Handle bars crooked after drop?

[Twisties]

Lots of handlebar info here

http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=2365.msg40260

I just got my Moose CR-Hi today... have to say at first glance they look a bit low! But I'll be doing a test fit on the weekend, and if they work out my OEMs will be for sale, if you can wait a bit...

Trevor

Thanks Trevor, I had missed your thread. Big help. And thanks David for the Wasp tip... I'll look at that too.

 

[Twisties]

If you want the stock bar, I'd put a feeler out on this forum and others to find someone who might have one to sell. Swapping bars is a common mod and I suspect there are a few stock bars sitting around looking for a home.

If you have a good vise and can build a jig to hold the center of the bar, you could probably bend the stock bars back to very close to straight with a long section of pipe fit over the end of the bar. They're made of steel, so they're relatively malleable. But I wouldn't attempt to do it on the bike.

The key thing to keep in mind is that the stock bar is a "fatbar" (thicker at the mounting point and thinning at the grips - 1-1/8" and 7/8" if I remember correctly) but steel. Most aftermarket fatbars are aluminum. An alum aftermarket bar would be a nice upgrade, but the wall thickness of an alum bar is considerably thicker, so you'll probably have to figure out how to mount the hand guards with aftermarket expander plugs - I used Moose plugs one time and they worked well. If you have a Kaoko throttle lock, things will likely get more complicated.

There is another thread on this forum about handlebars and I think someone sourced out some steel fatbars in the aftermarket. These are probably a simple bolt-up, although if you want to retain the stock indexing of the switch assemblies and throttle perch, you'll need to drill indexing holes in the new bar.

Nothing too complicated but some stuff to think about. If you have the dealer do a stock swap for you, you're looking at a relatively expensive bar and a 1-1.5 hour labor charge.... I'd guess $300 before you get out.

- Mark

Thanks Mark. I felt the oem bar was just a tad too far a reach for me, maybe 1/2 to 1", so if I am replacing I would like to consider correcting that at the same time. As well, I am a little dissapointed that they bent in a low speed drop on gravel. On the whole, I'll either bend them back... I have a vise and can likely make a jig... or replace with something else. If Trevor decides to sell his oem bars for cheap then I might take him up on it, but right now I am following through all the leads everyone has supplied. This board is great!

 

[Buckeye71]

I have to do this to mine. It came from the showroom off a little. Just been enjoying riding it to much to do anything about it.

Same here, my bars are off a little as well and came out of the crate that way.

 

[Twisties]

Same here, my bars are off a little as well and came out of the crate that way.

I would think any such adjustments would be done by the dealer free of charge.... damage from drops, not so much.

 

[markjenn]

With the assymetry of instruments, switch clusters, master cylinders, throttle cables, etc., it's very hard to eyeball front-end straightness from the general appearance of the handlebars. I'd be skeptical a new bike would have a problem, but anything is possible and if the handlebar is truly bent or the front end crooked, I'd definitely get the dealer involved.

- Mark