ, same goes for the short risers.

[Night Vision]

H²0: they're not lower, just 2" further back. I measured them side-by-side...

did you check that quadzilla site to see if they had them?

Kevin: If you don't mind me saying; that would be a popular fab item...
I'll send you the first core set  :D :D

Kiwibum: go to www.xz550.nl and look under different xz models (left sidebar)
if you can get the euro risers, pegs, and shift linkage.... that's gold  ;)

[h2olawyer]

I was under the impression 83 footpegs were about 1" higher & 1" rearward of the 82 location.  Thanks for the clarification.

H₂O

[Superfly]

I was able to go into some random 'used cycle parts store' and picked up a pair of 83 footpegs.  I love em, and I think I paid $45 for them.  IMHO the riding position was much better on the 83's than the 82's.

[JasonJames]

Yea when I got my vision last year, I had a box of parts with it with some Really nice footpegs, They were nicer thaan the original 83 ones, So I had mounted them. I didnt realize at the time they were different but when trying to hit the rear brake I Could barely get enough leverage. Turnou out the foot peg is about and inch further forward tanh the 83. man I'll deal with a scuffed up footpeg no no problem.

[h2olawyer]

The rubber parts of the footpegs are removable.  The rubber covers work on both 82 & 83 pegs.  Just a FYI.

H₂O