After 14,000 miles last summer I decided I needed to something to make this bike more comfortable or sell it and get something else. Well, the VFR is my favorite of all the bikes I've owned. Including those that I built from the ground up. So I decided to make some changes. I had LSL bars on my ZX7 Streetfighter that I built and really liked the bend. So I bought some "new" used bars from a fellow fighter builder. Then I purchased TAG risers and went about drilling the triple clamp. Everything went on perfectly. However, I could not adjust them so they wouldn't hit the windscreen at full lock. I then started searching for the LSL clamps. I finally found some that were used briefly but then taken off and put on a shelf. The guy didn't like the set up so he sold them to me for very cheap. Anyway, I installed them and got everything set up but then the throttle cables were to short. You aren't suppose to need them with the LSL kit. They don't even supply them when you purchase it. No matter how I routed them or adjusted them, they were to tight. So I ended up buying cables from Converti-Bars that were 3 inches longer then stock. They are a perfect fit. I got everything installed and have ridden about 600 miles with the set up. I love it! It took a little getting use to it for the first 100 miles or so. But now I could ride this bike all day long. It's definitely the best upgrade I've done to this point. Although, I am going to install some bar end mirros and remove the stock ones. They're pretty much useless now. I also removed the RAM mount from the tank bolts and installed it on the bars.
Next upgrade....new digital camera! Sorry about the bad cell phone pics.
I think a nice upgrade from my Gen-Mar's would be the LSL clamps and then a Renthal MX style bar with the crossbrace to mount farkles to as well as giving me more lift at the grips. And I'd want it taller than the Gen-Mar's currently do so I'm sure I'd need extended control cables & hoses.
So a lot of money, basically, so that idea waits. Glad to hear you like your setup!
[image: View Post]pres589, on Mar 18 2009, 08:55 PM, said:
I think a nice upgrade from my Gen-Mar's would be the LSL clamps and then a Renthal MX style bar with the crossbrace to mount farkles to as well as giving me more lift at the grips. And I'd want it taller than the Gen-Mar's currently do so I'm sure I'd need extended control cables & hoses.
So a lot of money, basically, so that idea waits. Glad to hear you like your setup!
With my experience installing this set up the Renthals would have to have the same amount of pullback as the LSL bars. They barely miss the windscreen now. Also, I don't think a cross brace is needed to install any farkles. Unless you are using Touratech style mounts. RAM mounts fit the bar perfectly.
[image: View Post]trav72, on Mar 19 2009, 09:44 AM, said:
[image: View Post]pres589, on Mar 18 2009, 08:55 PM, said:
I think a nice upgrade from my Gen-Mar's would be the LSL clamps and then a Renthal MX style bar with the crossbrace to mount farkles to as well as giving me more lift at the grips. And I'd want it taller than the Gen-Mar's currently do so I'm sure I'd need extended control cables & hoses.
So a lot of money, basically, so that idea waits. Glad to hear you like your setup!
With my experience installing this set up the Renthals would have to have the same amount of pullback as the LSL bars. They barely miss the windscreen now. Also, I don't think a cross brace is needed to install any farkles. Unless you are using Touratech style mounts. RAM mounts fit the bar perfectly.
Depends on the Renthal in question and the tilt of the bar as installed, right? And yeah, I was thinking Touratech style mounts that use the cross-bar, should allow for a little more room, although all I see in my future is a GPS mount so it might be a non-issue.
I'd love to try this setup on for size, let me know when this smooth ride ever makes it into Kansas, just to sit at for a minute in a parking lot would answer a lot of questions I have about the feel of the thing vs. stock bars.
Did you have to do any drilling for the LSL clamps, or are the top triple clamps replaced by LSL ones? Are there any other components that set rider geometry other than the bars and clamps?
[image: View Post]canib, on Mar 19 2009, 12:22 PM, said:
Awesome! More pics!
Did you have to do any drilling for the LSL clamps, or are the top triple clamps replaced by LSL ones? Are there any other components that set rider geometry other than the bars and clamps?
Thanks.
I'll take some more pics once I get a new camera. The LSL clamps go over the top triple. No drilling required. The only adjustments that can be made are tilting the bars forward or back. Although you are limited because of windscreen interference. You can also set the LSL clamps higher on the forks. I chose to put mine right on top of the stock triple. The bars are perfect height for me. I also really like the width of them. I felt cramped with the clip-ons.
Guys any pictures of the clamps themselves how do they fit to the yolkes ive got gilles vario bars fitted but allways up for a bit more up and back what new cables are requred are they readily available thanks
I did the same thing to my '98 and I, too, had to get a longer set of throttle cables from Convertibars (they're Motion Pro cables). There's also some minor rerouting of the front brake line and clutch line, but no big deal. I bought the LSL clamp used (it was for a Ducati ST4 but fit/looked exactly the same as the one for the VFR), and I installed a $20 superbike bar from Bikemaster. The throttle cables were $50, so I've got $150 or so in the package. That change, and BLS footpeg brackets, changed my VFR for the better/best. One of the added benefits is that I can rotate the brake lever down where I like it. The clutch lever doesn't go quite as far, but still more than stock, and it's fine. Because the bars put your hands out in the wind a bit, I've since added some V Strom hand guards. Here are pre-guard pics:
[image: View Post]Misspent Youth, on Mar 20 2009, 02:12 PM, said:
Because the bars put your hands out in the wind a bit, I've since added some V Strom hand guards. Here are pre-guard pics:
Got pics of the Vstrom hand guards? I was actually thinking something along those lines for the winter months. Do they interfere when at full lock?
Nice setup.
Here is a picture of a similar arrangement I saw during the Catskills ride:
http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq203/buki_67/Catskills%20ride/CIMG2077.jpg
It's the white bike on the left and the best pic I could find. It belongs to buki67 - Hope he chimes in. I thought that that was the best looking combo on his bike - black bar with some trick grips. Looked awsome and I'm sure was plenty comfortable too.
[image: View Post]trav72, on Mar 20 2009, 11:30 AM, said:
[image: View Post]Misspent Youth, on Mar 20 2009, 02:12 PM, said:
Because the bars put your hands out in the wind a bit, I've since added some V Strom hand guards. Here are pre-guard pics:
Got pics of the Vstrom hand guards? I was actually thinking something along those lines for the winter months. Do they interfere when at full lock?
My garage is crowded and it's raining outside, so these pics may not be that helpful. There are two styles - one that attaches to the bar end and one that doesn't. The one that does attach needs special hardware that isn't on the VFR and I didn't feel like trying to make it work, so I "adjusted" the attach-to-bar end versions that I had by cutting off the outside part, making them resemble the version that doesn't attach to the bar end. See this site for particulars - http://www.fjrtech.c...tem.cfm?item=30 They're very effective. Because the "ear" doesn't go to the bar end to support the guard against the wind, I used a simple zip tie to hold the guard in place (otherwise it would swivel on its mount). I'm not sure how/if the pre-2005 guards (designed without the bar end support) would work, but this is how I did it with the post-2005 version. You can use a Dremel to easily remove material from the guard to make it fit.
Excellent thanks guys the pictures have given me the full picture
has anyone got a website where these can be bought as ive tried for a while trying in the uk but cant find anything at all thanks again
Rob
Looks like a comfortable setup. Can you post a list of the items req'd to make this change & the approx. cost? Also some step by step instructions so the less mechanically skilled among us (like me) can decide if it is a doable project.
I'm at the same point; I'm either going to make the bike more comfortable or get something else. I have Genmar risers and I don't think Helibars would do that much for me. I've been riding the DR-Z I just bought & the upright position has spoiled me.
Thanks for the writeup & pics
End of thread · 17 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 12 Apr 2010