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Installing LSL superbike bars

5 posts Started 5 Feb 2011 Last recovered post 13 Feb 2011 Wayback Machine snapshot 28 Feb 2011

#1
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Well, I got my late Christmas present from my wife, a set of LSL superbike bars. Between last weekend and this weekend I installed them. The only part that took extra time was getting a set of 16mm diameter inserts for my throttlemeister.

The bars were not difficult to install, though a little involved. All the cables and hoses reached, but had to be rerouted. Everything that currently comes up between the steerer tube and a fork tube has to be rerouted behind the fork tube. The clutch was easy, though it had to be taken off the lever to put through the fork tubes. Which meant I needed to bleed it after, which works out well, it needed fresh fluid. The headlight switch wasn't bad as long as it was fed in two pieces. The brakes were easy for me as I had already converted to a double banjo bolt system when I converted from stock brakes to F4i brakes. So I already had slightly long lines that did not require rerouting. The throttle tube had to come off to get the starter/kill switch assembly though the gap between the steerer tube and the fork tube. It did not want to go quietly and required some swearing. The throttle cables were the worst part. I had to disconnect them from the throttle body and pull them out. LSL requires that they be rerouted BEHIND the steerer tube, just in front of the tank. This was challenging, though most of my time was spent trying to figure out a way to do it without disconnecting the cables from the engine.

The bars had to be drilled for the locator pins on the kill switch and headlight assemblies. Fairly easy, though I think my throttle assembly should be rotated forward a bit more. It's limiting my brake location, which is making my master cylinder reservoir rub on the fairing at full lock.

The ID of the bars is 14mm, the smallest throttlemeister insert is 16mm. I had to get a 5/8" drill bit and bore out the last 2.5" of the handlebars to put the inserts in. Actually not that hard once I found a drill bit to borrow. Only taking 1mm per side off and drilling aluminum makes for quick and easy work. The throttlemeister inserts went in today with no issues. The battery is charging now and the thread lock on the throttlemeister is setting up. IF tomorrow is actually the 42 and sunny it is supposed to be I hope to get my bike out through the remaining snow in my yard and give these a try.

Based on my measurements from floor to mid bar weight, these handlebars are 1" further back, and 2" higher than the heli-bars that I took off. keep in mind I have F4i forks on this bike and am somewhat limited in how high I can mount clip-on's and these handlebars by my fork length. But the heli bars were 38.25" off the ground and these are 40.25" with the bike on it's centerstand. That's to the midpoint of the bar weight.

I'll update with a ride report, but test sitting with the centerstand I've got a lot less weight on my hands (maybe none). They're also about 1.5" wider than the heli bars, so we will see how that feels...
#2
Thanks for the details and pics.

Thinking about this same thing, so this is helpful.

Does the LSL kit come with the replacement triple clamp with built in bar risers? I like that if it does. I guess you just got the kit from Speigler.

"Fairly easy, though I think my throttle assembly should be rotated forward a bit more. It's limiting my brake location, which is making my master cylinder reservoir rub on the fairing at full lock."
Wouldn't rotating this forward cause the brake lever itself to feel weird? Just curious about this. Do you need to rotate the bars back more and then adjust the throttle assembly forward to make it comfortable? I'm not sure I totally understand that part. I'll wait and hear how it feels when you ride it awhile.

As for drilling for the throttle-meister (I have one too), I think one poster here actually ground down the pieces that insert into the bar as opposed to drilling the bar itself. Not sure about that - I may have misunderstood what he did (or what you had to do). Maybe BOTH solutions come to the same end result.
#3

[image: View Post]SereniTTy, on 05 February 2011 - 10:46 AM, said:


I'll update with a ride report, but test sitting with the centerstand I've got a lot less weight on my hands (maybe none). They're also about 1.5" wider than the heli bars, so we will see how that feels...


Looking forward to your ride report. I have an injury on my left hand and feel pressure on my left palm every time I ride, especially if I have to use the clutch more often.
#4
Just finished the ride.

Ok, I had the bars rotated too far back, I stopped halfway though back at my house and rotated the bars forward. This fixed the wrist issue (the angle was cocked too far in) and fixed the throttle tube issue with relation to the brake line. After rotating the bars forward, I changed the rotation on both the clutch and brake, and moved the brake inside a little. Now the brake misses the fairing at full lock. Admittedly the fairing did hit the kill switch at full lock turning left, so I'm not 100% there. I have about 1/2-3/4" that I can drop the bars just by lowering them on the fork tubes.

As for comfort, definitely an improvement. I can now ride with basically no weight on my wrists. The wider bars do make the bike feel a little more responsive. On the other hand, I have noticeably less weight on the front tire. I noticed this while accelerating hard up an on ramp, the front end felt a little light. Nothing bad, but noticeable.

I'm looking forward to more riding, need to see how this affects my butt next...
#5

[image: View Post]SereniTTy, on 05 February 2011 - 10:46 AM, said:

The throttle tube had to come off to get the starter/kill switch assembly though the gap between the steerer tube and the fork tube. It did not want to go quietly and required some swearing. The throttle cables were the worst part. I had to disconnect them from the throttle body and pull them out. LSL requires that they be rerouted BEHIND the steerer tube, just in front of the tank. This was challenging, though most of my time was spent trying to figure out a way to do it without disconnecting the cables from the engine.


During the installation of my LSL superbike set I wasn't sattisfied with the routing of the throttle cable, espaccially the chance on chaving.
I replaced the throttle cable with a 2nd hand ST1100 set which are a bit longer so the original routing can be maintained.
Also the connectiosn on both sides are identical.
Extra positive side on the ST1100 cables, a protective tube is covering over almost the whole lenght of the cable compared to the original VFR ones.

Some pictures to hopefully clarify what I mean

The cables, top the VFR ones, bottom the ST1100
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End of thread · 5 posts recovered Wayback Machine snapshot 28 Feb 2011