I'm kicking around the idea of installing Helibars on my '01 VFR. I've found a few how-to's with pictures, but I'm still a little nervous about the idea of cutting bits and pieces with my Dremel.
I installed Helibars on my '05 Ducati SS, but that was a cake-walk- remove and re-install. Can someone talk me into doing this myself before I pay someone else to do it?
[image: View Post]OnlyVees, on 28 November 2009 - 08:24 AM, said:
I'm kicking around the idea of installing Helibars on my '01 VFR. I've found a few how-to's with pictures, but I'm still a little nervous about the idea of cutting bits and pieces with my Dremel.
I installed Helibars on my '05 Ducati SS, but that was a cake-walk- remove and re-install. Can someone talk me into doing this myself before I pay someone else to do it?
Piece of cake. Cutting the stops off takes a minute or two; some say they didn't even have to do that. Hardest part is getting the inserts out.
[image: View Post]OnlyVees, on 28 November 2009 - 08:24 AM, said:
I'm kicking around the idea of installing Helibars on my '01 VFR. I've found a few how-to's with pictures, but I'm still a little nervous about the idea of cutting bits and pieces with my Dremel.
I installed Helibars on my '05 Ducati SS, but that was a cake-walk- remove and re-install. Can someone talk me into doing this myself before I pay someone else to do it?
If you have a Dremel and used it before you will be able to do this. Very simple and the instructions are easy to follow. For me it was a huge comfort improvement.
:+1: on the big improvement in comfort! As far as the cutting, my dremel crapped out on me so I did it with a 4" angle grinder with a cut off wheel on it! Still worked out just fine.
[image: View Post]motorhead1977, on 28 November 2009 - 10:14 AM, said:
:+1: on the big improvement in comfort! As far as the cutting, my dremel crapped out on me so I did it with a 4" angle grinder with a cut off wheel on it! Still worked out just fine.
I installed the Helibars on my '99 and it was a pretty simple job. I did have to trim the tab to allow the banjo's to pivot a bit, but I used a hacksaw and file and it went very smoothly. The only parts that are anyway close to being a hassle are getting the grips off and getting the anti-vibration jobbies out of the old bars, and those are an annoyance more than anything else. Go for it, piece o'cake.
I installed them a month after I got my '05. The improvement was huge. I didn't file the stops down. I didn't see the need. The grips were the only hard part. I've never found an easy way to get them on and off. The whole job took an hour at most. Do it. I've never met anyone who rode on the street or long distances that didn't absolutely love them.
[image: View Post]SEBSPEED, on 28 November 2009 - 11:16 AM, said:
[image: View Post]motorhead1977, on 28 November 2009 - 10:14 AM, said:
:+1: on the big improvement in comfort! As far as the cutting, my dremel crapped out on me so I did it with a 4" angle grinder with a cut off wheel on it! Still worked out just fine.
You did it? :laugh:
Sort of like "shake n bake" - " 'n I halped" :goofy:
[image: View Post]FJ12Ryder, on 28 November 2009 - 11:51 AM, said:
I installed the Helibars on my '99 and it was a pretty simple job. I did have to trim the tab to allow the banjo's to pivot a bit, but I used a hacksaw and file and it went very smoothly. The only parts that are anyway close to being a hassle are getting the grips off and getting the anti-vibration jobbies out of the old bars, and those are an annoyance more than anything else. Go for it, piece o'cake.
While on the topic, is there some trick to getting those old dampers out of the stock bars? I got one halfway out then gave up. Its not a huge deal as the V4 is so smooth, but bar ends would help take that high end road vibration out...
[image: View Post]2fast2young, on 01 December 2009 - 04:16 PM, said:
[image: View Post]FJ12Ryder, on 28 November 2009 - 11:51 AM, said:
I installed the Helibars on my '99 and it was a pretty simple job. I did have to trim the tab to allow the banjo's to pivot a bit, but I used a hacksaw and file and it went very smoothly. The only parts that are anyway close to being a hassle are getting the grips off and getting the anti-vibration jobbies out of the old bars, and those are an annoyance more than anything else. Go for it, piece o'cake.
While on the topic, is there some trick to getting those old dampers out of the stock bars? I got one halfway out then gave up. Its not a huge deal as the V4 is so smooth, but bar ends would help take that high end road vibration out...
Slide hammer takes them right out, I did it this way. Use a dent puller slide hammer, with a 6mm bolt modified to fit into the Slide Hammer where the sheet metel screw normally goes.
Removing grips is easy...use an air compressor and a blow nozzle and they slide right off...and back on just as easily. Took maybe 15 minutes to swap grips and bar ends when i did it.
My question is how to get the angle right when installing the Heli-bars...I have a set to install but no idea what to set the angle to, and how to measure it.
[image: View Post]Tightwad, on 01 December 2009 - 04:22 PM, said:
My question is how to get the angle right when installing the Heli-bars...I have a set to install but no idea what to set the angle to, and how to measure it.
I'm not sure how the 6th gens work, but the heli's on the 5th gens can really only go on at one angle w/ out hitting the mirrors or tank at full lock. You might have a total of 3deg that you can safely twist them one way or the other.
[image: View Post]2fast2young, on 01 December 2009 - 04:16 PM, said:
[image: View Post]FJ12Ryder, on 28 November 2009 - 11:51 AM, said:
I installed the Helibars on my '99 and it was a pretty simple job. I did have to trim the tab to allow the banjo's to pivot a bit, but I used a hacksaw and file and it went very smoothly. The only parts that are anyway close to being a hassle are getting the grips off and getting the anti-vibration jobbies out of the old bars, and those are an annoyance more than anything else. Go for it, piece o'cake.
While on the topic, is there some trick to getting those old dampers out of the stock bars? I got one halfway out then gave up. Its not a huge deal as the V4 is so smooth, but bar ends would help take that high end road vibration out...
Mine came out very easily. I pulled the dampers before I removed the bars from the bike which made it much easier. I removed the weight, removed the grip, screwed the weight back on, pushed in the triangular piece, squirted a little WD-40 in there, and using the weight rotated and pulled the damper out. Actually went pretty easily, only took a couple of minutes to do both.
End of thread · 12 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 27 Mar 2011